HOUSTON, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cyberonics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYBX - News), a global leader in medical devices for the treatment and management of epilepsy, today announced it will participate in the Sidoti 16th Annual Emerging Growth Research Institutional Investor Forum on Tuesday, March 20, 2012, in New York. Dan Moore, President & Chief Executive Officer, will speak at 10:40 AM Eastern Time. Presentation slides will be available on-line at http://www.cyberonics.com by 8:00 AM ET on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. This event will not be webcast. About Cyberonics, Inc. and the VNS Therapy System Cyberonics, Inc. is a medical technology company with core expertise in neuromodulation. The company developed and markets the VNS Therapy System, which is FDA-approved for the treatment of refractory epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression. The VNS Therapy System uses an implanted medical device that delivers pulsed electrical signals to the vagus nerve. Cyberonics markets the VNS Therapy System in selected markets worldwide. Additional information on Cyberonics and the VNS Therapy System is available at http://www.cyberonics.com. Contact InformationGreg Browne, CFO Cyberonics, Inc. 100 Cyberonics Blvd. Houston, TX 77058 Main: (281) 228-7262 Fax: (281) 218-9332 ir@cyberonics.com Here is the original post: Cyberonics to Present at Sidoti 16th Annual Emerging Growth … Continue reading →

Editor's Choice Main Category: Epilepsy Article Date: 06 Mar 2012 - 9:00 PST email to a friend printer friendly opinions Current Article Ratings: Mark S. Quigg, M.D., a neurologist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, is helping lead an international clinical trial in order to find out if Gamma Knife radiosurgery (a noninvasive procedure), could effectively treat individuals with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy - a certain type of the epilepsy. Guided by MRI, the Gamma Knife transmits focused beams of radiation to the brain lesion in hopes of impairing the lesion and inhibiting it it from causing epileptic seizures. Quigg, co-lead researcher of the study, explained: The clinical trial will be supported by a grant of up to $20 million from the National Institutes of Health. 217 volunteer patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy will be randomly assigned to receive either craniotomy surgery or Gamma Knife treatment. Participants will receive follow-up for three years. At present, the noninvasive procedure is only available for epilepsy patients who volunteer for the human trial. In order to compare the effectiveness of the two procedures, participants will keep a diary detailing when they have seizures after surgery. In addition the team will … Continue reading →

Government commended by community for Ontario Brain Institute epilepsy research grant TORONTO, March 6, 2012 /CNW/ - Today at Queen's Park, 40 members of Ontario's epilepsy community, led by Epilepsy Ontario, gathered to meet with MPPs and policy advisors to increase awareness of epilepsy within government and advocate for the implementation of an Ontario Epilepsy Strategy. The key topics of discussion included the impact of epilepsy on Ontarians, consistent standards of patient care, improved access to treatment and disability and employment supports. "Recently, the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee released recommendations to improve access to and standardize epilepsy care in Ontario which we strongly support as the foundation for a provincial epilepsy strategy," said Rozalyn Werner-Arc, Executive Director, Epilepsy Ontario. "On behalf of Ontarians living with epilepsy, their families and employers, we ask the government to ensure it incorporates the key role of community epilepsy organizations in the implementation of this strategy." Better access to medication to improve seizure control Epilepsy, the second most common neurological condition after headache, is a seizure disorder caused by sudden bursts of electrical energy in a person's brain. Up to one-third of people living with epilepsy do not have adequate seizure control, severely impacting … Continue reading →

HARTFORD, Conn.When Caleb Geary was diagnosed with autism at age 3, he had never spoken or eaten solid food. Now 6, the boy speaks and tests at his first-grade levelprogress that his parents attribute to insurance-based services at home and intensive behavioral intervention at the boys school in Hamden, Conn. But they worry what will happen to Calebs diagnosis and the services that come with itif the American Psychiatry Associations proposal to change the definition of autism is adopted. Lori Geary said she has already fought to get her son the help he needs. Tom Zwicker, Calebs father and the director of an autism center for the Easter Seals of Coastal Fairfield County in Connecticut, said he believes insurance companies will start requesting annual diagnostic evaluations if the definition is revised. As a result, his sonand many other childrenmay lose out on services to treat their conditions. You have an entire group receiving services that would be left out in the cold, said Zwicker, who lives in Branford, Conn. Were going to lose a whole generation of children. The autism community has been embroiled in a heated debate for the past few weeks over the proposal to dramatically change the … Continue reading →

Early diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than white children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover whyand to raise awareness of the warning signs so more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler. The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child, says Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimores Kennedy Krieger Institute, who is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help. Her preliminary research suggests even when diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their white counterparts. She says cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role. Consider: Tots tend to point before they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa says. Or maybe moms worried her son isnt talking yet but the family matriarch, her grandmother, says dont worryCousin Harry spoke late, too, and hes fine. Or maybe the pediatrician dismissed the parents concern, and they were taught not to question doctors. Its possible to … Continue reading →

NEWARK, N.J., March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Autism Research Institute, a pioneer organization in the biomedical, whole-body approach to autism, will host leading experts at the Autism Research Institute (ARI) Conference from Thursday, April 26 through Sunday, April 29 at the Newark Airport Marriott in Newark, N.J. The conference is open to the public and cost to attend is $79 per day, with discounts to those who qualify. Free evening workshops are also open to the public. The ARI Conference offers autism resources for parents, caregivers, pediatricians, and other medical and non-medical practitioners (CME and continuing education credits offered). Held during Autism Awareness Month, the four-day summit of autism thought leaders will review and discuss the latest scientific research on environmental and dietary elements that exacerbate autism symptoms. Experts will also share proven strategies for treatment and remediation of symptomatic behaviors. "All too often, autism is mismanaged when symptoms are addressed as isolated issues," said ARI Conference Director, Denise Fulton. "The ARI Conference brings together scientific research and real-life cases that show autism treatments are more effective when approached with a whole-body strategy and an understanding that autism symptoms are interconnected. For example, gastrointestinal issues can often be the … Continue reading →

PITTSBURGH, March 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Marcel Just provides an explanation for some of autism's mysteries from social and communication disorders to restricted interests and gives scientists clear targets for developing intervention and treatment therapies. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20020422/CMULOGO ) Autism has long been a scientific enigma, mainly due to its diverse and seemingly unrelated symptoms until now. Published in the journal "Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews," Just and his team used brain imaging and computer modeling to show how the brain's white matter tracts the cabling that connects separated brain areas are altered in autism and how these alterations can affect brain function and behavior. The deficiencies affect the tracts' bandwidth the speed and rate at which information can travel along the pathways. "White matter is the unsung hero of the human brain," said Just, the D.O. Hebb Professor of Psychology within CMU's Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences and director of the university's Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging. "In autistic individuals, we can measure the quality of the white matter, and our computer model can predict how coordinated their brain activity will be. This gives us a precise account of the underlying alterations affecting autistic … Continue reading →