NeuroFrontiers

Meningiomas were in the news this spring after actress Mary Tyler Moore had a tumor removed from her brain. Ninety percent of meningiomas are benign, many are asymptomatic, and some are so slow-growing they go undiagnosed. But many are discovered as an incidental finding in patients with headache. How do we treat patients diagnosed with meningiomas? Dr. Lynn Taylor, associate clinical professor at the University of Washington Medical School in Seattle, discusses with host Dr. Anthony Alessi the signs, risks, and surgical options for patients with meningiomas, which patients require treatment and how to involve patients in their treatment plan.

Most athletes' concussions are not the result of the kind of hits that NFL players take, but they still need to be taken very seriously. The American Academy of Neurology now recommends all athletes suspected of a concussion be removed from the field immediately. Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, director of Michigan NeuroSport, the sports neurology program at the University of Michigan and chair of the American Academy of Neurology's sports neurology section, joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to discuss changes in neurologists' philosophy toward concussion, who the new guidelines are aimed at and how to reach them, and what treatment will be like in the future.

At least half of diabetic patients will experience neuropathy some time in their life, but many of these patients never discuss the painful condition with their doctor. When a patient does complain of burning or electric shock sensations in their feet and hands, how should they be treated? Dr. Vera Bril, professor of neurology at the University of Toronto, joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to discuss the latest American Academy of Neurology guidelines on neuropathy pertaining to medications and controlling symptoms.

Is there an app for helping your patients improve their health? In fact, there are many. Dr. Neil Busis, chief of the division of neurology, department of medicine, at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Shadyside and Practice and Technology editor of AAN.com, talks with host Dr. Anthony Alessi about the latest mobile technologies used to monitor patient experiences with chronic neurological issues, such as migraines and epileptic seizures. They also discuss how even standard smartphone functions can be used to improve the health and medical care of patients, and why text messaging is changing healthcare around the world.

Would it be better for Parkinson's patients to meet with their doctor in a group setting? Group visits are among the the novel approaches being studied for Parkinson's patients. Dr. Lisa Shulman, professor of neurology and co-director of the Maryland Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center in Baltimore, joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to discuss who might benefit from group visits, how it compares to traditional care, and the practical billing issues involved. They also discuss new research on treadmill walking in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Smell and taste loss can be the first sign of a serious neurologic disorder like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, but it is also possible to lose these senses after something as simple as a sinus infection or virus. How can you help your patients get to the bottom of why this is happenning to them, and how can you help them cope with this change in their quality of life? Dr Ronald DeVere, director of the Taste and Smell Disorders Clinic in Austin, Texas, and author of the book Coping with Smell and Taste Loss,joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to explain this strange, debilitating and frustrating phenomenon.

For years, patients with multiple sclerosis have had to rely on injectable medications. But several new oral medications are emerging, and one drug has already been approved by the FDA. Why has it taken so long to develop oral formulations? Dr. Jeffrey Cohen, director of the Millen Experimental Therapeutics program at the Cleveland Clinic and professor of medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to discuss how these new drugs work, the side effects, and which patients can most benefit from new oral therapy.

The American Academy of Neurology released new guidelines for determining brain death in adults, providing a step-by-step process for making this decision consistent among hospitals in the United States. One major departure in these guidelines is the recommendation of a single exam, rather than multiple exams occurring at several-hour intervals. How does this change impact organ donation following brain death? Dr. Eelco Wijdicks, professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and chair of the division of critical care, joins Dr. Anthony Alessi to discuss how to evaluate a brain dead patient without jeopardizing their organs for transplant.

For the 12 million Americans who suffer from restless leg syndrome (RLS), the disease can often be misdiagnosed and misunderstood. Doctors as well as their patients are now more familiar with RLS due to the intense marketing of drugs used to treat restless legs syndrome. Host Dr. Anthony Alessi talks with Dr. Carl Ansevin, an adjunct faculty member in the department of biomedical sciences at Kent State University and sleep specialist at the Ohio Neurologic Institute in Boardman, Ohio, about how to properly diagnose and treat restless leg syndrome and which patients are more at risk of developing the disease.

Smell and taste loss can be the first sign of a serious neurologic disorder like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease, but it is also possible to lose these senses after something as simple as a sinus infection or virus. How can you help your patients get to the bottom of why this is happenning to them, and how can you help them cope with this change in their quality of life? Dr Ronald DeVere, director of the Taste and Smell Disorders Clinic in Austin, Texas, and author of the book Coping with Smell and Taste Loss,joins host Dr. Anthony Alessi to explain this strange, debilitating and frustrating phenomenon.