News Related to Brain & Nervous System

1. Pediatric MS Affects Thinking, Memory
   

   May 12, 2008 -- Multiple sclerosis (MS) that strikes during childhood may disrupt a key phase of brain development and appears to have a profound negative impact on a child's ability to think and pay attention. Scientists reporting in the May 12 issue of Neurology say that the earlier MS develops, t

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2. NSAIDs for Alzheimer's? Never Mind
   

   May 12, 2008 -- Remember all those studies suggesting NSAID painkillers cut Alzheimer's risk? Forget about it. Despite accumulating circumstantial evidence that people who take NSAID drugs have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease, a clinical trial shows neither naproxen nor Celebrex preserves mental

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3. To Avoid Dementia, Watch Your Weight
   

   May 8, 2008 -- Older adults who maintain a healthy weight may be preserving their mind and memory at the same time. A study published in the May 2008 issue of Obesity Reviews shows that weight matters when it comes to warding off dementia. Researchers with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public He

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4. Few Aware of Stroke Warning Symptoms
   

   May 8, 2008 -- Do you think sudden chest pain is a symptom of a stroke? If you answered yes, you're not only wrong, you're not alone. A telephone survey of more than 71,000 adults in 13 states and Washington, D.C., has revealed that shockingly few people know the warning signs of a stroke. The CDC a

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5. Perk of Good Job: Aging Mind Is Sharp
   

   May 7, 2008 -- Mentally demanding jobs come with a hidden benefit: less mental decline with age. Work that requires decision making, negotiating with others, analysis, and making judgments may not necessarily pad your bank account. But it does build up your "cognitive reserve" -- a level of mental f

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6. Short Arms, Legs: A Risk for Dementia?
   

   May 6, 2008 -- The length of your arms and legs could help determine your risk for developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Researchers reporting in the May 6 issue of Neurology say that people with shorter arms and legs have a higher risk for such disease than those with longer l

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7. Ibuprofen May Cut Alzheimer's Risk
   

   May 5, 2008 -- The long-term use of ibuprofen and possibly other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain relievers may help protect against Alzheimer's disease, but it is still not clear if the risks outweigh the potential benefits. Use of ibuprofen pain relievers like Advil and Motrin for more than fiv

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8. Parent's Mental Illness and Kid's Autism
   

   May 5, 2008 -- Children born to a parent with schizophrenia or certain other mental illnesses may have an increased risk for autism, new research suggests. Parents of children diagnosed with autism were roughly twice as likely to have been hospitalized for a psychiatric disorder such as schizophreni

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9. Epilepsy Drug Dilantin May Speed Bone Loss
   

   April 30, 2008 -- Young women taking the common epilepsy drug Dilantin may risk bone loss and fracture with long-term use. A new study shows young women taking phenytoin (also commonly known as Dilantin) for one year lost 2.6% of the bone density in the femoral neck -- the upper part of the thigh bo

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10. Drug May Slow Alzheimer’s Decline
    

    April 29, 2008 -- An experimental new drug may help people with mild Alzheimer's disease by slowing the functional decline of the disease. The results are only preliminary, but a new phase II clinical study shows that people with mild Alzheimer's disease who took the drug Flurizan experienced a 46%

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