Latest American Academy of Neurology Stories

A larger waistline may be linked to an increased risk of decreased mental functioning in people infected with the AIDS virus HIV, according to research published in the February 14, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "Interestingly, bigger waistlines were linked to decreased mental functioning more than was general obesity," said study author J. Allen McCutchan, MD, MSc, of the University of California, San Diego. "This is important...

New research suggests that overeating may double the risk of memory loss, or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), in people age 70 and older. US scientists have shown that a high caloric intake can substantially increase the risk of developing MCI, which is the stage between normal memory loss that comes with aging and early Alzheimer’s disease. The findings were released today at aan.com and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans in...

ST. PAUL, Minn., Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- You can now begin voting for your favorite video entry to the 2012 Neuro Film Festival through March 8, 2012, at http://www.NeuroFilmFestival.com. Now in its third year, the Neuro Film Festival is a contest by the American Academy of Neurology Foundation to help raise awareness about why more research is needed to cure brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, autism, Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis....

A new scoring method can help doctors quickly decide which stroke patients will respond well to the clot-busting drug alteplase, according to a study published in the February 7, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The DRAGON score was 86 percent accurate in predicting the outcome three months after people had the stroke and received the drug within four-and-a-half hours after their first stroke symptoms. "The DRAGON score is...

High levels of the protein beta-amyloid in the brain that is associated with Alzheimer's disease may affect brain performance even in healthy adults, according to a study published in the February 1, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "In our study, we observed that even in adults with apparently good cognitive health, increasing amounts of beta-amyloid in the brain are related to subtle changes in memory and mental function," said...

A new position statement issued by the American Academy of Neurology calls on neurologists to begin screening their patients for abusive or violent treatment by family, caretakers or others. The position statement is published in the January 25, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Types of abuse include elder abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, emotional abuse, bullying, cyberbullying and violence. "Neurologists see...

Using a sling or cast after injuring an arm may cause your brain to shift quickly to adjust, according to a study published in the January 17, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found increases in the size of brain areas that were compensating for the injured side, and decreases in areas that were not being used due to the cast or sling. "These results are especially interesting for rehabilitation therapy for people who've...

Drug interactions weaken HIV drugs, could mutate virus New guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology will help physicians better choose seizure drugs for people on HIV/AIDS medication, avoiding deadly drug interactions and preventing critical anti-HIV drugs from becoming less effective, possibly leading to a more virulent strain of the disease. Michigan State University's Gretchen Birbeck – who spends several months each year in the sub-Sahara African nation of Zambia...

A new guideline issued by the American Academy of Neurology recommends doctors use caution when choosing seizure drugs for people with HIV/AIDS to avoid potential drug interactions. The guideline, which was co-developed with the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), is published in the January 4, 2012, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology and in Epilepsia, the journal of the ILAE. Seizures and seizure disorders are common in people...

Win up to $1,000 and a Trip to New Orleans ST. PAUL, Minn., Jan. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With only a few weeks until the deadline, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation is reminding everyone affected by brain disease to submit a short video to its 2012 Neuro Film Festival, telling your story about why more research is needed to cure brain disease. Winners could receive up to $1,000 and a trip to New Orleans. The deadline to enter is January 31, 2012, at...