Dr. Paul H. Crandall, a UCLA neurosurgeon who pioneered now widely used techniques for diagnosing the source of epileptic seizures in the brain and removing the offending cells, died March 15 from complications of pneumonia at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. He was 89. Crandall, who founded the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery, "was the father of UCLA's epilepsy program," Dr. Neil Martin, the current chairman of neurosurgery at UCLA's Geffen School of Medicine, said in a statement. "His clinical work laid the foundation for our current strategies to treat epileptic seizures, and his scientific research informs neurosurgeons' treatment of epilepsy today." Epilepsy can be treated with drugs in about 60% of cases. Surgeons have been attempting to cure other seizures with brain surgery since at least the late 19th century, but doctors often removed massive amounts of tissue without having any understanding of where in the brain the seizures were actually originating. Researchers in France had attempted to implant electrodes in the brain to record brain activity during seizures, but the electrodes were left in only during the operation itself and provided only minimal information. Crandall and Dr. Richard Walter, then head of neurology at UCLA, perfected the ability to implant … Continue reading →

ATLANTA (AP) -- One child out of 88 in the U.S. is believed to have autism or a related disorder, an increase in the rate attributed largely to wider screening. Advocacy groups seized on the new number as further evidence that autism research and services should get more attention. "Autism is now officially becoming an epidemic in the United States," said Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, at a news conference where the new figures were released Thursday. The previous estimate was 1 in 110. The new figure is from the latest in a series of studies that have steadily raised the government's autism estimate. This new number means autism is nearly twice as common as officials said it was only five years ago, and likely affects roughly 1 million U.S. children and teens. Health officials attribute the increase largely to better recognition of cases, through wider screening and better diagnosis. But the search for the cause of autism is really only beginning, and officials acknowledge that other factors may be helping to drive up the numbers. "One thing the data tells us with certainty -- there are many children and families who need help," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director … Continue reading →

BOTHWELL, ONTARIO--(Marketwire -03/30/12)- Just in time for World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, a study released yesterday from the United States Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) indicates autism now affects an alarming one in 88 children, (one in 54 boys). This is a sharp jump from the previous numbers released in late 2009 and frighteningly distant rate from one in 10,000 cases seen in the 1980s. The study conducted by the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network office of the CDC, looked at eight-year-old children born in 2000. A previous study released by ADDM in 2009 showed autism spectrum disorders (ASD) affected one in 110 children. According to a CDC press release issued today, "One thing the data tells us with certainty - there are many children and families who need help," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. Autism Canada calls for swift government action, as Canadians are facing the same challenges, and an immediate focus on the following areas is critical: Prevention: Treatment: Support: Autism is a public health emergency and governments must work together and react immediately. Autism Canada is a member of the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance (CASDA) and has been advocating … Continue reading →

As Many as 70% of People Who Are Depressed After Stroke Dont Get Adequate Treatment March 29, 2012 -- Many people who have a stroke or so-called mini-stroke become depressed afterward, yet up to two-thirds are not getting ample treatment for their depression. Researchers report that news in the journal Stroke. "A lot of people are not aware of this risk, Duke University stroke researcher Nada El Husseini, MD, tells WebMD. Even if they are feeling depressed, they dont think its relevant. But it is. Depression can affect recovery and rehabilitation after a stroke. Depression needs to be added to the checklist of things that [stroke] patients need to be evaluated for, Chad Miller, MD, an Ohio State University associate professor of neurology and neurologic surgery, tells WebMD. Millerreviewed the study for WebMD. A stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is interrupted by a blood clot or bleeding. Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), often called "mini-strokes," involve stroke-like symptoms that don't last long and don't leave lasting damage. But having a TIA does mean a stroke is more likely. Symptoms of stroke and TIA include: Call for emergency medical care … Continue reading →