Insidermedicine in 60 - February 20, 2008

From Helsinki - Listening to pop, jazz or classical music may help stroke victims recover their verbal memory. In a study performed on 60 patients who had a middle cerebral artery stroke, those randomized to listen to music for 2 hours per day had a 60% improvement in their verbal memory. An 18% improvement in attention and improvement in mood were also noted.

From California - Researchers have repaired stroke damage in rats by utilizing human embryonic stem cells. Neural stem cells were transplanted into the brains of rats and, after two months, the cells had moved to the damaged area of the brain and combined with the surrounding tissue. Though testing on human subjects remains a long way off, the researchers are optimistic about the potential of this therapy.

And finally, from New Hampshire - Surgery is more effective than nonsurgical treatments at relieving the pain and disability associated with spinal stenosis. Researchers looked at over 600 patients and found that those who underwent surgery experienced significantly more improvement than those who received nonsurgical treatments. The difference between the two groups remained apparent even after two years had elapsed.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• music
• pop
• jazz
• classical
• stroke
• brain
• damage
• blood
• clot
• embolism
• stem
• cell
• research
• embryo
• spinal
• stenosis
• injury
• nerve

[curemsa]

My mom has Multiple System Atrophy. I've been wondering if a spinal stenosis type situation couldn't be part of it squishing the brainstem. My sister will be giving birth this summer and I wonder if the cord blood could help my mom.