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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Is Detection Of Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease Possible?, Shana Brawer Jan 2018

Is Detection Of Preclinical Alzheimer’S Disease Possible?, Shana Brawer

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

No abstract provided.


Repurposing Diabetes Drugs To Treat Insulin Resistance In Alzheimer’S Disease‌, Yael Lazarus Jan 2017

Repurposing Diabetes Drugs To Treat Insulin Resistance In Alzheimer’S Disease‌, Yael Lazarus

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition which results in a significant decline in cognitive status. Novel treatment approaches for Alzheimer’s are sorely needed, as current medications for the disease offer only marginal clinical benefit. Research has discovered a connection between the pathology of Alzheimer’s and Type 2 Diabetes, two serious and seemingly unrelated disorders. Clinical studies have shown that Alzheimer’s disease is associated with brain insulin resistance similar to the pathology of Type 2 Diabetes. This observation has led to the notion that drugs developed for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes may be beneficial in modifying the cognitive function …


Molecular Mechanisms Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Abraham Bordon Jan 2017

Molecular Mechanisms Of Alzheimer’S Disease, Abraham Bordon

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease was first discovered in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer. It is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the buildup of toxic amyloid plaque and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles, which results in the progressive loss of cognitive function and memory. Since its discovery, the disease has become a growing health concern, particularly in the developed world, where the ageing demographics have contributed to an increase in its prevalence and incidence. The earliest research into the disease focused on neurochemical analyses and resulted in the formulation of the cholinergic hypothesis. The mechanism of disease was explained as the degeneration of the cholinergic system …


Possible Causes Of Alzheimer’S Disease Related Amyloid-Β Plaques And Neurofibrillary Tangles, Rochelle Rubenstein Jan 2017

Possible Causes Of Alzheimer’S Disease Related Amyloid-Β Plaques And Neurofibrillary Tangles, Rochelle Rubenstein

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a major cause of dementia in the elderly and is a global health concern. However, researchers are not sure what causes the characteristic amyloid-β plaque accumulation and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. Several model mechanisms have been proposed to answer this question. This paper examines three of these possibilities. Research suggests that a particular allele of the apoE gene is responsible for the neurodegeneration found in Alzheimer’s disease. Another hypothesis is that the mechanism of Alzheimer’s is related to prion-mediated protein misfolding. Other studies indicate that certain environmental factors can cause the neuropathology of Alzheimer’s. Specifically, this …


Luteinizing Hormone And Alzheimer’S Disease: Impact And Possibilities Of Treatment, Rachel Walkin Jan 2017

Luteinizing Hormone And Alzheimer’S Disease: Impact And Possibilities Of Treatment, Rachel Walkin

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disease that is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. An estimated 5 million Americans are afflicted nationwide and the cost to the economy is valued at 259 billion dollars. Additionally, unlike other major causes of death in the United States, there is no treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease and it is strongly tied to aging. In most cases symptoms make their first appearance in the late 60’s and gradually worsen, eventually leading to a loss of cognitive function and death. The two outstanding changes in the …


Is Deep Brain Stimulation A Viable Treatment For Parkinson’S Disease?, Brocha Gold Jan 2016

Is Deep Brain Stimulation A Viable Treatment For Parkinson’S Disease?, Brocha Gold

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Treatment options for those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease are as diverse as its symptoms. With the advent of modern technology there are new and innovative treatments that are becoming available, such as Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Prior to exploring treatment options one must understand the various causes of the disease. Treatment of the various motor and non-motor symptoms can include a combination of medication and surgical therapies. Among surgical interventions DBS is the treatment of choice. It has the fewest side effects and provides the greatest symptomatic relief.


Assessment Of Three Acute Responses To Traumatic Brain Injury, Shoshana Fireworker Jan 2015

Assessment Of Three Acute Responses To Traumatic Brain Injury, Shoshana Fireworker

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Traumatic brain injury has a devastating effect on millions worldwide each year. As yet, there are no methods which have been proven to improve recovery from the trauma. Current treatment protocols revolve around reducing secondary insult, such as hypoxia, hypotension, and cerebral edema, which raises intracranial pressure. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of three responses to traumatic brain injury. Two of them, the administration of hypertonic saline and the administration of progesterone, are pharmacologic, while the third, the performance of a decompressive craniectomy, is surgically invasive. A number of original studies have been analyzed to …


Treating Acute Migraines: Triptans Vs. Antiemetics, Samuel Reisman Jan 2015

Treating Acute Migraines: Triptans Vs. Antiemetics, Samuel Reisman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Influential American medical organizations and publications have published guidelines for the treatment of acute migraine headaches that omit antiemetics, usually suggesting triptans as the first line of treatment. A review of the few comparative studies directly contrasting clinical outcomes of triptans and antiemetics in the treatment of acute migraines suggest that both treatment options are relatively equal in efficaciousness. The added burden of triptan usage, including an added risk of adverse effects and a high cost per dose, would seem to warrant an antiemetic-first approach to migraine treatment, as recommended by several international health communities. Possible reasons for the prominent …


Is There A Link Between Saturated Fat Intake And Alzheimer’S Disease?, Justin Konig Jan 2015

Is There A Link Between Saturated Fat Intake And Alzheimer’S Disease?, Justin Konig

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes dementia and ultimately death. Currently, there is no treatment available for this disease. The aging of the population will only increase the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease, making it ever more important to find an effective method of prevention. Dietary intervention is a practical and affordable method of intervention. The brain is a fat rich organ, and dietary fats are critical for proper development of the brain. A literature review was conducted to determine whether there is a link between saturated fat intake and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the literature reviewed, saturated fat …


Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease And Alzheimer’S Disease: Does Overlap Of Mechanism Mean Overlap Of Treatment Methods?, David Rotblat Jan 2015

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease And Alzheimer’S Disease: Does Overlap Of Mechanism Mean Overlap Of Treatment Methods?, David Rotblat

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. More than 5.5 million People over the age of 65 are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease with predictions of 13.8 million to be diagnosed by the year 2050 (Sultana, et al., 2013) (Hebert, Weuve, Scherr, & Evans, 2013). With few treatments available, scientists are desperately looking for a solution to this growing epidemic. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is also a neurodegenerative disorder, but with a far less prevalence of only 4.6 persons per million per year. It was discovered that Alzheimer’s and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease …


Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) And Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Sma): A Genetic Linkage?, Michael Groden Jan 2015

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Als) And Spinal Muscular Atrophy (Sma): A Genetic Linkage?, Michael Groden

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Neurodegenerative motor neuron disorders (MNDs) have devastating effects. Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), for example, is a debilitating and sometimes lethal disease in children. SMA is monogenic, autosomal recessively inherited disorder caused by a loss-of-function mutation of surviving motor neuron 1 (SMN1). SMN2 is an identical copy of this gene and produces abbreviated transcripts without exon 7 though some full transcripts are produced that ameliorate the disease. Previous clinical trials for this disease have not produced consistent results. However, in a recent cross-sectional study, biomarkers for SMA (BforSMA), protein candidates and metabolite markers were identified (Finkel et al., 2012). These markers …


Prosopagnosia, Leah Fleischman Jan 2014

Prosopagnosia, Leah Fleischman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Prosopagnosia is a cognitive disorder that affects one’s ability to recognize faces. Prosopagnosia can be caused by a congenital defect, or it can be acquired as a result of brain damage. Much research has been devoted to discovering the specific causes and effects of Prosopagnosia. Many case studies have been performed in order to determine the specific effects that each case of Prosopagnosia causes for various individuals suffering from the disease. This article discusses the various aspects of Prosopagnosia; specifically focusing on the behavioral, anatomical, and neurological implications


Stem Cells As A Cure For Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Chaya K. Hirsch Jan 2014

Stem Cells As A Cure For Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Chaya K. Hirsch

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease which affects approximately 30,000 Americans at any given time (alsa.org, 2010). The etiology of this terminal disease unfortunately remains an unsolved mystery and has therefore severely limited the ability to find a cure. The use of stem cells to regenerate neurons has been vastly studied and have produced very promising results. However, its practicality as a cure or treatment for neurodegenerative diseases, such as ALS, is greatly compromised. Three different therapies involving stem cells were examined, Embryonic Stem Cells (ESC), induced pluripotent stem cells, (iPSC) and direct reprogramming of adult …


Neural Plasticity Following Ischemia, Shira Brickman Jan 2014

Neural Plasticity Following Ischemia, Shira Brickman

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Neural plasticity refers to the ability of one’s brain to change its structure and/or function in response to changes in behavior, environment, and neural processes. When a person suffers an ischemic brain injury, it often leads to hemisyndrome with motor and sensory deficits in the arm, leg, and face of one side. This article discusses the various ways that the existing network can be restructured and neuronal connections can be remodeled after the injury to enable partial or complete recovery of motor function. Spontaneous functional recovery after stroke develops through the overlapping sequence of events including a phase of axonal …


Huntington's Disease And Its Effect On The Brain, Shaina Rivkin-Drizin Jan 2013

Huntington's Disease And Its Effect On The Brain, Shaina Rivkin-Drizin

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that leads to gradual extensive brain damage, especially in the striatum and the cerebral cortex. Initial symptoms are cognitive difficulties, loss of motor contra and sudden mood imbalances. Cognitive function slowly declines into dementia, coupled with behavioral and psychiatric problems. Sufferers die within 20 years due to illness complications: a fall, pneumonia, or heart disease (Walker, 2007). This paper reviews the principle biological cause of the disease, its effect on the brain, diagnosis, and treatment.


Is There An Alternative Way Of Treating Drug Resistant Epilepsy? The Effects Of The Ketogenic Diet In Children With Intractable Epilepsy, Chaya M. Weinberg Jan 2013

Is There An Alternative Way Of Treating Drug Resistant Epilepsy? The Effects Of The Ketogenic Diet In Children With Intractable Epilepsy, Chaya M. Weinberg

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Many children with epilepsy experience seizures that cannot be resolved with medication. Since surgical intervention is not always an option, the ketogenic diet (KD). a high fat, low carbohydrate and protein diet, offers a chance for seizure reduction and in some cases freedom from seizures and medication. Side effects do exist, although none are serious. Efficacy has been proven through many studies. The mechanism of the KD's effectiveness is still unknown, although several hypotheses exist, including the theory that ketone bodies themselves are anticonvulsant, and the hypothesis that glucose restriction stops seizures. Adenosine A1 receptors are also thought to have …


Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Review Of Current Treatments, Yosef Lewis Jan 2013

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Review Of Current Treatments, Yosef Lewis

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a syndrome that develops infrequently in patients that experience a minor or severe trauma to a bodily extremity. CRPS has two subtypes; Type-I and II, both are clinically characterized by hyperalgesia. During its acute stage, CRPS hyperalgesia is clinically characterized by edema in the subcutaneous tissues of the epidermis, allodynia, and localized bone resorption. In the later chronic stage, hyperalgesia is aroused by the disregulation of blood flow to the extremity and permanent dystonic and trophic changes to the skin. Because the epidemiology and central causation of CRPS remains unknown until today, health professionals …


Can Healthy Transplanted Tissue Be Used To Restore Motor Function In Patients With Parkinson's Disease?, Aliza Erlbaum Jan 2013

Can Healthy Transplanted Tissue Be Used To Restore Motor Function In Patients With Parkinson's Disease?, Aliza Erlbaum

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Parkinson’s Disease is a condition that disrupts the lives the many people. The disease is characterized by a loss of dopamine producing neurons in the pars compacta of the substantia nigra of the ventral midbrain, and symptoms include a lack of motor control and rigidity in motion. Currently, there are many treatments available to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease. However, each treatment involves many adverse side effects that most wish to avoid. Science is discovering possible innovative, alternative options to treat Parkinson’s disease such as the transplantation of healthy dopaminergic neurons directly into the striatum of the patient. Methods include …


Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: How Can It Be Told Apart From Neurodegenerative Diseases Of The Elderly?, Raphael C. Zohn Jan 2012

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus: How Can It Be Told Apart From Neurodegenerative Diseases Of The Elderly?, Raphael C. Zohn

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) affects more of the older population than people recognize. The underestimation of this neurological condition is due in most part to the overlap of its symptoms to other forms of dementia as well as many other geriatric conditions. The objective of this paper was to research and contrast various methods of differentiation in the diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus as well as find pretreatment indicators of successful surgery. Methods included reviewing of articles and studies done to evaluate which symptoms are most commonly presented in normal pressure hydrocephalus and their subtle differences from the symptoms of …


Treatment Options For Parkinson’S Disease, Sara Russ Jan 2012

Treatment Options For Parkinson’S Disease, Sara Russ

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt from this article: Parkinson’s disease was first described and named Paralysis Agitans in 1817 by British physician James Parkinson (Lieberman 2004). Later on, it took on its current name after Dr. Parkinson. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurological disorder for which the cause is yet to be discovered. Like many other diseases, PD has numerous facets. Throughout all of its different stages, it presents with motor, as well as nonmotor, symptoms (Simuni et al. 2009). Though estimates of people affected by PD are constantly being made, it is difficult to determine a precise and accurate …


Functional Electrical Stimulation In Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Meir Hildeshaim Jan 2012

Functional Electrical Stimulation In Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, Meir Hildeshaim

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

The following is an excerpt from the introduction to this article: Spinal cord injury is defined as a “disconnection syndrome” that results in a loss of ability of the spinal cord to communicate ascending and/or descending impulses (Hamid and Hayak 2008). Due to its role as the primary conduit of motor and sensory impulses, spinal cord injury is widely regarded as one of the most catastrophic, survivable injuries a person can suffer. Depending on the severity and placement of the injury, the patient can experience a wide range of disability or death. A mild injury may result in the patient …