NeuroFrontiers

Between 60 and 70 percent of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) also have a diagnosable neurobehavioral phenotype like autism, ADHD, and anxiety. Here to talk about these common neurobehavioral issues in patients with DMD and how we can manage them is Dr. John Brandsema, Neuromuscular Section Head at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

As patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) age, their treatment regimens, considerations, and goals change. That’s why Dr. John Brandsema is here to talk about how we can best treat and support patients with DMD throughout their entire care journey. Dr. Brandsema is the Neuromuscular Section Head at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The gene therapy delandistrogene moxeparvovec was recently approved for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are at least 4 years old. This expanded approval is based on the efficacy and safety results from the EMBARK trial. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to break down those key findings and the implications of this advancement in DMD treatment is Dr. John Brandsema. Dr. Brandsema is the Neuromuscular Section Head at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where one of the clinical trials for this gene therapy took place.

Around 50 percent of people with cirrhosis have hepatic encephalopathy, which means some kind of brain dysfunction. As these patients age, it gets more and more difficult to differentiate between hepatic encephalopathy and dementia, which is why two recent studies sought to uncover how many patients with dementia have undiagnosed cirrhosis. According to the findings, the rate of undiagnosed cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy could be as high as 10‒13 percent. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to share further details about the studies, findings, and implications is Dr. Jasmohan Bajaj, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Numerous factors could predispose patients to the progression of mild cognitive impairment or dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Fortunately, a recent study found that a cholesterol-lowering medication called ezetimibe might help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease progression and related dementias. To learn about the methods and key findings of the study, join Dr. Charles Turck as he takes a deep dive with Dr. Robert Reis, Professor and Researcher at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Institute on Aging College of Medicine and Research Career Scientist at the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System’s Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center, and Dr. Srini Ayyadevara, Associate Professor at the UAMS Institute on Aging College of Medicine and is a Research Health Scientist at the Central Arkansas VA’s GREC Center.

The objective of this study around Alzheimer’s disease was to enhance oscillations in laying down memory traces and cognition. Using mice, the human APOE 4 gene was inserted into them, so they replicated similar events that take place in Alzheimer’s patients, and other mice were treated with DDL-920. The hope is to move on to human patients and to have a big impact on improving Alzheimer’s patient's life, cognition, and memory. To learn more, join Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Ashley Baker as she speaks with Dr. Istvan Mody, Professor of Neurology and Physiology at UCLA Health and recipient of the J. Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine in 2018.

Steroids are one of the main treatments for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but prolonged steroid use can come with many endocrine side effects, like weight gain, insulin resistance, and adrenal insufficiency. To learn more about these endocrine complications and surveillance, a recent survey was conducted, and here to share the results with Dr. Charles Turck are study authors Drs. Nadia Merchant, Melody Shi, and Despoina Galetaki.

The European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2024 annual meeting is celebrating its 40th anniversary in Copenhagen, Denmark. 9,000 delegates from all over the world are expected to attend this multiday event, which will include keynote lectures, poster sessions, and selected scientific and educational sessions, as well as plenty of philanthropic and networking opportunities and more. Tune in for a brief overview with Dr. Mar Tintoré, President of ECTRIMS and Clinical Coordinator of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia Cemcat at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain.

A special guest will be joining the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) 2024 annual meeting on opening day. To learn more about the impact ECTRIMS has had on multiple sclerosis patients over the last 40 years, tune in with Dr. Mar Tintoré, President of ECTRIMS and Clinical Coordinator of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia Cemcat at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain.

At this year’s European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) conference, learn about a presentation on the new criteria for diagnosing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with Dr. Mar Tintoré, President of ECTRIMS and Clinical Coordinator of the Multiple Sclerosis Centre of Catalonia Cemcat at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron in Barcelona, Spain.