Prazosin is an alpha-adrenergic blocker used to treat hypertension and benign prostatic hypertrophy. The drug also antagonizes norepinephrine at brain postsynaptic alpha-1 adrenoreceptors, and a pilot study has investigated its possible use to treat agitation and aggression in Alzheimers disease (Wang et al. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2009; 17: 744-751). Prior studies have suggested that an increased number of alpha-1 adrenoreceptors is correlated with aggressive behaviour (Sharp et al. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry 2007; 15: 435-437).
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Neurology
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI)
February 16, 2010View commentary by Daniel Selchen, MD
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, 2010The 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, 2010The 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, 2010REPORT FROM THE 13TH 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.