A robot controlled by a brain-machine interface. Rajesh Rao, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington’s Neural Systems Laboratory, has developed a brain-machine interface (BMI) which can be used to control the movements of a small humanoid robot.
The device is non-invasive – it is based on electroencephalography (EEG), and consists of a cap fitted with […] [The Neurophilosopher’s weblog]
Self Education: Scientific Sessions Available. Recordings of select AANS seminars and clinical courses covering diverse areas of neurosurgical importance are now available for purchase. [AANS Current News]
The New AANSCodingToday.com. The AANS? only online claims coding tool has been upgraded to offer members exciting new enhancements. [AANS Current News]
Special Announcement from the AANS/CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine andPeripheral Nerves
November 22, 2006
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The November 22/29, 2006 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association publishes theresults of SPORT, a multi-million dollar, federally funded, multi-center, prospective, randomizedcontrolled trial designed to investigate the efficacy of surgery for sciatica due to lumbar disc herniation.
In response to this publication, Charles Branch Jr., MD, chair of the AANS/CNS Joint Section onDisorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves states, “We are delighted that this major scientific studyaffirms the value of high quality surgical care in the relief of disabling painful disc herniations of thelumbar spine. Our patients have depended upon us as surgeons to provide them with beneficial surgicalcare and with good advice regarding how best to treat a painful lumbar disc herniation. This study affirmsthat we can continue to give our patients advice for surgical or nonsurgical care based upon their individual medical condition and needs.”
A Phase III trial showed equivalence but not superiority for the Neopharm CED toxin for glioma. See also….
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AANS 2007 Annual Meeting Registration and Housing is open [AANS Current News]
Mechanism and Management of Headache, Seventh Edition [Neurology current issue] Comprehensive text on Headache available.
Seizures during stroke thrombolysis heralding dramatic neurologic recovery. Interesting insight into early recovery after TPA therapy.
Seizures during thrombolytic therapy for ischemic stroke have not previously been described as a favorable prognostic sign. We report three patients with severe stroke (NIH Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score 15 to 20) who experienced a seizure during tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) infusion. While initially raising alarm about possible hemorrhage, the seizures heralded dramatic recovery (an immediate 15-point NIHSS score improvement after tPA; NIHSS score 0 or 1 at 24 hours). We propose that the seizures during thrombolysis may indicate cortical reperfusion and/or hyperperfusion due to early recanalization of an acutely occluded intracranial artery.
Two studies highlighting the role of body mass index and neurologic disorders
| Body mass index and the risk of Parkinson disease. and Body mass index in older persons is associated with Alzheimer disease pathology. from the current issue of Neurology |
Anecdotal case of very late recovery after brain trauma. Pubmed reference and commentary.
Bone morphogenetic proteins inhibit the tumorigenic potential of human brain tumour-initiating cells.
| New insights from Angelo Vescovi’s research group. |
| Nature. 2006 Dec 7;444(7120):761-765 |
| Authors: Piccirillo SG, Reynolds BA, Zanetti N, Lamorte G, Binda E, Broggi G, Brem H, Olivi A, Dimeco F, Vescovi AL |
| Transformed, oncogenic precursors, possessing both defining neural-stem-cell properties and the ability to initiate intracerebral tumours, have been identified in human brain cancers. Here we report that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), amongst which BMP4 elicits the strongest effect, trigger a significant reduction in the stem-like, tumour-initiating precursors of human glioblastomas (GBMs). Transient in vitro exposure to BMP4 abolishes the capacity of transplanted GBM cells to establish intracerebral GBMs. Most importantly, in vivo delivery of BMP4 effectively blocks the tumour growth and associated mortality that occur in 100% of mice after intracerebral grafting of human GBM cells. We demonstrate that BMPs activate their cognate receptors (BMPRs) and trigger the Smad signalling cascade in cells isolated from human glioblastomas (GBMs). This is followed by a reduction in proliferation, and increased expression of markers of neural differentiation, with no effect on cell viability. The concomitant reduction in clonogenic ability, in the size of the CD133(+) population and in the growth kinetics of GBM cells indicates that BMP4 reduces the tumour-initiating cell pool of GBMs. These findings show that the BMP-BMPR signalling system-which controls the activity of normal brain stem cells-may also act as a key inhibitory regulator of tumour-initiating, stem-like cells from GBMs and the results also identify BMP4 as a novel, non-cytotoxic therapeutic effector, which may be used to prevent growth and recurrence of GBMs in humans. |
As promised, the NIH has opened up grants to multiple PI’s to encourage team science. This should facilitate collaboration within and between institutions. See link.