Jun 25, 2017
When trying to memorize information, it is better to relate it to something meaningful rather than repeat it again and again to make it stick, according to a recent Baycrest Health Sciences study published in NeuroImage.
“When we are learning new information, our brain has two different ways to remember the material for a short period of time, either by mentally rehearsing the sounds of the words or thinking about the meaning of the words,” says Dr. Jed Meltzer, lead author and neurorehabilitation scientist at Baycrest’s Rotman Research Institute. “Both strategies create good short-term memory, but focusing on the meaning is more effective for retaining the information later on. Here’s a case where working harder does not mean better.”
Past studies have looked at repetition to create short-term memories, but these findings suggest that using the word’s meaning will help “transfer” memories from the short-term to the long-term, says Dr. Meltzer. This finding is consistent with the strategies used by the world’s top memory champions, who create stories rich with meaning to remember random information, such as the order of a deck of cards.
Through this work, researchers were able to pinpoint the different parts of the brain involved in creating the two types of short-term memories.
“This finding shows that there are multiple brain mechanisms supporting short-term memory, whether it’s remembering information based on sound or meaning,” says Dr. Meltzer, who is also a psychology professor at the University of Toronto. “When people have brain damage from stroke or dementia, one of the mechanisms may be disrupted. People could learn to compensate for this by relying on an alternate method to form short-term memories.”
For example, people who have trouble remembering things could carry a pad and rehearse the information until they have a chance to write it down, he adds.
The study recorded the brain waves of 25 healthy adults as they listened to sentences and word lists. Participants were asked to hold the information in their short-term memory over several seconds, and then recite it back, while their brain waves were recorded. Participants were then taken to a testing room to see if they could recall the information that had been heard. Through the brain scans, researchers identified brain activity related to memorizing through sound and meaning.
As next steps, Dr. Meltzer will use these findings to explore targeted brain stimulation that could boost the short-term memory of stroke patients. Additional funding would support the exploration of which types of memory are best treated by current drugs or brain stimulation and how these can be improved.
Story Source: Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. “Long-term memories made with meaningful information.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 20 June 2017. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/06/170620140624.htm>.
Jun 14, 2017
Results of an international, randomized controlled research study show that mechanical thrombectomy, which is an endovascular treatment to remove a stroke-causing blood clot in the brain, is effective in some patients even when performed within 6 to 24 hours after a stroke.
The findings of the study were presented in late May at the European Stroke Organization Conference 2017 in Prague. Rush University Medical Center is the only Illinois site, one of seven sites in the U.S, and one of only 22 sites in the world to participate in the international study called the DAWN trial where severe stroke patients underwent a thrombectomy after the six hour time window. (more…)
Jun 14, 2017
A sequential multiple assignment randomized (SMART) trial allows researchers to test two hypotheses at once.
The new trial method is being used in clinical trials across the industry.
“SMART trials allow you to get to two questions at once and can potentially be more efficient,” says William Meurer, M.D., associate professor of emergency medicine and neurology at Michigan Medicine and a member of the Michigan Center for Integrative Research in Critical Care. “You may find answers you wouldn’t normally find using a normal trial design.”
Meurer is the lead author on a study published in the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases that investigated if the trial design could be used specifically to study stroke treatment.
“In stroke, we are often treating the patient with a tissue plasminogen activator drug upfront to dissolve a blood clot in the brain,” Meurer says. “Sometimes, that blood clot doesn’t dissolve. What do you do next?” (more…)
Jun 14, 2017
Men and women with the lowest education level had higher lifetime risks of cardiovascular disease than those with the highest education level, according to a new study published by JAMA Internal Medicine.
One of the most important socioeconomic factors contributing to cardiovascular disease (CVD) is educational inequality. Calculating the lifetime risk of CVD according to educational levels is one way to convey the importance of educational attainment. (more…)
Jun 8, 2017
CTVNews.ca Staff
Published Wednesday, June 7, 2017 12:21PM EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, June 7, 2017 9:29PM EDT
A new report warns that the rates of stroke are increasing among Canadian young adults faster than among older adults.
The risk of a stroke increases with age, which is why 80 per cent of all strokes happen to those over 60. But an increasing percentage of hospital admissions for stroke are occurring among patients between the ages of 20 and 59, the Heart & Stroke 2017 Stroke Report reveals. (more…)
Jun 8, 2017
The Action Plan for Stroke in Europe 2018 to 2030 will be of major importance for the prevention of stroke in Europe and the implementation of adequate stroke services.
Two previous consensus conferences on stroke management in Europe have been held in 1994 and 2006. Both conferences were organised by the European Stroke Council (1994) and the International Stroke Society (2006) in cooperation with WHO EURO. The consensus documents (The Helsingborg Declaration 1996 and 2006) were utilised as the basis for setting up and planning stroke services. The declarations reviewed current evidence, set up fixed targets, and identified prioritized areas of research.
A third consensus conference is scheduled to take place in Munich in 2018, building on the experience and the format of the previous conferences. The conference will be organized by the European Stroke Organisation, in cooperation with the patient organisation Stroke Alliance for Europe (SAFE). The World Stroke Organization will be asked to endorse the conference.
There will be seven domains of the Action Plan, five from the Helsingborg Declaration, plus Primary Prevention and Life after Stroke.
1. Primary Prevention
2. Organization of Stroke Services
3. Management for Acute Stroke
4. Secondary prevention and organized follow-up
5. Rehabilitation
6. Evaluation of Stroke Outcome and Quality Assessment
7. Life after stroke
Each domain of the Action Plan will have 1 chairperson, and 7 other members. For each domain, there will also be two additional persons who will be responsible for the identification of the Prioritized Research Areas. Each domain will include a review of the 2006 target results, an analysis of what worked and what did not, an update of current state of the art, proposals for 2030 targets, and the identification of Prioritized Research Areas.
Besides the Prioritized Research Areas of the first six domains (without life after stroke), there will also be a separate group who will be in charge of identifying Prioritized Research Areas for translational stroke research.
⦁ Translational Research Priorities Group
The Action Plan will be led by a 12-member steering committee, 6 of whom will constitute the core working group. Members of the steering committee will include representative(s) from WHO EURO.
The draft documents will be prepared prior to the ESOC 2018 in Gothenburg.
Jun 5, 2017
By Jon Barrick, President of SAFE and World Stroke Campaign Committee Chair
The text is originally published first on worldstrokeorganization.blog
Over the past two decades Europe has seen a welcome reduction in the proportion of people having a stroke and for those who do experience stroke, their chances of recovering have greatly improved. The continent not only boasts some of the best stroke care in the world but has pioneered important developments in the prevention and treatment of stroke; supports an active stroke research community and has active patient advocacy organisations in almost every country. (more…)
Jun 5, 2017
Device reads brain signals in stroke patients, converts them into motion
Stroke patients who learned to use their minds to open and close a device fitted over their paralyzed hands gained some control over their hands, according to a new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
By mentally controlling the device with the help of a brain-computer interface, participants trained the uninjured parts of their brains to take over functions previously performed by injured areas of the brain, the researchers said. (more…)
Jun 5, 2017
Brain changes after stroke may lead to increase in alcohol-seeking behavior, at least in animal models, according to research published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Although it is known that excessive alcohol intake (more than two drinks per day) is a risk factor for stroke, there hasn’t been much scientific study about how alcohol-related behavior might change after a stroke has occurred. When researchers at the Texas A&M College of Medicine looked into the issue, they found that strokes in a certain part of the brain increase alcohol-seeking behavior and preference for alcohol. (more…)
Jun 5, 2017
A recent study conducted at Baycrest Health Sciences has uncovered a crucial piece into why playing a musical instrument can help older adults retain their listening skills and ward off age-related cognitive declines. This finding could lead to the development of brain rehabilitation interventions through musical training.
The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience on May 24, found that learning to play a sound on a musical instrument alters the brain waves in a way that improves a person’s listening and hearing skills over a short time frame. This change in brain activity demonstrates the brain’s ability to rewire itself and compensate for injuries or diseases that may hamper a person’s capacity to perform tasks. (more…)
