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American Academy of Neurology
60 Annual Meeting Press Kit
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EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, SUNDAY, APRIL 13, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Kids with Autism May Have Gene That Causes Muscle Weakness
CHICAGO – Some kids with autism may have a genetic defect that affects the muscles, according to research
that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago,
April 12–19, 2008.
The study looked at 37 children with autism spectrum disorders who were evaluated for mitochondrial disease,
which causes muscle weakness and prevents a child from being able to participate in physical activities and
sports. Mitochondrial disease occurs when genetic mutations affect the mitochondria, or the part of the cell that
releases energy.
A total of 24 of the children, or 65 percent, had defects in the process by which cells produce and synthesize
energy in the muscles, or oxidative phosphorylation defects in the skeletal muscles.
“Most children with autism spectrum disorders do not have recognizable abnormalities when you look at
genetic tests, imaging, and metabolic tests,” said study author John Shoffner, MD, owner of Medical
Neurogenetics, LLC in Atlanta, GA, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “But a subset of
these children does have significant defects in this area. Identifying this defect is important for understanding
how genes that produce autism spectrum disorders impact the function of the mitochondria.”
The study was supported by Medical Neurogenetics, which conducted the testing.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
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Editor’s Note: Dr. Shoffner will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00
p.m. ET, on Sunday, April 13, 2008, in Room 187 of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 11:30 A.M. CT/12:30 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Prolonged Fasting Increases Risk of Rare Type of Stroke
CHICAGO – Fasting during the month of Ramadan raises the risk of a rare type of stroke, according to
research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in
Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
Over one billion Muslims fast worldwide during the month of Ramadan. Other studies have shown that fasting
during Ramadan does not affect the rate of arterial stroke. This study looked at cerebral venous sinus
thrombosis (CVST), a rare type of stroke that most often affects young adults and children and is more common
in women.
For the study, researchers included all people with CVST strokes admitted to three hospitals in Isfahan, Iran,
over a five-year period. Of the 162 people, 33 had strokes while fasting; 129 had strokes during the other
months of the year. The average number of strokes during the month of Ramadan was 5.5, compared to 2.0
during the rest of the year. The average age and percentage of men versus women was the same in the two
groups.
“These results need to be confirmed by other studies, but they should be looked at carefully,” said study author
Mohammad Saadatnia, MD, of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. “Coexistence of usual risk factors, such
as oral contraceptive and coagulopathic disorders, along with dehydration in patients while prolonged fasting
can be the reason for increased susceptibility to CVST. People and their physicians need to be aware of
possible complications of prolonged fasting.”
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Saadatnia’s research will be presented during a scientific poster session at 11:30 a.m.
CT/12:30 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in the Exhibit Hall of the McCormick Place West Convention
Center.
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EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Chemotherapy May Not Affect Memory in Breast Cancer Patients
CHICAGO – Women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer frequently report problems with memory and
concentration, but two new studies suggest that chemotherapy is not the cause of these problems, and the stress
of the diagnosis may be. The studies will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary
Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
“This is an important issue, particularly as survival rates for breast cancer improve,” said study author David G.
Darby, MD, chief medical officer of CogState Ltd., an Australian company that developed the cognitive tests
used in the studies. “People could be making decisions about whether or not to have chemotherapy based on
stories they’ve heard about ‘chemofog’ or ‘chemobrain.’ Hopefully this information will help people make
informed decisions.”
For Darby’s study, 30 women with breast cancer were given cognitive tests before each cycle of chemotherapy
and again one month after the final cycle. They were compared to 30 healthy women who were also tested five
times about a month apart.
The women with breast cancer had slight problems in attention and learning skills before chemotherapy started.
Chemotherapy resulted in only a minor slowing in thinking speed. Three women, or 10 percent, developed
cognitive problems during chemotherapy.
“We also found that the women who reported that they had problems with memory, concentration and other
cognitive skills were not actually the ones who developed problems as determined by the tests,” Darby said.
The second study compared three groups of women: 40 women with breast cancer who had not yet received
chemotherapy or radiation; 27 women who had recently had a breast biopsy that was benign, or not cancerous;
and 20 breast cancer survivors who had completed treatment at least one year before. All of the women were
tested on their cognitive abilities and evaluated for anxiety, depression, their overall quality of life and the
amount of social support they had.
On tests of working memory and spatial learning, the women recently diagnosed with breast cancer performed
about the same as the women with the recent benign biopsy. However, both groups were slower and less
accurate than the breast cancer survivors. In addition, CogState measures of memory and learning for the breast
cancer patients did not significantly diminish during the initial stages of treatment.
The recently diagnosed women who had better overall quality of life also had better scores on the cognitive
tests.
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“These results suggest that cognitive difficulties experienced by women with a new breast cancer diagnosis may
be related to stress as a result of the diagnosis and other quality-of-life factors, and not simply due to the effects
of chemotherapy or radiation,” said study author Michael J. Boivin, PhD, MPH, of Michigan State University.
Boivin’s study was supported by the Templeton Advanced Research Program of the Metanexus Institute.
Darby’s study was supported by CogState Ltd., the University of Melbourne, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer
Centre.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Darby will present his research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00
p.m. ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in Room 176 of the McCormick Place West Convention Center. Dr.
Boivin will present his research during a scientific poster session at 6:00 p.m. CT/7:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the Exhibit Hall.
Dr. Darby and Dr. Boivin will be available for media questions during a briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 pm.
ET, on Monday, April 14, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
How Big Is Your Brain? Its Size May Protect You from Memory Loss
CHICAGO –From autopsies, researchers have long known that some people die with sharp minds and perfect
memories, but their brains riddled with the plaques and tangles of Alzheimer’s disease. New research shows
that those people have a larger part of the brain called the hippocampus. The research will be presented at the
American Academy of Neurology 60th Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12 – April 19, 2008.
“This larger hippocampus may protect these people from the effects of Alzheimer’s disease-related brain
changes,” said study author Deniz Erten-Lyons, MD, with Oregon Health and Science University in Portland,
and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Hopefully this will lead us eventually to prevention
strategies.”
For the study, researchers evaluated the brains of 12 people who had sharp memories and thinking skills at the
time of death, but whose autopsies showed a high amount of Alzheimer’s plaques. Their brains were compared
to those of 23 people who had the same amount of plaques in their brains, but had been diagnosed with
Alzheimer’s disease before death.
Researchers found the volume of the hippocampus part of the brain was 20 percent greater in the cognitively
intact group compared to the Alzheimer's disease group with dementia. There were no other demographic,
clinical or pathological differences between the groups and the results remained the same regardless of gender,
age, and total brain volume.
The study was supported by grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Institute on
Aging.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Erten-Lyons will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m.
CT/3:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in Room 178AB of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
She will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 9:00 a.m. CT/10:00 a.m. ET, on Monday,
April 14, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 3:45 P.M. CT/4:45 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Oral Drug, FTY720, Reduces Disease Activity in Multiple Sclerosis
CHICAGO – A drug that can be taken orally reduces the number of attacks people with multiple sclerosis
(MS) have, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th
Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
“All of the current treatments for MS must be injected, so having a pill you can swallow with a glass of water
would be a welcome improvement for many people,” said study author Giancarlo Comi, MD, of Vita-Salute
San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy.
The results reported are from an extension of a six-month study with 281 people with relapsing MS, two-thirds
of whom took the drug FTY720 (fingolimod) and one-third of whom took a placebo. After six months, those
taking FTY720 had more than 50 percent fewer relapses, or attacks, than those who took the placebo. At that
point, all of the participants could enter an ongoing extension of the study where all would receive the drug.
A total of 173 people have finished three-years of the study. Continuous use of the drug led to sustained low
relapses, with more than 67 percent of the participants remaining free of relapses after three years. In addition,
the inflammatory activity associated with MS, as assessed by MRI scans, remained low, with 89 percent of
patients free of disease activity and 75 percent of patients free of new or newly enlarged lesions.
“The first line treatments for MS, beta interferon and glatiramer acetate, reduce the relapse rate by only about
30 percent, so this is a significant development for people with MS,” Comi said.
The most frequently reported side effects of the drug were headache, fatigue, flu, and cold symptoms.
FTY720 is an immune-modulating drug that binds to a receptor site on immune cells, sequestering them in the
lymph nodes. As a result, FTY720 reduces their ability to cause damage associated with the symptoms
experienced by people with MS.
The study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG, maker of FTY720.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Comi will present this research during a scientific platform session at 3:45 p.m. CT/4:45
p.m. ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in Room 196 of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 9:00 a.m. CT/10:00 a.m. ET, on Monday,
April 14, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 3:45 P.M. CT/4:45 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Oral Drug, FTY720, Reduces Disease Activity in Multiple Sclerosis
CHICAGO – A drug that can be taken orally reduces the number of attacks people with multiple sclerosis
(MS) have, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th
Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
“All of the current treatments for MS must be injected, so having a pill you can swallow with a glass of water
would be a welcome improvement for many people,” said study author Giancarlo Comi, MD, of Vita-Salute
San Raffaele University in Milan, Italy.
The results reported are from an extension of a six-month study with 281 people with relapsing MS, two-thirds
of whom took the drug FTY720 (fingolimod) and one-third of whom took a placebo. After six months, those
taking FTY720 had more than 50 percent fewer relapses, or attacks, than those who took the placebo. At that
point, all of the participants could enter an ongoing extension of the study where all would receive the drug.
A total of 173 people have finished three-years of the study. Continuous use of the drug led to sustained low
relapses, with more than 67 percent of the participants remaining free of relapses after three years. In addition,
the inflammatory activity associated with MS, as assessed by MRI scans, remained low, with 89 percent of
patients free of disease activity and 75 percent of patients free of new or newly enlarged lesions.
“The first line treatments for MS, beta interferon and glatiramer acetate, reduce the relapse rate by only about
30 percent, so this is a significant development for people with MS,” Comi said.
The most frequently reported side effects of the drug were headache, fatigue, flu, and cold symptoms.
FTY720 is an immune-modulating drug that binds to a receptor site on immune cells, sequestering them in the
lymph nodes. As a result, FTY720 reduces their ability to cause damage associated with the symptoms
experienced by people with MS.
The study was supported by Novartis Pharma AG, maker of FTY720.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Comi will present this research during a scientific platform session at 3:45 p.m. CT/4:45
p.m. ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in Room 196 of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. CT/5:00 P.M. ET, TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Vitamin E May Help Alzheimer’s Patients Live Longer
CHICAGO – People with Alzheimer's disease who take vitamin E appear to live longer than those who don't
take vitamin E, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th
Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
For the study, researchers followed 847 people with Alzheimer's disease for an average of five years. About
two-thirds of the group took 1,000 international units of vitamin E twice a day along with an Alzheimer’s drug
(a cholinesterase inhibitor). Less than 10 percent of the group took vitamin E alone and approximately 15
percent did not take vitamin E.
The study found people who took vitamin E, with or without a cholinesterase inhibitor, were 26 percent less
likely to die than people who didn't take vitamin E.
"Vitamin E has previously been shown to delay the progression of moderately severe Alzheimer’s disease.
Now, we've been able to show that vitamin E appears to increase the survival time of Alzheimer's patients as
well," said study author Valory Pavlik, PhD, with Baylor College of Medicine’s Alzheimer’s Disease and
Memory Disorders Center in Houston, TX, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “This is
particularly important because recent studies in heart disease patients have questioned whether vitamin E is
beneficial for survival.”
In addition, the study found vitamin E plus a cholinesterase inhibitor may be more beneficial than taking either
agent alone. "Our findings show that people who took a cholinesterase inhibitor without vitamin E did not have
a survival benefit,” said Pavlik. “More research needs to be done to determine why this may be the case.”
In addition to vitamin E supplements, some vegetables oils, nuts, and green leafy vegetables are main food
sources of vitamin E. Some fortified cereals in the United States also contain vitamin E. “The daily amount of
vitamin E taken by patients in this study was much higher than what is currently recommended for the general
population,” said Pavlik.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Pavlik will present this research during a scientific poster session at 4:00 p.m. CT/5:00 p.m.
ET, on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, in the Exhibit Hall of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
She will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 7:00 A.M. CT/8:00 A.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
High Cholesterol in Your 40s Increases Risk of Alzheimer's Disease
CHICAGO – People with high cholesterol in their early 40s are more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease
than those with low cholesterol, according to research that will be presented at the upcoming American
Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
"Our findings show it would be best for both physicians and patients to attack high cholesterol levels in their
40s to reduce the risk of dementia," said study author Alina Solomon, MD, with the University of Kuopio in
Finland. Solomon collaborated with Rachel Whitmer, PhD, senior author of the study and a research scientist
with Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, CA.
The study involved 9,752 men and women in northern California who underwent health evaluations between
1964 and 1973 when they were between the ages of 40 and 45 and remained with the same health plan through
1994. From 1994 to 2007, researchers obtained the participants' most recent medical records to find 504 people
had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and 162 had vascular dementia.
The study found people with total cholesterol levels between 249 and 500 milligrams were one-and-a-half times
more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those people with cholesterol levels of less than 198
milligrams. People with total cholesterol levels of 221 to 248 milligrams were more than one-and-a-quarter
times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease.
"High mid-life cholesterol increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease regardless of midlife diabetes, high blood
pressure, obesity, smoking and late-life stroke," said Solomon.
Solomon says conclusions regarding high mid-life cholesterol and the risk of vascular dementia were difficult to
formulate as there are several types of vascular dementia that may have slightly different risk factors.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Solomon will present this research during a scientific poster session at 7:00 a.m. CT/8:00
a.m. ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in the Exhibit Hall of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 7:00 A.M. CT/8:00 A.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Alzheimer’s Starts Earlier for Heavy Drinkers, Smokers
CHICAGO – Heavy drinkers and heavy smokers develop Alzheimer’s disease years earlier than people with
Alzheimer’s who do not drink or smoke heavily, according to research that will be presented at the American
Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
“These results are significant because it’s possible that if we can reduce or eliminate heavy smoking and
drinking, we could substantially delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease for people and reduce the number of
people who have Alzheimer’s at any point in time,” said study author Ranjan Duara, MD, of the Wien Center
for Alzheimer’s Disease at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, FL, and Fellow of the American
Academy of Neurology.
“It has been projected that a delay in the onset of the disease by five years would lead to a nearly 50-percent
reduction in the total number of Alzheimer’s cases,” said Duara. “In this study, we found that the combination
of heavy drinking and heavy smoking reduced the age of onset of Alzheimer’s disease by six to seven years,
making these two factors among the most important preventable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease.”
The study looked at 938 people age 60 and older who were diagnosed with possible or probable Alzheimer’s
disease. The researchers gathered information from family members on drinking and smoking history and
determined whether the participants had the ε4 gene variant of the APOE gene, which increases the risk of
Alzheimer’s disease. People with the ε4 variant also develop Alzheimer’s at an earlier age than those who do
not have the gene variant.
Seven percent of the study participants had a history of heavy drinking, which was defined as more than two
drinks per day. Twenty percent had a history of heavy smoking, which was defined as smoking one pack of
cigarettes or more per day. And 27 percent had the APOE ε4 variant.
Researchers found that people who were heavy drinkers developed Alzheimer’s 4.8 years earlier than those who
were not heavy drinkers. Heavy smokers developed the disease 2.3 years sooner than people who were not
heavy smokers. People with APOE ε4 developed the disease three years sooner than those without the gene
variant.
Adding the risk factors together led to earlier onset of the disease. People who had all three risk factors
developed the disease 8.5 years earlier than those with none of the risk factors. The 17 people in the study with
all three risk factors developed Alzheimer’s at an average age of 68.5 years; the 374 people with none of the
three risk factors developed the disease at an average age of 77 years.
The study was supported by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
-more-
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Duara will present this research during a scientific poster session at 7:00 a.m. CT/8:00 a.m.
ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in the Exhibit Hall of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Women More Likely to Comply with Stroke Prevention Despite Being More Depressed
CHICAGO – After a stroke, women are more likely to become depressed than men, but despite being
depressed, women are more likely than men to take stroke medications, according to research that will be
presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19,
2008.
The study involved 491 stroke survivors who were all prescribed drugs prior to hospital discharge aimed at
preventing a second stroke by lowering cholesterol, reducing high blood pressure and preventing blood clots.
Three months later, researchers evaluated the participants’ level of depression, quality of life, and whether they
were still taking the stroke prevention drugs. A total of 385 people, or 78 percent, were still taking their
medications after three months.
Nineteen percent of women reported feelings of depression, compared to 10 percent of men. Thirty percent of
women reported sleep problems, compared to 22 percent of men. But the men who kept taking their drugs
reported a better overall quality of life than women who stuck with their medications.
“This study was consistent with others that have shown that women are more likely to keep taking their
medications than men, even though they may be more likely to be depressed and have poorer quality of life,”
said study author Cheryl Bushnell, MD, MHS, of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC, and member
of the American Academy of Neurology. “It may be that depression and quality of life do not impact women’s
motivation to take their medications. Men, on the other hand, who are more depressed and report poorer quality
of life, are less likely to adhere to their medication schedules.”
The study was part of a multi-center registry of 105 hospitals participating in the American Heart
Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines program.
The study was supported by Bristol-Myers Squibb/sanofi aventis Partnership.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Bushnell will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00
p.m. ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Room 185 AB of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Men More Likely to Have Problems with Memory and Thinking Skills
CHICAGO – When it comes to remembering things, new research shows men are more likely than women to
have mild cognitive impairment, the transition stage before dementia. The research will be presented at the
American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
"This is one of the first studies to determine the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment among men and
women who have been randomly selected from a community to participate in the study,” said study author
Rosebud Roberts, MD, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and member of the American Academy of
Neurology. Mild cognitive impairment can also be described as impairment in memory or other thinking skills
beyond what’s expected for a person’s age and education.
For the study, 2,050 people living in Olmsted County, Minnesota, who were between the ages of 70 and 89
were interviewed, examined, and given cognitive tests. Overall, 15 percent of the group had mild cognitive
impairment.
The study found men were one-and-a-half times more likely to have mild cognitive impairment than women.
The finding remained the same regardless of a man’s education or marital status.
“These findings are in contrast to studies which have found more women than men (or an equal proportion)
have dementia, and suggest there’s a delayed progression to dementia in men,” said Roberts. “Alternately,
women may develop dementia at a faster rate than men.”
The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Robert H. and Clarice Smith
and Abigail Van Buren Alzheimer’s Disease Research Program.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Roberts will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00
p.m. ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Room 178 of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
She will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182. If you are a member of the media interested in
listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-
7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
People with Cardiac Arrest Less Likely To Survive If Admitted on Weekend
CHICAGO – People admitted to the hospital on the weekend after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are less
likely to survive than people admitted on a weekday, according to research that will be presented at the
upcoming American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
For the study, researchers analyzed the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a national database of 20 percent of all
hospital admissions for cardiac arrest to U.S. hospitals from 1990 to 2004. The analysis included 67,554
admissions. Cardiac arrest is when the heart slows or stops working. Brain death can occur in just four to six
minutes after cardiac arrest.
The study found people admitted to the hospital on a weekend after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were 13.4
percent more likely to die than those people admitted on a weekday. The result remained the same after
controlling for hospital size, teaching status, rural hospital compared to urban hospital, region, age, gender and
other illnesses.
"A higher death rate among patients admitted on weekends may be due to lack of resources for treating cardiac
arrest," said study author Richard M. Dubinsky, MD, MPH, with the University of Kansas Medical Center in
Kansas City, and Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "It’s probable that improved resuscitation
efforts in the emergency department and outside of hospitals, such as automatic defibrillators, allow more
patients to survive until hospital admission, explaining the increased risk of death from 2000-2004 compared to
1990-1999."
The study also found men were less likely to die after being admitted to the hospital for cardiac arrest than
women, and cardiac arrest patients are getting younger. "The average age of a patient admitted to the hospital
for cardiac arrest in the early 1990s was 68. The average age dropped to 66.5 years old ten years later," said
Dubinsky.
Dubinsky says hospitals need to make more resources available on weekends to improve the likelihood people
with cardiac arrest who are admitted on the weekend will survive.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Dubinsky will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m. CT/3:00
p.m. ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Room 184CD of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 2:00 P.M. CT/3:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Chemical Exposure May Increase Risk of ALS
CHICAGO – Preliminary results show that a common environmental chemical may increase the risk of
developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, according to research that
will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April
12–19, 2008.
The study was based on the Cancer Prevention Study II of the American Cancer Society. Over one million
people were asked to report their exposure to 12 types of chemicals. The participants were followed for 15
years, and the number of people who died during that time of ALS was tracked. A total of 617 men and 539
women died from ALS during the study.
Researchers found no significant link between ALS and exposure to most chemicals, including pesticides and
herbicides. People who reported that they had regular exposure to formaldehyde, however, were 34 percent
more likely to develop ALS than those with no exposure to formaldehyde.
“Although this finding could well be a chance observation, it merits further investigation, particularly because
people with longer exposure to formaldehyde had a greater risk of developing ALS than those with shorter
exposures,” said study author Marc Weisskopf, PhD, of Harvard University in Boston. “People who reported 10
or more years of exposure were almost four times as likely to develop ALS as those with no exposure.”
Weisskopf said the results are preliminary and more research needs to be done to test the results. “This finding
was somewhat surprising, because formaldehyde has not been raised as an issue in ALS before,” he said.
Formaldehyde is used in particle board and other wood products, permanent press fabrics, glues, and other
household products, such as cosmetics and shampoo. It is also used as a preservative in medical laboratories and
mortuaries, and as an industrial disinfectant.
Weisskopf noted that the participants were asked about their exposure to formaldehyde and other chemicals in
1982. In 1987, formaldehyde was classified as a probable human carcinogen at high exposure levels by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency in 1987.
“Exposure since then has generally decreased, but it certainly isn’t gone,” he said.
The study was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.
–more–
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Weisskopf will present this research during a scientific platform session at 2:00 p.m.
CT/3:00 p.m. ET, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in Room 190B of the McCormick Place West Convention
Center.
He will be available for media questions during a briefing at 9:00 a.m. CT/10:00 a.m. ET, on Monday, April 14,
2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, Room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:30 P.M. CT/2:30 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Migraine Frequency Linked with Women’s Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
CHICAGO – New research shows women who have weekly migraine are significantly more likely to have a
stroke than those with fewer migraines or no migraine at all, but those with lower migraine frequency may face
increased risk of heart attacks. The research will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th
Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
The Women’s Health Study involved 27,798 women health professionals in the United States who were 45 and
older. The women did not have cerebrovascular disease at the beginning of the study and were followed for an
average of 12 years. During that time, 706 cerebrovascular events, 305 heart attacks, and 310 ischemic strokes
occurred.
Of the 3,568 women with migraine at the start of the study, 65 percent reported migraine less than once a
month, 30 percent reported one migraine a month and five percent reported at least weekly migraine.
Compared to women without migraine, the study found women who had at least weekly migraines were three
times more likely to have a stroke, but those with a migraine frequency of less than monthly were one-and-half-
times more likely to have a heart attack.
“Our findings suggest that migraine frequency may be an indicator for increased risk of cardiovascular disease,
particularly ischemic stroke,” said study author Tobias Kurth, MD, ScD, with Brigham and Women’s Hospital
and Harvard Medical School in Boston, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Future studies
are needed to address whether migraine prevention reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Overall, the study found a mixed association between migraine and major cerebrovascular disease suggesting
increased risk for women with high and low migraine frequency. “Our results may indicate that the mechanisms
by which migraine associates with specific cardiovascular events may differ,” said Kurth. “More research is
needed to determine the reasons for these results.”
Kurth says while migraine has previously been found to increase risk of vascular problems, before now there
was little science on the association between migraine frequency and cardiovascular disease.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Kurth will present this research during a scientific platform session at 1:30 p.m. CT/2:30
p.m. ET, on Thursday, April 17, 2008, in Room 176 of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:30 P.M. CT/2:30 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Breastfeeding While Taking Seizure Medicine Does Not Appear to Harm Children
CHICAGO – A first of its kind study finds breastfeeding while taking certain seizure medications does not appear to
harm a child's cognitive development. The research will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology
60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
"Our early findings show breastfeeding during anti-epilepsy drug treatment doesn’t appear to have a negative impact on a
child's cognitive abilities," said study author Kimford Meador, MD, with the University of Florida at Gainesville, and
Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. "However, more research is needed to confirm our findings and women
should use caution due to the limitations of our study."
Researchers tested the cognitive development of 187 two-year-old children whose mothers were taking the epilepsy drugs
lamotrigine, carbamazepine, phenytoin, or valproate. Forty-one percent of the children were breastfed.
The study found breastfed children had higher cognitive test scores than those children who were not breastfed, and this
trend was consistent for each anti-epilepsy drug. The children who were breastfed received an average test score of 98.1
compared to a score of 89.5 for the children not breastfed. However, the results were not significant after adjusting for the
mother’s IQ. Thus, it appears that the higher scores in children who were breastfed is due to the fact that their mothers had
higher IQs.
Meador says animal studies have shown that some anti-epilepsy drugs, but not all, can cause cells to die in immature
brains, but this effect can be blocked by the protective effects of beta estradiol, which is the mother’s sex hormone.
“Since the potential protective effects of beta estradiol in utero are absent after birth, concern was raised that breastfeeding
by women taking anti-epilepsy drugs may increase the risk of anti-epilepsy drug-induced cell death and result in reduced
cognitive outcomes in children.”
Meador says additional research on the effects of breastfeeding should be extended to other anti-epilepsy drugs and
mothers who use more than one anti-epilepsy medication.
The study is part of an ongoing study of the long-term effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children’s
cognition. Women with epilepsy who were taking anti-epilepsy drugs were enrolled in the study during pregnancy.
Ultimately, the study will examine the effects of in utero anti-epilepsy drug exposure on children at six years old.
-more-
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is
dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in
diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy,
multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology,
visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Meador will present this research during a scientific platform session at 1:30 p.m. CT/2:30 p.m. ET,
on Thursday, April 17, 2008, in Room 190 B of the McCormick Place West Convention Center.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:30 P.M. CT/2:30 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Children with Migraine at Increased Risk of Sleep Disturbances
CHICAGO – Children with migraine are more likely to have sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and lack of
sleep, than children without migraine, according to research on the effects of headaches on children’s sleep
patterns that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in
Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
For the study, 90 children with headache and sleep problems underwent a polysomnogram, which is a sleep test
that monitors the brain, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm, and breathing. This is the first study to
use this type of sleep test on children. Of the participants, 60 had migraine, 11 had chronic daily headache, six
had tension headache and 13 had non-specific headache.
The study found the children with migraine were twice as likely as the other children in the study to have sleep
apnea, otherwise known as sleep disordered breathing, which involves repeated arousals from sleep because the
upper airway for breathing has been obstructed. Sleep disordered breathing was found in 56 percent of children
with migraine versus 30 percent of children with non-migraine headache.
Severe migraine was also associated with shorter total sleep time, longer total time to fall asleep, and shorter
REM sleep, which is the stage of sleep in which most dreams can be recalled.
“Sleeping problems can exacerbate the problems migraine causes on a child’s health and may hinder a child’s
performance at school,”said study author Martina Vendrame, MD, PhD, with Temple University in
Philadelphia, PA, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Parents and doctors need to be aware
of the strong likelihood of sleep disorders in children with migraine and seek appropriate preventions and
treatments.”
The study also found 50 percent of children with tension headache grind their teeth at night compared to 2.4
percent of children with non-tension headache.
In addition, sleep disordered breathing was also frequent in children with non-specific headache and in children
who were overweight.
The study was conducted at St. Christopher Hospital for Children, Drexel University, in Philadelphia, PA. The
senior author, Sanjeev Kothare, MD, is currently at Harvard Medical School, Children's Hospital in Boston.
-more-
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke. For more information
about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
Editor’s Note: Dr. Vendrame will present this research during a scientific platform session at 1:30 p.m.
CT/2:30 p.m. ET, on Thursday, April 17, 2008, in Room 186 of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
She will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 1:30 P.M. CT/2:30 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Overuse of Codeine, Oxycodone and Barbiturates Increases Risk of Chronic Migraine
CHICAGO – People who overuse barbiturates and opioids, such as codeine, butalbital, and oxycodone, to treat
migraine are at an increased risk of developing chronic migraine, according to research that will be presented at
the American Academy of Neurology 60th Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008. People
with chronic migraine have headaches on 15 or more days a month.
For the study, 24,000 people with headaches in the United States were surveyed about the types of medications
they use to treat their headaches. From this sample of people with headache, the researchers selected those who
had been diagnosed in 2005 with episodic migraine (fewer than 15 days of headache per month). Their risk of
chronic migraine was then calculated based on the types of medications they used in 2005. Among those with
episodic migraine in 2005, 209 people had developed chronic migraine in 2006.
The study found people who took drugs containing barbiturates or opioids for only eight days a month were
twice as likely to develop chronic migraine a year later as those who didn’t take such drugs.
“People who use drugs that contain barbiturates and opioids, if only for a total of seven to eight days a month,
appear to significantly increase their risk of migraine progression,” said study author Marcelo Bigal, MD, PhD,
with Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York. “Strict limits for these types of drugs should be
enforced among people with migraine as a way of preventing their migraines from becoming more frequent and
more painful.”
The study found no evidence that the risk of developing chronic migraine increased among people who
frequently used triptans, which are commonly prescribed drugs to treat migraine, or non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen.
The study was supported by the National Headache Foundation.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Bigal will present this research during a scientific platform session at 1:30 p.m. CT/2:30
p.m. ET, on Thursday, April 17, 2008, in Room 176 of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 11:00 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET, on
Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 3:45 P.M. CT/4:45 P.M. ET, THURSDAY, APRIL 17, 2008
Media Contacts:
Angela Babb, (651) 695-2789, ababb@aan.com
Rachel Seroka, (651) 695-2738, rseroka@aan.com
AAN Press Room 179B (April 12–18): (312) 791-7053
Using Anticholinergic Drugs May Increase Cognitive Decline in Older People
CHICAGO – Anticholinergic drugs, such as medicines for stomach cramps, ulcers, motion sickness, and
urinary incontinence, may cause older people to experience greater decline in their thinking skills than people
not taking the drugs, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 60th
Anniversary Annual Meeting in Chicago, April 12–19, 2008.
The study looked at the effects of taking a medication with anticholinergic properties on the annual change in
thinking abilities of 870 Catholic nuns and clergy members who were an average of 75 years old. All of the
participants were part of the Rush Religious Orders Study, an ongoing, longitudinal, clinical study of older
people without dementia.
All of the participants underwent annual cognitive tests and reported their medication use for an average follow-
up period of eight years. During the study, 679 people took at least one medication with anticholinergic
properties.
The study found those people who took anticholinergic drugs saw their rate of cognitive function decline 1.5
times as fast as those people who did not take the drugs.
“Our findings point to anticholinergic drugs having an adverse impact on cognitive performance in otherwise
normal, older people,” said study author Jack Tsao, MD, DPhil, Associate Professor of Neurology at Uniformed
Services University in Bethesda, Maryland, and member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Doctors
may need to take this into account before prescribing these commonly used drugs.”
Tsao says more research is needed to determine the mechanism behind the rapid memory loss apparently
associated with anticholinergic drugs and to identify which drugs, in particular, may be more likely to impair
cognition.
The study was supported by the American Philosophical Society Daland Grant and grants from the National
Institute on Aging.
The American Academy of Neurology, an association of over 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience
professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor
with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such
as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.
For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.
-more-
Editor’s Note: Dr. Tsao will present this research during a scientific platform session at 3:45 p.m. CT/4:45 p.m.
ET, on Thursday, April 17, 2008, in Room 178 of McCormick Place West Convention Center.
He will be available for media questions during a press briefing at 1:00 p.m. CT/2:00 p.m. ET, on Tuesday,
April 15, 2008, in the on-site Press Interview Room, room 182.
If you are a member of the media interested in listening to the press briefing via conference call, please call the
AAN Press Room (April 12 – 18) at (312) 791-7053.
1080 Montreal Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55116
(651) 695-2789
www.aan.com/go/pressroom
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