Research
New studies, trials and evidence in neurorehabilitation.
Stroke31 OctPeople with multiple depressive symptoms have an increased risk for stroke, according to findings recently published in Neurology: Clinical Practice.
The collaborative study led by investigators at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabamashowed that individuals who scored higher on a test designed to measure depressive symptoms had a higher stroke risk than those with lower scores. The study involved 9,529 black and 14,516 white stroke-free participants, age 45 and older, enrolled in the UAB-led REGARDS study. REGARDS is a national, population-based longitudinal study designed to examine risk factors associated with racial and regional disparities in stroke incidence and mortality.
Research30 OctPeople with dementia are more likely to go missing in areas where road networks are dense, complicated and disordered – according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Researchers studied hundreds of ‘missing person’ police reports for people with dementia and compared each case to the surrounding road network.
They hope their findings could help inform future safeguarding guidelines.
Prof Michael Hornberger, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “People with dementia getting lost or going missing is a problem worldwide. Around 70 percent of people with dementia may go missing at least once, with some at risk of going missing multiple times.
Research30 OctA new study shows that the majority of people with musculoskeletal pain reported increased symptoms - as the nation adhered to new government restrictions designed to stop the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
And those who experienced most social isolation and loneliness were less likely to access healthcare.
The findings are the result of a survey of more than 600 people across the UK to see how people with bone, joint and muscle pain coped in lockdown.
The study was led by Dr Toby Smith, from UEA’s School of Health Sciences, and Prof Alex MacGregor, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School.
Dr Toby Smith said: “Bone, joint and muscle pain is a major cause of disability for people across the UK. People with these problems often experience pain, joint stiffness, fatigue and muscle weaknesses.
Research29 OctA team of scientists has found a way to circumvent a 178-year old theory and effectively cancel magnetic fields at a distance - in a study that could have implications for the treatment of neurological disease.
For example, patients with neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s might in future receive a more accurate diagnosis. With the ability to cancel out ‘noisy’ external magnetic fields, doctors using magnetic field scanners will be able to see more accurately what is happening in the brain. The study “Tailoring magnetic fields in inaccessible regions” is published in Physical Review Letters. It is an international collaboration between Dr Mark Bason and Jordi Prat-Camps at the University of Sussex, and Rosa Mach-Batlle and Nuria Del-Valle from the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, as well as other institutions.
Research26 OctResearchers have validated a new radiolabeled molecule that can be used with imaging tests to accurately detect and characterize brain injury. The team, led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), recently received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a first-in-human study with the strategy.
As described in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism, the novel tracer, called [18F]3F4AP, is designed to bind to potassium channels and is radiolabeled so it can be visualized through positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Potassium channels in the brain's neurons become exposed when the neurons become demyelinated, or lose their protective coating (called myelin), which occurs with a variety of neurodegenerative conditions.
Research18 OctDuring group problem solving the components of the social brain are co-activated, but they do not increase their coupling during cooperation as would be suggested for a holistic network.
That is according to a new study - 'social brain', a hypothetical network of different areas of the brain responsible for interacting with other people; published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. In this science, the brain of a person is most often studied while the person observes interactions between others without taking part in them themselves. This is due to the complexity of conducting experiments with active communication. Modern equipment for studying the brain is not adapted to situations in which a person can freely move and talk during the scanning process.
Research8 OctStoke Mandeville Spinal Research (SMSR) at the world-renowned National Spinal Injuries Centre in Aylesbury has announced it will fund over £128,000 for a pioneering new study into central neuropathic pain (CNP) in people with spinal cord injury (SCI). The funding is provided by SMSR and the charity Spinal Research. Led by St George's Hospital London, and involving the NSIC Stoke Mandeville, and the London Spinal Cord Injury Centre Stanmore, researchers will embark on a three-year project to explore the effectiveness of a procedure called cingulotomy, a minimally invasive surgical intervention that is able to locate and target a specific region of the brain with pinpoint accuracy, to help hinder overactive nerve pathways which regulate chronic pain in SCI individuals.
Research13 AugA new study has revealed a link between concussion and the risk of being diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood and anxiety disorders, dementia and Parkinson’s disease later in life.
Despite 'clinical recovery' from concussion typically lasting one week, a team of researchers from the University of Manitoba suspected there may be longer term effects. They used 25 years of population-based health data between 1990 and 2015, involving almost 50,000 cases of concussion from people living in Manitoba, Canada.
Research12 AugSome children who have had severe cases of coronavirus may develop neurological issues, according to new research.
Researchers from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children looked at 27 children who developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome, a severe inflammatory response that seems to be linked to Covid-19. Four of them experienced neurological conditions and had to be admitted to intensive care for an average of one week. Their average age was 12. These patients experienced headaches, confusion and muscle weakness, and had slowed activity in nerves and muscle fibres.
Research21 JulEighty-seven per cent of cyclists believe helmets can prevent concussion, according to a survey of cyclists in New Zealand. While most participants said they wore a helmet when cycling, many misunderstood how to best use helmets to help prevent head injury. Nine in ten agreed that a helmet should be replaced after a fall, but just over a third had not replaced their helmet after an accident and continued to use it. Many respondents reported cracking or otherwise damaging their helmet but didn’t feel at any increased risk of concussion.
