New Jefferson Research Suggests Common Anti-Seizure Medications May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Problems
(Published 3-18-2009) An important clinical repercussion in the treatment of epilepsy has been discovered by a research team
led by Scott Mintzer, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson
University. The team has determined that two of the most commonly prescribed anti-seizure medications may lead to significantly
increased levels of cholesterol, C-reactive protein and other markers of cardiovascular disease risk.
Monisha Kumar, M.D., Joins the Department of Neurology at Jefferson
(Published 1-28-2009) Monisha Kumar, M.D., recently joined the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University as an assistant professor. She specializes in Neurocritical Care.
Jefferson’s Chair of Neurology Elected President of the Philadelphia Neurological Society
(Published: 1-12-2009) Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D. Ph. D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at Jefferson
Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and director of the Multiple Sclerosis and Neuroimmunology Research Laboratory
at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience has been elected the 126th President of the Philadelphia Neurological Society.
Michael J. Marmura, M.D., Joins the Department of Neurology at Jefferson
(Published: 01-06-2009) Michael J. Marmura, M.D., recently joined the Department of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital (TJUH), and was also named an assistant professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.
Dr. Marmura specializes in the treatment of headache and facial pain.
Jefferson Researcher Awarded Junior Investigator Grant from National Institutes of Health
(Published: 12-11-2008) Scott Mintzer, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College
of Thomas Jefferson University, and director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center
of Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience was recently awarded a Junior Investigator grant from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) to study the adverse metabolic effects of antiepileptic seizure medications. The K23 grant, also known as the Mentored
Patient-oriented Research Career Development Award, totals $843,000 and will be dispersed over a five-year period.
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How much savings in daylight saving?
(Published: 03-08-2008, Philadelphia Inquirer) It’s the second year of a national experiment to save energy with an earlier
start for daylight saving time. The theory: If we're awake for more of the daylight, we’ll have the lights on for less time.
So if we start it sooner - four weeks earlier this year - we might save even more.
One thing researchers do know, on the other hand, is how the time shift affects one of our most primal regulatory systems:
the body clock. There’s an impact whether we “spring forward” on the first Sunday in April or, as we do this year, on the
second Sunday in March, said George Brainard, a professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College.
The annual switch has the potential to affect our bodies in two ways, said Brainard, a leading expert on the impacts of light
on the body's daily rhythms. First, many people, rather than curtailing their waking activities, will simply lose an hour
of sleep tonight, he said.
Second, some people may experience mild forms of the sort of malaise that comes with jet lag, Brainard said. That’s because
our physiological clocks take their cues from sunlight, via special cells in the eye. These cells relay messages to the brain
about when to adjust hormone levels and rev up the body for the day's activity. “Light is such a powerful stimulus, even though
it's often below our level of consciousness,” Brainard said.
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Philadelphia Inquirer
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Migraine Relief
(Published: 02-19-2008, CBS 3) Migraine sufferers know how debilitating the pain can be. For some, the pain is almost never
ending. But now there is hope as new devices are hitting a nerve and putting a stop to the agony.
"We now have a new treatment for somebody whom nothing has ever helped in the past," said Dr. Stephen Silberstein, Director
of Thomas Jefferson University's Headache Center. He is overseeing a study looking at using nerve stimulators to end migraines.
Media Coverage
CBS 3
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Environmentally Friendly Headache
(Published: 02-07-2008, CBS 3) We depend on lighting, it's everywhere. Now new age, energy efficient light is all the rage.
It helps the environment and can save you money. Being green is in.But light is a known migraine trigger, and the new energy
efficient light bulbs emit a different kind of light. "I'm beginning to hear more people complain. Everybody has a different
sensitivity," said Dr. Stephen Silberstein, a headache specialist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
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CBS3
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Sinus Buster
(Published: 02-01-2008, CBS 3) Dr. William Young of Jefferson University Hospital's Headache Center, discusses how a sinus
spray containing peppermint and capsacin, may help stop migraines.
Media Coverage
CBS 3
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Major Headache? Seven Common Migraine Triggers
(Published: 01-23-2008, ABCNews.com) Dr. Steven Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center, discusses some of
the common triggers for migraines, with ABC News.
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ABCNews.com
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Implant to Fight Epilepsy
(Published: 01-20-2008, 6 ABC) Drugs developed in recent years have been a big help in controlling epileptic seizures. But
what if something could forecast, and largely stop, those seizures? That's the promise of a device now in tests at Jefferson
Hospital for Neuroscience.
Media Coverage
6 ABC
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Competence and Capacity in Alzheimer's Disease
(Published 1-11-08, Legal Intelligencer) Dr. Barry W. Rovner, director of clinical Alzheimerbs disease research at the Farber
Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University, discusses how to assess whether a person with Alzheimer's disease
have sufficient capacity, or competence, to execute legal documents.
Currently, five million people in the United States have AD and their number will triple in the next three decades. This will
confront lawyers with frequent questions about their clients' competence regarding testamentary capacity, powers of attorney,
guardianship, contracts and financial management.
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Legal Intelligencer
World-Renowned Neuromuscular Specialist Marinos Dalakas, M.D., Named Director of Jefferson Division
(Published: 12-20-2007) Marinos C. Dalakas, M.D., a world-renowned expert in neuromuscular diseases, has been named director
of the Division of Neuromuscular Diseases in the Department of Neurology and professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College
of Thomas Jefferson University, announced Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Neurology
at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience.
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Advancing on MS: New Drugs and Hopes for a Vaccine
(Published: 12-17-07, Philadelphia Inquirer) Barely 15 years ago, doctors could do nothing to change the course of multiple
sclerosis, the disabling neurological disease that strikes in the prime of adulthood. Today, six drugs are approved to decrease
the periodic immune attacks that underlie MS, another six are in final human testing, and dozens more are in development.
Researchers have zeroed in on genetic and environmental risk factors; a common virus may play a role in activating the disease.
And the ultimate goal - regrowing damaged nerves - is no longer a pipe dream. "I think a regeneration process may be available
in the next five to 10 years," said Abdolmohamad Rostami, chair of neurology at Thomas Jefferson University, where researchers
have partially reversed nerve damage in mice. "I'm very optimistic."
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Philadelphia Inquirer
Jefferson Neuroscientists Find Early Lead Exposure Impedes Recovery from Brain Injury
(Published: 12-03-2007) Exposure to lead can hinder the brain’s ability to recover from injury, a recent study in laboratory
animals shows. The results have implications for the effects of environmental lead exposure on brain injuries such as stroke,
say researchers at Jefferson Medical College, who led the work.
Jefferson’s Stroke Center Honored by American Stroke Association with Dual Performance Achievement Awards
(Published: 11-13-2007) Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience’s Stroke Center will receive the American Stroke Association’s
Get With The Guideline’s(GWTG) Gold and Silver Performance Achievement Awards.
Jefferson Neuroscientists Show Anti-Inflammation Molecule Helps Fight MS-Like Disease
(Published: 11-11-2007) An immune system messenger molecule that normally helps quiet inflammation could be an effective tool
against multiple sclerosis (MS). Neurology researchers led by Abdolmohamad Rostami, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of the
Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and the Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
in Philadelphia, have found that the protein interleukin-27 (IL-27) helped block the onset or reverse symptoms in animals
with an MS-like disease.
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Feeling SAD Lately?
(Published: 11-09-2007, Philadelphia Magazine) If leaving the office to sunless skies has you feeling tired and glum, you
may be dealing with a form of seasonal depression.You wake up, it's dark. You leave work, it's dark. It's only 6 p.m. and
you're ready to head home and crawl under the covers. If over the last few weeks you've noticed yourself morphing from your
stay-up-till-dawn summer self to your winter-hibernation, don't-bother- me-I'll-growl-like-an- angry-bear alter ego, you may
be struggling with seasonal affective disorder (SAD). A form of depression, SAD affects those who react negatively to the
dwindling amount of sunlight and the frigid temps of the fall and winter months.
No matter how low you go, feeling better may be as easy as flicking on a switch. "If you're able to hold your job and do normal
activities, but feel a little more tired and sluggish, you might be responsive to light therapy," says George C. Brainard,
Ph.D., director of the Light Research Program and Professor of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University. Although antidepressants
have also been proven to help SAD sufferers as well, light therapy is the first approach to treating this seasonal slump.
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Philadelphia Magazine
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New Migraine Help for Women
(Published: 08-16-2007, 6ABC) An FDA decision is expected that would allow the drug Frova to become the first to prevent
the migraines that come with a woman's monthly cycle. Headache experts said during a migraine attack the nerves on the surface
of the brain are overly excited. One of the triggers is hormonal that's why more women than men suffer from these debilitating
headaches. And many women, like Jennine Fabioneri, get the worst migraines with their periods. Jennine helped Dr. Stephen
Silberstein of the Jefferson Headache Center test the migraine medication Frova in a whole new way. Instead of waiting for
the menstrual migraine to hit Jennine and other women took a double dose of Frova a couple days before their period and then
regular daily doses for the next five or six days.
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A 3-D View of the Brain
(Published: 08-06-2007, Technology Review) Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, in Philadelphia, have developed
software that integrates data from multiple imaging technologies to create an interactive 3-D map of the brain. The enhanced
visualization gives neurosurgeons a much clearer picture of the spatial relationship of a patient's brain structures than
is possible with any single imaging methods. In doing so, it could serve as an advanced guide for surgical procedures, such
as brain-tumor removal and epilepsy surgery.
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Jeff Docs On The Hunt For A Revolutionary Epilepsy Helper
(Published: 08-03-2007, Evening Bulletin) "My condition has made me so limited," Ronnie Gorelick confided, although she's
a mother, wife, artist, teacher and exercise buff. She ran her fingers across her very short hair, tilting her head slightly
to the side. "You can barely tell it's there. It's just a tiny bump. Here, feel it," she half-whispered, still sounding amazed,
though she's probably felt it a hundred times.
It is virtually unnoticeable, but feeling that "tiny bump" on her head leaves no mistaking that there is something quite alien
lying just beneath her skin, something that might give this woman, who has suffered with epilepsy since she was 17, her first
chance to live seizure-free in about 40 years. In May, Gorelick became Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's first patient
to receive the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) implant. She is part of a nationwide study of the new device that may
be capable of predicting and preventing epileptic seizures, which are caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain.
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Evening Bulletin
Interactive 3-D Map in OR Can Better Guide Jefferson Neurological Surgeons Through the Brain During Procedure
(Published: 07-30-2007) Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience is one of first medical centers in the U.S. to develop and begin
using translational, interactive 3-D technology to map the human brain and help guide neurological surgeons during epilepsy
surgery and procedures to remove malignant brain tumors.
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New brain implant may stop seizures
(Published: 07-27-2007, UPI) A stimulator being tested in a U.S. multicenter trial can target specific areas of the brain
and may be prevent epileptic seizures before they start. "The exciting thing about this device is that, unlike other stimulators
on the market, it only sends electricity to a specific area of the brain and only when it is needed," said Christopher Skidmore,
M.D.. head of study site at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
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Possible Migraine Relief
(Published: 06-13-2007, CBS3) About 21 million women suffer from migraines. Over half of them have menstrual migraines, which
can strike every month.
Now a new treatment is helping to prevent those kinds of headaches. According to Jefferson University Hospital headache specialist
Dr. Stephen Silberstein, it's usually taken at the onset of a migraine. "What it does, is it goes to those inflamed nerve
endings and keeps them from being activated," Dr. Silberstein.
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CBS3
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5K Walk/Run in Philadelphia Raises Money for Stroke Research
(Published: 06-03-2007, KYW Newsradio) It's a medical condition commonly associated with the elderly, but younger people
can suffer the devastating effects of a stroke too. On Sunday, hundreds of people will participate in the 5K 'Strides for
Stroke' walk in Center City. Thomas Jefferson University Hospital neurologist and stroke specialist Dr. Rodney Bell says age
is still a factor, but age doesn't necessarily mean an older ag
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KYW Newsradio 1060AM
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Helmet Boxing' Dominates Internet Video Sites
(Published: 05-23-2007, CBS3) There is a dangerous new trend gaining popularity among teens and internet video sites called
"helmet boxing." This new sport can be seen on video sites all over the internet, and parents are concerned.In helmet boxing,
kids wear any type of helmet they can get their hands on, and the only rule is to go for your opponents head. Doctors believe
that this activity could cause lifelong damage. "Going to the point of unconsciousness is particularly disturbing," said Dr.
Joseph Tracy of the Jefferson Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
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CBS3
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Migraines and Heart Defects
(Published: 05-07-2007, 6ABC) The heart & brain may be connected in an unexpected way. And researchers at Thomas Jefferson
University Hospital are seeking volunteers to help them study the connection.
Headache specialist Dr. Stephen Silberstein, and cardiologist Dr. David Fischman are studying whether a small heart defect
could be the cause of some peoples' migraines.
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6ABC
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Drug reduces work productivity lost to migraines
(Published: 05-03-2007, Reuters) Preventive treatment with topiramate (Topamax) is associated with a reduction in lost productivity
due to migraines, researchers report.
Using data from two trials, Dr. Jennifer H. Lofland, of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, and colleagues examined
whether topiramate use was associated with improved workplace productivity among patients with migraine headaches.
Patients included in the trials had a physician diagnosis of migraine and experienced 3 to 12 migraines per month. As part
of the trials, the subjects completed a 5-item survey for each migraine attack, which included information on the number of
hours absent from work, number of hours worked with a migraine, and the degree of effectiveness while working with a migraine.
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Migraine Zapper
(Published: 04-26-2007, CBS3) For the 28 million people who suffer migraine headaches, pain is a frequent visitor. Now doctors
at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia are testing a device that might actually block migraine.
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CBS3
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Migraines Linked to Heart Disease
(Published 4-24-2007, U.S.News & World Report) The 28 million Americans who suffer from migraines may already know that they're
at increased risk of stroke. Now, new research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine lends support to an association
with cardiovascular disease, too. The study of 1,449 men, a follow-up to similar findings on heart risk in women published
last July, showed that men with migraines have a 42 percent increased risk of heart attack compared with other men. Some experts
caution that more work is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn. Stephen Silberstein, director of the headache center
at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia and a migraine expert currently working on a project about connections
between the heart and migraines, points to discrepancies between the men's and women's studies that merit further investigation.
Media Coverage:
U.S.News & World Report
Jefferson Researchers Want to Learn If Heart Defect “At Heart” of Some Migraines
(Published: 04-19-2007) Researchers of the heart and headaches at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital are combining efforts
to determine if a common heart defect may be the cause of some forms of migraine headaches.
Jefferson Researchers Participating in Global Study to Extend Effectiveness of Drug for Parkinson’s disease
(Published: 04-18-2007) After Parkinson’s disease patients use the drug levodopa or L-dopa for several years as a treatment
for restoring the cellular communication that controls muscle movement by replacing lost dopamine, they begin to experience
motor complications that include a shortened response to each dose of L-dopa.
Jefferson Scientists in Nationwide Trial to Study Creatine for Parkinson’s Disease
(Published: 03-28-2007) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia has been named one of 51 medical centers in the
United States and Canada to participate in a large-scale, National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported clinical trial to
learn if the nutritional supplement creatine can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
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New PET Tricks for Old-Age Disease
(Published 12-21-2006, ABCNews.com) Doctors of the future may have an additional tool when it comes to detecting Alzheimer's
disease.
Researchers may have devised a new way of looking at patients' brains where they can see the damage that leads to Alzheimer's
disease at the molecular level.
Using a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner, they were able to peek at the brain and look at the proteins the materials
that cause the problems linked to memory deterioration.
The study also may give doctors a way to see the proteins implicated in the disease.
"This is the first study that claims to 'see' both plaques and tangles," said Dr. Sam Gandy, director of the Farber Institute
for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Media Coverage:
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Natural, Soy-Based Substance Might Help Fight MS, Jefferson Neuroscientists Find
(Published: 12-12-2006) A natural substance made from soy appears to have amazing restorative powers when given to animals
with a multiple sclerosis (MS)-like disease.
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New clue to cause of Alzheimer's
(Published: 12-08-2006, Newsday) After decades of going after a sticky substance called beta amyloid that accumulates in the
brains of Alzheimer's patients, scientists have discovered a new protein that may play a critical role in the disease process
and offer possible treatments.They are now developing new mouse models of Alzheimer's by knocking out the genes involved with
the retromer pathway. Presumably, drugs developed to keep the traffic going could stop the buildup of beta amyloid in the
brain.
"Even subtle sorting deficits could slow trafficking in and out of the cell membrane," wrote Small and Dr. Sam Gandy of the
Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in a recent paper in Neuron magazine.
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Newsday
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HeadOn Headache Relief - Hit or Hype?
(Published 11-10-2006, 6ABC) An alternative remedy for headaches has been generating a lot of interest lately. The big question
is how well does it really work? HeadOn is a headache remedy that looks like a giant tube of Chap Stick and sells for eight
dollars. Dr. Stephen Silberstein, who has spent decades solving other people's headaches at Jefferson University Hospital,
says there is no one answer to pain relief.
It depends on the person.
"If you believe something works, it's more likely to work - nothing wrong with that," said Silberstein.
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6ABC
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Jefferson Stroke Center Administrator Honored
(Published: 11-6-2006, Jewish Exponent) Toby Mazer, administrator of the Acute Stroke Center at Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital, was honored by the Tuttleman Family Foundation, a presentation made during the Dr. Guy Fried Educational Seminar
held at Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.
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Jewish Exponent
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After 100 Years, Alzheimer's Still Somewhat a Mystery
(Published: 11-3-2006, ABCNews.com) Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Farber Institute for the Neurosciences at Thomas
Jefferson University, looks back at the history of Alzheimer's disease and how far research has come while available research
funding is still far behind:
"If I turned back the clock 100 years to Nov. 3, 1906, and happened to be sitting, surrounded by psychiatrists in a small
stone auditorium in the village of Tubingen, Germany, I might see on the program the name of a speaker, Dr. Alois Alzheimer.
Alzheimer actually spoke in this German auditorium in 1906, and he described a patient named "Augusta" who, in her middle
50s, had developed the seemingly unfounded delusion that her husband was unfaithful.
This delusion blossomed into full-fledged paranoid psychosis, and Alzheimer continued to care for Augusta in the hospital
until she died. Alzheimer then personally conducted her autopsy.
During the autopsy, he noticed something very wrong with Augusta's brain, which he called "a peculiar disease of the cerebral
cortex."
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Study: Children May Outgrow Migraines
(Published 10-31-2006, CBS News.com) A majority of adolescents with migraines either stop having headaches or develop less-severe
ones as they reach adulthood, new research shows. Of the 55 children studied, 40 percent had remission by their early 20s,
while 20 percent shifted to less troubling tension-type headaches, according to the report, published in the Oct. 24 issue
of Neurology.
Because the study included only 55 subjects, the association between gender and migraine persistence was probably underestimated,
researchers say. Larger studies are needed to answer lingering questions about the natural history of migraines.
"Even if migraine remits, it can reoccur later in life," says Stephen Silberstein, M.D., of Thomas Jefferson University in
Philadelphia.
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WebMD
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Former AG Janet Reno Now Parkinson's Activist
(Published 10-24-2006, KWY1060) Former US attorney general Janet Reno was in Philadelphia on Monday, talking about her battle
with Parkinson's disease. Reno was speaking at a 'town meeting' on neurological diseases at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Listen to a podcast of Ms. Reno's interview at KYW Newsradio's web site.
Media Coverage:
KWY1060
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Alzheimer's Researchers Receive Award in Philadelphia
(Published 10-22-2006) Thomas Jefferson University presents a cash prize to the pioneers of Alzheimer's research.
Dr. Sam Gandy is the Director of Thomas Jefferson University's Farber Institute for Neurosciences. He says the Lennox K Black
Prize is given to the men and women who lead the way in medical research.
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno will also be at the symposium to talk about Parkinson's disease, which she's had for
more than a decade.
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KYW Newsradio 1060AM
Philadelphia Inquirer
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to Offer Personal View of Parkinson’s disease at Jefferson’s Lennox K. Black Symposium
(Published 10-20-2006) Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, will discuss
her “personal perspective” on the neurological disease at a public session during the fourth Lennox K. Black International
Prize for Excellence in Medicine symposium. Ms. Reno’s talk will be held on the first day of the two-day symposium, whose
theme is the “Molecular Basis of Neurological Disease.”
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Marijuana-Like Compound May Slow Alzheimer's
(Published 10-18-2006) A new U.S. study finds that marijuana may help slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, while a
second report suggests the "club drug" Ecstasy could yield insights into Parkinson's disease.
Both findings were presented Wednesday at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, in Atlanta. One expert believes
it may be possible to derive therapeutic benefits from marijuana without inducing other effects that could be harmful to Alzheimer's
patients.
"These are still early days for thinking about drugs derived from cannabis," said Dr. Samuel Gandy, director of the Farber
Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Media Coverage:
Forbes.com
Several drugs Show Promise for Alzheimer's
(Published 10-17-2006) Scientists are exploring several promising avenues in drug research that could strengthen the battery
of weapons used to slow the scourge of Alzheimer's disease. Many leading researchers say they believe at least some of the
drugs being studied are likely to win approval for Alzheimer's.
"I can't promise," says Sam Gandy, director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University. But
"there could be compounds in as few as three years."
Jefferson Honoring Alzheimer’s Pioneers During Symposium on Neurological Disease
(Published: 10-13-2006) If the modern field of Alzheimer’s disease research can be traced to any single event, it might be
when Colin L. Masters, M.D., and Konrad Beyreuther, Ph.D., identified the sequence of the protein beta amyloid in the brain
of a patient with Alzheimer’s more than two decades ago. Amyloid, the sticky protein found in clumps in the brains of those
with Alzheimer’s, is thought to be one of the prime culprits behind the mind-robbing illness.
Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno to Offer Personal View of Parkinson’s disease at Jefferson’s Lennox K. Black Symposium
(Published: 10-11-2006) Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, will discuss
her “personal perspective” on the neurological disease at a public session during the fourth Lennox K. Black International
Prize for Excellence in Medicine symposium. The event will be held at Thomas Jefferson University on Monday, October 23, at
5 p.m.
Obesity Tied to Higher Risk of Complications in Spinal Surgery, Jefferson Neurosurgeon Finds
(Published: 10-09-2006) While obesity is famously tied to increasing risks for heart disease and diabetes, now comes another
reason to lose weight: being obese may contribute to a greater likelihood of complications in delicate spine surgery.
Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon John Kevin Ratliff, M.D., Joins Jefferson’s Dept. of Neurological surgery
(Published: 08-23-3006) John Kevin Ratliff, M.D., a specialist in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) of the spine, has been
named assistant professor of neurological surgery and orthopaedic surgery at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson
University in Philadelphia.
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Heatstroke Patients Treated by 'Arctic Sun'
(Published 8-2-2006, 6ABC) When heatstroke patients come into Jefferson University Hospital, they may get a treatment with
the Arctic Sun, a device to quickly bring their body temperature back to normal.
The Arctic Sun uses pads filled with hundreds of water-filled channels. Cool water is pumped through the pads, which are placed
on key regions of the body.
They transfer heat away, reducing the chance of brain or organ damage. And they do it with more control than just putting
the heat victim into a tub of ice.
Department of Neurology
Department of Neurosurgery
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Families Advocate for Alzheimer's to be Priority
(Published 7-26-2006, PBS TV's ' Newshour with Jim Lehrer) Samuel Gandy, III, M.D., Ph.D, director of the Farber Institute
of Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University, was interviewed about Alzheimer's disease research on PBS-TV's "Newshour
with Jim Lehrer" as part of a two-part series on Alzheimer's.
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PBS TV's ' Newshour with Jim Lehrer
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Alzheimer's patients may get skin patch(Published 07-19-2006, Associated Press) Alzheimer's patients may soon be able to experience the first skin patch to treat
the creeping brain degeneration. Applied once a day, the new skin patch will send the drug Exelon straight into the bloodstream,
bypassing the gastrointestinal tract with hopes of fewer side effects and maintaining a consistent daylong dose.
The patch will clearly improve the quality of life for patients with Alzheimer's, said Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., Director of
the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University and an Alzheimer's Association spokesman.
"It's an important alternative in this era where we still have these symptomatic medications," Dr. Gandy said.
Farber Institute for Neurosciences
Department of Neurology
Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience
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Top Docs 2006
(Published 7-05-2006) Among the 2006 "Top Docs" profiled in Philadelphia Magazine are Barry Rovner, M.D., geriatric psychiatrist
and director of the Alzheimer’s Center at the Farber Institute for Neuroscience, Thomas Jefferson University, and neurologist
Rodney Bell, M.D., director of the Acute Stroke Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Magazine
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Study targets protein seen as indicator of Alzheimer’s disease(Published 6-26-2006, Associated Press) Brain deposits of a small protein known as amyloid beta long have been associated
with Alzheimer’s. Scientists are hoping that a new test enabling them to monitor the protein will help determine whether the
body begins producing too much of the protein or loses the ability to clear it away.
Six healthy volunteers were recently tested and it was determined that the protein is quickly produced and quickly cleared,
keeping it in balance with the central nervous system. While the researchers next turn to patients with Alzheimer’s, Sam Gandy,
M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University says that the challenge is
to find clues to the developing disease before symptoms begin to appear. For now, Dr. Gandy says that this development “is
much more likely to be useful as a research tool than as a clinical diagnostic test.”
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Artificial light increases breast cancer risk(Published 6-20-2006, The Daily Mail) Women who sleep with the light on or stay up late at night could be at a greater risk
of breast cancer, according to scientists. Researchers have long suggested that being exposed to too much light at night disrupts
crucial hormones and raises the chance of developing breast tumours.
If the link between tumour growth and light is confirmed by more studies, it could result in a change in working patterns.
Professor George Brainard, of the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, aded: "Humans evolved on a planet without electric
light over thousands of thousands of generations. "The body is designed to be alert and awake during the daytime hours and
to sleep at night. "Now we have a 24-7 society that isn't in harmony with our biological design."
Media Coverage:
The Daily Mail
Stroke Survivors and Supporters to Take on “Strides for Stroke” 5k Run/Walk in Honor of Jefferson Urologist
(Published 05-02-06) Delaware Valley Stroke Council is sponsoring “Strides for Stroke,” a 5K run/walk. Money raised through
the event will support the council’s efforts to reduce the number of strokes through heightened public awareness, community
education and legislative and patient advocacy.
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Alzheimer's Cause Tied to Diabetes?
(Published 05-01-2006, Associated Press) A provocative new theory suggests that one root cause of Alzheimer's disease is linked
to diabetes - a theory about to be tested in thousands of Alzheimer's patients given the diabetes drug Avandia in hopes of
slowing brain decay.
The Avandia research suggests a more insidious connection: that Alzheimer's can be silently triggered when brain cells cannot
properly use their main fuel, sugar. Just as Type 2 diabetes is triggered when insulin gradually loses its ability to process
sugar body-wide.
The research is generating interest. "I don't think this is hype for rosiglitazone" says Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., Director
of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University. "This does dovetail with some existing knowledge."
Media Coverage:
Associated Press
The Boston Globe
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Philly.com
Seattle Times
USA Today
New York Times
Forbes.com
Los Angeles Times
Jefferson’s Acute Stroke Center Will Try to Block “Brain Attacks” With Free Stroke Risk Assessments
(Published 04-21-06) The Acute Stroke Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital will provide free screenings and counseling
to identify men and women at risk for stroke on Tuesday, May 9, in the Women’s Resource Center at Jefferson Hospital’s Gibbon
Building S. 10th Street between Chestnut and Sansom streets, Philadelphia. The screenings will take place from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m.
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Eye cells that don't see, but regulate
(Published 04-16-2006, The Philadelphia Inquirer) As any good high school biology student can tell you, the human eye sees
light with special cells called rods and cones.
But when George C. Brainard Ph.D., director of the Light Research Program at Thomas Jefferson University, experimented with
shining various colors of light into people's eyes, something odd happened:
A specific shade of blue light was most effective at shutting down the body's production of melatonin - the "hormone of darkness"
that helps regulate sleep and the body's internal clock. Yet that shade of blue is not one of the colors best detected by
rods and cones.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Inquirer
CentreDaily.com
TimesLeader.com
Philadelphia Daily News
My.accenture.com
Locally Injected Steroids May Not Do Much Good for Chronic Headache Pain, Jefferson Researchers Find
(Published 04-11-2006) Locally injected steroids apparently don’t enhance treatments for acute headache or migraine pain.
A study by neurologists at the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia did not show
any benefit to adding steroids to local anesthetics to treat daily headaches.
Live on the Web--Jefferson Surgeons Perform Leading Edge Minimally Invasive Surgery to Remove Pituitary Tumor (Published 04-05-2006) Breakthrough procedure allows doctors to remove brain tumors through nose and nasal sinuses Jefferson
will host a webcast featuring the newest approach for the removal of pituitary tumors – minimally invasive endoscopic pituitary
surgery – on Tuesday, May 23, 2006, at 4:30 pm. Viewers will also be able to ask questions online of the surgical team during
the surgery.
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Alzheimer’s May Have Link to Obesity, Study Says
(Published 04-05-2006, The Charlotte Observer) According to the latest study linking obesity and dementia, people in their
early 40s who had a high amount of flab in two different body locations were much more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease
more than 25 years later than those with smaller amounts.
The study, which was presented at the American Academy of Neurology annual meeting involved 8,776 people ages 40 to 45. Between
1964 and 1973, the participants all underwent skin-fold testing in which caliper devices were used to measure the thickness
of the skin on the triceps and the back of the shoulders.
Those who had the thickest skin folds in the back of the shoulder were 2.9 times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
In the triceps, the risk was 2.6 times as likely.
“What this is telling us is we need to worry about the disease a lot earlier than we are no,” said Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D.,
Director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University.
Media Coverage:
The Charlotte Observer
The Wichita Eagle
SunHerald.com
TheState.com
The Telegraph
Lexington Herald-Leader
Centre Daily Times
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Provides Free Personal Health Management Tools to Community
(Published: 03-28-2006) When Hurricane Katrina hit the Southeast coast of the United States, residents were forced to evacuate—some
with just moments to spare—before the worst storm in decades devastated their homes and communities. Many fled with only the
bare essentials.
Jefferson Neurosurgeons First in Region to Use Innovative Stent to Open Clogged Arteries in the Brain, Prevent Strokes
(Published 03-17-06) Neurosurgeons at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia are the first in the region and
among the first in the nation to successfully use a new stent specifically designed to open potentially life-threatening clogged
arteries in the brain, preventing a stroke.
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Diagnosing a stroke
(Published 03-13-06, Reading Eagle) If you received an email about diagnosing a stroke, you should be aware that the three-part
test proposed as a magic bullet could be seriously misleading. Doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three
simple questions:
1. Ask the individual to smile.
2. Ask him or her to raise both arms.
3. Ask the person to speak a simple sentence (Coherently) (e.g., It is sunny out today). If he or she has trouble with any
of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
Dr. Kiwon Lee, director of the Neurointensive Care Unit and Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology and Neurosurgery at
Thomas Jefferson University Medical School, said the test may well identify some strokes, but it had serious shortcomings.
For example, he said he had just seen a patient with a stroke that would have passed "The Smile Test." The patient had what
is called a sensory stroke and his symptom was a "funny feeling" on one side of his body.
Media Coverage:
Reading Eagle
Featured in the Media
Warning About Using Narcotics to Treat Migraines(Published 03-07-2006, ABC News World News Tonight) A recent survey of 30 managed care plans showed nearly 70 percent of prescriptions
written for patients with headaches are for narcotics.
Specialists are now sounding the alarm. Narcotics, they said, are an unproven and risky treatment for headaches and should
rarely be used.
Dr. Stephen Silberstein, director of the Jefferson Headache Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia,
said long-term use of narcotics can actually magnify headache pain and could render other treatments ineffective.
Media Coverage:
ABC News Wortld News Tonight
Jefferson Offers Minimally Invasive Surgery for Removing Brain and Skull Base Tumors
Breakthrough procedure allows doctors to remove brain tumors through nose and nasal sinuses
(Published 3-3-06) A state of the art program has opened at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital offering a new alternative
for people with brain and skull base tumors. The Jefferson Center for Minimally Invasive Cranial Base Surgery and Endoscopic
Neurosurgery is a comprehensive center in the Philadelphia area where surgeons are able to remove skull-based tumors through
nose and nasal sinuses instead of the traditional, more invasive surgery which required opening up the brain and skull.
Featured in the Media
New Hope for MS Patients?
(Published 3-1-06, ABC News.com) Tysabri, a medication that treats the symptoms of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis,
may offer new hope for patients, but it also carries small life-threatening risks, according to three new studies published
in this week's New England Journal of Medicine.
Still, the potential benefits of Tysabri need to be weighed against the potential risk of acquiring PML and other side effects
associated with the medication, experts said.
And there are additional risks associated with the medication, said Dr. Thomas Leist, director of the Comprehensive Multiple
Sclerosis Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
"What nobody talks about is that there is a small but not insignificant risk of increased infections — this is concerning
in patients with advanced MS who are at increased risk of acquiring infections," he said.
Media Coverage:
ABC News.com
Featured in the Media
New center at Jeff(Published 02-27-2006, Philadelphia Business Journal) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has launched a new center that
will specialize in patients affected by movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, dystonia, and
Tourette's syndrome.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Business Journal
Featured in the Media
Shedding Light on a Fading Mind(Published 02-26-2006, Philadelphia Inquirer) Autopsies are the only way to truly diagnose dementia, but that may not be true
much longer. Scientists are racing to figure out what's going on in patients' brains while they can still be treated.
Sam Gandy, director of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital's Farber Institute for Neurosciences, considers human brains crucial
for disease research based on animal models and for measuring the impact of drugs.
He started accepting brains for autopsy as soon as he came to Jefferson in 2001 and stepped up the effort last year. Scientists
also use archived brain tissue to test new theories.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Inquirer
Jefferson recruits experts in Parkinson’s disease and Movement Disorders to head new center
(Published 02-13-06) Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia has inaugurated a Movement Disorders Program directed
by recently recruited specialists, Tsao-Wei Liang, M.D., Assistant Professor of Neurology, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas
Jefferson University, and Daniel Erik Kremens, M.D., J.D., Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology.
Featured in the Media
Cloning Expert at Pitt Rebuked
(Published 02-11-2006, Philadelphia Inquirer) Gerald Schatten, a University of Pittsburgh scientist, did not help falsify
a fraudulent South Korean stem-cell paper, but he did cut corners, seek personal gain, and shirk his responsibility to verify
the research. Schatten had never even visited the Korean's lab nor was he a participant in Hwang's experiments, yet he “did
most of the writing” and revisions of the paper, an investigation reported.
“He was putting his name and his reputation on the line in the letter to Science,” said Lorraine Iacovitti, Ph.D., associate
director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University and professor of neurology at Jefferson
Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University. “Had everyone seen the paper, [the fakery] probably would have bubbled to
the surface much quicker - maybe even before publication.”
Schatten’s ability to publish, collaborate and get grants is likely to be affected, at least temporarily, Dr. Iacovitti said.
“He’s going to pay a price,” she added.
Media Coverage:
Philadelphia Inquirer
Bradenton Herald
Times Leader
The Tribune
Featured in the MediaObesity Linked to Alzheimers Disease Protein(Published 01-10-2006, Reuters) A new study conducted at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia shows that as body fat
increases, so do blood levels of a protein fragment linked to Alzheimer's disease.
"We found that obesity by itself, even in otherwise healthy middle-aged people, is associated with elevated levels of the
amyloid peptide that builds up and causes Alzheimer's," explained Sam Gandy, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Farber Institute
for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and one of the study's central authors.
"Amyloid is normally made all throughout the body at various lengths," Gandy explained. "This particular form is believed
to be the form that initiates build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain."
Dr. Gandy and his colleagues investigated whether levels of the peptide, plasma amyloid-beta 42, were related to body mass
index (BMI) or fat mass in 18 healthy adults. A direct correlation between the levels of amyloid-beta 42 in the bloodstream
and the body mass index was found.
Media Coverage:
Reuters
ABC News
Ivanhoe
BioSpace.com
Food Navigator USA
Nutraingredients.com
FoodProductionDaily.com
999 Today
Monsters and Critics
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Drug Slows Alzheimer's Progression(Published: 01-09-2006) A drug approved to treat moderate to severe forms of Alzheimer's disease appears to slow progression
of the illness by nearly 50 percent for up to one year, a new study found. Although the drug is the only one approved for
use by patients with severe Alzheimer's, it is thought Namenda might benefit patients in the early stages of the disease as
well.
"The good news is that the drug's benefit, albeit modest, lasts longer than previously documented," said Sam Gandy, M.D.,
Ph.D., director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
"One wonders whether the drug might be showing some disease-modifying properties that were not seen with shorter-term uses,"
he added. "More basic and clinical work will need to be done before one can draw this conclusion, but more investigation is
warranted.”
Media Coverage:
ABC News
Yahoo! News
HealthDay
MedicineNet.com
Alzheimer’s Issues
InteliHealth.com
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WomensHealth.gov
WTEN-TV
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Sharon Undergoes All-Night Surgery(Published: 01-05-2006, 6ABC(Ch.6)) Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was in serious condition following seven hours of emergency
surgery to stop widespread bleeding in his brain caused by a life-threatening stroke, doctors said.
Jefferson Hospital's Chair of Neurosurgery Robert Rosenwaser, M.D., FACP, talks to 6ABC News about Sharon's surgery and his
prognosis.
You can watch Dr. Rossenwasser's interview in an online video by going to 6ABC's web site.
Media Coverage:
6ABC(Ch.6)
