A 25-year follow-up study reveals that 68% of patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) became seizure-free, with nearly 30% no longer needing antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. Findings published today in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), report that the occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures preceded by bilateral myoclonic seizures, and AED polytherapy significantly predicted poor long-term seizure outcome.
Neuroscience
Ear delivers sound information to brain in surprisingly organized fashion: study
The brain receives information from the ear in a surprisingly orderly fashion, according to a University at Buffalo study scheduled to appear June 6 in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Magnetic stimulation to improve visual perception
(Medical Xpress) — Using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), an international team led by French researchers from the Centre de Recherche de l’Institut du Cerveau (CNRS) has succeeded in enhancing the visual abilities of a group of healthy subjects. Following stimulation of an area of the brain’s right hemisphere involved in perceptual awareness and in orienting spatial attention, the subjects appeared more likely to perceive a target appearing on a screen. This work, published in the journal PLoS ONE, could lead to the development of novel rehabilitation techniques for certain visual disorders. In addition, it could help improve the performance of individuals whose tasks require very high precision.
Post-stroke depression linked to functional brain impairment
Researchers studying stroke patients have found a strong association between impairments in a network of the brain involved in emotional regulation and the severity of post-stroke depression. Results of the study are published online in the journal Radiology.
Study finds little cognitive benefit from soy supplements for older women
In a new study of the effects of soy supplements for postmenopausal women, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the USC Keck School of Medicine found no significant differences positive or negative in overall mental abilities between those who took supplements and those who didn’t.