Elder Care (Everybody)

Researchers used visual threat manipulation in the virtual reality environment and thermal stimulation to investigate how the brain perceives pain. They found that the brain perceives pain more strongly when the perceived pain is out of alignment with reality. In particular, pain was amplified when unexpected events occurred.

Patients with localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who received radiation plus the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) durvalumab (Imfinzi) and tremelimumab (Imjudo) had durable responses that allowed for bladder preservation, according to new results.

New research shows sotagliflozin is the only drug in its class to demonstrate these results.

Researchers have devised a way to communicate the effects of taking the new Alzheimer's medications in language that is accessible and understandable to patients and their families. Using data on the natural history of the disease and the magnitude of the drugs' effects as measured in clinical trials, the researchers calculated how many months of independent living an Alzheimer's patient could expect to gain by undergoing treatment.

Scientists have developed a new systematic review to summarize for neurologists and other clinicians the evidence for epidural steroid injections and whether they reduce pain and disability for people with certain kinds of chronic back pain.

In a randomized clinical trial, giving the clot-busting medication alteplase up to 24 hours after stroke symptoms first appeared increased the odds of better recovery by 50% compared to those who received standard antiplatelet treatment.

Researchers continue to advance the science to determine best treatments for stroke. Based on an international study of 530 patients, researchers discovered that while the clot retrieval procedure endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) can dramatically improve patient outcomes after an acute ischemic stroke caused by a blockage in a large blood vessel, it did not improve outcomes in patients with blockages in medium-sized vessels. Lead investigators say study findings will help physicians quickly determine the best care for each individual case.

New insights into what causes the painful and disruptive symptoms of urinary tract infections (UTIs) could offer hope for improved treatment. UTIs are one of the most prevalent bacterial infections globally, with more than 400 million cases reported every year. Nearly one in three women will experience UTIs before the age of 24, and many elderly people and those with bladder issues from spinal cord injuries can experience multiple UTI's in a single year.

Propranolol, a beta blocker medication used for treating high blood pressure and preventing migraines, may lower ischemic stroke risk in women who experience migraines frequently.

People with brain bleeds had nearly 7 times higher blood levels of a specific brain protein, called glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), than those who had strokes caused by clots in a study conducted in Germany.

By integrating 30 minutes a day of progressive walking exercise into standard stroke rehabilitation (30 to 60 minutes of physical therapy five days a week) stroke patients had a measurable improved quality of life and mobility at hospital discharge compared to a control group.

An artificial intelligence (AI) model designed to predict a person's biological age (age of body cells and tissues) based on electrocardiogram (ECG) data found a strong association between ECG-age and cognitive performance.

Both F.A.S.T. and BE-FAST acronyms motivated people to call 911 right away for a possible stroke, and this impact lasted for 30 days.

People who regularly floss their teeth (one or more times per week) may lower their risk of stroke caused by a blood clot traveling from the heart and a stroke associated with an irregular heartbeat such as atrial fibrillation (AFib).

Increased levels of Streptococcus anginosus, a common type of bacteria that usually lives in the mouth and gut, was found in the gut of recent stroke survivors in Japan.