Deep brain stimulations for Parkinson's equally effective at two sites

In a surprising finding, researchers have discovered that deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease is equally effective at either of the two most commonly used sites.
Parkinson experts had believed that stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus was more effective than stimulation of the globus pallidus interna for controlling movement symptoms but that it was more likely to aggravate other symptoms of the disease. But a new study of 299 patients randomized to receive one or the other of the techniques concluded that there were only very minor differences between the approaches. The study was reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Parkinson's, which strikes as many as 100,000 Americans each year, is characterized by muscle control problems that produce shaking, rigidity, slowed movement and poor balance. Patients also tend to develop mental problems, including depression, apathy, slowed thinking, confusion, impaired memory and trouble sleeping. The disorder is caused by the loss of brain cells that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a key role in transmitting commands from the brain to muscles. Its cause is unknown, but is at least partially genetic.
— Thomas H. Maugh II
A game flush with performance-enhancing drugs
Elite and pro athletes using drugs to enhance performance is nothing new. But poker players? Really?
Researchers from Nova Southeastern University in Florida interviewed 198 professional, semi-pro, amateur and recreational players from the U.S. and around the world about their use of cognitive and performance-enhancing drugs, as well as dietary supplements and other substances, to improve performance while playing poker. The preliminary results of the study were presented recently at the annual meeting of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists in San Antonio, Texas.
Among the players (most of them men in their mid-20s), 28% said they took at least one prescription medication to improve their performance. Of those who took a cognitive and performance-enhancing medication, 73% said it was to help them focus or concentrate. The most popular medications were amphetamines or dextroamphetamines, followed by benzodiazepines (tranquilizers), hydrocodone (a painkiller), and methylphenidate (usually used to treat attention deficit disorders).
As to how they got the medications, 38% obtained them from a physician, 26% were given the drugs by players, 26% bought drugs from players and 10% purchased them online.
Prescription drugs weren't the only substances players relied on — 80% of the 198 players took some other substance to improve performance: 71% used caffeine, 51% drank energy drinks, 34% smoked marijuana and 30% used alcohol. In addition, 46% took a dietary supplement such as vitamin B-12 or guarana.
Lupus, a chronic disease in which the body attacks itself — inflaming and damaging tissues in the skin, joints, skin, heart — primarily affects women. One of them appears to be Lady Gaga; the performer herself said so recently on "Larry King Live." Actually, what she said was that she had tested "borderline positive for lupus."
The lupus reference may sound a bit vague ("borderline positive"?), but the Lupus Foundation of America readily agrees that a lupus diagnosis is not always cut and dried. In responding to the performer's statement, the organization says this:
"There are many challenges in confirming whether a person has lupus. Lupus symptoms can be unclear, can come and go, and can change over time. It may take months or even years for doctors to piece together evolving symptoms to accurately diagnose lupus. And the symptoms may be related to another condition entirely."