neurology

neurology

neurology

New migraine drugs less effective than triptans, says meta-analysis

An international team of researchers has conducted a meta-analysis of 137 clinical trials involving nearly 90,000 people to assess the migraine efficacy of 17 available drugs. Their conclusions are that four drugs in the triptan group are more effective and cheaper than newer drugs such as gepants or lasmiditan, and that the efficacy of the latter is comparable to that of paracetamol and most anti-inflammatory drugs. The results are published in The BMJ.

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Pandemic related isolation accelerated the brain maturation in adolescents, especially in girls

Brain maturation is measured by the thickness of the cortex. It is known that stress accelerates cortical thinning, which is associated with a higher risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders. A study published in PNAS analyzes MRI data collected from 160 adolescents before COVID-19 and from 130 of them after the measures implemented during the pandemic. The comparison of brain structure before and after reveals accelerated cortical thinning which, measured in terms of equivalent years of brain development, was 4.2 years in girls and 1.4 years in boys.brain maturity

 

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Vision loss and high cholesterol are risk factors for dementia

Vision loss and having high cholesterol - the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol - are risk factors for developing dementia, according to a meta-analysis published in The Lancet. Eliminating these risk factors could reduce dementia cases by 2% and 7% respectively, the study says. Both factors are in addition to 12 others previously mentioned in a 2020 report such as less education, physical inactivity, hearing loss, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity or poor social contact, among others. According to the research, almost half of all dementia cases could be prevented or delayed if these risk factors were controlled.

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EMA recommends not to approve lecanemab against Alzheimer's disease

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended not granting marketing authorization for Leqembi™ (lecanemab) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) considers that its effect in delaying cognitive decline does not outweigh the risk of serious side effects associated with the drug, in particular swelling and possible bleeding in patients' brains. Leqembi™ was approved in 2023 in the United States.

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Reaction: Correlation between migraine and antacid use under review

People taking heartburn medications suffer more migraines and severe headaches, says a study published in Neurology: Clinical Practice. According to the authors, these observations are consistent with other studies that link migraine and headaches to the use of proton pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole), and the new study adds a correlation with the use of other types of antacids. The analysis is based on data from more than 11,800 adults between 1999 and 2004 in the United States. 

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Reaction: no detectable brain lesions or biological abnormalities in people with Havana syndrome, according to two studies

Two investigations published in the journal JAMA conclude that there is no evidence of brain injury detectable by magnetic resonance imaging or biological abnormalities in people suffering from the so-called Havana syndrome. This syndrome has been described in overseas civil servants and their family members, who suffer from symptoms including noise, pressure and pain in the head, and cognitive dysfunction, called abnormal health incidents. Studies did find differences in symptoms of imbalance, fatigue, post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. 

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Reaction: Sensory stimulation therapy counteracts cognitive damage from chemotherapy in mice

A treatment using lights and sound pulses can protect mice from cognitive decline associated with chemotherapy, according to a research team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US. The benefits are greatest when the therapy is used early and preventively at the same time as chemotherapy, says the study, published in Science Translational Medicine. The use of this non-invasive sensory stimulation therapy to alleviate other pathologies has already been studied.

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Reaction: researchers study indicators that can predict a migraine using data from an app

US researchers have analysed data from 477 people who, using a mobile app, recorded their moods, energy levels and migraine occurrence four times a day for two weeks. Morning attacks were associated with poorer self-rated sleep quality and less energy the day before. Stress and high-energy states were linked to headaches in the afternoon, adds the study, which is published in the journal Neurology.

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Reactions: brain health of patients hospitalized for covid worsened similar to that of others admitted with similar severity

A study carried out in two hospitals in Denmark has compared the brain health of 120 patients admitted for covid over 18 months with that of other hospitalized patients with similar severity due to pneumonia, heart attack or need for intensive care, as well as with healthy people. The conclusions are that patients with covid worsened with respect to the latter, but did so in a similar way to other hospitalized persons. According to the authors, "although studies are needed to confirm these findings, brain health after covid-19 appears generally comparable to that of other diseases of similar severity."

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