April

Cerebral palsy symptoms improve with botulinum toxin

Children with cerebral palsy show long-term improvement through treatment with botulinum toxin, according to new research. Children treated with the drug had improvements ranging from making voluntary movements for the first time to improved stance and walking, according to the study’s lead author, neurologist Marc P. DiFazio, MD, of Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC.

Fruit consumption related to increased risk of Parkinson's?

Researchers in Honolulu have found a correlation between high fruit and fruit drink consumption and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Previous studies have suggested a link between fruit and vitamin C intake and an increased risk of Parkinson’s. However, these studies have been primarily retrospective in design and are subject to recall bias. The current study is longitudinal, in which risk factor data was collected before onset of Parkinson’s among more than 8,000 study subjects. Incidence of Parkinson’s cases was noted over 34 years of observation. Results of the study show that increased fruit and fruit drink consumption predicted an increased Parkinson’s risk, after adjusting for other known risk factors.

Same gene causes mental retardation in kids, neurodisease in older men

Researchers have recently discovered a progressive neurodegenerative condition — resulting in tremor, balance problems, and dementia — which may affect as many as one in 3,000 men. This condition has now been associated with the same gene that causes fragile X syndrome, the most common heritable form of mental retardation.