ScienceDaily (June 6, 2012) A 25-year follow-up study reveals that 68% of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) became seizure-free, with nearly 30% no longer needing antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. Findings published June 6 in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), report that the occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures preceded by bilateral myoclonic seizures, and AED polytherapy significantly predicted poor long-term seizure outcome. Patients with JME experience "jerking" of the arms, shoulders, and sometimes the legs. Previous evidence suggests that JME is a common type of epilepsy (in up to 11% of people with epilepsy), occurring more frequently in females than in males, and with onset typically in adolescence.. There is still much debate among experts over the long-term outcome of JME, and about which factors predict seizure outcome. To further investigate JME outcomes and predictive factors, Dr. Felix Schneider and colleagues from the Epilepsy Center at the University of Greifswald in Germany studied data from 12 male and 19 female patients with JME. All participants had a minimum of 25 years follow-up which included review of medical records, and telephone or in-person interviews. Sixty-eight percent of the 31 JME patients became free of seizures, and … Continue reading →

BERLIN, N.J., June 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Crafty customers showed their compassion at all 133 A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts (www.acmoore.com) stores in March and April to help raise $150,000 for the Easter Seals Act for Autism campaign. (Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120606/PH20356) The money raised during the third annual campaign supports Easter Seals autism services in the same local communities as A.C. Moore stores, giving thousands of children and adults with autism access to critical services that help them live, learn, work, and play. Since launching the campaign as part of its Crafting a Better World program in 2010, A.C. Moore customers and store team members have raised more than $440,000 for Easter Seals. "We're serious about supporting this cause that goes directly to support those in need in their local communities," said Pepe Piperno, chairman of A.C. Moore. "We thank our customers and staff for donating so that we can assist parents with early diagnosis and intervention." Why Act for Autism with A.C. Moore and Easter Seals "We know that through early detection and individualized intervention, children with autism and other disabilities make significant progress," explains Dr. Patricia Wright, MPH, Ph.D., national director autism services, Easter Seals. "The funds raised through our partnership … Continue reading →

By Drew Armstrong - 2012-06-06T21:00:00Z Fish exposed to psychiatric medicines in water showed gene patterns similar to those found in people with autism, in a study suggesting a link between drugs that get into the human drinking supply and the disease. Researchers put antidepressants Prozac and Effexor, as well as antiseizure drug Tegratol into water tanks of minnows. Tests showed that the same genes turned on in people with autism were also triggered in the fish after exposure, according to a study published today in the journal PLoS ONE. The findings suggest that small amounts of psychiatric medications found in the drinking supply may be a cause of autism, the researchers said. Psychiatric drugs have been linked to autism-like symptoms in studies of rats exposed to the medicines, according to the study. An environmental cause is really not on the radar for a lot of people, said study author Michael Thomas, a professor of evolutionary biology at Idaho State University in Pocatello, in a telephone interview. My sincere hope is that this opens the door to a new question and allows people to look into that possibility. Concentrations of the drugs are found downstream from water treatment plants that process … Continue reading →

While May is National Stroke Awareness Month, we should always be aware of the warning signs of stroke because it is the fourth leading cause of death in America, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In early May, the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics reported that hospitalizations for stroke have decreased in the last decade. The American Heart Association recently reported that deaths due to stroke decreased by more than 30 percent from 1998 to 2008. This is good news, and researchers theorize that it may be indicative of better stroke prevention strategies and treatments, yet thousands of Americans every year still suffer and die from stroke. Reducing stroke risk is largely a lifestyle issue. Regular physical activity, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol are among the most important things we can do to help prevent stroke. A stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is disrupted due to a blocked or ruptured blood vessel. The brain is very oxygen-dependent, so even a few minutes without oxygen-rich blood can cause brain damage and bring on telltale stroke symptoms. Classic symptoms include sudden weakness; paralysis or numbness in the … Continue reading →

Newswise LOS ANGELES (June 6, 2012) Wengui Yu, MD, PhD, a research scientist and clinician specializing in stroke treatment and neurocritical care, has been named director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers Neuroscience Critical Care Unit, one of the most advanced in the state. The recently expanded 24-bed unit, part of the Department of Neurology and Department of Neurosurgery, treats a high volume of patients with neurological disorders. Yus current research is focused on brain hemorrhage and treatment of severe traumatic brain injury. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals on stroke, endovascular interventions such as intracranial stenting, and basic cellular research. As an educator, he has overseen the training of more than 60 resident physicians and clinical fellows. We are extremely fortunate to attract a nationally recognized leader of Dr. Yu's stature. Together with the top-notch team already in place, our critical care unit is now among the elite in the country, said Patrick D. Lyden, MD, chair of the Department of Neurology and the Carmen and Louis Warschaw Chair in Neurology. Dr. Yu will expand our unit, attract promising young clinician-scientists and allow our unit to continue its fantastic growth and leadership. Yu joins Cedars-Sinai from Dallas, where he served … Continue reading →

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Covidien (COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that it will support the Brazilian Stroke Network (BSN), a non-governmental organization, through an unrestricted educational grant designed to assist the BSN in its efforts to increase education and awareness about stroke treatment and prevention in Brazil. According to the BSN, nearly 400,000 strokes occur each year in Brazil, 100,000 of which are fatal making acute ischemic stroke the leading cause of death in the country. Until now, we tried to control hypertension, diabetes and smoking, which had no impact in stroke incidence or stroke mortality, said Sheila Cristina Ouriques Martins, MD, PhD and President of the BSN. By educating an underserved population about the prevention and treatment of stroke, we can further our mission to make our community much healthier. Covidiens funding of this educational grant will bring a valuable educational resource to our medical community, which is committed to reducing stroke in Brazil. Dr. Martins and her BSN team, together with Brazilian Stroke Society and Brazilian Academy of Neurology, were recently selected by the World Stroke Organization to receive the Gold Prize award for World Stroke Day 2011. They were recognized for their efforts to … Continue reading →