NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – In patients with non-small cell lung cancer brain metastases (NSCLCBM) treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and upfront steroids, a low neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was associated with lower overall survival in a single-center retrospective analysis. “With widespread implementation of ICIs for treatment of NSCLC, many clinicians have concerns that the immunosuppressive […]
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Microrna-29 molecule controls brain maturation in mammals
A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions. The results, published in Cell Reports, illuminate an important process in the […]
Study indicates an amyloid link between melanoma and Parkinson’s disease
On the surface, Parkinson's disease -; a neurodegenerative disorder -; and melanoma -; a type of skin cancer -; do not appear to have much in common. However, for nearly 50 years, doctors have recognized that Parkinson's disease patients are more likely to develop melanoma than the general population. Now, scientists report a molecular link […]
How brain cells repair their DNA reveals ‘hot spots’ of aging and disease
Neurons lack the ability to replicate their DNA, so they’re constantly working to repair damage to their genome. Now, a new study by Salk scientists finds that these repairs are not random, but instead focus on protecting certain genetic “hot spots” that appear to play a critical role in neural identity and function. The findings, […]
Study investigates the effects of depression on visual perception
Researchers specialized in psychiatry and psychology at the University of Helsinki investigated the effects of depression on visual perception. The study confirmed that the processing of visual information is altered in depressed people, a phenomenon most likely linked with the processing of information in the cerebral cortex. The study was published in the Journal of […]
Persistent loneliness during midlife can increase risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease
Being persistently lonely during midlife (ages 45-64) appears to make people more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) later in life. However, people who recover from loneliness, appear to be less likely to suffer from dementia, compared to people who have never felt lonely. Loneliness is a subjective feeling resulting from a perceived […]
COVID-19 patients have higher risk of stroke, finds study
New research found patients hospitalized with COVID-19 had a higher risk of stroke, compared with patients who had similar infectious conditions such as influenza and sepsis in prior studies. Those who had an ischemic stroke were more likely to be older, male, Black race, or have high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or an irregular […]
ESO guidelines focus on early management of transient ischemic attack
The European Stroke Organization (ESO) guidelines on management of Transient Ischemic Attack focus on issues specific to early TIA management. Therefore, aspects such as services organization including the role of stroke specialists and TIA clinics; usefulness of risk prediction tools such as the ABCD2 score; brain imaging (plain and perfusion CT, MRI), imaging of cervical […]
Ultrasound reveals the human brain vasculature down to the microscopic scale
Mapping the cerebral vascular network in human patients, at unprecedented scales: This tour de force has been achieved by the French laboratory Physics for Medicine Paris (ESPCI Paris-PSL, Inserm, CNRS). In a study published on the front page of Nature Biomedical Engineering, the research team details its method—ultrasound localization microscopy, which combines ultrafast sonography and […]
Type 2 Diabetes Linked to Increased Risk for Parkinson’s
New analyses of both observational and genetic data have provided “convincing evidence” that type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk for Parkinson’s disease. Dr Alastair Noyce “The fact that we see the same effects in both types of analysis separately makes it more likely that these results are real — that type 2 […]