Neurology

Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)

February 16, 2010

Following news reports last fall of a possible cure for MS, clinicians and MS Societies worldwide have been inundated with inquiries about the new procedure. Its originator, Dr. Paulo Zamboni of Ferrara, Italy, has reported that a condition that he calls chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) is the underlying problem in multiple sclerosis.

Moreover, he claims that endovascular surgery to re-establish normal blood flow, dubbed The Liberation by Zamboni, will substantially reduce or eliminate relapses and MS plaques. Dr. Zamboni and his procedure were featured on W5, a Canadian news program (to view the broadcast go to (www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20091120/W5_liberation_091121/20091121?s_name=W5 – Liberation Treatment). Read More

CSF biomarkers of AD in MCI patients

February 2, 2010

The goal of finding clinically useful biomarkers to identify MCI patients at risk of developing Alzheimers disease has proved elusive with conflicting results reported by different centres. In Sweden, a large multicentre study has investigated the accuracy of CSF beta-amyloid(1-42), total tau protein (T-tau), and tau phosphorylated at position threonine 181 (P-tau) (Mattsson et al. JAMA 2009; 302: 385-393).
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No cognitive benefit with folate, vitamin B supplementation

February 2, 2010

The dietary intake of vitamins B12, B6 and folate do not appear to be related to Alzheimers disease or dementia, according to the most recent analysis from the Cache County Memory and Aging Study (Nelson et al. J Nutr Health Aging 2009; 13: 899-905).

L-dopa-induced dyskinesias: 24-month data

January 19, 2010

REPORT FROM THE 13^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETIES (EFNS), FLORENCE, ITALY, SEPTEMBER 12-15, 2009 – One-quarter of PD patients develop L-dopa-induced dyskinesias, according to the interim analysis of patients in the COPARK (Cohorte nationale de patients atteints de maladie de Parkinson)/PARKMIP (Midi-Pyrénées region) trial (Perez-Lloret et al. EFNS 2009). L-dopa-induced dyskinesia was defined as UPDRS IV (item 32) ≥ 1.

PD epidemiology: results from the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging

January 19, 2010

REPORT FROM THE 13^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF NEUROLOGICAL SOCIETIES (EFNS), FLORENCE, ITALY, SEPTEMBER 12-15, 2009 – The prevalences of parkinsonism and Parkinsons disease are on the increase among the elderly, according to an analysis of subjects in the Italian Longitudinal Study on Aging (Baldereschi et al. EFNS 2009).

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