Low back pain ? Yoga and Amusement Parks !

  From researchers at Essen Germany , found strong evidence for short-term effectiveness and moderate evidence for long-term effectiveness of yoga for chronic low back pain.
Clin J Pain. 2013 May;29(5);450-60
  
 From the dept. of spinal surgery, Mie U. Japan, low back pain was significantly alleviated when test subjects were in an amusement park, though temporary, demonstrating that enjoyable activities lessen low back pain.
J Pain Res. 2012;5:409-13

Low back Pain ? Aerobic Walk

  From the department of Physiotherapy Tel-Aviv, a six week aerobic walk program was as effective as six weeks of specific strengthening exercise program for low back.
Clin Rehabil. 2013 Mar;27(3):207-14

New Form of Nimodipine to Treat SAH : Nymalize

  Nymalize, an oral solution for nimodipine , has been approved to reduce the adverse affects of vasospasm in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The drug was previously available in a gel cap and had to be extracted by syringe resulting in accidental IV administrations of the drug rather than the intended installation into a nasogastric tube.

Arbor Pharm

Eat Your Nicotine Containing Veggies and Decrease Parkinson's Risk

  In a population based study of 490 newly diagnosed patients with Parkinson's disease and 644 healthy controls, patients that consumed fruits and vegetables that contain nicotine ie. from the same botanical family as tobacco, Solanaceae, including peppers (especially peppers), tomatoes and potatoes.
Annals of Neurology May 9, 2013

Non-melanoma Skin Cancer Decreases Risk of Alzheimer's

  Those older than 70 years that develop non-melanoma skin cancer have a dramatically decreased risk of Alzheimer's disease in a study of 1,102 patients.
Neurology May 15, 2013
  Conversely, it is known that patients with Parkinson's disease have a higher-than-expected frequency of melanoma and patients with melanoma are more likely to develop PD.
Int J Cancer. 2011 May 15; 128(10):2251-60

New Treatment for Pseudotumor Cerebri

  A team of neuro-radiologists and neurosurgeons at Johns Hopkins treated 12 patients with pseudotumor cerebri that failed drug treatment, weight loss and dieting by placing a stent via angiography into the transverse sinus of the brains of these individuals. The team employed the novel use of intravascular ultrasound imaging to place the 2 inch long stent thereby freeing the narrowing of the transverse sinus in these individuals and facilitating spinal fluid drainage, the accumulation of which causes increased pressure in the head and upon optic nerves inducing blindness. 10 of the 12 patients had a complete and lasting recovery.
  The condition is tied to obesity which is a growing epidemic in this country.
  The study will require verification and further research as to what causes the transverse sinus to narrow.
  One wonders if this treatment approach can be applied to other forms of intracranial hypertension.
Jrnl Of Neuro-Opthamology online March 14,2013

Barber Motorsports Park

NASCAR Grand Am race in Alabama. Before an autograph session with Dr.Chris Prusinski on the left with co-driver Chris Hall of Great Britain. A capacity crowd was on hand welcoming the stars of Grand am as well as Indycar on a beautiful weekend north of Birmingham.

Cell Phones Change Brain Metabolism

Cell phone use increases brain glucose metabolism in the region closest to the antennae as per a JAMA article of February 23rd.

Whether these changes are due to heat generated by the phone or RF-EMF exposure is unclear.

The significance of this finding is also unclear. Researchers are divided about the risk of brain cancer and cell phone use.

Some researchers have also suggested a neuro-protective effect that exposure to electromagnetic waves in mice decreases the accumulation of amyloid in mice (the protein found in excess in the brains of those with Alzheimer's)
J Alzheimer's Dis 2010;19(1):191-210

Set Bedtime Good For Children's Brain

  Girls ...but not boys...that did not have a set regular bedtime at age 7 had significantly lower scores for reading, math, and spatial skills on standardized tests from UC London researchers.
  Non-regular bedtimes at age 3 were independently associated with lower cognitive skills at age 7 in BOTH girls and boys.
  The study suggests that when sleep is restricted or disrupted symptoms symptoms that reflect a reduced capacity for plastic change in the brain.
  The implication is that reduced or disrupted sleep , particularly if it occurs at key times in development, could have important impacts on health throughout life.
Y. Kelly,PhD Jrnl of Epidemiology and Community Health July 2013

Autism : One in Four Mothers of Autistic Children Have Antibodies That Target Fetal Brains

  University of California, Davis researchers have found maternal antibodies to seven fetal brain antigens in nearly one quarter of mothers with autistic children. This finding could lead to a maternal blood test to identify children at risk for autism spectrum disorder long before symptoms manifest. This finding may herald a potential treatment option to prevent autism by blocking exposure to these antibodies in children born to affected mothers.
  One in 88 children in the US have autism (CDC).
Translational Psychiatry
  In a second study, also from UC Davis, IgG from mothers of children with autism was given to pregnant rhesus monkeys the offspring of which displayed inappropriate social interactions.