Neurosciences - September 2013 Archives

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Sept. 30, 2013  — Mayo Clinic researchers are part of the second phase of a national consortium that focuses on developing innovative medical treatments for wounded veterans. Mayo's role will emphasize peripheral nerve regeneration. Mayo's principal investigator is Anthony Windebank, M.D., a neurologist and deputy director for discovery in the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine. Other organizations will focus on head and face trauma, burns, transplants and other conditions. MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video resources, including interviews with Dr. Windebank, are available for journalists at the Mayo Clinic News Network. "The opportunity to work together with a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team that will create new therapies for our injured service members is a privilege, and we are proud that Mayo Clinic will be able to make a contribution to this effort," says Dr. Windebank. Other Mayo investigators include Michael Yaszemski, M.D., Ph.D., biomedical engineering and orthopedics; Allen Bishop, M.D., orthopedics; Alexander Shin, M.D., orthopedics; and Robert Spinner, M.D., neurologic surgery.

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Study of Parkinsonism Offers Better Estimate of Its Rate of Occurrence More than a million Americans are struggling with Parkinson's disease. But, parkinsonism may not ...

Out of the blue and for no apparent reason, multiple sclerosis strikes young men and women in the prime of their life. On the next Mayo Clinic Radio (9/14), Orhun Kantarci, M.D., will join us to discuss the road to diagnosis and how they live with this disease. What is MS? What are the symptoms? Is there a genetic marker for MS? How close are we to a cure?   Also, hear from Twin Cities Public Television reporter Mary Lahammer, who recently revealed to the public that she is living with MS. She's a patient of Dr. Kantarci and will be calling in to join the conversation. Read more about Mary's story. Note: You can hear the program LIVE Saturdays at 9 am CT on I Heart Radio via KROC AM. The show is taped for rebroadcast by some affiliates. On Twitter follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions. Listen to this week’s Medical News Headlines at  News Segment September 13, 2013 (right click MP3).                                                      Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am 76 years old, and over the last year it has been getting harder to do everyday tasks. Even getting out of a chair is sometimes difficult, and I can tell I’m much weaker than I used to be. Is this a normal part of aging, or should I see my doctor? ANSWER: Diagnosing the cause of muscle weakness that develops over time can be challenging. Gradual loss of strength can contribute to many health problems, including increased risk of falls, decreased bone strength and weight gain. A degree of loss of muscle mass and strength can occur as part of aging, but there are many medical problems that can cause weakness, so any concern about this issue should be discussed with your physician. An important distinction is whether your sense of weakness is actually due to the loss of muscle power caused by either central nervous system disease, or by nerves or muscles that aren’t functioning properly. Alternatively, you may feel weak due to factors such as fatigue, sleepiness, lightheadedness or chronic pain.