Every one of us completely regenerates our own skin every 7 days. A cut heals itself and disappears in a week or two. Every single cell in our skeleton is replaced every 7 years. The future of medicine lies in understanding how the body creates itself out of a single cell and the mechanisms by which it renews itself throughout life. When we achieve this goal, we will be able to replace damaged tissues and help the body regenerate itself, potentially curing or easing the suffering of those afflicted by disorders like heart disease, Alzheimers, Parkinsons, diabetes, spinal cord injury and cancer. Research at the institute leverages Stanfords many strengths in a way that promotes that goal. The institute brings together experts from a wide range of scientific and medical fields to create a fertile, multidisciplinary research environment. There are four major research areas of emphasis at the institute: Theres no way to know, beforehand, which particular avenue of stem cell research will most expediently yield a successful treatment or cure. Therefore, we need to vigorously pursue a broad number of promising leads concurrently. --Philip A. Pizzo, MD Carl and Elizabeth Naumann Professor Dean, Stanford University School of Medicine The … Continue reading →

There's good news for people with epilepsy: Treatment options have improved dramatically over the last decade. Although there's still no cure, epilepsy can usually be managed quite well with the right treatment, which now may include antiepileptic medications, surgery, and vagus nerve stimulator therapy. Understanding all of these options can help you talk knowledgeably with your doctor about finding the right treatment plan to manage your particular situation most effectively. Epilepsy Medications Antiepileptic medications are usually the first line of defense in treating epilepsy most of those with epilepsy respond well to drug therapy. In more than a decade, at least a dozen new medications have hit the market and more are in the pipeline, giving physicians more options than ever. There are now more than 20 different types of seizure medicines on the market. Unfortunately, however, many people with epilepsy experience unpleasant side effects from their medications - dizziness, drowsiness, weight gain or loss, and/or headaches - but think they have to put up with them to keep the seizures at bay. In fact, a different medication might be a better solution for them. "The real goal is to get people to become both seizure- and side effect-free, which … Continue reading →

A new breakthroughin the understanding of the neurological basis of chronic brain dysfunction following stroke Chronic neurological dysfunction produced by stroke and traumatic brain injury has long been thought to be irreversible. A new scientific discovery by the INR, as documented in the medical literature(article 1; article 2), now promises to change current thinking about the potential for recovery of function, even years after the acute event. The INR is pleased to make this new therapeutic approach available for selected patients. Individual results vary, not all patients respond. Treatment is an innovative off-label patented invention of the INR. Additional doses may be needed for optimal benefit,please see theTerms of Use. These unprecedented clinical results rely upon the Institutes patented TransBarrier drug delivery technology (multiple issued and pending U.S. and international patents, including U.S. patents 6419944, 6537549, 7214658, 7629311, 8119127, and 8236306, assigned to TACT IP, LLC and Australian patent 758,523), as published in thescientific literatureanddocumented in independentnews stories. For more scientific information, please see: Consultation for Stroke at the INR This treatment is not for acute stroke.Consultation with an INR physician following hospital discharge is encouraged, even if the stroke has occurred years before. Please call the INR (310) 479-0107(California) … Continue reading →

What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)? A transient ischemic attack (TIA, mini-stroke) is a short-lived stroke that gets better and resolves. It is a short-lived episode (less than 24 hours) of temporary impairment of brain function that is caused by a loss of blood supply. A TIA causes a loss of function in the area of the body that is controlled by the portion of the brain affected. The loss of blood supply to the brain is most often caused by a clot that spontaneously forms in a blood vessel within the brain (thrombosis). However, it can also result from a clot that forms elsewhere in the body, dislodges from that location, and travels to lodge in an artery of the brain (emboli). Arterial spasm and, rarely, a bleed into brain tissue are other causes of a TIA. Many people refer to a TIA as a "mini-stroke." Some TIAs develop slowly, while others develop rapidly. By definition, all TIAs resolve within 24 hours. Strokes take longer to resolve than TIAs, and with strokes, complete function may never return and reflect a more permanent and serious problem. Although most TIAs often last only a few minutes, all TIAs should be … Continue reading →