MedWorm: Amnesia

New Alzheimer’s Guidelines May Confuse Diagnosis

WebMD Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:06:56 +0100

Under recently revised criteria, nearly all people currently diagnosed with very mild or mild Alzheimer’s disease dementia would be classified instead as having mild cognitive impairment, akin to slight memory loss, which could mislead patients and their families, according to a leading Alzheimer’s researcher. (Source: WebMD Health)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Distinguishing Between The Forgetful And Those At Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

Health News from Medical News Today — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

It can be difficult to distinguish between people with normal age-associated memory loss and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However people with aMCI are at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD), and identification of these people would mean that they could begin treatment as early as possible. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Geriatrics shows that specific questions, included as part of a questionnaire designed to help diagnose AD, are also able to discriminate between normal memory loss and aMCI... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Informant-reported cognitive symptoms that predict amnestic mild cognitive impairment

BMC Geriatrics — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Specific questions in an informant-rated questionnaire designed to detect Alzheimers Disease are also able to discriminate between normal memory loss and amnesic mild cognitive impairment, allowing earlier identification of those at higher risk of developing Alzheimers Disease. (Source: BMC Geriatrics)

Severe, Rapid Memory Loss Linked to Future, Fatal Strokes

MedlinePlus Health News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:21:36 +0100

Source: American Heart Association Related MedlinePlus Pages: Memory, Stroke (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

How to tell apart the forgetful from those at risk of Alzheimer’s disease

ScienceDaily Headlines — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:16:16 +0100

It can be difficult to distinguish between people with normal age-associated memory loss and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). However people with aMCI are at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and identification of these people would mean that they could begin treatment as early as possible. New research shows that specific questions, included as part of a questionnaire designed to help diagnose AD, are also able to discriminate between normal memory loss and aMCI. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Questions Help Tell Memory Loss from Dementia (CME/CE)

MedPage Today State Required CME — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:43:12 +0100

(MedPage Today) -- A simple questionnaire can help differentiate individuals experiencing normal age-related memory loss from those at risk for developing dementia, researchers found. (Source: MedPage Today State Required CME)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Severe, rapid memory loss could herald stroke

theHeart.org — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:15:18 +0100

A new study finds that victims of fatal stroke had sharp memory declines before the event. (Source: theHeart.org)

Severe, Rapid Memory Loss Could Herald StrokeSevere, Rapid Memory Loss Could Herald Stroke

Medscape Today Headlines — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:18:34 +0100

A new study finds that fatal stroke victims had sharp memory declines before event. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Memory loss may warn of imminent stroke

Nursing Times Breaking News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:19:00 +0100

Rapid and severe memory loss can be a warning sign of an imminent deadly stroke, US researchers have found. (Source: Nursing Times Breaking News)

Fatal Strokes May Be Predicted By Earlier Severe, Rapid Memory Loss

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 +0100

Severe, rapid memory loss may be linked to - and could predict - a future deadly stroke, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2012. Researchers found that people who died after stroke had more severe memory loss in the years before stroke compared to people who survived stroke or people who didn't have a stroke... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

How to tell apart the forgetful from those at risk of Alzheimer's disease

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(BioMed Central) It can be difficult to distinguish between people with normal age-associated memory loss and those with amnestic mild cognitive impairment. However people with aMCI are at a greater risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Geriatrics shows that specific questions, included as part of a questionnaire designed to help diagnose AD, are also able to discriminate between normal memory loss and aMCI. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Synthesis and evaluation of some new 4-aminopyridine derivatives as a potent antiamnesic and cognition enhancing drugs

Medicinal Chemistry Research — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:13:42 +0100

Abstract 4-Aminopyridine (4AP) potentiates acetylcholine (ACh) release by blocking potassium channel in axon terminal and can be used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s type of dementia and cognitive disorder. It is reported that ACh is well related with memory and learning. On the basis of these fact, we decided to synthesis and evaluate some new Schiff bases of 4AP (SBAPs) for their putative cognition enhancing, antiamnesic, and anticholinesterase activity. The synthesized and purified SBAPs were characterized by elemental analysis, UV, FTIR, 1H-, and 13C-NMR. SBAPs facilitated the learning on elevated plus maze model and they also significantly reversed the scopolamine-induced amnesia on the same model. The effect of SBAPs on learning and memory was qualitatively similar ...

Sleep Apnea May Be Tied to ‘Silent’ Strokes, Study Finds

The Doctors Lounge - Cardiology — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:00:00 +0100

Other research also suggests rapid memory loss may be linked to a fatal brain attack (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Cardiology)

Sleep Apnea May Be Tied to 'Silent' Strokes, Study Finds

MedlinePlus Health News — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:00 +0100

Other research also suggests rapid memory loss may be linked to a fatal brain attack Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Sleep Apnea, Stroke (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Yoga classes, other D.C. health events for Feb. 2-9

Wash Post Health — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:43:26 +0100

Memory-loss support group For anyone living with the problem. There will be break-out groups for patients and caregivers. Thursday, 10-11:30 a.m., Iona Senior Services, 4125 Albemarle St. NW. 202-895-9448, Ext. 4. $15; reservations required. Read full article >> (Source: Wash Post Health)

Severe, rapid memory loss linked to future, fatal strokes

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Heart Association) Severe, rapid memory loss may be linked to -- and could predict -- a future deadly stroke, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2012. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Plasmocytoma of the skull vault.

Turkish Neurosurgery — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:02 +0100

CONCLUSION: Although the prognosis of a plasmocytoma is relatively good, this study demonstrated that patients with ventral frontal cortex tumour may have significantly worse mood pre- or postoperatively. Clinicians should therefore be careful in the follow-up period. PMID: 22274978 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Turkish Neurosurgery)

Androgen deprivation therapy-associated vasomotor symptoms.

Asian Journal of Andrology — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This article reviews current options for the treatment of hot flashes in patients taking ADT.Asian Journal of Andrology advance online publication, 30 January 2012; doi:10.1038/aja.2011.101. PMID: 22286861 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Asian Journal of Andrology)

Semantic memory is impaired in patients with unilateral anterior temporal lobe resection for temporal lobe epilepsy

Brain — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this study, therefore, we investigated the semantic performance of 20 patients with resection for chronic temporal lobe epilepsy with a full battery of semantic assessments, including more sensitive measures of semantic processing. The results provide a bridge between the current clinical observations about resection for temporal lobe epilepsy and the expectations from semantic dementia and other neuroscience findings. Specifically, we found that on simple semantic tasks, the patients’ accuracy fell in the normal range, with the exception that some patients with left resection for temporal lobe epilepsy had measurable anomia. Once the semantic assessments were made more challenging, by probing specific-level concepts, lower frequency/more abstract items or measuring reaction times...

A physiological marker for false memories | Mo Costandi | Neurophilosophy blog

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:23:00 +0100

False memories can be distinguished from real ones with a simple physiological test, report researchers from GermanyOur memories are not as accurate as we like to think they are. Every recollection is a reconstructive process, involving stitching together memory fragments rather than reproducing a ready-made whole. Inevitably, errors creep in, but in most cases our memories are accurate enough to be reliable. In some cases, however, they are not, the most striking example being false memories, or completely fabricated accounts of events that did not happen.False memories are easily created. Our memories of historical events can be manipulated with doctored photographs; psychiatrists have been known to implant false memories of childhood sexual abuse and Satanic rituals in patients; and fal...

Men at Higher Risk for Mild Cognitive ImpairmentMen at Higher Risk for Mild Cognitive Impairment

Medscape Today Headlines — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:38:56 +0100

In a surprising twist, investigators have found that men experience more memory loss even though women generally have higher rates of dementia. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Men at a Higher Risk for Memory Loss

Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – On the Cosby Show, a popular primetime show in the 80s, there were quite a few episodes in which Dr. Heathcliff "Cliff" Huxtable and his lawyer wife Clair played the memory game. (Source: Medical Headlines From Ivanhoe.com)

Men at greater risk of mild memory loss that can lead to Alzheimer's than women

the Mail online | Health — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:16:09 +0100

Men may be at higher risk of developing mild memory loss than women, say researchers. People with less education or not married had a higher rate. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

Men at higher risk for mild memory loss than women, study finds

ScienceDaily Headlines — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:26:26 +0100

Men may be at higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women, according to a new study. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

AAN Press Release: Study Reveals Men at Higher Risk for Mild Memory Loss Than Women

American Academy of Neurology — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:20:00 +0100

Men may be at higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment than women, according to a study published in the January 25, 2012, online issue of Neurology®. (Source: American Academy of Neurology)

Age-related memory loss more common in men

CNN.com - Health — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:04:47 +0100

Men in their 70s and 80s may be more likely than women of the same age to develop the memory loss and cognitive problems. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Study: Men at higher risk for mild memory loss than women

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Academy of Neurology) Men may be at higher risk of experiencing mild cognitive impairment, or the stage of mild memory loss that occurs between normal aging and dementia, than women, according to a study published in the Jan. 25, 2012, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status Effort Scale.

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Novitski J, Steele S, Karantzoulis S, Randolph C Abstract The measurement of effort is now considered to be an important component of neuropsychological assessment. In addition to stand-alone measures, built-in, or embedded measures of effort have been derived for a limited number of standard neurocognitive tests. The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS) is a widely used brief battery, employed as a core diagnostic tool in dementia and as a neurocognitive screening battery or tracking/outcome measure in a variety of other disorders. An effort index (EI) for the RBANS has been published previously (Silverberg, N. D., Wertheimer, J. C., & Fichtenberg, N. L. 2007. An EI for the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychologic...

Effects of an 8-Week Meditation Program on Mood and Anxiety in Patients with Memory Loss

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:46:11 +0100

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Jan 2012, Vol. 18, No. 1: 48-53. (Source: The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine)

Nicotine Improves Memory in the Elderly

Sound Medicine — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nicotine patches are a good way to quit smoking. But did you know they may also help improve memory loss in older adults? According to a recent study, people with memory problems on the spectrum between normal aging and dementia -- known as mild cognitive impairment -- benefit from small, regular doses of nicotine. Of 74 older adults with mild memory loss tested, those treated with nicotine.... (Source: Sound Medicine)

Alcohol-induced memory blackouts as an indicator of injury risk among college drinkers

Injury Prevention — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Memory blackouts are a significant predictor of future alcohol-related injury among college drinkers after adjusting for heavy drinking episodes. (Source: Injury Prevention)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Attenuated Boundary Extension Produces a Paradoxical Memory Advantage in Amnesic Patients.

Current Biology — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The patients' superior memory performance betrayed a fundamental deficit in scene processing. Our findings indicate that the hippocampus supports the internal representation of scenes and extended scenes when they are not physically in view, and this may involve providing a spatial framework in scenes. We suggest that interference with the ability to internally represent space may prevent the construction of spatially coherent scenes, with possible consequences for navigation, recollection of the past, and imagination of the future, which depend on this function. PMID: 22264610 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Current Biology)

Time-course of neurodegeneration and memory impairment following the 4-vessel occlusion/internal carotid artery model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in middle-aged rats.

Behavioural Brain Research — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Pereira FM, Ferreira ED, de Oliveira RM, Milani H Abstract The present work extends previous studies with the aim of developing the 4-vessel occlusion/internal carotid artery (4-VO/ICA) model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. The permanent occlusion of the vertebral arteries (VAs) and internal carotid arteries (ICAs) followed the sequence VA→ICA→ICA. The interstage interval (ISI, →), chronicity of 4-VO/ICA, and age of the animals may determine the success of the model with regard to neurohistological and behavioral outcomes. Using middle-aged rats, the present study evaluated (i) how brain damage evolves as the ISI is reduced and duration (i.e., "chronicity") of 4-VO/ICA is prolonged and (ii) how the duration of 4-VO/ICA affects retrograde memory performance. Male W...

Running throughout middle‐age improves memory function, hippocampal neurogenesis and BDNF levels in female C57Bl/6J mice

Journal of Neurobiology — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 02:12:35 +0100

AbstractAge‐related memory loss is considered to commence at middle‐age and coincides with reduced adult hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophin levels. Consistent physical activity at midlife may preserve brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, new cell genesis and learning. In the present study, 9‐month‐old female C57Bl/6J mice were housed with or without a running wheel and injected with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) to label newborn cells. Morris water maze learning, open field activity and rotarod behavior were tested 1 and 6 months after exercise onset. Here we show that long‐term running improved retention of spatial memory and modestly enhanced rotarod performance at 15 months of age. Both hippocampal neurogenesis and mature BDNF peptide levels were elevated after...

Long-Term Outcome in Transient Global Amnesia Patients with and without Focal Hyperintensities in the CA1 Region of the Hippocampus

Karger Publishers — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:48:47 +0100

Eur Neurol 2012;67:155–160 (DOI:10.1159/000334735) (Source: Karger Publishers)

Glucose hypometabolism in primary visual cortex is commonly associated with clinical features of dementia with Lewy bodies regardless of cognitive conditions

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

ConclusionGlucose hypometabolism in the primary visual cortex is commonly associated with the clinical features of DLB regardless of cognitive conditions. Continued follow‐up of these patients without dementia with the metabolic pattern is warranted to determine if they represent the prodromal state of DLB. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. (Source: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Novelty exposure overcomes foot shock-induced spatial-memory impairment by processes of synaptic-tagging in rats [Neuroscience]

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Novelty processing can transform short-term into long-term memory. We propose that this memory-reinforcing effect of novelty could be explained by mechanisms outlined in the “synaptic tagging hypothesis.” Initial short-term memory is sustained by a transient plasticity change at activated synapses and sets synaptic tags. These tags are later able to capture and process the plasticity-related proteins (PRPs), which are required to transform a short-term synaptic change into a long-term one. Novelty is involved in inducing the synthesis of PRPs [Moncada D, et al. (2011) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 108:12937–12936], which are then captured by the tagged synapses, consolidating memory. In contrast to novelty, stress can impair learning, memory, and synaptic plasticity. Here, we address questi...

Evaluation of the effect of Ferula asafoetida Linn. gum extract on learning and memory in Wistar rats

Indian Journal of Pharmacology — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Memory enhancing potential of F. foetida can be attributed to acetylcholinesterase inhibiting and antioxidant properties. Hence, dietary usage of F. foetida is beneficial and can also be employed as an adjuvant to existing anti-dementia therapies. (Source: Indian Journal of Pharmacology)

Memory Myths

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:28:01 +0100

Many of us subscribe to false beliefs about how our memories work, sometimes with serious consequences. We debunks some common mythsAs a lifelong user of human memory, you probably feel you've got a good idea of how it works, right? To test your understanding of memory, we compare several commonplace conceptions with insights from psychology ...Memory acts like a video recorderIn a US survey published in 2011, 63% of 1,838 respondents said they believed "strongly" or "mostly" that memory works like a video camera, "accurately recording events we see and hear so that we can review and inspect them later". Memory is, in fact, a creative, fallible process, highly prone to suggestion and other distorting influences.Some people have photographic memoriesAn extension to the memory as video ...

What are memories made of?

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:27:01 +0100

Neuroscientists have discovered that memories migrate between different regions of the brain, but what do they actually consist of?Imagine being unable to remember the past. Like a fading dream, your current consciousness is lost to eternity. This is the experience of someone suffering from amnesia. Despite otherwise being healthy, they are unable to commit new experiences to memory. Studying the brains of amnesic patients has revealed that, while most regions of the brain play a role in memory, some areas are more crucial than others. There appears to be no single memory store, but instead a diverse taxonomy of memory systems, each with its own special circuitry evolved to package and retrieve that type of memory. Memories are not static entities; over time they shift and migrate bet...

A Loving Approach to Dementia Care: Making meaningful connections with the person who has Alzheimer's Disease or other dementia or memory loss * Laura Wayman, The John Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD, 2011, 128 pages, $14.95 (USD, Paperback) ISBN-10: 1-4214-0034-0 (paperback), ISBN-10: 1-4214-0033-2 (hardcover)

Dementia — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Source: Dementia)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Memory Loss In Older Adults May Be Improved By Nicotine Patches

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Wearing a nicotine patch may help improve memory loss in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the stage between normal aging and dementia when others begin to notice that an individual is developing mild memory or thinking problems. Many older adults with MCI go on to develop Alzheimer's disease. The study looked at 74 non-smokers with MCI and an average age of 76... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Memantine partly rescues behavioral and cognitive deficits in an animal model of neurodegeneration.

Neuropharmacology — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Borre Y, Bosman E, Lemstra S, Westphal KG, Olivier B, Oosting RS Abstract Memantine, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, is used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and off-label as an anti-depressant. Here we investigated possible anti-depressant, cognitive enhancing and neuroprotective effects of memantine in the olfactory bulbectomized (OBX) rat. OBX is used as a screening model for antidepressants and shows cognitive disturbances. In Experiment I, memantine treatment started 14 days after OBX surgery (this setup is similar to what we use for screening of potential antidepressants) and 2 days before surgery in experiment II. In both experiments, memantine (20 mg/kg, p.o) was administered once daily for 28 days. Animals were tested in the open field (l...

After Brain Injury: Learning to Love a Stranger

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:23:30 +0100

Remember the part of your marriage vows that covers loving each other in sickness and in health? Would the vows still be relevant if your partner awakened from a coma as a very changed person? The issue of rebuilding marital relationships while composing a new life has received much-deserved attention in three media venues this week.New vowsread more (Source: Psychology Today Personality Center)

Nicotine patches may ease mental decline

NHS News Feed — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:10:00 +0100

Conclusion This small randomised controlled trial showed that six-month nicotine replacement for non-smoking older people with mild cognitive impairment was safe and improved scores on some memory tests compared to people who had a placebo treatment. The treatment did not improve scores on all the memory tests and an overall clinical assessment stated that there was no difference between the two groups. The study had some limitations: The main limitation of this study was the small sample size. The study did not follow the participants over a long enough time to see whether there was a difference in the number of people who progressed to having more severe cognitive impairment (i.e. whether nicotine reduced progression of MCI). As this study was in people with mild cognitive impai...

Nicotine Patch Showing Promise in Mild Cognitive ImpairmentNicotine Patch Showing Promise in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:22:10 +0100

New class I evidence suggests that a nicotine patch improves cognitive test performance in older adults with mild memory loss. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Agmatine protects against scopolamine-induced water maze performance impairment and hippocampal ERK and Akt inactivation.

Neuropharmacology — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study was aimed to investigate if agmatine could reverse scopolamine-induced memory impairment and possible hippocampal ERK and Akt activity alteration. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200-250 g were randomly assigned into 5 groups. The animals were trained for 3 days in Morris water maze and in day 4 their memory retention was assessed in probe trial which was consisted of a 60 s trial with no platform. Scopolamine (1 mg/kg/ip) or saline were injected 30 min and agmatine (20 or 40 mg/kg/ip) was administered 60 min before each session. The hippocampi were isolated after behavioral studies and western blotting studies on hippocampal lysates were done to determine the levels of activated ERK and Akt. Scopolamine treatment not only impaired water maze learning and memory, b...

Role of mitochondrial homeostasis and dynamics in Alzheimer's disease.

Neurobiology of Disease — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Selfridge JE, Lezi E, Lu J, Swerdlow RH Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects a staggering percentage of the aging population and causes memory loss and cognitive decline. Mitochondrial abnormalities can be observed systemically and in brains of patients suffering from AD, and may account for part of the disease phenotype. In this review, we summarize some of the key findings that indicate mitochondrial dysfunction is present in AD-affected subjects, including cytochrome oxidase deficiency, endophenotype data, and altered mitochondrial morphology. Special attention is given to recently described perturbations in mitochondrial autophagy, fission-fusion dynamics, and biogenesis. We also briefly discuss how mitochondrial dys...

Nicotine Patch Appears To Help Mild Cognitive Loss

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 02:00:00 +0100

Patients with mild cognitive impairment may benefit from using a nicotine patch, researchers from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville reported in the journal Neurology. The authors explained that a trial demonstrated some benefits when nicotine patches were administered to older adults with mild memory loss. Previous studies have shown that people who have given up smoking have better cognitive performance when they use nicotine patches... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Nicotine Patch May Improve Memory in Pre-Dementia Patients

WebMD Health — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:21:32 +0100

People with mild memory loss, often an early warning sign of future dementia, may get help from an unexpected source: nicotine patches. (Source: WebMD Health)

Could Nicotine Patches Help Stave Off Memory Loss?

The Doctors Lounge - Neurology — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0100

Older people with mild cognitive impairment saw improvements while using them, researchers report (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Neurology)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

AAN Press Release: Clinical Trial—Nicotine Patch Shows Benefits in Mild Cognitive Impairment

American Academy of Neurology — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:39:00 +0100

Using a nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults, according to a study published in the January 10, 2012, print issue of Neurology®. (Source: American Academy of Neurology)

Could Nicotine Patches Help Stave Off Memory Loss?

MedlinePlus Health News — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:00:00 +0100

Older people with mild cognitive impairment saw improvements while using them, researchers report Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Page: Mild Cognitive Impairment (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis with minimal cortical impairment

Neurological Sciences — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 19:37:01 +0100

Abstract Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis has been recently identified as a fulminant encephalopathy, presenting with a variety of symptoms including behavioral change, amnesia and seizures suggesting cortical gray matter involvement. A 42-year-old woman presented with acute-onset clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings indicating brainstem and diencephalon involvement. Her neuropsychological examination revealed mild frontal dysfunction with no memory impairment. Detailed diagnostic workup proved negative except for serum/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NMDAR-antibodies and increased activity in inguinal and pelvic lymph nodes on positron-emission tomography (PET) examination. The symptoms and MRI findings completely resolved following ster...

Study finds nicotine patches may help improve memory loss in older adults

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Vanderbilt University Medical Center) Wearing a nicotine patch may help improve memory loss in older adults with mild cognitive impairment, according to a study published today in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Clinical trial: Nicotine patch shows benefits in mild cognitive impairment

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(American Academy of Neurology) Using a nicotine patch may help improve mild memory loss in older adults, according to a study published in the Jan. 10, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Delusion of inanimate doubles: Description of a case of focal retrograde amnesia.

Neurocase — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Abbate C, Trimarchi PD, Salvi GP, Quarenghi AM, Vergani C, Luzzatti C Abstract This paper reports the case of a patient, M.P., who developed delusion of inanimate doubles, without Capgras syndrome, after traumatic brain injury. His delusional symptoms were studied longitudinally and the cognitive impairments associated with delusion were investigated. Data suggest that M.P. did 'perceive' the actual differences between doubles and originals rather than 'confabulate' them. The cognitive profile, characterized by retrograde episodic amnesia, but neither object processing impairment nor confabulations, supports this hypothesis. The study examines the nature of object misidentification based on Ellis' and Staton's account and proposes a new account based on concurrent unbiased...

Address Book Becomes Tool for Conversation In Dementia

About Alzheimers Disease — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Today's Dear Abby newspaper column contains a letter from one of her readers that I want to share with you. A woman from Kansas wrote in to Dear Abby to share that visiting her mother-in-law, who was in a nursing home with dementia, was difficult because she didn't know what to talk about with her. Maybe you've been in those shoes? One day, this woman found her mother-in-law's address book, and decided to take it with her on her visits. She started at the beginning and asked her mother-in-law to tell her about each person listed. Her mother-in-law was able to share engaging stories and reminisce about the person, turning their visits into a great exercise for both her head and her heart. This tradition of story-telling lasted well into the later stages of her . What an enjoyable and...

Do our brains decline from middle age?

NHS News Feed — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0100

Conclusion This study following a large group of people aged 45-70 at the start of the study suggests that cognitive ability declines over 10 years in all age categories, even the youngest, although there is a greater rate of decline in older age groups. This study lends support to the theory that cognitive decline may begin prior to the age of 60. However, the study does have limitations: Though it included a large sample size, all the participants were British civil servants and hence results may only be applicable to this population group. For example, they may differ from people working in different environments. Also, the assessments included only about 70% of the original Whitehall II cohort, and there were differences in educational ability, and possibly other medical and life...

Study shows memory loss can start as early as 45

Reuters: Health — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:18:51 +0100

LONDON (Reuters) - Loss of memory and other brain function can start as early as age 45, posing a big challenge to scientists looking for new ways to stave off dementia, researchers said Thursday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

The value of serum biomarkers in prediction models of outcome after mild traumatic brain injury. - Topolovec-Vranic J, Pollmann-Mudryj MA, Ouchterlony D, Klein D, Spence J, Romaschin A, Rhind S, Tien HC, Baker AJ.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:21:09 +0100

BACKGROUND: To determine, using a civilian model of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), the added value of biomarker sampling upon prognostication of outcome at 1 week and 6 weeks postinjury. METHODS: The Galveston Orientation and Amnesia test was administe... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Today in health: memory loss, aspirin and eyes

USATODAY.com Health — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:06:08 +0100

Memory loss can begin by age 45, daily aspirin is linked with an eye disease and a deep male voice may not mean what we think it means. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Memory loss from aging can start as early as 45: Study

Health News: CBSNews.com — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:56:19 +0100

Study authors stress importance of living healthy to stave off dementia (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Memory Loss May Occur as Early as 40s

MedicineNet Alzheimer — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Title: Memory Loss May Occur as Early as 40sCategory: Health NewsCreated: 1/6/2012 11:01:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 1/6/2012 (Source: MedicineNet Alzheimer)

Vitamin B-12 and folic acid prevent memory loss and improve cognition as we age

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Researchers from the Australian National University have shown that essential B vitamins combat stress that results in a loss of memory and normal thought patterns that cause abnormal brain aging. Published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists found... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

Silent strokes contribute to memory decline

MedWire News - Stroke — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:18:19 +0100

Both subclinical strokes and neurodegenerative changes in the hippocampus contribute to memory loss, research suggests. (Source: MedWire News - Stroke)

Memory loss can begin from age 45, scientists say

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:01:00 +0100

This study provides extra encouragement to young and middle aged people to take care of their health – and not just for a few weeks in January."The risks to mental health and wellbeing can persuade people that it is unwise to only take action if and when their bodies and minds break down. There will be no single pill to help us do this: it's about the common sense approach of keeping fit and watching what we eat and drink," she said."Further research in this area would help public health experts be even more effective in taking preventative action to protect and improve older people's health. We need only look at the problems that childhood obesity rates will cause if they are not addressed to see how important it is that we take 'cradle to grave' approach to public health."• This arti...

Memory Loss May Occur as Early as 40s

WebMD Health — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:52:53 +0100

Age-related memory loss is widely believed to begin around the age of 60, but new research suggests that memory and other mental declines may commonly occur decades earlier. (Source: WebMD Health)

Study shows memory loss can start as early as 45

Reuters: Health — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:34:22 +0100

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Memory Loss May Occur as Early as 40s

WebMD Health — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Age-related memory loss is widely believed to begin around the age of 60, but new research suggests that memory and other mental declines may commonly occur decades earlier. (Source: WebMD Health)

MRI helps link silent strokes to memory loss

AuntMinnie.com Headlines — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 07:00:00 +0100

Research using MRI indicates that small areas of dead brain cells, or silent (more) (Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines)

Clue to Alzheimer's Disease Found in Spinal Fluid

WebMD Health — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 23:16:44 +0100

Measuring protein fragments in spinal fluid may soon help doctors predict which patients with mild memory loss will go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease. (Source: WebMD Health)

When memory loss doesn’t mean Alzheimer’s disease

Health Facts and Fears — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Although memory impairment is one of the defining traits of Alzheimer’s disease, a study just published in Neurology suggests that memory loss among older adults may have other possible etiologies. (Source: Health Facts and Fears)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Activation of dopamine D1 receptors in the medial septum improves scopolamine-induced amnesia in the dorsal hippocampus.

Behavioural Brain Research — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

This study used a step-through inhibitory (passive) avoidance task to assess memory in adult male Wistar rats. The results showed that in the animals that received post-training intra-MS injections of saline, intra-CA1 administrations of scopolamine (0.75, 1, and 2μg/rat) decreased inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory consolidation as evidenced by a decrease in step-through latency on the test day, which was suggestive of drug-induced amnesia. Post-training intra-MS injections of a dopamine D1 receptor agonist, SKF38393 at doses of 0.1, 0.15, and 0.3μg/rat had no effect, but at dose of 0.5μg/rat impaired IA memory consolidation. Interestingly, intra-MS injections of SKF38393 (0.15, 0.3 and 0.5μg/rat) significantly prevented amnesia induced by intra-CA1 injections of scopolamine (1μg/rat)....

New Clues As To Why Some Older People May Be Losing Their Memory

Health News from Medical News Today — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. The study is published in the January 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "The new aspect of this study of memory loss in the elderly is that it examines silent strokes and hippocampal shrinkage simultaneously," said study author Adam M. Brickman, PhD, of the Taub Institute for Research on Alzheimer's Disease and the Aging Brain at Columbia University Medical Center in New York... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Performance of the Canadian CT Head Rule and the New Orleans Criteria for Predicting Any Traumatic Intracranial Injury on Computed Tomography in a United States Level I Trauma Center

Academic Emergency Medicine — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: In a U.S. sample of mildly head‐injured patients, the CCHR and the NOC had equivalently high sensitivities for detecting any traumatic intracranial lesion on CT, clinically important brain injury, and neurosurgical intervention, but the CCHR was more specific. A larger cohort will be needed to validate these findings. (Source: Academic Emergency Medicine)

Is It Alzheimer's or a Different Dementia?

About Alzheimers Disease — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, but not the only one. I've had several conversations with people lately about other types of dementia. Here are a few I've chosen to highlight today. Take normal pressure hydrocephalus, for example. This potentially reversible condition is caused by the building up of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. If the fluid is drained, symptoms sometimes improve. Or, how about frontotemporal dementia (FTD)? FTD is a term that groups several related dementias together, including Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia, Primary Progressive Aphasia, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Corticobasal Degeneration. Sound confusing? These four types of frontotemporal dementia are all caused primarily by changes in the frontal and temporal lobes of the bra...

Angry Birds? or Domoic Acid Toxicity

The Poison Review — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:00:11 +0100

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hplpQt424Ls On August 18 1961 the Santa Cruz (CA) Sentinel reported a most unusual occurrence: A massive flight of sooty shearwaters, fresh from a feat of anchovies, collided with shoreside structures from Pleasure Point to Rio del Mar during the night. Residents, especially in the Pleasure Point and Capitola area were awakened about 3 a.m. today by the rain of birds, slamming against their homes. Dead, and stunned seabirds littered the streets and roads in the foggy, early dawn. Startled by the invasion, residents rushed out on their lawns with flashlights, then rushed back inside, as the birds flew toward their light. . . . When the light of day made the area visible, residents found the streets covered with birds. The birds disgorged bits of fish and fish skelet...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Behind the Headlines quiz of the year 2011

NHS News Feed — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:59:00 +0100

It's been a year in which great scientific minds have addressed many burning questions, asking – among many, many other things – should nuns take the Pill, is watching television bad for your heart, do hammocks aid sleep, and can a shed make a man healthy. In 2011 Behind the Headlines has covered more than 500 health stories that made it into the mainstream media. Just for fun, test your knowledge of the year with our month-by-month quiz. Answers are at the foot of the page. January Researchers in the US and Taiwan claimed faulty stem cells caused what? a) Vitamin B deficiency b) Baldness c) Memory loss February A systematic review of studies with more than a million participants concluded that heart disease risk was reduced by moderate intake of what? a) Aspirin b) Vitamin D c) Al...

'Silent strokes' linked to memory loss in elderly

USATODAY.com Health — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:31:30 +0100

Such strokes, which may not cause any noticeable symptoms, result in small pockets of dead brain cells, and are found in 25% of older adults ... (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

New Clues As To Why Some Older People May Be Losing Their Memory

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Study Points To Long-Term Recall Of Very Early Experiences

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0100

Most adults can't recall events that took place before they were 3 or 4 years old - a phenomenon called childhood amnesia. While some people can remember what happened at an earlier age, the veracity of their memories is often questioned. Now a new longitudinal study has found that events experienced by children as young as 2 can be recalled after long delays. The study, by researchers at the University of Otago (in New Zealand), appears in the journal Child Development. To determine at what age our earliest memories occur, the researchers looked at about 50 children and their parents... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Wake-Up Call: Mom's Trip To The Emergency Room

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:53:44 +0100

It can be extremely dangerous for aging parents to rely only on memory when it comes to taking medication. So many aging folks have memory loss issues. A large percentage of those with memory problems go on to develop dementia. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Silent Strokes May Scatter Memory (CME/CE)

MedPage Today State Required CME — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 20:43:15 +0100

(MedPage Today) -- Subclinical strokes seen on brain imaging may predict memory loss in older age, researchers found. (Source: MedPage Today State Required CME)

New Clues to Memory Loss

WebMD Health — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:31:24 +0100

Strokes so tiny they are termed ''silent'' may be linked to memory loss in older adults. (Source: WebMD Health)

‘Silent Strokes’ Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly: Study

The Doctors Lounge - Neurology — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:00:00 +0100

More memory woes noted in seniors who had experienced these events, researchers say. (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Neurology)

New clues as to why some older people may be losing their memory

ScienceDaily Headlines — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:20:20 +0100

New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

'Silent Strokes' Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly

MedlinePlus Health News — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0100

More memory woes noted in seniors who had experienced these events, researchers say. Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Memory, Seniors' Health, Stroke (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

New Clues As To Why Some Older People May Be Losing Their Memory

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0100

'Silent Strokes' Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly: Study

MedicineNet Cholesterol General — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:00:00 +0100

Title: 'Silent Strokes' Linked to Memory Loss in Elderly: StudyCategory: Health NewsCreated: 12/29/2011 10:05:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 12/29/2011 (Source: MedicineNet Cholesterol General)

'Silent strokes' linked to memory loss

Health News - UPI.com — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:09:41 +0100

NEW YORK, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- About 1-in-4 older adults with memory loss has had a so-called silent strokes -- a small spot of dead brain cells, U.S. researchers said. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Atrophy, Infarcts Independently Drive Memory LossAtrophy, Infarcts Independently Drive Memory Loss

Medscape Today Headlines — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:33:36 +0100

A new study examines hippocampal atrophy and silent infarcts in nondemented elderly patients and shows that both contribute independently to memory loss. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

AAN Press Release: New Clues as to Why Some Older People May Be Losing Their Memory

American Academy of Neurology — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 15:28:00 +0100

New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. (Source: American Academy of Neurology)

New clues as to why some older people may be losing their memory

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(American Academy of Neurology) New research links 'silent strokes,' or small spots of dead brain cells, found in about one out of four older adults to memory loss in the elderly. The study is published in the Jan. 3, 2012, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

To have and to hold: Episodic memory in 3‐ and 4‐year‐old children

Developmental Psychobiology — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

AbstractEpisodic memory endows us with the ability to reflect on our past and plan for our future. Most theorists argue that episodic memory emerges during the preschool period and that its emergence might herald the end of childhood amnesia. Here, we show that both 3‐ and 4‐year‐old children form episodic memories, but that 3‐year‐old children fail to retain those memories following a delay (Experiments 1 and 2). In contrast, 4‐year‐old children retained episodic memories over delays of 24 hr (Experiment 1) and 1 week (Experiment 3). This marked change in the retention of episodic memories between 3 and 4 years of age suggests that it is our ability to retain, rather than to form, an episodic memory that limits our ability to recall episodes from early childhood. © 2011 W...

Educational iPhone app invented by doting father for daughter, 3, with brain tumour becomes global sensation

the Mail online | Health — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 02:17:38 +0100

Civil servant Sean Connolly, 45, from Essex, had trawled the market for apps to help teach little Iris after she was struck down by a brain tumour and suffered memory loss. (Source: the Mail online | Health)

Neuropsychological Intervention in a Case of Korsakoff's Amnesia

Brain Impairment — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This study provides a descriptive analysis of neuropsychological rehabilitation concomitant to the neurological and psychiatric treatment of a woman who presented the symptoms described by Korsakoff. The intervention focused on reducing the impact caused by the cognitive and behavioural sequelae in the patient's daily life. It described a 25-week neuropsychological program, providing education and compensatory strategies for the patient, and also orientation and support from 2 professional caregivers and family members. Quantitative and qualitative measures were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on memory efficacy, emotional state and social participation. Both caregivers reported a decrease in the frequency of memory lapses after treatment. Positive changes were also seen in...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

SOD1-deficient AD Mice Show Early Memory Loss [Molecular Bases of Disease]

Journal of Biological Chemistry — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Oxidative stress is closely linked to the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration. Soluble amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers cause cognitive impairment and synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, the relationship between oligomers, oxidative stress, and their localization during disease progression is uncertain. Our previous study demonstrated that mice deficient in cytoplasmic copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD, SOD1) have features of drusen formation, a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration (Imamura, Y., Noda, S., Hashizume, K., Shinoda, K., Yamaguchi, M., Uchiyama, S., Shimizu, T., Mizushima, Y., Shirasawa, T., and Tsubota, K. (2006) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103, 11282–11287). Amyloid assembly has been implicated as a common mechanism of plaque and drusen forma...

The effect of sub-anesthetic and anesthetic ketamine on water maze memory acquisition, consolidation and retrieval.

European Journal of Pharmacology — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This study was aimed to assess the ketamine's differential effect on water maze memory acquisition, consolidation and retrieval. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-350g) were trained in water maze single training session. 24h later a probe trial which was consisted of a single trial without platform was done. To assess the effect of ketamine on water maze memory acquisition it was administered before training; to assess its effect on memory consolidation it was administered immediately after training and to assess its effect on memory retrieval it was injected before probe trial. Ketamine both in sub-anesthetic and anesthetic doses impaired water maze memory acquisition, its anesthetic dose but not sub-anesthetic dose impaired memory consolidation and on retrieval stage, both doses deteriorated...

Brain Scans Spot Alzheimer’s Changes Years Before Symptoms

WebMD Health — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 20:02:45 +0100

Researchers say they can see telltale brain shrinkage years before a person develops memory loss or other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. (Source: WebMD Health)

Magic Memories: Young Children’s Verbal Recall After a 6‐Year Delay

Child Development — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

This report describes the first prospective study specifically designed to assess children’s verbal memory for a unique event 6 years after it occurred. Forty‐six 27‐ to 51‐month‐old children took part in a unique event and were interviewed about it twice, after 24‐hr and 6‐year delays. During the 6‐year interview, 9 children verbally recalled the event, including 2 who were under 3 years old when the event occurred. This may be the most convincing evidence to date that such early experiences can be verbally recalled after long delays. These data have important implications for current theories of memory development and childhood amnesia and underscore some of the problems associated with evaluating the veracity of early memories under less controlled conditions. (Sourc...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

The Alzheimer’s Family: Helping Caregivers Cope

Psych Central — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:23:31 +0100

If you were asked to name a terminal illness, it is likely that Alzheimer’s would not be your first choice. However, from my own perspective, when you consider that there is no cure for this horrible disease, how can it be called anything else but terminal? When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, a family becomes focused on learning more about the illness, how it will affect their loved one, and what kind of care will be necessary. If they have no previous exposure to Alzheimer’s with other family members or even friends, what they may fail to realize is the extent to which each member of the family will be affected by the disease. “Helping the family face their grief and work through the accompanying emotions of sadness, anxiety, anger, guilt, ...

New Drug Shows Significant Success in Treating Mice's Alzheimer's Symptoms

About Alzheimers Disease — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Several researchers have been working together and recently announced success in developing a drug that targets the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice. They formed a drug called J147 that not only enhanced memory in normal mice but also prevented memory loss in mice with Alzheimer's. The research was published in the online journal PLoS ONE. Until now, much research on drugs for Alzheimer's has focused on targeting one specific area, the amyloid beta peptide (Aß) which is the main component of the plaques affecting the brain in Alzheimer's. Noting, however, that most Alzheimer's is related to aging, J147 was designed to target several different causes of cognitive decline related to both Alzheimer's and normal aging. Interestingly, J147's base is an Indian curry spice called Cu...

Allen Stanford's Defence: I Can't Remember

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:34:53 +0100

This has quite lovely overtones of the Saunders Defence. Sir Allen Stanford (please note, the Sir is not a British Knighthood, we're not quite that stupid. It's an Antiguan one, absolutely nothing at all to do with any of the British orders of chivalry, it's not even a colonial one) seems to be claiming memory loss, something the court doesn't seem to want to accept. Stanford first began complaining of “extensive retrograde amnesia” from the jailhouse attack sometime after he arrived at Butner in February, according to the prosecutors’ filing. “Stanford has recently repeatedly claimed being ‘completely amnestic to his life prior to the assault, stating that 59 years were stolen,’” Costa said in the filing, citing the Butner report. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

JNK Inhibition Prevents AD [Signal Transduction]

Journal of Biological Chemistry — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, by regulating key pathogenic mechanisms of AD, JNK might hold promise as innovative therapeutic target. (Source: Journal of Biological Chemistry)

Transient Global Amnesia: A Case Report and Literature Review.

The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Forman WB Abstract In this case report and review of the literature, transient global amnesia (TGA) is discussed. A 72-year-old physician presented to the emergency department with sudden loss of memory. In particular, he was unable to recall recent events. Other neurological examination was intact. The loss of recent memory was completely resolved, during the next 4 hours. This event (TGA) must be distinguished from other neurological events such as transient ischemic attacks, seizures, and cerebral vascular events. A literature review suggested that TGA is related to an acute loss of function in the temporal lobe. It is important for palliative medicine physicians to have this unusual syndrome in their differential diagnosis, as this cause of memory loss must be separate...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Zolpidem Ingestion, Automatisms, and Sleep Driving: A Clinical and Legal Case Series

Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:29:02 +0100

Conclusions:Sleep driving and other complex behaviors can occur after zolpidem ingestion. Physicians should assess patients for potential risk factors and inquire about parasomnias. Serious legal and medical complications can occur as a result of these forms of automatic complex behaviors.Citation:Poceta JS. Zolpidem ingestion, automatisms, and sleep driving: a clinical and legal case series. J Clin Sleep Med 2011;7(6):632-638. (Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM)

GABA, glutamate, dopamine and serotonin transporters expression on memory formation and amnesia.

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Tellez R, Gómez-Víquez L, Meneses A Abstract Notwithstanding several neurotransmission systems are frequently related to memory formation, amnesia and/or therapeutic targets for memory alterations, the role of transporters γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA, GAT1), glutamate (neuronal glutamate transporter excitatory amino acid carrier; EACC1), dopamine (DAT) and serotonin (SERT) is poorly understood. Hence, in this paper Western-blot analysis was used to evaluate expression changes on them during memory formation in trained and untrained rats treated with the selective serotonin transporter inhibitor fluoxetine, the amnesic drug d-methamphetamine (METH) and fluoxetine plus METH. Transporters expression was evaluated in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and striatum. Data indic...

Autophagy in Dementias

Brain Pathology — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:02:04 +0100

AbstractDementias are a varied group of disorders typically associated with memory loss, impaired judgment and/or language and by symptoms affecting other cognitive and social abilities to a degree that interferes with daily functioning. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of a progressive dementia, followed by dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), frontotemporal dementia (FTD), (VaD) and HIV‐associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). The pathogenesis of this group of disorders has been linked to the abnormal accumulation of proteins in the brains of affected individuals, which in turn has been related to deficits in protein clearance. Autophagy is a key cellular protein clearance pathway with proteolytic cleavage and degradation via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway represent...

Animal Study Offers Insights Into Possible Drug Targets To Improve Memory As We Age

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Drugs that affect the levels of an important brain protein involved in learning and memory reverse cellular changes in the brain seen during aging, according to an animal study in The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings could one day aid in the development of new drugs that enhance cognitive function in older adults. Aging-related memory loss is associated with the gradual deterioration of the structure and function of synapses (the connections between brain cells) in brain regions critical to learning and memory, such as the hippocampus... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Baclofen alters gustatory discrimination capabilities and induces a conditioned taste aversion (CTA)

BMC Research Notes — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Our findings were not consistent with a simple amnesia-of-neophobia explanation. Instead, results indicated that 2 and 3 mg/kg (i.p.) BAC were capable of inducing a CTA, which was extinguishable via repeated presentations of SAC only. Our data indicate that, depending on the dose, BAC can alter SAC taste discrimination and act as a potent US in the context of a CTA paradigm. (Source: BMC Research Notes)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Central nervous system tuberculosis masquerading as primary dementia: a case report.

Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 11:06:04 +0100

We present here a 64-year-old female who presented with complaints of forgetfulness, confusion, memory loss and impaired concentration for the past 3 months. Neuroimaging and computed tomography of the chest were suggestive of active tuberculosis. Anti-tubercular therapy led to resolution of enhancing lesions in the brain and abatement of memory deficits. PMID: 22127948 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska)

To Gossip Is Human: Why We Share Secrets

Psychology Today Personality Center — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 16:04:40 +0100

Gossip is a good thing. It all depends on how you do it. Primary Topic: Social Life read more (Source: Psychology Today Personality Center)

Ginsenoside Rg1 attenuates β-amyloid generation via suppressing PPARγ-regulated BACE1 activity in N2a-APP695 cells.

European Journal of Pharmacology — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Chen LM, Lin ZY, Zhu YG, Lin N, Zhang J, Pan XD, Chen XC Abstract The level of β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) has been documented to increase in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, which has resulted in elevation of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides. As a transcription factor binding site of the BACE1 promoter, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) response element regulates the activity of the BACE1 promoter activity, indicating that PPARγ may become a potential target for Alzheimer's disease treatment. Recent studies have demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg1 which is an effective component of extracts of ginseng can prevent memory loss and improve cognitive function in a variety of animal models. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclea...

FGF2 gene transfer restores hippocampal functions in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and has therapeutic implications for neurocognitive disorders [Neuroscience]

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

The adult hippocampus plays a central role in memory formation, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis. The subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus contains neural progenitor cells with self-renewal and multilineage potency. Transgene expression of familial Alzheimer's disease-linked mutants of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin-1 leads to a significant inhibition of neurogenesis, which is potentially linked to age-dependent memory loss. To investigate the effect of neurogenesis on cognitive function in a relevant disease model, FGF2 gene is delivered bilaterally to the hippocampi of APP+presenilin-1 bigenic mice via an adenoassociated virus serotype 2/1 hybrid (AAV2/1-FGF2). Animals injected with AAV2/1-FGF2 at a pre- or postsymptomatic stage show significantly improved spatia...

Possible interaction between opioidergic and cholinergic systems of CA1 in cholestasis-induced amnesia in mice.

Behavioural Brain Research — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Zarrindast MR, Nasehi M, Hoseindoost S Abstract Bile duct ligation (BDL) induces primary biliary cirrhosis characterized by cholestasis, impaired liver function and cognition including impairment of memory formation and anxiety-like behaviors. Endogenous opioid and acetylcholine levels are elevated in animal model of cholestasis. In addition, there is no data about the effects of interaction opioidergic and cholinergic systems of dorsal hippocampus (CA1) on amnesia-induced by cholestasis. Male mice weighing 25-35g were used in this study. Cholestasis was induced by the ligation of the common bile duct. One-trial step-down and hole-board paradigms were used for the assessment of memory retrieval and anxiety-like behaviors respectively. All drugs injected intra-CA1. The data...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

The use of alprazolam by people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia

Drug and Alcohol Review — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion.The fluctuations in alprazolam use over time may be reflective of medical practitioners ceasing to prescribe alprazolam in response to reports of associated harms; however, this may in turn be driving the illicit alprazolam market. While the data do not indicate a clear association between alprazolam use and harms, considering the potential severity of associated harms and the association between alprazolam use and anterograde amnesia, patterns of alprazolam use among PWID should be closely monitored. Potential changes to prescribing practice should consider unintended consequences, such as replacement with other BZD types, or illicitly obtained BZDs.[Horyniak D, Reddel S, Quinn B, Dietze P. The use of alprazolam by people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Drug Alcohol R...

Dissociative disorders in DSM‐5

Depression and Anxiety — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:48:19 +0100

Conclusions: There is a growing body of evidence linking the dissociative disorders to a trauma history, and to specific neural mechanisms. Depression and Anxiety 28:E17–E45, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Depression and Anxiety)

Seven Secrets of the World’s Sharpest Minds

Al Sears, MD Natural Remedies — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:39:13 +0100

We’re all amazed by those people who can quickly recall names, dates and events without blinking an eye. It’s no accident... and it’s not just good genes, either. In fact, you can be one of those people. Keep reading and I’ll show you, just like I’ve shown thousands of my patients, how to join that group and quickly repair, recharge and sharpen your brain. Have you ever heard of methylcobalamin? If you haven’t, it’s not surprising because 90% of the doctors out there treating patients for memory loss have never heard of this. Methylcobalamin is a form of a vitamin that creates a protective layer around your neurons, the cells in your brain that process information. It enhances the speed at which messages travel so you can think faster. Or how about apigenin? (Source: ...

Women And Alzheimer's Disease

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:00:00 +0100

Many women suffer memory loss and/or confusion at some point in their lives, but as many as 5 million Americans suffer from a much more serious disease, Alzheimer's. According to statistics from the National Institute on Aging, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia in older people. Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease; it is irreversible and causes a decline in memory and cognitive skills. Alzheimer's disease is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

A comment on "Factors associated with long-term post-traumatic amnesia"

Acta Paulista de Enfermagem — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:31:15 +0100

This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness and advantages of the use of technological resources for teaching Basic Life Support (SBV) through a narrative review. We analyzed 29 articles published and indexed in these sources: Medline, PubMed and LILACS that used video, CD-ROM, DVD, websites and computer programs for teaching SBV. It was observed that the use of these resources may favor the acquisition of knowledge at levels similar or superior to methods of traditional teaching. Among the observed advantages cited were the reduction in training costs, ease of access and standardization of information.En este estudio se tuvo como objetivo analizar la eficacia y las ventajas del uso de los recursos tecnológicos para la enseñanza del Soporte Básico de Vida (SBV) por medio de revisión ...

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Nitrous oxide for analgesia in colonoscopy without sedation

Gastrointestinal Endoscopy — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Nitrous oxide given intermittently is not an effective substitution for intravenous on-demand sedation and analgesics in the setting of colonoscopy without sedation. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00318825.) (Source: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy)

Doorway to Blame for Room Amnesia

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:25:08 +0100

You walk into the kitchen to grab a--wait, why did you come in here again? [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Fish could protect against Alzheimer's

Telegraph Health — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 20:03:25 +0100

Eating fish could protect against Alzheimer's disease and memory loss - but only if it is baked or grilled, researchers have claimed. (Source: Telegraph Health)

Who Am I? The Conundrum of Both Borderlines and Narcissists

Psychology Today Personality Center — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:35:05 +0100

Imagine yourself an amnesia patient, adrift. Sense the paralyzing emptiness that must go with not knowing who you are. People with BPD and NPD have specific--and different--approaches for dealing with their identity crisis. This post is about the BP strategy. Primary Topic: Personality read more (Source: Psychology Today Personality Center)

New Study Supports 'Chemo Brain' Theory

About.com Cancer — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Concentration problems. Difficulty multi-tasking. Short term memory loss. These symptoms, among others, have been reported by women for years following chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. Doctors initially chalked the "fogginess" up to stress and anxiety related to cancer treatment, but more evidence shows that "chemo brain...Read Full Post (Source: About.com Cancer)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Protective effects of total alkaloidal extract from Murraya koenigii leaves on experimentally induced dementia.

Food and Chemical Toxicology — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, this study indicates MKA to be a useful remedy in the management of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. PMID: 22142688 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Food and Chemical Toxicology)

An Amnesia Patient's Strange Power Of Recall

NPR Health and Science — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0100

A 71-year-old amnesiac in Germany has become well known in medical circles there. Even though the patient has lost nearly all memory of his past and has difficulty planning anything in the present or for the future, new research shows the former concert cellist is still able to learn new music. Audie Cornish speaks with Dr. Carsten Finke, a neurologist at The Charite university hospital in Berlin, about the unique patient.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Orgasms in a brain scanner and other stories from the Society for Neuroscience

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0100

Highlights from the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in Washington, D.C. earlier this monthEarlier this month I attended the 41st annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, which was held in Washington, D.C. I'm writing two short features about the conference for the Dana Foundation, and they'll be available soon. Meanwhile, here's a round-up of conference coverage elsewhere.The Nature Neuroscience blog Action Potential featured a series of guest posts, including one by myself about how the human brain switches between two different cognitive maps during spatial navigation. The series includes contributions from neuroscientist bloggers Björn Brembs, Bradley Voytek, Jason Synder and SciCurious and from Scientific American editors Sandra Upson and Gary Stix. Jason a...

Hughes Syndrome: The Antiphospholipid Syndrome(Hughes et al.)

Springer Medicine titles — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:13:27 +0100

A Guide for StudentsHughes Syndrome: The Antiphospholipid Syndrome, A Guide for Students provides an in-depth analysis into the main effects of Hughes Syndrome. In 1983, Dr Graham Hughes, and his team in London, described a syndrome and subsequently developed simple blood tests to diagnose the condition. This syndrome is characterised by thrombosis (both in limbs and internal organs), headaches, memory loss, ... (Source: Springer Medicine titles)

How can musical memory survive amnesia?

BBC News | Health | UK Edition — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:09:41 +0100

How can someone remember nothing but music? (Source: BBC News | Health | UK Edition)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Find the best January Sales in the UK.

Differential involvement of mGluR1 and mGluR5 in memory reconsolidation and retrieval in a passive avoidance task in 1-day old chicks.

Neurobiology of Learning and Memory — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Authors: Gieros K, Sobczuk A, Salinska E Abstract Group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) are involved in memory formation. The Ca(2+) signal derived from stimulation of IP(3) receptors (IP(3)Rs) via mGluRs, initiates protein synthesis that is required for memory consolidation and reconsolidation. However it has been suggested that different mechanisms are triggered by mGluR1/5 activation in these two processes. It is also not clear whether the transient amnesia observed after blockade of group I mGluRs after a reminder, results from disturbance of memory reconsolidation or temporal impairment of recall. The aim of this study was to examine more closely the role of mGluR1 in memory consolidation and reconsolidation and to detect differences in the participation of mGluR1 ...

Seniors Unable to Recognize Memory Loss - Study Findings

Disabled World — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:10:33 +0100

Clionsky Neuro Systems CNS-Neuro Announces Publication of Study Finding Elderly Patients Unable to Recognize Their Memory Loss. (Source: Disabled World)

Clionsky Neuro Systems (CNS-Neuro) Announces Publication Of Study Finding Elderly Patients Unable To Recognize Their Memory Loss

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 09:00:00 +0100

Mitchell Clionsky, Ph.D. and Emily Clionsky, M.D. of CNS-Neuro, announced new data supporting the use of screening tests to identify cognitive loss in older Americans. Their study asked two hundred elderly patients and their families to rate how well they think and remember. They found that the patients' answers had no relationship to their tested cognitive ability, that the relatives were minimally better, and that doctors should measure cognition rather than asking about it during the Annual Wellness Visit... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Some thoughts from the other side of the table, or the last presidential address

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:18:33 +0100

I am just as surprised to be standing here today as you are to see me here. I just hope I will not become dumbstruck like the man who had both déjà vu and amnesia at the same time. Two years ago when the association met in New Orleans and Herb Sloan called to tell me I was to be the vice president, I had no idea that it was tantamount to being president-elect. I thought it was like being a vice president of the American College of Surgeons or, perhaps even worse, Vice President of the United States. My confusion was compounded further by the fact none of my training was at the Johns Hopkins. This seemed almost always a prerequisite for the office. At any rate, it is a qualified pleasure to have this opportunity to reflect on three decades of experience in surgery of the heart. There have...

New Imaging Research Shows Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Aging Brain, Points To Ways To Improve Cognition In Older Adults

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:00:00 +0100

New human research just released shows the benefits and challenges for the aging brain. The studies probe common characteristics of normal aging - including memory loss, reduced sleep quality, and decision-making problems - and suggest the benefits of exercise, hormone treatment, and social interaction. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health. Neuroscientists believe the brain can remain relatively healthy as it ages... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

MedWorm Sponsor Message: Please support the Doctors In Chains campaign for the medics tortured and sentenced for up to 15 years in Bahrain. #FreeDoctors

Dispelling Myths about Dissociative Identity Disorder

Psych Central — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:35:41 +0100

Dissociative identity disorder (DID), known previously as multiple personality disorder, is not a real disorder. At least, that’s what you might’ve heard in the media, and even from some mental health professionals. DID is arguably one of the most misunderstood and controversial diagnoses in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). But it is a real and debilitating disorder that makes it difficult for people to function. Why the controversy? According to Bethany Brand, Ph.D, a professor of psychology at Towson University and an expert in treating and researching dissociative disorders, there are several reasons. DID is associated with early severe trauma, such as abuse and neglect. This raises the concern over false memories. Some people worry that cl...

Whipple Limbic Encephalitis [Observation]

Archives of Neurology — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Conclusions Whipple disease can present as limbic encephalitis. Few cases have been previously described in the literature. Such diagnosis is of importance because of the specific treatment. (Source: Archives of Neurology)

Benzodiazepines - Their role in aggression and why GPs should prescribe with caution. - Jones KA, Nielsen S, Bruno R, Frei M, Lubman DI.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 23:51:22 +0100

Background Benzodiazepines are widely prescribed in Australia, despite concerns about their potential for abuse and dependence. Paradoxical reactions, disinhibition and amnesia are all associated with benzodiazepine use, misuse and intoxication. While viol... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Amnesiac cellist astounds doctors with musical memory

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:30:01 +0100

German musician who lost nearly all memory after contracting herpes encephalitis can learn new pieces of musicA professional cellist who lost nearly all of his memory after a virus destroyed parts of his brain has astonished doctors with his remarkable recall of music.The 71-year-old, known only as PM, had played with a major German orchestra before contracting the infection that devastated his brain's memory centres in 2005.The illness left the musician with such profound amnesia he could remember almost nothing of his past and was unable to plan for the future. The only people he recognised were his brother and a care worker."He can hardly remember a thing. He has no memory of any personal or professional events," Carsten Finke, a neurologist at Charité university hospital in Berlin, to...