Medicine In The News – June 2015

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Outcome Can Be Measured by Albumin and Creatinine
Both creatinine and albumin are reliable markers of the severity of clinical status in patients with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and can be used in defining prognosis at the time of diagnosis; creatinine reflects the muscle waste, whereas albumin is connected with inflammatory state.
JAMA, September 2014
Genome-Wide Analysis & the Heritability of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
The heritability of ALS has found to be significantly higher than previously reported, and there were identified multiple novel genomic regions that researchers hypothesize may contain causative risk variants that influence susceptibility to ALS. – JAMA, September 2014
Dietary ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake and Risk for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Diet-derived long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are incorporated in brain lipids and modulate oxidative and inflammatory processes and could thus prevent or delay the onset and progression of ALS. – JAMA, September 2014
Pathological Gambling Caused by Drugs Used to Treat Parkinson Disease
Dopamine agonist therapy, which also plays a central role in the behavioral reward system, was associated with potentially reversible pathological gambling, and Pramipexole was the medication predominantly implicated. – JAMA, October 2014
Decreased Prevalence of Alzheimer Disease Associated With 3-Hydroxy-3-Methyglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Inhibitors
There is a lower prevalence of diagnosed probable AD in patients taking 2 different 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors—Lovastatin and Pravastatin, elevated serum cholesterol being a known risk factor for AD.- JAMA, October 2014

Higher C-Peptide Levels Associated with Regional Cortical Thinning
Recent studies have demonstrated an association between increased insulin secretion and cognitive impairment, a higher C-peptide level being associated with regional cortical thinning, even in cognitively normal individuals. – European Journal of Neurology, October 2014
Thrombolysis Times – From Door-to-Imaging Time to Imaging-to-Needle Time – Among Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke
Given the limited time window available for treatment with tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) in patients with acute ischemic stroke, guidelines recommend door-to-imaging time (DIT) within 25 minutes of hospital arrival and door-to-needle (DTN) time within 60 minutes for patients with acute ischemic stroke. – JAMA, September 2014
Influence of Lifestyle Modifications on Age-Related Free Radical Injury to Brain
Researchers highlighted 2 lifestyle modifications (ie, body mass index and smoking) that would have a greater effect on suppressing free radical injury to the brain than would suppressing the processes of aging.
The Healthy Brain Initiative 2013-2018, September 2014
Chronic Sleep Deprivation and Alzheimer’s Disease
Sleep deprivation, or prolonged wakefulness, interferes with a physiological morning decrease in cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels, which elevates the risk of AD. – JAMA, September 2014
Direct Effect of Sunshine on Suicide
Duration of daily sunshine was significantly correlated with suicide frequency independent of season, supporting the hypothesis that sunshine on the day of suicide and up to 10 days prior to suicide may facilitate suicide prevention, and more daily sunshine 14 to 60 days prior is associated with low rates of suicide. – JAMA, September 2014
Testosterone as the Missing Link Between Pesticides, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Parkinson’s Disease
The hypothesis that the mechanism by which pesticide exposure (DDT) may contribute to AD and PD is through an anti-testosterone effect suggests that androgens may play a role in cognitive aging and in the etiology of AD. – JAMA, September 2014
Co-occurrence of Substance-Use Disorders and Independent Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Associations between most substance use disorders and independent mood and anxiety disorders were overwhelmingly positive and significant, suggesting that treatment for a comorbid mood or anxiety disorder should not be withheld from individuals with substance use disorders. – JAMA, September 2014
Association of Serum Interleukin 6 and C-Reactive Protein in Childhood With Depression and Psychosis
Longitudinal studies have linked the systemic inflammatory markers interleukin 6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) with the risk of developing heart disease and diabetes mellitus, which are common comorbidities for depression and schizophrenia. – JAMA, September 2014
Prefrontal Cortical Dendritic Spine Pathology in Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
Prior studies have demonstrated reduced dendritic spine density in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in schizophrenia, but also in individuals with bipolar disorder, suggesting that the 2 disorders may share some common pathophysiological features. – JAMA, October 2014
Neonatal Vitamin D Status and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
Low Vitamin D status at birth may be associated with risk of adult onset multiple sclerosis, researchers focusing on the relation between neonatal Vitamin D concentrations measured in stored blood samples and the risk of MS. – Annals of Neurology, September 2014
Antipsychotics, Mood Stabilisers, and Risk of Violent Crime
In addition to relapse prevention and psychiatric symptom relief, the benefits of antipsychotics and mood stabilizers might also include reductions in the rate of violent crime, and the potential effects of these drugs on violence and crime should be taken into account when treatment options for patients with psychiatric disorders are being considered. – Lancet, September 2014
Alcohol Misuse Disorders and Multiple Sclerosis Risk
Individuals with alcohol misuse disorders, presumed to consume large quantities of alcohol, may have a lower MS risk than the general population. – JAMA, September 2014

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