Neurological Conditions

Nytol, Benadryl, Ditropan and Piriton among the medications identified by scientists as raising likelihood of dementia A report published online this week in JAMA Internal Medicine offers compelling evidence of a link between long-term use of anticholinergic medications like Benadryl and dementia. Anticholinergic drugs block the action of acetylcholine. This substance transmits messages in the nervous system. In the brain, acetylcholine is involved in learning and memory. In the…

Despite known risks for older people, use of benzodiazepines—a class of sedative and anti-anxiety medications—remains common in this group. The findings raise questions about why so many prescriptions are written for older adults when there are often safer alternatives.   Benzodiazepines include the medications alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan). These drugs are widely prescribed to treat anxiety and sleep problems. But while effective, they have serious…

Mrs Balasubramaniam has been looking after her husband, 83, who has Parkinson’s Disease, for more than a decade. She shares symptoms, treatments and caregiving tips.   When was your husband diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease? My husband was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease about 10 to 12 years back, but he probably had symptoms much before that were not very noticeable, such as mild abnormality of gait or sticking out his tongue occasionally. What were the early…

Each day, 46 people die in America after overdosing on prescription painkillers.  In 2012 alone, the CDC says 259 million prescriptions were written for painkillers, enough to supply every American adult with a bottle of pills. "Opioids are essential medicines for end-of-life care or when used short term for acute pain, but this vast overprescribing of opioids is mainly for conditions where use of opioids are probably not safe or effective, like low back pain with a normal spine,…

Crushing tiredness that doesn’t diminish with rest, CFS can wreck lives. It’s also hard to diagnose, so patients may be seen as hypochondriacs. By Dr Shital Raval.  Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex disorder characterised by extreme fatigue that is unexplained by any underlying medical condition. The fatigue does not improve with rest and tends to worsen with physical activity or mental exertion.  CFS affects more women than men and is seen mostly between the…

The latest innovation, described in the journal Science, is an implant that moves with the body and provides both chemical and electrical stimulation. When it was tested on paralysed rats, they moved again. One of the scientists, Prof Stephanie Lacour, told the BBC: "The implant is soft but also fully elastic to accommodate the movement of the nervous system.  "The brain pulsates with blood so it moves a lot, the spinal cord expands and retracts many times a day, think about bending…

Scientists to launch £5m study that explores links between immune disorders and mental illness – and could lead to new treatments “Yet they became depressed as soon as they were given interferon and it triggered inflammation. This suggests strongly that the immune system talks to the brain in some way and that inflammation in the body can cause depression. It is possible that the reverse is true and that the brain somehow affects the immune system but that link requires further research.” …

Remember that you don't have to do any of this alone. - Kuntal Joisher Recently, it came to light that a significant underlying factor to Williams' decision to end his lifemay have been the fact that Williams was believed to have been suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. This recent discovery has put the spotlight firmly on Lewy Body Dementia or LBD, a disease that often goes undiagnosed in those afflicted with the condition. Lewy Body Dementia is the most misdiagnosed form of dementia. LBD…

Deep brain stimulation is becoming very precise. This technique allows surgeons to place electrodes in almost any area of the brain, and turn them up or down — like a radio dial or thermostat — to correct dysfunction. Andres Lozano offers a dramatic look at emerging techniques, in which a woman with Parkinson's instantly stops shaking and brain areas eroded by Alzheimer's are brought back to life. The multi-disciplinary approach of medicine and engineering has resulted in greater precision of…

An inspiring interview of Avinash Godbole who learnt to paint with his left hand, after a paralyzing stroke. Understand what he did to prevent his next stroke Symptoms of stroke are complex.  Understand the importance of acting quickly and following FAST FAST - Face, Arm, Speech, Time Is the Face uneven   Is the Arm hanging down or Leg not working as expected Is the Speech slurred Time - rush to a hospital quickly - within 4.5 hours Watch the video http://youtu.be/HjhYh1WLmIU