Neurological Conditions

Key Findings : Trans fat consumption is linked to declining memory in young to middle-aged men. Men under 45 years old who ate higher amounts of trans fats, had significantly reduced ability to recall words.  “From a health standpoint, trans fat consumption has been linked to higher body weight, more aggression and heart disease. As I tell patients, while trans fats increase the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people” said…

“My legs. Where’d they go? Please help me. Please help me find my legs.” Every time Kayla Montgomery crosses the finish line after running a race, she endures several minutes of extreme distress as she struggles to regain feeling in both her legs. Montgomery is one of the top young distance runners in the U.S. She also happens to have multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease in which disrupted nerve signals in her body cause her to experience complete numbness in her legs when…

What is migraine Migraine is a chronic type of headache that occurs in episodes and affects the day to day activities of an individual. It usually affects one side of the head. Between migraine episodes, the patient is absolutely free of pain. Migraine is the most common neurological condition in the developed world. A migraine attack can come with an aura, which means a sense of warning, or without an aura.  Migraines are three times more common in women than men.     …

Murlidhar Ahire lies lifeless in the bedroom of his Vikhroli apartment while his younger son, Tushar tells us he was an active 69-year-old until two months ago. The retired Air India employee has been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt Jakob disease (CJD), a rare neurological brain disorder that almost always ends in death.  The bigger challenge for family and doctors battling CJD is that in about 85 per cent cases, it occurs as a sporadic disease with no recognisable pattern of transmission.…

She reduced her mother's medications to a minimum. Side effects may have also played a role in Asayo’s agitation and violence, said Steve Iliffe, professor of Primary Care for Old People at University College London. She let her mother walk.. “Walking is therapeutic and helps reduce disturbed behavior and sleep,” he said. “Letting her wander saved us and made us happy,” Akiko said. “It was unbelievably disturbing and stressful to keep my mom in the house.” Wandering alone, though,…

On a warm summer's day in Wroclaw, Poland, Darek Fidyka walked across a bridge, using only a frame for support. This had been his dream for four years, after he was paralysed in a knife attack. Now, after a transplant of cells taken from his nasal cavity, it had become reality. He is the world's first patient to receive the groundbreaking treatment. Behind those few steps lay the extraordinary efforts of a group of scientists, surgeons and fundraisers in Britain and Poland. Dr Tabakow…

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder caused by malfunction and death of nerve cells (neurons) in the brain. Because of the death of nerve cells, people with Parkinson’s don’t have enough of the chemical Dopamine. This causes their movements to slow down. Symptoms get worse over time. An estimated 7 to 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s Disease. These numbers are projected to escate sharply as more people live longer.    Can Parkinson’s…

Multiple Sclerosis or MS is a disease that can easily lead to feelings of isolation. Typically, at some point, it leads to significant physical disability and forces people to leave paid employment. It is particularly difficult as MS hits patients when they are young, just starting a family or developing their career.  The spouse or other family member has to take on the responsibilities of caring for the patient, children and supporting the family financially. As the…

is a disease of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). It is an inflammatory disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord become damaged. These inflamed areas become scarred, giving the disease its name: multiple areas of hardening (sclerosis) within the brain or spinal cord. This damage disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a wide range of signs and symptoms, including…

Lucille Markie is a key member of the Integrated Neurological Rehabilitation Foundation in Henderson. She is calling on young people with neurological conditions to attend a series of demonstrations to see what help and support is available to them. "There are a lot of younger people like me in the community but they often don't want to attend groups because strokes can be preconceived as an older generation disability." http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/10539762/Stroke-won-t-slow-Lucy-down