Researchers have found that a widely prescribed drug for multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with longer survival for patients. The study, published today in the journal Brain, found that people with MS who took a beta interferon drug had a 32 per cent lower mortality risk than those that did not take the drug. This…

More than one in four patients with schizophrenia and epilepsy die before reaching the age of fifty. «There was an exceedingly high mortality rate among people with these disorders, particularly those who suffer from the combination of epilepsy and schizophrenia. More than 25 per cent of them die between the ages of 25-50,» says Jakob…

Pingpong may hold promise as a possible form of physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease. People with Parkinson’s who participated in a pingpong exercise program once a week for six months showed improvement in their Parkinson’s symptoms, according to a preliminary study. Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder in which a chemical in the brain called…

A promising molecule has offered hope for a new treatment that could stop or slow Parkinson’s, something no treatment can currently do. Researchers from the University of Helsinki found that molecule BT13 has the potential to both boost levels of dopamine, the chemical that is lost in Parkinson’s, as well as protect the dopamine-producing brain…

More patients could benefit from combinations of cholesterol-lowering drugs to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attacks. According to the authors, the study highlights a gap between current clinical guidelines and clinical practice for cholesterol management across Europe. They explain that even among patients who are already receiving optimal doses of statins, greater use…

Blood sugar control has always been important for people with diabetes when it comes to preventing a stroke. But a new study finds for people with diabetes who have a stroke, there may be an ideal target blood sugar range to lower the risk of different types of vascular diseases like a stroke or heart…

A simple eye exam combined with powerful artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning technology could provide early detection of Parkinson’s disease, according to new research. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive disorder of the central nervous system that affects millions of people worldwide. Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms like tremors, muscle stiffness and impaired balance —…

Children with autistic traits are more likely than their peers to develop an eating disorder, according to a new study. Previous research has found that autism and eating disorders can occur together, as 20-30% of adults with eating disorders have autism, and 3-10% of children and young people with eating disorders. However, it has not…

Researchers have clarified the relationship between the intracellular receptor PQBP1 and the structural protein Tau, which is dysregulated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Tau was found to interact with PQBP1 in immune cells of the brain, which led to activation of the inflammatory cGAS-STING pathway. PQBP1 may represent a potential target for the…

Inflammation gone awry in the brain due to stroke, head injury or infection causes damage; in a lab model of stroke, a particular gene tamped down swelling. When a person has a stroke, the brain responds with inflammation, which expands the area of injury and leads to more disability. In the April 9 issue of…