REPOST: 4 more kids with neurologic illness

Recently, doctors at Boston Children's Hospital identified four kids displaying symptoms of a neurologic illness.This article from CNN explains more about this unknown condition.

Respiratory illnesses caused by an enterovirus are sending hundreds of children to hospitals throughout the Midwest and Southeast, health officials say. | Image Source: fox4kc.com

(CNN) -- Doctors in Colorado spotted it first -- a group of 10 children hospitalized with signs of a neurologic illness: limb weakness, cranial nerve dysfunction and abnormalities in their spinal gray matter. Now doctors at Boston Children's Hospital have identified four patients with the same symptoms.

Dr. Mark Gorman said the patients, who ranged in age from 4 to 15, all suffered from a respiratory illness before being hospitalized with significant weakness in one or more of their limbs. Each case was different, he said; some had trouble lifting their arms; others had difficulty walking.

One has been discharged. Three are still in the hospital.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the cause of this unknown neurologic illness. Health officials are asking hospitals across the country to be on the lookout for similar cases. "We don't know, at this point, if there is any association between the enterovirus EV-D68 that's circulating and the paralytic conditions some of the children in Colorado are experiencing," CDC spokesman Tom Skinner said Monday. Tests of the Colorado children's cerebrospinal fluid came back negative for enteroviruses and West Nile virus. But a test of their nasal passages found enterovirus in six out of eight patients who were tested.

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Of those six, four tested positive for enterovirus D68, which has been sending children across North America to the hospital with severe respiratory illnesses. The other two test results are pending. Boston Children's Hospital is still awaiting test results for three of the children, Gorman said. One has tested negative for enterovirus D68.

"We are approaching each patient on a case-by-case basis to work them up thoroughly for causes of their weakness and to determine the appropriate treatment," he said. What parents should know about Enterovirus

Enterovirus D68 is part of the Picornaviridae family, which also includes the poliovirus, other enteroviruses and rhinoviruses. Enteroviruses are very common, especially in late summer and early fall. The CDC estimates that 10 million to 15 million infections occur in the United States each year.

These viruses usually appear like the common cold; symptoms include sneezing, a runny nose and a cough. Most people recover without any treatment. But some types of enterovirus are more serious. These can cause hand, foot and mouth disease; viral meningitis; encephalitis (inflammation of the brain); an infection of the heart; and paralysis in some patients. Enterovirus: My son was 'like a goldfish gasping for breath'

This year, enterovirus D68 seems to be exacerbating breathing problems in children who have asthma. The virus has infected at least 443 people in 40 states, according to the CDC. Cases have also been reported in Canada.

Dr. Sagun Tuli has over 15 years of experience as a medical professional and has been recognized across the country for his remarkable contributions, in neuroscience and neurosurgery. To know more about her, visit this Facebook page. 

Study: Bipolar disorder increases risk-taking ability

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People with bipolar disorder are more likely to make bigger risks compared to individuals without the condition.

This is according to the researchers at the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool who revealed that the brain circuits that are involved in chasing and appreciating rewarding experiences are more present among people suffering from bipolar disorder.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, bipolar disorder, which is described as a serious medical illness that causes shifts in mood, energy, and ability to function, affects nearly 5.7 million adult Americans, or about 2.6 percent of the U.S. population ages 18 and older, yearly.

Image Source: theconversation.com

The study, which was published in the journal BRAIN, utilized brain imaging techniques to identify the neural pathways that are believed to be responsible for the symptoms of the condition. The researchers then looked at the neuroscience underlying the risky decisions made by bipolar patients via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

Of this experiment, the researchers found that people with bipolar disorders had a particular dominance in their brain’s "pleasure center," which urges people to seek and pursue rewards. In contrast, they found out that the prefrontal cortex guided those without the disorder toward safer gambles and less risky decisions.

Following this discovery, the researchers hope to explore psychological therapies that can support people in engaging with their value systems in order to better regulate their pursuit of goals.

Image Source: psy.ox.ac.uk

Dr. Sagun Tuli is a Florida-based neurosurgeon, educator, and researcher. Subscribe to this Facebook page for related news and discussions on neurology.

REPOST: World Brain Day: Reading, writing, exercise can prevent neurological diseases, say experts

This article from The Express Tribune reports how brain-related diseases such as stroke have become one of the main causes of death in Pakistan.

"The stroke is the second fatal disease after heart attacks," said Prof Wasay Shakir, the president of the Pakistan Society of Neurology (PSN). PHOTO: FILE | Image Source: tribune.com

 KARACHI: If people read, write and exercise regularly, they can prevent risk of brain-related diseases, revealed neurological experts on Monday.

These experts shared that neurological diseases are on the rise in Pakistan. “The stroke is the second fatal disease after heart attacks,” said Prof Wasay Shakir, the president of the Pakistan Society of Neurology (PSN). “Pakistan has more than 20 million people with brain-related diseases and this number is more than of heart and cancer patients.”

At the press conference held at Karachi Press Club to mark World Brain Day on Monday, Prof Shakir also shared that there is no exact data available in the country but it is estimated that 250 out of 100,000 people suffer a stroke. “Nearly 350,000 people are being reported every year,” he added.

The head of the neurology department of Baqai University, Dr Arif Herekar, said that prevention is better. “Motorcyclists don’t use helmets and get traumatic brain injuries,” he pointed out. He also said that due to poverty and stress, the diets of most people is not up to the standard.

Dr Abdul Malik, another neurologist and the general secretary of the PSN, stressed that the use of tobacco and non-smoking tobacco, including ghutka, mainpurri, should be restrained. The government is not taking appropriate measures, especially to deal with strokes. About 21.8 per cent cases of stroke are being reported in Karachi.

“Pakistan is the sixth largest country in terms of population and the major reason behind strokes is economic conditions.”

Sharing the number of patients with Parkinson’s disease, Prof Shakir said that it is about four million among people who are older than 60 years.

“The treatment and prevention of all brain-related diseases are available but the number of patients is increasing due to limited resources and late confirmation of the diseases,” Prof Shakir informed.

According to the neurologists, Pakistan has only 170 neurologists. This number is much less compared to its overall population. About 75 per cent of public hospitals, medical colleges and universities and 95 per cent of district hospitals do not have a single neurologist, the speakers informed. They said that 10 to 20 neurologists are being produced in Pakistan every year but half of them leave the country due to good salary packages and better working environments elsewhere.

“The government hasn’t realised the seriousness of the diseases yet, therefore, it hasn’t taken any measures,” said Prof Shakir. “The treatment is really expensive but the government can promote prevention measures and awareness drives,” he suggested.


Dr. Sagun Tuli is an expert in neurological diseases and their treatment. Visit this blog to find out more about the human brain.

Video games and their possible effects on children’s brains

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The neurology of children who play video games has been a hot topic for the last few years. Some claim that excessive gaming has negative effects on children citing studies that suggest that video game players have less gray matter (the thinking part of the brain) compared to those who do not play. Meanwhile, there have also been studies that show that video games could potentially help in hand-eye coordination. 




This infographic sums up the possible effects of video game playing on specific areas of the brain. Here are some interesting things to note:  

Image Source: discovery.com

Premotor and parietal cortex: This is the part of the brain that controls sensory movement, and is activated by games that require real-time action.

 Rostral anterior: cingulate cortex and amygdala: This area deals with emotional response. Studies suggest that this area shows less activity during games that have a lot of violence. A popular theory is that players suppress their emotional response to cope with their violent actions.

Prefrontal cortex: This area handles decision-making and logical thinking. Games such as Tetris activate this area. However, when games are played frequently, it has been noted that there is a decrease in activity in the prefrontal lobe. This could potentially lead to aggressive behavior.

Mesocorticolombic center: This area is associated with reward and addiction. Certain studies suggest that males show a greater activation in this area than females. The amount of activation directly correlated with how far they advanced in the game.

Image Source: gamespot.com

Dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, is produced in higher amounts among video game players. This may result to a higher risk of addiction among children, if their parents do not properly manage their playing.


There is no question that video games affect the brain. However, determining whether these effects are ultimately beneficial or risky is still being decided. It is recommended that parents take a more proactive role in the development of their children’s brains by being aware of their extracurricular actives such as video game playing.  

Dr. Sagun Tuli is a Florida-based neurosurgeon, educator, and researcher. Subscribe to this Facebook page for related news and discussions on neurology.

REPOST: Chronic stress can hurt your memory

An article from CNN.com explains why stress contributes to memory loss. The phenomenon is explained more thoroughly below.

Image Source: CNN.com

Do you tend to forget things when you're stressed? Like when you're late for a meeting and can't remember where you left your car keys? Or when you have to give a big presentation and suddenly forget all your talking points seconds before you start?

There's nothing like stress to make your memory go a little spotty. A 2010 study found that chronic stress reduces spatial memory: the memory that helps you recall locations and relate objects. Hence, your missing car keys.

University of Iowa researchers also found a connection between the stress hormone cortisol and short-term memory loss in older adults. Their findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience this week, found that cortisol reduced synapses -- connections that help store and recall information -- in the pre-frontal cortex.

But there's a difference between how your brain processes long-term job stress, for example, and the stress of getting into a car accident. Research suggests low levels of anxiety can affect your ability to recall memories; acute or high-anxiety situations, on the other hand, can actually reinforce the learning process. Trust your memory? Maybe you shouldn't.

Acute stress increases your brain's ability to encode and recall traumatic events, according to studies. These memories get stored in the part of the brain responsible for survival, and serve as a warning and defense mechanism against future trauma.

If the stress you're experiencing is ongoing, however, there can be devastating effects.

Neuroscientists from the University of California, Berkeley, found that chronic stress can create long-term changes in the brain. Stress increases the development of white matter, which helps send messages across the brain, but decreases the number of neurons that assist with information processing.

The neuroscientists say the resulting imbalance can affect your brain's ability to communicate with itself, and make you more vulnerable to developing a mental illness.

Defects in white matter have been associated with schizophrenia, chronic depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Research on post-traumatic stress disorder further shows that it can reduce the amount of gray matter in the brain.
The Berkeley researchers believe their findings could explain why young people who are exposed to chronic stress early in life are prone to learning difficulties, anxiety and other mood disorders.

To reduce the effects of stress, the Mayo Clinic recommends identifying and reducing stress triggers. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting enough sleep and participating in a stress-reduction activity such as deep breathing, massage or yoga, can also help.

Stress may harm the brain, but it recovers.

To find out more about the workings of the brain and how it reacts to stimuli (such as stress), visit this Facebook Page for Dr. Sagun Tuli.

Does migraine increase stroke risk?

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Migraine sufferers know that this severely painful and pulsating headache is more than just a simple discomfort. Migraine generally comes with other symptoms, including changes in vision, sound or light sensitivity, and nausea. It usually begins on one side of the head then spreads to the other side. Warning symptoms, or auras, occur just before the pain commences. Sudden movements, chocolates, caffeine withdrawal, alcohol, and lack of sleep are considered migraine triggers.

Because of these symptoms, migraine is considered a life-affecting challenge, from engaging in simple daily activities to interacting with people. Health experts say that migraine is also linked to increased risk of certain diseases. According to a study, adults who are migraine sufferers are more at risk of having ‘silent strokes’.

Image Source: abcnewsradioonline.com

Silent strokes are symptomless brain injuries caused by a blood clot, disrupting blood flow to the brain. These brain injuries are risk factors for strokes.

"I do not believe migraine sufferers should worry, as the risk of ischemic stroke in people with migraine is considered small," said Dr. Teshamae Monteith, the study’s lead author.

Dr. Monteith cautioned, however, that migraine and vascular condition sufferers have to see these risk factors as eye-openers to make lifestyle changes to reduce stroke risk. These changes include incorporating exercise and a low-fat diet into one’s daily routine.

It is vital to know the different methods of managing or treating migraines to avoid recurring episodes and complications, and improve one’s quality of life.

Image Source: webmd.com

Dr. Sagun Tuli is an expert in various neurologic disorders, like migraines and stroke. For more related stories, visit this Facebook page.

Alcoholism: Drinking towards neurologic disease

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While alcoholism itself isn't exactly a neurological disorder, having excess amounts of alcohol in the body can produce a range of effects on the nerves and muscle cells that could easily be classified as neurologic disease.

This is not to antagonize alcohol since it is often consumed as a social beverage. However, at high levels, this chemical is considered poisonous and brings on several devastating effects to the body. This is why drinking moderately is the general advice.

Studies have proven that alcohol can cause a lot of damage to the brain, especially among teenagers. It is even more devastating for the latter since they are still developing their brains, and alcohol can hinder the brain's growth. Early heavy drinking is more dangerous at this stage in life than during adulthood.

Intoxication is easily the first effect of drinking alcohol. However, it could get worse. You can get a lot more from it like dehydration, blackouts, headaches, memory loss, seizures, and even death in worst case scenarios. There’s also the matter of long term and irreversible damages the nervous system as well as other organs like the liver.

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Once the effects of alcohol reach neurologic levels, damaging nerve cells becomes a real possibility, especially among women.

For teenagers, not only are the risks for neurologic diseases heightened, but alcoholism may also set in this early as the chemical is an addictive substance that triggers the body’s dependency.

For prevention, avoiding alcohol is always the best solution. However, if someone has already developed a drinking habit, early intervention by doctors or family and friends can help damaging neurological effects.

Image Source: web.njcu.edu

Dr. Sagun Tuli is an expert in neurological conditions brought about by any type of causes. Follow this Twitter page to be familiarized with common neurological conditions.