News Roundup: New and Noteworthy Information

Researchers determined that MRI imaging may predict which persons with cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer’s disease in a report published in the April 6 online Radiology. Baseline MRI was obtained for 164 individuals with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, 317 with mild cognitive impairment, and 203 healthy controls. The investigators then used MRI to measure the thickness and amount of atrophy in the cerebral cortex. “Individualized risk estimates from baseline MRI examinations indicated that the one-year risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease ranged from 3% to 40%,” the researchers reported. “Relative to the risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease conferred by the clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment alone, MRI measures yield substantially more informative patient-specific risk estimates. Such predictive prognostic information will be critical if disease-modifying therapies become available.”

Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced brain plaques associated with dementia and memory loss, according to a study published in the online February 14 Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A group of investigators studied the effects of cotinine on b-amyloid plaque aggregation in the brains of mice with Alzheimer’s disease. Mice treated with the compound performed better than untreated mice on tasks measuring working memory and thinking skills; long-term treatment also appeared to prevent spatial memory impairment. Overall, the treated mice showed a 26% reduction in amyloid plaque deposits. “Cotinine, the main metabolite of nicotine, has a long half-life and does not have cardiovascular or addictive side effects in humans,” the authors wrote. “The good safety profile in humans and its beneficial effects suggest that cotinine may be an excellent therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”

A study published in the April 13 online Neurology provides evidence that treating certain vascular risk factors helps lower the risk for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators assessed memory and thinking skills of 837 patients with mild cognitive impairment and then reassessed them five years later; 414 participants had at least one vascular risk factor at baseline. “At the end of follow-up 298 subjects converted to Alzheimer’s disease dementia, while 352 remained with mild cognitive impairment,” the investigators reported. “Treatment of individual vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia was associated with the reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease conversion.” The findings of the study are observational, the authors concluded, but they suggest that active intervention and treatment of certain risk factors might reduce progression to Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have identified mutations of the synapsin 1 gene as a possible common genetic cause for both epilepsy and autism. Their study, published online in the April 12 Human Molecular Genetics, involved members of a large French-Canadian family who had autism spectrum disorders or epilepsy. The severe Q555X mutation appeared in all family members with epilepsy, and in all those who had an autism spectrum disorder. In addition, other mutations in synapsin 1 (A51G, A550T, and T567A) were found in 1% and 3.5% of a separate cohort of French-Canadian individuals with autism and epilepsy, respectively. “These results demonstrate that [synapsin 1] is a novel predisposing gene to [autism spectrum disorders], in addition to epilepsy,” the authors concluded. “[The results also] strengthen the hypothesis that a disturbance of synaptic homeostasis underlies the pathogenesis of both diseases.”

Men who reported chronic ecstasy (MDMA) use were more likely to develop structural brain damage than those who did not use ecstasy, according to a study that was published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Using MRI, researchers measured the hippocampal volume of 10 male ecstasy users (average age, 21.3), compared with seven age- and gender-matched subjects who did not use ecstasy. The hippocampal volume of ecstasy users was 10.5% smaller than those of nonusing peers; the overall proportion of gray matter was 4.6% smaller, suggesting that the drug’s effects are not limited to the hippocampus. “These data provide preliminary evidence that ecstasy users may be prone to incurring hippocampal damage,” the authors wrote, adding: “Hippocampal atrophy is a hallmark for disease of progressive cognitive impairment in older patients, such as Alzheimer’s disease.”

In a study published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, researchers reported that epileptic seizures carry a subsequent risk for brain tumor. “Our study suggests that tumor as an underlying cause for epilepsy may not become apparent for several years after onset, and indicates a need for ongoing vigilance,” the authors stated. In the retrospective cohort study, the investigators examined data regarding individuals with first-time epilepsy admissions and determined that, compared with patients admitted for other common and minor disorders, patients with epilepsy were almost 20 times more likely to develop cerebral tumor. The risk for developing malignant tumors was more than twice the risk for developing benign tumors. “The risk was highest for those aged 15 to 44 years at initial admission for epilepsy,” the authors reported. “The risk of cerebral tumor was still raised several years after initial admission for epilepsy.”

A novel gene transfer vector, NP2, is safe and well tolerated for the treatment of intractable pain, researchers reported in the April 11 online Annals of Neurology. Investigators conducted a multicenter, dose-escalation, phase I clinical trial of intradermal NP2 injection in 10 subjects with persistent pain caused by cancer, despite treatment with morphine or other analgesic. Participants who received the low dose of NP2 reported no substantive change in pain; patients in the middle and high dose cohorts reported pain relief. “There were no placebo controls in this relatively small study,” the authors concluded. “But the dose-responsive analgesic effects suggest that NP2 may be effective in reducing pain and warrants further clinical investigation.”

The FDA has approved DaTscan (ioflupane I 123 injection) for detecting dopamine transporters in the brains of adults with suspected Parkinsonian syndromes. The radiopharmaceutical agent is intended for use with single photon emission CT imaging to evaluate neurodegenerative movement disorders. The injection may be used as an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluation tools to distinguish between essential tremor and tremor due to Parkinson’s disease, as ioflupane I 123 injection alone cannot differentiate between different types of parkinsonian syndromes. The FDA’s approval was based on two phase III clinical trials in which the drug was used to evaluate dopamine transporter distribution in the brains of adult patients. As a new diagnostic adjunct to clinical assessments, ioflupane  I 123 can potentially help physicians select the appropriate treatments for patients with movement disorders.

Persons who are regularly exposed to welding fumes may be at an increased risk for brain damage, specifically in the same areas affected by Parkinson’s disease, researchers reported in the April 12 Neurology. “Welding exposes workers to manganese fumes, but it is unclear if this exposure damages dopaminergic neurons,” the authors stated. “The purpose of this study [was] to determine whether welding exposure is associated with damage to nigrostriatal neurons.” Using PET imaging on 20 welders with no parkinsonian symptoms, 20 individuals with symptoms, and 20 healthy controls, the investigators determined that asymptomatic welders had higher manganese levels in the blood and an average 11.7% reduction in dopamine in certain brain regions. The pattern of reduction seen in welders, however, was distinct from the dysfunction pattern found in symptomatic Parkinson’s disease.

The FDA has approved Nuedexta (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect. The new therapy will help patients manage pseudobulbar affect that occurs secondary to multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurologic diseases. Nuedexta combines dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate, a metabolic inhibitor that enables therapeutic dextromethorphan concentrations. These components act on NMDA receptors and sigma-1 in the brain, but the mechanism by which it exerts therapeutic effects in patients with pseudobulbar affect is unknown. The drug was tested in patients with ALS and MS and reduced involuntary laughing and crying episodes compared with placebo. 

Virtual reality may be an effective adjunctive therapy for patients experiencing upper arm motor deficits following stroke, according to a study published in the May Stroke. Researchers analyzed seven observational studies and five randomized trials that investigated the effects of virtual reality and video game technology on stroke patients’ upper arm strength and function. Among the observational studies, there was a 14.7% improvement in motor impairment and a 20.1% improvement in motor function; in the randomized trials, patients had an almost five times higher chance of improvement in motor function, compared with those who received traditional therapy. The researchers concluded, “Virtual reality and video game applications are novel and potentially useful technologies that can be combined with conventional rehabilitation for upper arm improvement after stroke.”

Investigators found that surgical revascularization can restore lost brain tissue in patients with cerebrovascular disease that impairs blood flow to the brain, as reported in the online April 14 Stroke. Twenty-nine patients who had undergone vascularization were included in the study. All patients had pre- and postsurgery studies of cerebrovascular reactivity using MRI, and cortical thickness in regions corresponding to steal physiology were measured. “At an average of 11 months after surgery, cortical thickness increased in every successfully revascularized hemisphere,” the authors stated. “Mean cortical thickness in the revascularized regions increased by 5.1%.” The investigators’ goal was to halt further loss of brain tissue due to strokes, “so it was remarkable to see the loss was actually reversed,” they commented.

Researchers determined that MRI imaging may predict which persons with cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer’s disease in a report published in the April 6 online Radiology. Baseline MRI was obtained for 164 individuals with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, 317 with mild cognitive impairment, and 203 healthy controls. The investigators then used MRI to measure the thickness and amount of atrophy in the cerebral cortex. “Individualized risk estimates from baseline MRI examinations indicated that the one-year risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease ranged from 3% to 40%,” the researchers reported. “Relative to the risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease conferred by the clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment alone, MRI measures yield substantially more informative patient-specific risk estimates. Such predictive prognostic information will be critical if disease-modifying therapies become available.”

Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced brain plaques associated with dementia and memory loss, according to a study published in the online February 14 Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A group of investigators studied the effects of cotinine on b-amyloid plaque aggregation in the brains of mice with Alzheimer’s disease. Mice treated with the compound performed better than untreated mice on tasks measuring working memory and thinking skills; long-term treatment also appeared to prevent spatial memory impairment. Overall, the treated mice showed a 26% reduction in amyloid plaque deposits. “Cotinine, the main metabolite of nicotine, has a long half-life and does not have cardiovascular or addictive side effects in humans,” the authors wrote. “The good safety profile in humans and its beneficial effects suggest that cotinine may be an excellent therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”

A study published in the April 13 online Neurology provides evidence that treating certain vascular risk factors helps lower the risk for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators assessed memory and thinking skills of 837 patients with mild cognitive impairment and then reassessed them five years later; 414 participants had at least one vascular risk factor at baseline. “At the end of follow-up 298 subjects converted to Alzheimer’s disease dementia, while 352 remained with mild cognitive impairment,” the investigators reported. “Treatment of individual vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia was associated with the reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease conversion.” The findings of the study are observational, the authors concluded, but they suggest that active intervention and treatment of certain risk factors might reduce progression to Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have identified mutations of the synapsin 1 gene as a possible common genetic cause for both epilepsy and autism. Their study, published online in the April 12 Human Molecular Genetics, involved members of a large French-Canadian family who had autism spectrum disorders or epilepsy. The severe Q555X mutation appeared in all family members with epilepsy, and in all those who had an autism spectrum disorder. In addition, other mutations in synapsin 1 (A51G, A550T, and T567A) were found in 1% and 3.5% of a separate cohort of French-Canadian individuals with autism and epilepsy, respectively. “These results demonstrate that [synapsin 1] is a novel predisposing gene to [autism spectrum disorders], in addition to epilepsy,” the authors concluded. “[The results also] strengthen the hypothesis that a disturbance of synaptic homeostasis underlies the pathogenesis of both diseases.”

Men who reported chronic ecstasy (MDMA) use were more likely to develop structural brain damage than those who did not use ecstasy, according to a study that was published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Using MRI, researchers measured the hippocampal volume of 10 male ecstasy users (average age, 21.3), compared with seven age- and gender-matched subjects who did not use ecstasy. The hippocampal volume of ecstasy users was 10.5% smaller than those of nonusing peers; the overall proportion of gray matter was 4.6% smaller, suggesting that the drug’s effects are not limited to the hippocampus. “These data provide preliminary evidence that ecstasy users may be prone to incurring hippocampal damage,” the authors wrote, adding: “Hippocampal atrophy is a hallmark for disease of progressive cognitive impairment in older patients, such as Alzheimer’s disease.”

In a study published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, researchers reported that epileptic seizures carry a subsequent risk for brain tumor. “Our study suggests that tumor as an underlying cause for epilepsy may not become apparent for several years after onset, and indicates a need for ongoing vigilance,” the authors stated. In the retrospective cohort study, the investigators examined data regarding individuals with first-time epilepsy admissions and determined that, compared with patients admitted for other common and minor disorders, patients with epilepsy were almost 20 times more likely to develop cerebral tumor. The risk for developing malignant tumors was more than twice the risk for developing benign tumors. “The risk was highest for those aged 15 to 44 years at initial admission for epilepsy,” the authors reported. “The risk of cerebral tumor was still raised several years after initial admission for epilepsy.”

A novel gene transfer vector, NP2, is safe and well tolerated for the treatment of intractable pain, researchers reported in the April 11 online Annals of Neurology. Investigators conducted a multicenter, dose-escalation, phase I clinical trial of intradermal NP2 injection in 10 subjects with persistent pain caused by cancer, despite treatment with morphine or other analgesic. Participants who received the low dose of NP2 reported no substantive change in pain; patients in the middle and high dose cohorts reported pain relief. “There were no placebo controls in this relatively small study,” the authors concluded. “But the dose-responsive analgesic effects suggest that NP2 may be effective in reducing pain and warrants further clinical investigation.”

The FDA has approved DaTscan (ioflupane I 123 injection) for detecting dopamine transporters in the brains of adults with suspected Parkinsonian syndromes. The radiopharmaceutical agent is intended for use with single photon emission CT imaging to evaluate neurodegenerative movement disorders. The injection may be used as an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluation tools to distinguish between essential tremor and tremor due to Parkinson’s disease, as ioflupane I 123 injection alone cannot differentiate between different types of parkinsonian syndromes. The FDA’s approval was based on two phase III clinical trials in which the drug was used to evaluate dopamine transporter distribution in the brains of adult patients. As a new diagnostic adjunct to clinical assessments, ioflupane  I 123 can potentially help physicians select the appropriate treatments for patients with movement disorders.

Persons who are regularly exposed to welding fumes may be at an increased risk for brain damage, specifically in the same areas affected by Parkinson’s disease, researchers reported in the April 12 Neurology. “Welding exposes workers to manganese fumes, but it is unclear if this exposure damages dopaminergic neurons,” the authors stated. “The purpose of this study [was] to determine whether welding exposure is associated with damage to nigrostriatal neurons.” Using PET imaging on 20 welders with no parkinsonian symptoms, 20 individuals with symptoms, and 20 healthy controls, the investigators determined that asymptomatic welders had higher manganese levels in the blood and an average 11.7% reduction in dopamine in certain brain regions. The pattern of reduction seen in welders, however, was distinct from the dysfunction pattern found in symptomatic Parkinson’s disease.

The FDA has approved Nuedexta (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect. The new therapy will help patients manage pseudobulbar affect that occurs secondary to multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurologic diseases. Nuedexta combines dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate, a metabolic inhibitor that enables therapeutic dextromethorphan concentrations. These components act on NMDA receptors and sigma-1 in the brain, but the mechanism by which it exerts therapeutic effects in patients with pseudobulbar affect is unknown. The drug was tested in patients with ALS and MS and reduced involuntary laughing and crying episodes compared with placebo. 

Virtual reality may be an effective adjunctive therapy for patients experiencing upper arm motor deficits following stroke, according to a study published in the May Stroke. Researchers analyzed seven observational studies and five randomized trials that investigated the effects of virtual reality and video game technology on stroke patients’ upper arm strength and function. Among the observational studies, there was a 14.7% improvement in motor impairment and a 20.1% improvement in motor function; in the randomized trials, patients had an almost five times higher chance of improvement in motor function, compared with those who received traditional therapy. The researchers concluded, “Virtual reality and video game applications are novel and potentially useful technologies that can be combined with conventional rehabilitation for upper arm improvement after stroke.”

Investigators found that surgical revascularization can restore lost brain tissue in patients with cerebrovascular disease that impairs blood flow to the brain, as reported in the online April 14 Stroke. Twenty-nine patients who had undergone vascularization were included in the study. All patients had pre- and postsurgery studies of cerebrovascular reactivity using MRI, and cortical thickness in regions corresponding to steal physiology were measured. “At an average of 11 months after surgery, cortical thickness increased in every successfully revascularized hemisphere,” the authors stated. “Mean cortical thickness in the revascularized regions increased by 5.1%.” The investigators’ goal was to halt further loss of brain tissue due to strokes, “so it was remarkable to see the loss was actually reversed,” they commented.

Researchers determined that MRI imaging may predict which persons with cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer’s disease in a report published in the April 6 online Radiology. Baseline MRI was obtained for 164 individuals with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, 317 with mild cognitive impairment, and 203 healthy controls. The investigators then used MRI to measure the thickness and amount of atrophy in the cerebral cortex. “Individualized risk estimates from baseline MRI examinations indicated that the one-year risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease ranged from 3% to 40%,” the researchers reported. “Relative to the risk of conversion to Alzheimer’s disease conferred by the clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment alone, MRI measures yield substantially more informative patient-specific risk estimates. Such predictive prognostic information will be critical if disease-modifying therapies become available.”

Cotinine, a compound derived from tobacco, reduced brain plaques associated with dementia and memory loss, according to a study published in the online February 14 Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. A group of investigators studied the effects of cotinine on b-amyloid plaque aggregation in the brains of mice with Alzheimer’s disease. Mice treated with the compound performed better than untreated mice on tasks measuring working memory and thinking skills; long-term treatment also appeared to prevent spatial memory impairment. Overall, the treated mice showed a 26% reduction in amyloid plaque deposits. “Cotinine, the main metabolite of nicotine, has a long half-life and does not have cardiovascular or addictive side effects in humans,” the authors wrote. “The good safety profile in humans and its beneficial effects suggest that cotinine may be an excellent therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”

A study published in the April 13 online Neurology provides evidence that treating certain vascular risk factors helps lower the risk for conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer’s disease. Investigators assessed memory and thinking skills of 837 patients with mild cognitive impairment and then reassessed them five years later; 414 participants had at least one vascular risk factor at baseline. “At the end of follow-up 298 subjects converted to Alzheimer’s disease dementia, while 352 remained with mild cognitive impairment,” the investigators reported. “Treatment of individual vascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia was associated with the reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease conversion.” The findings of the study are observational, the authors concluded, but they suggest that active intervention and treatment of certain risk factors might reduce progression to Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers have identified mutations of the synapsin 1 gene as a possible common genetic cause for both epilepsy and autism. Their study, published online in the April 12 Human Molecular Genetics, involved members of a large French-Canadian family who had autism spectrum disorders or epilepsy. The severe Q555X mutation appeared in all family members with epilepsy, and in all those who had an autism spectrum disorder. In addition, other mutations in synapsin 1 (A51G, A550T, and T567A) were found in 1% and 3.5% of a separate cohort of French-Canadian individuals with autism and epilepsy, respectively. “These results demonstrate that [synapsin 1] is a novel predisposing gene to [autism spectrum disorders], in addition to epilepsy,” the authors concluded. “[The results also] strengthen the hypothesis that a disturbance of synaptic homeostasis underlies the pathogenesis of both diseases.”

Men who reported chronic ecstasy (MDMA) use were more likely to develop structural brain damage than those who did not use ecstasy, according to a study that was published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry. Using MRI, researchers measured the hippocampal volume of 10 male ecstasy users (average age, 21.3), compared with seven age- and gender-matched subjects who did not use ecstasy. The hippocampal volume of ecstasy users was 10.5% smaller than those of nonusing peers; the overall proportion of gray matter was 4.6% smaller, suggesting that the drug’s effects are not limited to the hippocampus. “These data provide preliminary evidence that ecstasy users may be prone to incurring hippocampal damage,” the authors wrote, adding: “Hippocampal atrophy is a hallmark for disease of progressive cognitive impairment in older patients, such as Alzheimer’s disease.”

In a study published in the March 28 online Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, researchers reported that epileptic seizures carry a subsequent risk for brain tumor. “Our study suggests that tumor as an underlying cause for epilepsy may not become apparent for several years after onset, and indicates a need for ongoing vigilance,” the authors stated. In the retrospective cohort study, the investigators examined data regarding individuals with first-time epilepsy admissions and determined that, compared with patients admitted for other common and minor disorders, patients with epilepsy were almost 20 times more likely to develop cerebral tumor. The risk for developing malignant tumors was more than twice the risk for developing benign tumors. “The risk was highest for those aged 15 to 44 years at initial admission for epilepsy,” the authors reported. “The risk of cerebral tumor was still raised several years after initial admission for epilepsy.”

A novel gene transfer vector, NP2, is safe and well tolerated for the treatment of intractable pain, researchers reported in the April 11 online Annals of Neurology. Investigators conducted a multicenter, dose-escalation, phase I clinical trial of intradermal NP2 injection in 10 subjects with persistent pain caused by cancer, despite treatment with morphine or other analgesic. Participants who received the low dose of NP2 reported no substantive change in pain; patients in the middle and high dose cohorts reported pain relief. “There were no placebo controls in this relatively small study,” the authors concluded. “But the dose-responsive analgesic effects suggest that NP2 may be effective in reducing pain and warrants further clinical investigation.”

The FDA has approved DaTscan (ioflupane I 123 injection) for detecting dopamine transporters in the brains of adults with suspected Parkinsonian syndromes. The radiopharmaceutical agent is intended for use with single photon emission CT imaging to evaluate neurodegenerative movement disorders. The injection may be used as an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluation tools to distinguish between essential tremor and tremor due to Parkinson’s disease, as ioflupane I 123 injection alone cannot differentiate between different types of parkinsonian syndromes. The FDA’s approval was based on two phase III clinical trials in which the drug was used to evaluate dopamine transporter distribution in the brains of adult patients. As a new diagnostic adjunct to clinical assessments, ioflupane  I 123 can potentially help physicians select the appropriate treatments for patients with movement disorders.

Persons who are regularly exposed to welding fumes may be at an increased risk for brain damage, specifically in the same areas affected by Parkinson’s disease, researchers reported in the April 12 Neurology. “Welding exposes workers to manganese fumes, but it is unclear if this exposure damages dopaminergic neurons,” the authors stated. “The purpose of this study [was] to determine whether welding exposure is associated with damage to nigrostriatal neurons.” Using PET imaging on 20 welders with no parkinsonian symptoms, 20 individuals with symptoms, and 20 healthy controls, the investigators determined that asymptomatic welders had higher manganese levels in the blood and an average 11.7% reduction in dopamine in certain brain regions. The pattern of reduction seen in welders, however, was distinct from the dysfunction pattern found in symptomatic Parkinson’s disease.

The FDA has approved Nuedexta (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) for the treatment of pseudobulbar affect. The new therapy will help patients manage pseudobulbar affect that occurs secondary to multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), traumatic brain injury, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurologic diseases. Nuedexta combines dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate, a metabolic inhibitor that enables therapeutic dextromethorphan concentrations. These components act on NMDA receptors and sigma-1 in the brain, but the mechanism by which it exerts therapeutic effects in patients with pseudobulbar affect is unknown. The drug was tested in patients with ALS and MS and reduced involuntary laughing and crying episodes compared with placebo. 

Virtual reality may be an effective adjunctive therapy for patients experiencing upper arm motor deficits following stroke, according to a study published in the May Stroke. Researchers analyzed seven observational studies and five randomized trials that investigated the effects of virtual reality and video game technology on stroke patients’ upper arm strength and function. Among the observational studies, there was a 14.7% improvement in motor impairment and a 20.1% improvement in motor function; in the randomized trials, patients had an almost five times higher chance of improvement in motor function, compared with those who received traditional therapy. The researchers concluded, “Virtual reality and video game applications are novel and potentially useful technologies that can be combined with conventional rehabilitation for upper arm improvement after stroke.”

Investigators found that surgical revascularization can restore lost brain tissue in patients with cerebrovascular disease that impairs blood flow to the brain, as reported in the online April 14 Stroke. Twenty-nine patients who had undergone vascularization were included in the study. All patients had pre- and postsurgery studies of cerebrovascular reactivity using MRI, and cortical thickness in regions corresponding to steal physiology were measured. “At an average of 11 months after surgery, cortical thickness increased in every successfully revascularized hemisphere,” the authors stated. “Mean cortical thickness in the revascularized regions increased by 5.1%.” The investigators’ goal was to halt further loss of brain tissue due to strokes, “so it was remarkable to see the loss was actually reversed,” they commented.