Anti-Epilepsy Medication May Reduce The Effects of Stroke

Currently, new research suggests that the anticonvulsant medication, retigabine, could dramatically reduce the effects of stroke.  Researchers have already recognized the potential of this medication in treating neurologic conditions, such as migraine, tinnitus and neuropathic pain.

By observing mice models, researchers discovered that merely a single dose of retigabine prevented loss of balance and motor coordination following a stroke.  Balance and coordination was tested by using a balance beam.  The mice that were not treated with retigabine following a stroke displayed more slips and falls whereas the treated mice easily manoeuvred along the beam.  Researchers even remarked that it had appeared as though the treated mice had not even experienced a stroke.

In addition, brain tissue showed significantly less damage following a stroke when mice were treated with retigabine.  Interestingly, the medication also protected brain tissue for up to 5 days post-stroke.

The team studied ischemic stroke, the most common occurring type, where oxygen and nutrients are blocked due to a clot in a blood vessel.  After only 6 hours, cells deprived of oxygen and nutrients that are dying can be affected in such a way that they are unlikely to be repaired.  “Moreover, when cells die, they release factors that trigger many types of responses including an inflammatory response, leading to more cell death in the areas around the blood clot.”

“Retigabine and similar agents open specific proteins called potassium ion channels, whose action stops the electrical activity of nerve cells in the brain.”  Therefore, researchers theorize that electrical activity can be stopped before causing more damage and conserved until blood supply is restored.

According to researchers, “future studies will assess how long brain function can be protected after a stroke, and whether injury-related seizures can be prevented.

At this time, embolic or thrombotic strokes are treated with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) drugs, which dissolve clots and restore blood flow. However, tPA works by thinning the blood therefore, cannot be used in many circumstances, such as patients with high blood pressure or weak blood vessels.  Additionally, it must be used within a few short hours following a stroke as later treatment with this drug may actually cause more damage.

According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer a stroke each year.  Of these, 5 million die and another 5 million are permanently disabled.  Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States and every seven minutes, a Canadian dies of heart disease or stroke.  Now is the time to continue research and improve these figures.

Anti-epilepsy drug preserves brain function after stroke, research suggests
Stroke Statistics

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More Than Two Drinks Per Day Can Increase Your Risk of Stroke

According to a new study, drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks each day in middle-age increases a person’s risk of stroke more than typical risk factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Researchers used data gathered between 1967 and 2010 from 11,644 individuals from the Swedish Twin Registry to compare the effects of heavy drinking on risk of stroke. Heavy drinking was defined as 2 or more drinks per day and light drinking as less than 0.5 drinks per day.  

Results demonstrated that heavy drinking increased the risk of stroke by 34% in comparison to light drinking.  The heavy drinkers were also more likely to have a stroke 5 years earlier than their counterparts, regardless of genetics or other factors.  In addition, middle-aged heavy drinkers exhibited a risk of stroke comparable to individuals with high blood pressure and diabetes.  Moreover, the study found that almost 30% of participants had suffered a stroke and by age 75, blood pressure and diabetes were regarded as the main cause of stroke. 

“Among identical twin pairs, siblings who had a stroke drank more than their siblings who hadn't had a stroke, suggesting that mid-life drinking raises stroke risks regardless of genetics and early lifestyle.”

Not only does regular heavy drinking increase the risk of stroke, it also affects blood pressure and causes various health complications.  

Effects of Alcohol:

Drinking too much – on a single occasion or over time – can take a serious toll on your health.  Here’s how alcohol can affect your body:

Heart: Drinking a lot over a long time or too much on a single occasion can damage the heart, causing problems including:

• Cardiomyopathy – Stretching and drooping of heart muscle
• Arrhythmias – Irregular heart beat
• Stroke
• High blood pressure  

* Research also shows that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may protect healthy adults from developing coronary heart disease.

Liver: Heavy drinking takes a toll on the liver, and can lead to a variety of problems and liver inflammations including:

• Steatosis, or fatty liver
• Alcoholic hepatitis
• Fibrosis
• Cirrhosis

Pancreas: Alcohol causes the pancreas to produce toxic substances that can eventually lead to pancreatitis, a dangerous inflammation and swelling of the blood vessels in the pancreas that prevents proper digestion. 

Cancer: Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of developing certain cancers, including cancers of the:

• Mouth
• Esophagus
• Throat
• Liver
• Breast

Immune System: Drinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease.  Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than people who do not drink too much.  Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections – even up to 24 hours after getting drunk.

Brain: Alcohol interferes with the brain’s communication pathways, and can affect the way the brain looks and works. These disruptions can change mood and behavior, and make it harder to think clearly and move with coordination.  

People who have been drinking large amounts of alcohol for long periods of time run the risk of developing serious and persistent changes in the brain. Damage may be a result of the direct effects of alcohol on the brain or may result indirectly, from a poor general health status or from severe liver disease.

Up to 80 percent of alcoholics, however, have a deficiency in thiamine, and some of these people will go on to develop serious brain disorders such as Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS).  WKS is a disease that consists of two separate syndromes, a short–lived and severe condition called Wernicke’s encephalopathy and a long–lasting and debilitating condition known as Korsakoff’s psychosis.

The symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy include mental confusion, paralysis of the nerves that move the eyes (i.e., oculomotor disturbances), and difficulty with muscle coordination. For example, patients with Wernicke’s encephalopathy may be too confused to find their way out of a room or may not even be able to walk. 

Approximately 80 to 90 percent of alcoholics with Wernicke’s encephalopathy also develop Korsakoff’s psychosis, a chronic and debilitating syndrome characterized by persistent learning and memory problems. Patients with Korsakoff’s psychosis are forgetful and quickly frustrated and have difficulty with walking and coordination. Although these patients have problems remembering old information (i.e., retrograde amnesia), it is their difficulty in “laying down” new information (i.e., anterograde amnesia) that is the most striking. 

Heavy drinking in middle-age may increase stroke risk more than traditional factors
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

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Samsung Develops Gadget to Detect Strokes

In recent news, engineers at the Samsung Electronics Creative Lab (C-Lab) have developed an Early Detection Sensor & Algorithm Package (EDSAP) that has the ability to detect strokes.

“The resulting headset is equipped with sensors that transfer data to algorithms that allow you to observe your brainwaves on your Smartphone, tablet or upright computer to make sure you are not at risk.”

Interestingly, this device could potentially save lives by ensuring that people obtain proper medical attention in a timely manner.  Samsung claims that it’s even more efficient than hospital equipment as it analyzes brainwaves more rapidly and detects more detail due to a rubber-like ultra-conductive material.

Apparently, the headset is merely a prototype and the sensors will actually function effectively in any type of headgear such as barrettes or even eyeglasses.

There is no word on when this device could be available to the general public; however they do suggest that this technology could lead to other applications such as monitoring heart muscle activity.

Despite the fact that the device is not approved or regulated, it is refreshing that companies like Samsung are spending some of their efforts on developing gadgets other than newer models of Smartphones and Tablets.

Until then…

“A stroke, sometimes referred to as a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult (CVI), or colloquially brain attack is the loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This disturbance is due to either ischemia (lack of blood flow) or hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain cannot function normally, which might result in an inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, failure to understand or formulate speech, or a vision impairment of one side of the visual field.”

Warning Signs:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body.
  
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding.
  
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes.
  
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination.
  
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause.

Some Statistics:

• In 2010, worldwide prevalence of stroke was 33 million, with 16.9 million people having a first stroke. 
• Stroke was the second-leading global cause of death behind heart disease, accounting for 11.13% of total deaths worldwide.
  
• Stroke is the No. 4 cause of death in the United States, killing nearly 129,000 people a year.
  
• Stroke kills someone in the U.S. about once every four minutes.
  
• African-Americans have nearly twice the risk for a first-ever stroke than white people, and a much higher death rate from stroke.
  
• Over the past 10 years, the death rate from stroke has fallen about 35 percent and the number of stroke deaths has dropped about 21 percent.
  
• About 795,000 people have a stroke every year.
  
• Someone in the U.S. has a stroke about once every 40 seconds.
  
• Stroke causes 1 of every 20 deaths in the U.S.
  
• Stroke is a leading cause of disability.
  
• Stroke is the leading preventable cause of disability.

Samsung developing wearable headset to detect strokes
Stroke
American Heart Association

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Early Emotional Neglect May Predict Strokes

New research conducted by the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center at Rush University Medical Center suggests that emotionally neglected children are at risk of stroke as adults. 

"Studies have shown that children who were neglected emotionally in childhood are at an increased risk of a slew of psychiatric disorders. However, our study is one of few that looked at an association between emotional neglect and stroke," said study author Robert S. Wilson, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Rush.

Researchers’ selected 1,040 participants aged 55+ without dementia from the Memory and Aging Project were surveyed on physical and emotional abuse before the age of 18. Participants were questioned on such areas as how much love they felt from their parents or caregivers as children, whether they felt afraid or intimidated by their caregivers, the method of physical punishment suffered and other questions relating to divorce and family finances.

The participants were followed over a period of 3.5 years. In that time, 257 participants had died. Of the deceased participants, only 192 had brain autopsies, which revealed that 89 of them had experienced strokes. Furthermore, forty of the participants were said to have had strokes based on medical history or an examination.

Furthermore, participants that expressed moderately high levels of emotional neglect in childhood were nearly 3 times more likely to experience a stroke than those reporting moderately low levels of emotional childhood neglect, even when other factors such as diabetes, physical activity, smoking, anxiety and heart problems were controlled.

"The results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that early life factors such as traumatic childhood experiences influence the development of physical illness and common chronic conditions of old age" says Dr. David A. Bennett, director of the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center and co-author of the study

Of course results may not be completely reliable since this study relies on a self-report of recalled events many years later, which may be even further clouded given the nature of the potentially traumatic memories.

Emotional Neglect in Children Linked to Increased Stroke Risk Later in Life

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Statins May Improve Outcomes For Stroke Patients

Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has uncovered data suggesting that cholesterol-lowering drugs, known as statins, may help clot-busting drugs treat strokes.

Already, statins are well-known for lowering cholesterol, however they have also been recognized for producing other beneficial effects, such as maintaining the health of cells that line our blood vessel walls and increasing our production of nitric oxide, which dilates our blood vessels.

Researchers studied 31 patients that suffered an ischemic stroke, in which a clot blocks blood flow to part of the brain. It was observed that 12 of the 31 subjects already prescribed statins to control cholesterol, experienced more rapid and complete return of blood flow to the blocked areas of the brain.

"We've known that patients on statins have better stroke outcomes, but the data in this study suggest a new reason why: Statins may help improve blood flow to brain regions at risk of dying during ischemic stroke," says senior author Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD, director of the cerebrovascular disease section in the Department of Neurology. "If that turns out to be the case, we may want to consider adding statins to the clot-busting drugs we normally give to acute stroke patients."

To study this possibility, patients experiencing an ischemic stroke were treated with a clot-busting drug and followed up with an MRI. This scan was performed during treatment and again three hours later to assess the effectiveness of the clot-busting drug to restore blood flow to the blocked areas.

"To our knowledge, this is the first time someone has looked at the effects of statins on restoration of blood flow using brain tissue-based measurements instead of looking at the opening of blood vessels," says lead author Andria Ford, MD, assistant professor of neurology. "It's harder to do, but we feel it gives us more accurate measurements."

In only a short 3 hour window, twelve of the patients that were already being treated with statins averaged about 50% restored blood flow to affected areas of the brain, whereas the remaining 19 patients that were not already being treated with statins only averaged roughly 13% restored blood flow.

In addition, physicians tested these patients using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, which evaluates speech, movement, attention and sensation, upon arrival at the hospital and at one month following their stroke. These results also demonstrated that patients treated with statins showed more improvement in their scores when assessed a month after their stroke occurred.

Although results appear promising, researchers have not yet determined whether regular doses of statins or merely treatment of stroke with statins produces such results. Further investigation may prove to have a positive impact on society’s number one disabler.

Cholesterol Drugs May Improve Blood Flow After Stroke

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Popular Asthma Drug May Effectively Treat Alzheimer's Disease

According to researchers at Temple University's School of Medicine, the popular asthma drug, Zileuton, has shown potential in treating Alzheimer’s disease. This medication works by reducing the amount of amyloid beta that develops and accumulates in the aging brain. Amyloid beta is a peptide that has been known to be involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

“In previous studies, the Temple researchers discovered that 5-lipoxygenase, an enzyme long known to exist in the brain, controls the activation state of gamma secretase, another enzyme that is necessary and responsible for the final production of amyloid beta. When produced in excess, amyloid beta causes neuronal death and forms plaques in the brain. The amount of these amyloid plaques in the brain is used as a measurement of the severity of Alzheimer's.”

“Zileuton (trade name ZYFLO) is an orally active inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase, and thus inhibits leukotrienes (LTB4, LTC4, LTD4, and LTE4) formation.“

Domenico Praticò and fellow researchers tested the effects of this drug on genetically engineered mice with Alzheimer's disease. Results showed that amyloid production and build-up in the brain was reduced by 50% by treating the mice with Zileuton.

Researchers are already aware of substances that can block gamma secretase’s production of amyloid, however completely eliminating a vital function may result in other health problems, such as developing cancer. “Unlike classical gamma secretase inhibitors, Zileuton only modulates the protein expression levels, which keeps some of its vital functions in tact while blocking many of its bad effects, which in this case is the development of the amyloid plaques.”

Fortunately, if clinic trials effectively demonstrate Zileuton’s ability to treat Alzheimer’s disease, the medication could be readily available to patients as it is already FDA-approved and on the market.

In addition, further research may uncover treatments for other untreatable diseases resulting from amyloid plaques accumulating in the brain, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a neurological condition that occurs when amyloid proteins build up on the walls of the arteries in the brain, which increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke and dementia.

Asthma Drug Could Help Control or Treat Alzheimer's Disease
Zileuton
Cerebral amyloid angiopathy

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Antidepressants Could Reduce the Effects of Stroke

The Buck Institute for Age Research has been studying the possibility that antidepressants and mood stabilizers, like lithium for example, could have positive effects on stroke victims. The growth of new neurons has been known to diminish the effects of a stroke as well as dramatically improve impaired functions after a stroke, while those types of medications have been found to encourage neurogenesis in rodents.

"What this study shows more convincingly than in the past is that the production of new neurons after stroke is beneficial in rodents," said Buck faculty member and senior author David Greenberg, MD, PhD. "Assuming that neurogenesis is also beneficial in humans, drugs approved by the FDA for other purposes and already shown to promote new neuron growth in rodents might be worth studying as a potential treatment for stroke in humans. For example, antidepressants are often used to treat post-stroke depression, but their potential for improving outcome from stroke itself is less certain."

Researchers compared the size of a stroke and the recovery from stroke in genetically altered mice that either had the ability to grow new neurons or not. It was discovered that mice without the ability to grow new neurons suffered strokes 30% larger; whereas the mice with the ability to grow new neurons showed dramatic improvement of motor functions following a stroke.

Although this new research sounds very exciting, Greenberg cautions that people should not attempt to treat themselves until clear evidence is made official as testing has not been rigorous enough to determine if negative effects exist or whether these positive effects can be seen in humans. Testing these medications that stimulate the growth of neurons could lead to other exciting discoveries for many other age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease.

“Stroke is the third leading cause of death in the U.S. and is the leading cause of serious long-term disability in this country. Treatments for stroke are limited. Clot busting drugs, which have to be given within hours of the stroke, have been of great benefit to a small number of patients, but stroke is not usually diagnosed in time for them to be used.”

What is a stroke?

A stroke (sometimes called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA)) is the rapidly developing loss of brain function(s) due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain, caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel. This can be due to ischemia (lack of glucose and oxygen supply) caused by thrombosis or embolism or due to a hemorrhage. As a result, the affected area of the brain is unable to function, leading to inability to move one or more limbs on one side of the body, inability to understand or formulate speech, or inability to see one side of the visual field.

What factors lead to a higher risk of stroke?

• advanced age
  
• hypertension
  
• a previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA)
  
• diabetes
  
• high cholesterol
  
• cigarette smoking
  
• atrial fibrillation

What are the symptoms of stroke?

Symptoms of a stroke that affects the central nervous system include:

• hemiplegia and muscle weakness of the face
  
• numbness
  
• reduction in sensory or vibratory sensation

Generally, the symptoms affect one side of the body and the side affected is typically opposite to the affected brain area.

Symptoms of a stroke that affects the brain stem include:

• altered smell, taste, hearing, or vision
  
• drooping of eyelid and weakness of ocular muscles
  
• decreased reflexes (gag, swallow, pupil reactivity to light)
  
• decreased sensation and muscle weakness in the face
  
• balance problems and nystagmus (involuntary eye movement)
  
• altered breathing and heart rate
  
• weakness in sternocleidomastoid muscle with an inability to turn the head to one side
  
• weakness in tongue (inability to protrude and/or move from side to side)

Symptoms of a stroke that affects the cerebral cortex include:

• aphasia (inability to speak or understand language from involvement of Broca's or Wernicke's area)
  
• apraxia (altered voluntary movements)
  
• visual field defect
  
• memory deficits (with damage to the temporal lobe)
  
• hemineglect (a deficit in attention to and awareness of one side of space is observed when there is damage to the parietal lobe)
  
• disorganized thinking, confusion, hypersexual gestures (with damage to the frontal lobe)
  
• anosognosia (persistent denial of the existence of a, usually stroke-related, deficit)

Symptoms of a stroke that affects the cerebellum include:

• trouble walking
  
• altered movement coordination
  
• vertigo and or disequilibrium

What are the long-term effects?

Disability affects 75% of stroke survivors enough to decrease their employability. Stroke can affect patients physically, mentally, emotionally, or a combination of the three. The results of stroke vary widely depending on size and location of the lesion. Dysfunctions correspond to areas in the brain that have been damaged.

Some of the physical disabilities that can result from stroke include:

• paralysis
  
• numbness
  
• pressure sores
  
• pneumonia
  
• incontinence
  
• apraxia (inability to perform learned movements)
  
• difficulties carrying out daily activities
  
• appetite loss
  
• speech loss
  
• vision loss
  
• pain
  
• coma
  
• death

Some of the mental disabilities that can result from stroke include:

• anxiety
  
• panic attacks
  
• flat affect (failure to express emotions)
  
• mania
  
• apathy
  
• psychosis
  
• depression (characterized by lethargy, irritability, sleep disturbances, lowered self esteem, and withdrawal)
  
• emotional lability (a rapid switch between emotional highs and lows and an inappropriate expression of emotions
  
• speech problems
  
• dementia
  
• attention and memory problems
  
• anosognosia (persistent denial of the existence of a, usually stroke-related, deficit)
  
• hemispatial neglect (inability to attend to anything on the side of space opposite to the damaged hemisphere)
  
• seizures

All resulting affects of stroke are dependent on the severity of brain damage.

Antidepressants as Treatment Immediately Following a Stroke?
Stroke

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Antidepressants May Increase Risk of Stroke or Death in Postmenopausal Women

“The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) of the National Institutes of Health followed more than 160,000 postmenopausal U.S. women for up to 15 years, examining risk factors for and potential preventive measures against cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis.”

The researchers collected data from 136,000 participants that were not taking antidepressant medications when they first began the study. It was noted during their first follow up between one and three years later that roughly 5,500 of those women had begun taking antidepressants. “The research team compared that group's subsequent history of cardiovascular disease with that of participants who had not started taking antidepressants.”

Results showed that the women taking antidepressants had a small, but statistically significant increased risk of stroke and/or death compared to participants declaring that they were not taking antidepressants.

Lead author, Jordan W. Smoller, MD, ScD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Psychiatry, explains that although it is necessary to treat depression because it is a serious illness, it is equally important for older women to discuss their treatment options with their physician before committing to one because of the various risks involved.

The DSM IV defines depression as experiencing feelings of sadness, helplessness and hopelessness. It is a state of low mood and aversion to activity. Episodes of depressed mood are a core feature in various psychological disorders.

Some symptoms of depression can include:

• Anxiety
  
• Sleep disturbances
  
• never seem to be enough
  
• dullness
  
• chronic sadness never seeming to end
  
• obsessions
  
• shakiness when feeling most down
  
• mood swings

Medications used to treat depression:

Tricyclic antidepressants

• Amitriptyline
  
• Imipramine
  
• Nortriptyline
  
• Desipramine

Side effects: Fatigue, dry mouth, blurred vision, light-headedness

Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)

• Fluoxetine
  
• Fluvoxamine
  
• Sertraline
  
• Paroxetine

Side effects: Nausea, gastrointestinal upset, sleep disturbances, headache, agitation

Reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase:

• Moclobemide

Side effects: Insomnia, headache, constipation

5-HT2 antagonists:

• Nefazodone

Side effects: Fatigue, light-headedness, nausea, headache

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors:

• Venlafaxine

Side effects: Nausea, agitation, sweating

MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors):

• Phenelzine (Nardil)
  
• Tranylcypromine (Parnate)
  
• Isocarboxazid (Marplan)
  
• Selegiline (Emsam)

Side effects: Drowsiness, Constipation, Nausea, Diarrhea, Stomach upset, Fatigue, Dry mouth, Dizziness, Low blood pressure, Light-headedness, Decreased urination, Decreased sexual function, Sleep disturbances, Muscle twitching, Weight gain, Blurred vision, Headache, Increased appetite, Restlessness, Shakiness, Trembling, Weakness, Increased sweating

“Depression is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and premature death, and one of the reasons that tricyclic antidepressants are used less frequently is their potential for negative effects on heart function. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants have fewer side effects in general and are known to have aspirin-like effects on bleeding, which could protect against clot-related cardiovascular disorders.”

Although no relationship was established between antidepressant use and heart disease, follow-up appointments nearly six years later indicated that participants using antidepressants had an increased risk of death and those treated with SSRIs had an increased risk of stroke.

Even though results seem frightening it seems to me that further investigation is needed as there are several problems with this study. The researchers have not distinguished whether the problem really lies within the link between antidepressants and cardiovascular disease or depression itself and cardiovascular disease. Prior studies will show that depression has risks that are just as high as those who use antidepressants in this study. If anything, the study may indicate that treatment with antidepressants could exacerbate those risks. After careful review of this study, it seems difficult to place blame on antidepressants, but more could be revealed with further investigation.

Additionally, the study does not specify whether these women were being treated for depression or for anxiety nor is there any indication that lifestyle factors such as stress, smoking or diet have been accounted for. Furthermore, the study is too group-specific; therefore it cannot suggest that results can be generalized to the other populations, such as men or premenopausal women unfortunately.

Despite the lack of concrete evidence, it seems logical that women with cardiovascular risks would benefit from exploring treatment options other than antidepressants, but in the end, for most, the benefits of antidepressants may far outweigh the costs.

Increased Risk of Death, Stroke in Postmenopausal Women Taking Antidepressants, Study Finds
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
Medications for Treating Depression

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Stem Cells Show Promise for the Treatment of Stroke

The Institute of Psychiatry and the University of Nottingham has demonstrated, through MRI, that stroke damaged brain tissue can be rejuvenated in only 7 days simply by inserting a tiny scaffolding with stem cells connected to it into the brain.

Existing research suggests that stem cells tend to latch onto healthy brain tissue all the while leaving a void where the stroke damage occurred. Basically, this newly discovered technique allows the stem cells to fill the void where it could not before.

“Using individual particles of a biodegradable polymer called PLGA that have been loaded with neural stem cells, the team of scientists have filled stroke cavities with stem cells on a ready-made support structure.” This process ensures that the support structure latches on to the surrounding health tissue in order to repair stroke damaged area.

As a result, within only days the cells can travel from the scaffold to form new brain tissue that very quickly adapts with the existing brain tissue. Over only a short time, the particles of the scaffolding biodegrade leaving space for more tissue, fibers and blood vessels to fill the gaps and repair the damaged area.

This research demonstrates yet again the miracles stem cells can produce. From improving the quality of life for stroke victims, to enormous savings in disability related costs, to a release of strain on the health care system, to relieving family member responsibilities who are coping with stroke, to saving lives. The benefits of this research are endless and immeasurable.

Facts:

• A stroke is a brain attack. It occurs when a blood clot interrupts blood flow to the brain, or when a blood vessel ruptures. Cells in and around the stroke site become damaged and begin to die. Part of the brain stops working as a result.


• Stroke is the No. 1 cause of adult disability in Canada and the third leading cause of death.


• In the United States, stroke kills over 150,000 people a year. That’s about 1 of every 16 deaths. It’s the No. 3 cause of death behind diseases of the heart and cancer.


• About 700,000 Americans each year suffer a new or recurrent stroke. That means, on average, a stroke occurs every 45 seconds.


• Fifty thousand Canadians suffer from a stroke every year - one person every 10 minutes - and the incidence is increasing with Canada's aging population.


• In the United States, about every 3 minutes, someone dies of stroke.


• Of every 5 people who die from stroke in the United States, about 2 are men and 3 are women.


• Stroke can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or socio-economic status. Approximately 300,000 Canadians are living with the effects of stroke.


• For every 100,000 persons in the United States in 2004, about 50 people died of stroke. This is the age adjusted stroke death rate for the total population.


• In Canada, one in five people who survive a stroke are at risk of another stroke or a heart attack within two years. And, after age 55, the risk of stroke doubles every 10 years.


• Fewer than 50 per cent of stroke survivors return to work in Canada, leaving families with care giving responsibilities and the additional burden of lost income.


• In adults, stroke is associated with risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure.


• Americans paid about $63 billion in 2007 for stroke-related medical costs and disability.

Stem Cells Replace Stroke-damaged Tissue In Rats
Stroke Recovery Canada
American Heart Association

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Spinal Cord Injured - First to Reveal Stem Cell Potential

The US Food and Drug Administration gave the green light to Geron to commence the world’s first clinical trial involving human embryonic stem cells. “By early summer, a handful of patients with severe spinal cord injuries will be eligible for injections of specialized nerve cells designed to enable electrical signals to travel between the brain and the rest of the body.”

During the initial phase of this trial, safety of the treatment will be assessed, before moving on to the potential discovery of a variety of therapeutic benefits. Prior benefits have already been revealed among rats who regained their ability to control their hind legs as a result of stem cell injections.

To begin with, what are embryonic stem cells?

These stem cells come from embryos that are four to five days old. At this stage, an embryo is called a blastocyst and has about 150 cells. These are pluripotent (ploo-RIP-uh-tunt) stem cells, meaning they can divide into more stem cells or they can specialize and become any type of body cell. Because of this versatility, embryonic stem cells have the highest potential for use to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs in people.

Clearly, “anti-abortion groups have opposed the trial, and the Society for the Unborn Child even called the proposal ‘sick’. A spokesperson for the organization claimed that, “It involves cannibalising an unborn child”.

Many might claim that destroying human life in hopes of saving human life is unethical; however the benefits well outweigh the costs. For instance, stem cell research could potentially assist in the treatment of a wide range of medical problems such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, stroke, diabetes (Type 1), birth defects, replacement or repair of damaged organs, and reduce risk of transplantation. Moreover, even if diseases are not cured, this research could lead to a more improved quality of life for many people. "I would absolutely love to see a quadriplegic regain use of their thumb," said UC Irvine neuroscientist Hans Keirstead.

Although controversial, would it not be reasonable to admit that we should work toward sustaining healthy lives with stem cell research as long as abortion remains legal?

Stem cell therapy to be tested on spinal cord injuries

New Stroke Research Trial Stirs More Controversy Over Stem Cells

Stem cells: What they are and what they do

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Nova Scotia Discriminates Against Drivers with Mental Illness

"Service Nova Scotia now requires people renewing their licences to indicate on an application form if they’ve had a 'psychiatric or psychological condition'". If the answer to that question is yes, Nova Scotians' are required to provide more in depth information including medical information that is usually kept in strict confidentiality. This medical information is reviewed by provincial government staff and, if necessary, cases can be referred to a committee of specialists to make recommendations on whether the individual is mentally capable of driving. The application also inquires about any history of lung, heart, eye or neurological diseases. Obviously, doctors can charge a fee for this application and without it people run a risk of losing their licence.

Thankfully, Service Nova Scotia has withdrawn this new form, for now, claiming that the "department failed to check the appropriateness of the wording before putting the new forms into use." Instead, Dulcie McCallum, Nova Scotia's freedom of information and protection of privacy review officer, states that "it would be more appropriate to ask if people were taking any prescription medication that could affect their driving". "That doesn’t connect it to any particular illness or disability or historically disadvantaged group and it may be a bona fide question", she continues. Now, this does not sound like the idea has been completely rejected. In fact, the renewal process still asks whether one has a mental or physical disability that may prevent them from properly operating a motor vehicle and depending on one's response, more detailed information could be requested.

Typically, people come to the realisation that they are no longer able to drive on their own; however Nova Scotia has decided that the government must decide when an individual is no longer mentally fit for driving. Paul Arsenault of the provincial registrar of motor vehicles insists that this is important for public safety.

Granted, prescription medication is being prescribed in record doses, but as far as I know, doctors still have a legal obligation to report whether someone is no longer capable of operating a motor vehicle? Or do they? Apparently, Nova Scotia's doctors are not bound by law to report such cases. Should this not be a more appropriate angle, especially since doctors already have the power to prescribe and have total access to a medical history? It seems more than ridiculous to expect government bureaucrats to police the province’s drivers. What’s next? Are government employees going to start patrolling for drunk drivers too?

David Simpson, an Ontario rights advocate of the Mental Health Police Records Coalition explains that "what you always have to be worried about in situations like this is if there is some sort of systemic bias in place or covert discrimination, that they believe because you have a mental illness you’re going to use your vehicle as a weapon to injure people or injure yourself." What about people busy texting, eating, chatting on their cell phone, fiddling with their blackberry, or operating their GPS?

Furthermore, how long would it be before people with high blood pressure and risk of heart attack or stroke lose their licence as well? We can only hope this line of
thinking doesn’t make its way into Ontario.

Government cancels form asking drivers about mental health
Critics: Don’t tie driver’s licence renewal to psychiatric history

POLL RESULTS:

Should one's mental health be considered when issuing a driver's licence?

38% - YES

61% - NO

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Psychology and the Diverse Usage of the Nintendo Wii

Critics have long argued against the effects of video gaming. There is the typical claim that the prolonged use of video games reinforces violent behaviours among children. And, there’s the usual assertion that video gaming discourages exercise and physical activity.

With the advent of interactive video games some of these claims lose their strength. It seems that more and more benefits are being discovered through the use of the popular video game console, the Nintendo Wii. Some of these benefits include engaging seniors in social and/or physical activity, connecting stroke and spinal cord injury patients in a new form of rehab, also known as Wiihab, as well as assisting surgeons to sharpen their skills.

To add to that list, recently, the Nintendo Wii has been used for psychological experimentation. "By integrating the Nintendo Wiimote with a laboratory computer, psychologist Rick Dale and his student collaborators were able to extract rich information about a person’s reaching movements while they performed a learning task." This research provides further evidence to support the deep connection between body and mind.

Overuse of the Wii has proven to produce physical ailments similar to those acquired from real life sports, but like anything else, too much can be too much. If the Wii can increase the physical and mental alertness and strength of individuals in seniors’ residences and rehab centres or enhance surgical abilities and advance research; I’m game.

A few noteworthy articles:
Nintendo Wii With A New Mission: Wiimote As An Interface Bridging Mind and Body
Doctors use Wii games for rehab therapy after strokes, surgery
Wii gives seniors a virtual workout
Surgeons Hone Skills on Nintendo Wii

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Extreme Stress in the First Trimester Associated with Schizophrenia

There already exists much evidence of low birth weights and pre-maturity among newborns of mothers that suffer stressful life events during pregnancy. "Chemicals released by the mother’s brain in response to stress may have an effect on the fetus’ developing brain. These effects may be strongest in early pregnancy, when protective barriers between the mother and fetus are not fully constructed."

Schizophrenia is believed to commence during early brain development; however environmental factors during a pregnancy may influence the risk of developing schizophrenia.

A study conducted by Ali S. Khashan of the University of Manchester suggests a likelihood of developing schizophrenia when a child’s mother experiences a stressful event during the first trimester of pregnancy.

The subjects in this study consisted of 1.38 million Danish births occurring between 1973 and 1995. A national registry was used to verify relatives of the mothers that either passed away or received a diagnosis of cancer, heart attack or stroke during the course of their pregnancy. Khashan found that during their pregnancies, the mothers of 21,987 children were exposed to the death of a relative, mothers of 14, 206 children were exposed to a relative receiving a diagnosis of cancer, heart attack or stroke, and most striking, 7,331 children observed had eventually developed schizophrenia.

Results illustrated a 67% greater risk of developing schizophrenia or other disorders when exposed to the death of a relative during the first trimester. Six months prior to pregnancy or any other time during the pregnancy held no significance in the development of schizophrenia. As well, the significance appeared only in those without a family history of mental illness.

Although, the study only assesses risk and is not suggesting any concrete findings, it would have been more informative to have knowledge the schizophrenics’ age at the end of the study in order to rule out any possible association with societal changes or social upheavals. Also, research on a more global perspective would certainly have supported the validity of the study. Overall however, this does provide a decent starting point for future research.

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