Latest neurology news

Plasma levels of phosphorylated-tau proteins could serve as a biomarker for cognitive decline in individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies, say researchers who found an association between increasing levels of the proteins and more rapid decline in Mini-Mental State Examination scores over time.

This independent news story was supported by an educational grant from L’Institut Servier, Suresnes, France.

Plasma glial fibrillary acidic protein outperforms its cerebrospinal fluid counterpart in the detection of amyloid-β pathology even in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, indicates a cross-sectional study.

This independent news story was supported by an educational grant from L’Institut Servier, Suresnes, France.

Methylphenidate is effective for the treatment of apathy in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, suggest study findings published in JAMA Neurology.

This independent news story was supported by an educational grant from L’Institut Servier, Suresnes, France.

An analysis of the TAILORx trial has revealed early, but not sustained, cognitive decline among breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemoendocrine therapy relative to endocrine therapy alone.

Research suggests that women who use hormone-modulating breast cancer treatments such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors may experience a reduced risk for neurodegenerative disease.

Findings from a UK feasibility study suggest that continuous glucose monitoring is an acceptable approach for older people with diabetes and memory problems, but devices with automated transfer of glucose readings may be needed to improve completeness of data capture.

Poor attenuation of the default mode network regions of the brain may contribute to cognitive impairments in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, say UK researchers.

Researchers have found that clinically healthy women with high amyloid burden have elevated tau deposition compared with men.

Levodopa does not modify Parkinson’s disease, show study findings suggesting there is no benefit to starting the drug early in the disease course.

Frailty appears to modify the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease pathology and Alzheimer’s dementia, with increased levels making people more susceptible to clinical disease.

The findings from two studies published in JAMA show the benefits of initial disease-modifying therapy and nonmyeloablative haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in delaying conversion to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis.

Rituximab treatment may reduce and delay disability progression in patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, show findings from a comprehensive real-world cohort study.

The oromucosal cannabinoid spray nabiximols has had a positive effect on spasticity symptoms in patients with motor neuron disease in a proof-of-concept trial.

US researchers have used population-based data to predict an individual’s absolute risk of developing cognitive impairment according to imaging-based biomarkers of amyloid and neuronal injury.

The number of people living with dementia globally has more than doubled between 1990 and 2016, estimates the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016.

Dementia is the proximate cause of death in 70% of older adults with Down’s syndrome, show findings from a large community-based study published in JAMA Neurology.

Elevated cerebrospinal fluid neurofilament light levels are associated with an increased risk of mild cognitive impairment, indicate findings from a population-based study.

High-income countries currently have the highest rates of motor neuron diseases worldwide, and the burden is increasing with the ageing population, shows an analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016.

Switching from dopamine agonists to levodopa-carbidopa slow-release formulations reduces impulse control disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease, shows a multicentre study.

The benefits of medicinal cannabinoids for the treatment of spasticity, pain and bladder dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis may be limited, suggests a systematic review and meta-analysis.