BrainBlog

DeKosky ST, Fitzpatrick A, Ives DG, Saxton J, Williamson J, Lopez OL, Burke G, Fried L, Kuller LH, Robbins J, Tracy R, Woolard N, Dunn L, Kronmal R, Nahin R, & Furberg C; for the GEMS Investigators. The Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study: Design and baseline data of a randomized trial of Ginkgo biloba extract in prevention of dementia. Contemp Clinical Trials. 2006 Apr 18; [Epub ahead of print]. Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, 3471 Fifth Avenue, Suite 811, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. The epidemic of late life dementia, prominence of use of alternative medications and supplements, and initiation of efforts to determine how to prevent dementia have led to efforts to conduct studies aimed at prevention of dementia. The GEM (Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory) study was initially designed as a 5-year, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Ginkgo biloba, administered in a dose of 120 mg twice per day as EGb761, in the prevention of dementia (and especial...

From Weblogsky : " Farewell to Dr. Tom "

NBC's Dateline this evening covers Parkinson's Disease. Centering on the work of Michael J. Fox and his Foundation , it also includes segments with Muhammed Ali and his clinical center at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix and with several neuroscientists. - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

Nakagawasai O, Yamadera F, Sato S, Taniguchi R, Hiraga H, Arai Y, Murakami H, Mawatari K, Niijima F, Tan-No K, & Tadano T. Alterations in cognitive function in prepubertal mice with protein malnutrition: relationship to changes in choline acetyltransferase. Behavior and Brain Research. 2006 Feb 15; 167(1): 111-117. Department of Pharmacology, Tohoku Pharmaceutical University, 4-4-1 Komatsushima, Aoba-ku, Sendai 981-8558, Japan. We have found that protein malnutrition (PM) causes a significant impairment of memory-related behavior on the 15th and 20th day after the start of PM (5% casein) feeding in prepubertal mice but not in postpubertal mice, as measured by a passive-avoidance task. This impairment was almost completely reversed by merely switching to a standard protein (20% casein) diet on the 10th day after the start of PM. However, the reversal was not observed when the switching to a standard protein regimen was done on the 15th day of the PM diet. Interestingly, the impai...

Hodges JR, Erzinclioglu S, & Patterson K. Evolution of Cognitive Deficits and Conversion to Dementia in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Very-Long-Term Follow-Up Study. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders. 2006 Apr 4; 21(5-6): 380-391 [Epub ahead of print] MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, Cambridge, UK. Ten patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) underwent extensive neuropsychological evaluation at 12-monthly intervals for a minimum of 6 years. All 10 patients declined and 5 have now died. The onset of dementia, as defined by a fall in global cognitive function (MMSE PMID: 16601329 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain

From the website of The Washington Post : FDA OKs First Attention Deficit Patch By ANDREW BRIDGES The Associated Press Thursday, April 6, 2006; 8:06 PM WASHINGTON -- The FDA on Thursday approved the first skin patch to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children. The patch called Daytrana, designed to be worn for 9 hours, contains methylphenidate, which has been shown to help children with ADHD. It is the same stimulant that is in Ritalin. The patch is made by Noven Pharmaceuticals Inc. of Miami. [ ... Read the full report ... ] - Anthony H. Risser | neuroscience | neuropsychology | brain