Public release date: 22-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Dr. Anna-Sabine Ernst presse@iqwig.de 49-221-356-850 Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care This release is available in German. The drug retigabine (trade name: Trobalt) was approved in March 2011 as add-on therapy for adults with epileptic seizures. In an early benefit assessment pursuant to the "Act on the Reform of the Market for Medicinal Products" (AMNOG), the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined whether retigabine offers an added benefit compared with the present standard therapy. However, no such added benefit can be inferred from the dossier, as the drug manufacturer deviated from the specifications of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) and chose a different comparator therapy. G-BA specifies lamotrigine or topiramate as comparator therapy Epileptic seizures are referred to as partial (or focal) seizures if they only affect a small part of the brain, and muscle twitching and cramps are restricted to single regions of the body. However, such seizures may spread across the whole body and are then referred to as "secondary generalization". Retigabine is approved as add-on therapy for the treatment of partial seizures with or without secondary generalization in persons … Continue reading →

Genetic studies find dysregulation in pathways that govern development of the prefrontal cortex in young patients with autism Newswise A study led by Eric Courchesne, PhD, director of the Autism Center of Excellence at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has, for the first time, identified in young autism patients genetic mechanisms involved in abnormal early brain development and overgrowth that occurs in the disorder. The findings suggest novel genetic and molecular targets that could lead to discoveries of new prevention strategies and treatment for the disorder. The study to be published on March 22 in PLoS Genetics uncovered differences in gene expression between brain tissue from young (2 to14 years old) and adult individuals with autism syndrome disorder, providing important clues why brain growth and development is abnormal in this disorder. Courchesne first identified the link between early brain overgrowth and autism in a landmark study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2003. Next, he tested the possibility that brain overgrowth might result from an abnormal excess of brain cells. In November 2011, his study, also published in JAMA, discovered a 67 percent excess of brain cells in a major region … Continue reading →

Teenage autism crusader leaves powerful legacy By Eoin English Thursday, March 22, 2012 The head of a leading autism support group has paid tribute to the remarkable legacy of a fearless teenage autism advocate who lost her battle with leukaemia. Kevin Whelan, the chief executive of Irish Autism Action, said Niamh Cadogan, 17, from Caheragh in West Cork, was an inspirational figure. "The autism community in Ireland lost a truly exceptional young lady," he said. Niamh was inspired by her younger brother, Stephen, who has autism, to work on a transition year project last year which resulted in every child attending the autism units of two local schools getting iPods preloaded with the Grace App, which helps them communicate. "She was a wonderful girl, with loads of drive and enthusiasm," Mr Whelan. "She was the sort of person that, if Ireland is to get back on its feet, its teenagers like her, with that sort of enthusiasm and drive, that will help us move forward as a nation and culture. "Her death is a sad loss but in that sadness, she leaves a lasting legacy of all that she has achieved in her short lifetime. Read this article: Teenage autism … Continue reading →

(PR NewsChannel) / March 22, 2012 / LOS ANGELES "The Unspoken Truth About Autism" by Dr. Karen Savlov Autism is a disorder that is not easily understood, despite its widespread presence in children. In The Unspoken Truth About Autism: A New Look at the Etiology and Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ISBN 1461195004), Dr. Karen Savlov presents a new explanation for the etiology of autism that disputes commonly held views. Although the origin is unknown, the majority of professionals working with or researching autism consider it to be a brain disorder. Due to this perspective, clinical work generally focuses on techniques such as Applied Behavioral Analysis, sensory integration and social skills development. While this work should be commended, Savlov believes that the time is right to introduce a new state-of-the-art work called Attachment Relational Therapy (ART). Savlov believes that the cause of autism stems from an incomplete attachment, a process that extends over the first two to three years of life. She states that children who fall into this incomplete attachment are waiting for the attachment process to be completed. Savlov hypothesizes that the child remains in this incomplete state of attachment until the caregiver can respond appropriately to help … Continue reading →

Newcastle researchers say they have had a significant breakthrough in treating stroke patients using a commonly used drug, with some people showing "Lazarus-like" recoveries. The findings published in the New England Medical Journal show, in some cases, stroke victims using a drug called Tenecteplase making almost miraculous recoveries within days. One of the study's authors, Dr Neil Spratt from John Hunter Hospital, says the drug is commonly used for heart treatment, but preliminary results show it also helps stroke victims. The three-year study was trialled on 75 patients. "We did a trial comparing it to the existing drug that we use to dissolve blood clots in stroke, and the results, I think, even surprised us in how positive they were," Dr Spratt said. He says before the study the drug had never been tested properly for stroke victims. After suffering a stroke, the speed at which a blood clot can be dissolved in a patient is critical in treatment. Dr Spratt says there were a number of patients who had "Lazarus-like responses" to the new drug, with some patients on their feet within an hour of taking it. "People who came in really completely paralysed - one of my patients, … Continue reading →