An analysis of an Ontario claims database shows that a small proportion of neurologists prescribe most of the disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS (Marriott et al. Can J Neurol Sci 2013;40:67-72). Overall, 80% of DMT prescriptions were written by 12% of the neurologist community.
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Predictive factors for intractable pediatric epilepsy
June 5, 2013A single-centre study examined drug response in pediatric patients to determine retrospectively the predictive factors for intractable epilepsy (Seker et al. Pediatr Neurol 2013;48:52-55). Intractable epilepsy was defined as continued seizures following adequate treatment with >2 antiepileptic drugs for >18 months.
West Nile virus: the season is upon us
May 22, 2013West Nile virus (WNV) is an RNA viral pathogen of the Flaviviridae family that is genetically related to CNS viral pathogens such as dengue, yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis. The virus is maintained in the bird population and transmitted through a mosquito vector. When first described in 1940 (Smithburn et al. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1940;1:471-492) in a patient in Uganda, WNV infection produced a mild fever. But the virulence appeared to change in the 1990s with descriptions of severe WNV-associated neurological disease (Hubalek & Halouzka. Emerging Infect Dis 1999; 5:643-650).
Apathy in Alzheimer’s disease a mortality risk factor
May 15, 2013Apathy in Alzheimer’s disease is characterized as diminished motivation lasting for at least four weeks, with reduced goal-directed behaviour, goal-directed cognitive activity and emotions, and accompanied by functional impairments (Robert et al. Eur Psychiatry 2009;24:98-104).