BrainBlog

Neuropsychology at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the UCL Institute of Child Health View the website here From the homepage: "The Paediatric Neuropsychology Service consists of the Clinical Neuropsychology Department at Great Ormond Street Hospital and the Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Unit based at the Institute of Child Health (ICH). The academic and clinical staff in the Service work collaboratively to offer a comprehensive neuropsychology service for children, adolescents and their families."

"Inside Bill Moorier's Head" website link

Early Saturday morning, Gav C, the father of a now-deceased young boy named Tom, spent his hour for the One and Other Antony Gormley project from the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square describing life with his son. It is a narrative extraordinary in its directness. I recommend its viewing for any student training to work with young children with disabilities. You will learn something from it. To view it: Gav C. on the Fourth Plinth

From The Times (UK) Speed of digital era may be harming our ability to think The age-old rhythms of life are under assault as the distinction between work and leisure is eroded by new technology. Is it damaging our very humanity? Eva Hoffman September 26, 2009 Read the article

Barbara, a rehabilitation professional, went on Antony Gormley's One and Other Fourth Plinth project in Trafalgar Square yesterday morning. She promoted helmet use for sports and recreational activities and did so in a very nice kiddie-friendly manner. Her hour can be viewed at: oneandother.co.uk/participants/BarbaraJean

The Genesis 2009 Conference will take place on the 10th and 11th of December at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre (London). From the website: " Welcome to Genesis 2009 – “Back in focus!” The challenges of the economic downturn stimulated us to build innovative new partnerships at Genesis last year. The resultant exciting mix of business and science is something many have only dreamed of. This will be retained for 2009 with a streamlined approach for delegates to maximise the return on your investment in participating." For details, please see the conference website

Dr. Leon Eisenberg, Pioneer in Autism Studies, Dies at 87 By BENEDICT CAREY Published: September 24, 2009 "Dr. Eisenberg conducted some of the first rigorous studies of autism, attention deficit disorder and learning delays." [snip] “Leon took a very courageous stand and denounced the way psychiatry treated children, this whole system in which we had a few rich kids and their parents getting psychoanalysis five days a week and still not being cured,” said C. Keith Conners, a professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University. “No one even knew what a cure looked like. He had this conviction that nothing was being done for the bulk of children who needed help, and that we had very little scientific data to guide us.” [snip] Read the full article

Terry Pratchett: Britain facing tsunami of Alzheimer's disease Sir Terry Pratchett has warned of a "worldwide tsunami of Alzheimer's" facing Britain as figures show the Government spends less on researching the disease than the cost of building one mile of motorway. By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor The Telegraph Published: 7:30AM BST 22 Sep 2009 Read the article

Early next year: Third Annual Patient Recruitment in Clinical Trials conference, to be held 08th-09th March, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA. From the conference webpage: "Patient recruitment and retention are critical to drug development programs. Patient recruitment if not adequately planned for can extend your development timeline by a number of years. Retention of patients throughout the life of a clinical trial is essential in order have complete data sets for your analysis and subsequent filings. In order to optimize both you have to have a plan. This conference is intended to cover the topics one should consider when drafting and strategically implementing a patient recruitment and retention plan for a clinical development program." Please see conference webpage for details.

From The Times (UK): Case study: ‘It’s hard to recognise the man I married’ Judith Magill’s retirement dreams were dashed when her husband, Patrick, had Parkinson's disease diagnosed aged 57 21 September 2009 [snip] "People die with Parkinson’s disease, not of it,” said the specialist to my husband, Patrick, when he got the diagnosis at the age of 57. He was upbeat, though leaving us in no doubt that the condition would worsen. Parkinson’s would nibble away at Patrick’s physical and, if we were unlucky, his mental reactions. It would fundamentally change our lives after just two years of marriage. [snip] Read the full piece

From The Guardian How to boost your brain power Gardening, friendship, dancing, pregnancy and the odd glass of wine could improve your mental prowess Stephen Pincock The Guardian Tuesday 22 September 2009 Read the article

Today is World Alzheimer's Day. Read something today to increase your knowledge about the disease and dementia. Here's a general-readership resource: Alzheimer's Disease: Unraveling the Mystery ... and a report from the Alzheimer's Association: Summary of 2009 World Alzheimer Report

From The Times (UK): The latest Parkinson’s treatment: Wii-hab Parkinson’s disease symptoms could be controlled by a game that can be bought on every high street, says a recent study Simon Crompton 21 September 2009 [snip] This summer, the Medical College of Georgia in the United States announced the striking results of its research into the effects of “Wii-hab” on people with Parkinson’s disease. In an eight-week study, 18 people were asked to play Wii Sports, including virtual versions of boxing and ten-pin bowling, for an hour a day, three times a week for four weeks. By the end of that time all the participants showed significant improvements in rigidity, movement, fine motor skills and energy levels. Importantly, their depression levels also decreased; depression affects around half of people with Parkinson’s disease. [snip} Read the full article

From The Observer : Can a daily pill really boost your brain power? In America, university students are taking illegally obtained prescription drugs to make them more intelligent. But would you pop a smart pill to improve your performance? Margaret Talbot investigates the brave new world of neuro enhancement Margaret Talbot The Observer Sunday 20 September 2009 Read the article

From The Guardian : Reading Kafka 'enhances cognitive mechanisms', claims study Subjects who had just read Kafka's The Country Doctor were better at recognising patterns in grammar test, psychologists found Alison Flood guardian.co.uk Thursday 17 September 2009 14.59 BST [snip] Research from psychologists at the University of California in Santa Barbara and the University of British Columbia claims to show that exposure to surrealism enhances the cognitive mechanisms which oversee implicit learning functions. The psychologists showed a group of subjects Kafka's story The Country Doctor, a disturbing and surreal tale in which a doctor travels by "unearthly horses" to an ill patient, only to climb into bed naked with him and then escape through the window "naked, exposed to the frost of this most unhappy of ages". A second group were shown the same story, but rewritten so the plot made more sense. Both groups were then asked to complete an artificial g...

From The New York Times : Biotech Tries to Shrug Off Setbacks By JAMES FLANIGAN Published: September 17, 2009 "While some investors are pulling back, life sciences companies continue to innovate, and hope the capital to expand will come." Read the piece

A United BioSource Corporation press release from 10th September, 2009: United BioSource Corporation (UBC) today announced the acquisition of Cognitive Drug Research, Ltd. (CDR) , the leader in computerized cognitive testing for clinical trials. The CDR System is the most widely used computerized cognitive testing system in the world: it is used in more than 1000 trials encompassing approximately 50 different disease areas, validated in over 60 languages, and cited in more than 700 publications and abstracts. Additionally, CDR maintains the industry’s largest healthy subject, patient, and drug databases of cognitive effects, providing the standard for establishing the clinical relevance of compounds. Read the full press release

From the FDA: Information on Natalizumab (marketed as Tysabri) Updated Information: [9/2009] The FDA continues to receive reports of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in patients receiving Tysabri. Tysabri was approved by the FDA for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in November 2004 and for moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease in January 2008. From July 2006, (when Tysabri marketing resumed) to September 8, 2009, 13 reported cases of Tysabri-related PML were confirmed worldwide in patients being treated for MS with Tysabri monotherapy. Of these, four cases were patients in the United States (U.S.). There have been no postmarketing reports of PML in patients treated with Tysabri for Crohn’s disease. Less than 2% of Tysabri use in the U.S. has been in patients with Crohn's disease. The risk for developing PML appears to increase with the number of Tysabri infusions received. The number of monthly infusions of Tysabri in the 13...

van der Meulen I, van de Sandt-Koenderman WM, Duivenvoorden HJ, & Ribbers GM (2009). Measuring verbal and non-verbal communication in aphasia: Reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Scenario Test. International Joutnal of Language and Communication Disorders Background: This study explores the psychometric qualities of the Scenario Test, a new test to assess daily-life communication in severe aphasia. The test is innovative in that it: (1) examines the effectiveness of verbal and non-verbal communication; and (2) assesses patients' communication in an interactive setting, with a supportive communication partner. Aims: To determine the reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change of the Scenario Test and discuss its clinical value. Methods & Procedures: The Scenario Test was administered to 122 persons with aphasia after stroke and to 25 non-aphasic controls. Analyses were performed for the entire group of persons with aphasia, as well as for a subgrou...

This Monday, Bev Ashby, an artist, will take the plinth for her hour in the One & Hour Fourth Plinth event in Trafalgar Square. She will create a sculpture representing ataxia to promote ataxia awareness. Read article Follow at One&Other for live media stream.

For Speech-Impaired, Insurance Fights Remedy By ASHLEE VANCE The New York Times Published: September 15, 2009 "Despite their usefulness and lower cost, devices like iPhones and netbook PCs that can help the speech-impaired are not covered by Medicare or insurers." Read the article

World Alzheimer's Day

From The Utica Observer-Dispatch : Obama adviser speaks about epilepsy locally Axelrod also touts healthcare reform By ELIZABETH COOPER Observer-Dispatch Posted Sep 12, 2009 @ 09:01 PM Last update Sep 12, 2009 @ 10:59 PM WHITESBORO —Amid the national debate on health care, a top White House adviser related his personal story about troubles his family encountered in getting care for a daughter with epilepsy. David Axelrod, a close adviser to President Barack Obama, was the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, known as CURE, at Hart's Hill Inn Saturday evening. Axelrod's wife, Susan Landau, is one of the founders of CURE, and she has come to the Mohawk Valley in the past for CURE fundraisers, though Saturday was Axelrod's first visit. More than 700 people attended Saturday's fundraiser, which raised $207,000. Before the event, he took questions from reporters about his personal story, and said it had been “the cause of our lives to...

From FierceBiotech : Merck KGaA pulls ahead in hot oral MS drug race By John Carroll September 11, 2009 — 8:22am ET Researchers for Merck KGaA say that new analysis of the late-stage data for their oral drug cladribine highlight the drug's potential as a new therapy for multiple sclerosis. Patients taking a short course of the therapy were more likely to go two years without seeing the disease flare up, and that could prove crucial for the developer as it prepares to make its case that cladribine should be neurologists' preferred choice among a slate of experimental oral MS therapies. Read the full article

After a Diagnosis, Someone to Help Point the Way By LESLEY ALDERMAN The New York Times Published: September 12, 2009 "Patient advocates can help research treatment options, sort out insurance claims and open doors to specialists." Read the full article

The 10th international conference on Alzheimer's disease drug discovery takes place next week on the 14th and 15th in Jersey City, NJ. From the conference website: "The 10th International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery is presented by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF), the only public charity solely dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery and development of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease and cognitive aging. This conference brings together academic and industry scientists to accelerate the development of novel drug discovery programs for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias." Visit the conference website

From the CBC : McGill neuroscientist wins $1M research prize Last Updated: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 | 5:26 PM ET [snip] McGill University Prof. Brenda Milner has won the International Balzan Prize for 2009 . The prize is one million Swiss francs, or about $1 million Cdn, for her groundbreaking research into cognitive neuroscience and how we remember. [snip] Read the full article Dr. Milner was interviewed on the 9th of September on As It Happens . You can download the podcast at this link (tune in to the last 10 minutes). She speaks about several aspects of her work, including Patient H.M., and the Balzan Prize.

Study Spells Out Spread of Brain Illness in Animals By SANDRA BLAKESLEE The New York Times Published: September 10, 2009 The infectious agent that leads to chronic wasting disease is spread in the feces of infected animals long before they become ill, new research indicates. Read the full article

A report from The Guardian about ongoing genetics research in Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer's research links three genes to disease Findings hailed as 'huge step' towards earlier testing and better treatment for Alzheimer's Ian Sample, science correspondent guardian.co.uk Sunday 6 September 2009 18.05 BST Read the article

My blog turns five years old today.

Looking for reading material for a longish train trip I am about to take, I decided to hit to bookshelves of my Square's Barnes & Noble to see what popular neuroscience titles might be a good diversion (as well as potential supplementary 'lighter' references, should I re-teach an introductory course to neuroscience sometime over the next year). I chose three. The first is by Elkhonon Goldberg, a revision of an earlier work, which is titled "The New Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes in a Complex World" and is available in paperback by Oxford University Press. I first met the author when I was a graduate student, so I am looking forward to reading up on what he's been up to. The second is about glial cells and is entitled, "The Root of Thought: Unlocking Glia" by Andrew Koob. Five years ago, if someone said there would be a popular offering about glia, I would have thought 'Yeah, right...' Though I do enjoy adding discussion about glia to my...

FierceBiotech reported today about a failed Phase III trial of Acadia's Pimavanserin in a study of Parkinson's Disease Psychosis (sometimes abbreviated as "PDP"): ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Announces Results from Phase III Trial of Pimavanserin in Parkinson's Disease Psychosis Pimavanserin Misses Primary Endpoint of Antipsychotic Efficacy; Meets Key Secondary Endpoint of Motoric Tolerability [snip] SAN DIEGO -- Sep. 1, 2009-- ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: ACAD) today announced top-line results from the first pivotal Phase III trial with pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson's disease psychosis, or PDP. The study did not meet its primary endpoint of antipsychotic efficacy as measured using the Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms, or SAPS. Pimavanserin met the key secondary endpoint of motoric tolerability as measured using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale , or UPDRS. Pimavanserin was safe and well tolerated, with the frequency of...

I received the September 2009 issue of the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society yesterday. If you (or your library) have access to it) it is chock-full of excellent articles, including an overview to the anterior temporal lobes and semantic memory, a paper about the Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test, several papers relevant to problems and deficits in executive functioning in different pathologies, and a look at the phenomenon of "closing-in" behavior in patients with Alzheimer's disease

An article in The Times (U.K.): Blood test could predict severity of multiple sclerosis Mark Henderson, Science Editor August 31, 2009 [snip] Patients whose MS is thought likely to progress quickly could be started swiftly on therapies that can reduce the frequency and severity of attacks, while those at lower risk could be spared medication they do not need immediately. More accurate ways of assessing prognosis could also help to prepare patients for what they should expect in the future, removing the uncertainty that can be a distressing feature of the disease. [snip] Read the full article Dr. Rachel Farrell, of the Institute of Neurology at University College London, is the principal investigator.