Neuroscience

On tumors, MRIs and telepathy: Mary Lou Jepsen on the future of reading images from our brains

Mary Lou Jepsen was finishing her PhD work in holography at Brown University when she started getting sick. Really sick. After a year of steady decline, she was living in a wheel chair and covered in sores. When she could no longer do … READ MORE

Do you see what I see? Researchers harness brain waves to reconstruct mental images

A new technique developed by neuroscientists at U of T Scarborough can, for the first time, reconstruct images of what people perceive based on their brain activity gathered by EEG. Dan Nemrodov (left) and Professor Adrian Nestor … READ MORE

Markin undergrads get first-hand experience using cutting-edge robotic technology

Markin USRP students Ash Kolstad, left, and Justin Tan combine neuroscience research with technology under the mentorship of Tyler Cluff, seated. Stephanie Vahaaho, University of Calgary University of Calgary students Justin Tan and … READ MORE

First smart watch cleared by FDA for use in neurology

Beautiful wearable device brings revolutionary help for people living with epilepsy. Embrace is a smart watch for Epilepsy Management which uses advanced machine learning to identify convulsive seizures and send alerts to caregivers. … READ MORE

Experimental therapy could boost stroke recovery

Spinal injection and rehabilitation efforts shown to increase connections between the brain and spinal cord. Anna Wiersma and Ian Winship found they were able to enhance stroke recovery in an animal model by inducing amplified … READ MORE

Bad habits, not a bad brain, affect many cerebral palsy patients

Just sitting upright is a battle for two-year-old Jack Pankratz, and so his mother Kim Kucher offers a steady hand and lots of encouragement. Two-year old, Jack, who suffers from cerebral palsy, lays on a couch in the home of … READ MORE

In chronic disease care, family helpers are key, but feel left out

Physicians and policymakers should consider those family and friends who aren’t quite caregivers — but are definitely health supporters — in chronic disease care, a new study finds. Kara Gavin, Michigan Health Lab January 12, … READ MORE

People with tetraplegia gain rapid use of brain-computer interface

A new approach to calibrating the pioneering BrainGate brain-computer interface allowed three clinical trial participants with tetraplegia to gain control of a computer cursor after just one simple calibration step. Brain power. A … READ MORE

A smart phone app for cerebral palsy screening

Early diagnosis appears key for physiotherapy interventions for cerebral palsy, so researchers have developed an app for parents to video their child for remote screening. Baby Lexi Polonidis is taking part in the Baby Moves and VICS … READ MORE

Canadian study identifies genetic link to cause of cerebral palsy

New, groundbreaking evidence suggests a much stronger underlying genetic link in children with hemiplegic CP – the most common type of CP – than previously thought. Two years. Affectionately Yours Flickr The Hospital for Sick … READ MORE

Online database helps Albertans enrol in clinical trials

Research is helping develop new treatments, strategies and surgeries, doctor says. The University of Calgary and Alberta Health Services have teamed up for a campaign encouraging Albertans to sign up for clinical trials. Dr. Michael … READ MORE

A little more hope: ALS patients taking anti-psychotic drug in clinical trial

Cliff Barr has no illusions about how his life is going to end but he still has hope. ALS patient Cliff Barr, left, who is taking part in a new Canada-wide clinical trial to treat ALS, poses in an examination room with tria leader Dr. … READ MORE

The digital puppy that keeps seniors out of nursing homes

What Happens When We Let Tech Care For Our Aging Parents. As the U.S. population ages, people in need of 24/7 monitoring will outnumber available caregivers. One company’s answer: Let an avatar do the job. Sometimes Jim would … READ MORE

MS liberation therapy fails the test

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. In 2009, Italian physician Paolo Zamboni published an explosive paper about a new treatment for MS, which became known as MS “liberation therapy.” For the … READ MORE

Revolutionary technology allows brain surgery without breaking the skin

University of Calgary research study benefits people with severe essential tremor. Zelma Kiss, University of Calgary neurosurgeon and professor, with patient Elias Pharaon. The 85-year-old suffers from a movement disorder called … READ MORE

Umbilical cord blood improves motor skills in some children with cerebral palsy

Randomized clinical trial shows improved motor function in children infused with own cells. An infusion of cells from a child’s own umbilical cord blood appears to improve brain connectivity and motor function in children with … READ MORE

Researchers call on province to fund genetic testing for cerebral palsy

New study shows genetic variations are a factor in 20 per cent of hemiplegic CP cases. What was thought to be an almost entirely environmental disorder has a significant genetic component. – Stephen Scherer, Hospital for Sick … READ MORE

Bearspaw boy struggles toward recovery, years after being choked by lanyard

It’s a looming five-year anniversary Kamila Kitzul is loath to ponder. On Dec. 12, 2012, her eight-year-old son Nicholas donned a hall pass dangling from a non-breakaway lanyard for a trip to the boys’ washroom at Bearspaw School, … READ MORE

Class of 2017: Neuroscience grad hopes his fascination with the brain leads to better treatments

‘It would be a disservice not to try and help whoever you can, in whatever way you can. Will Wilson is a neuroscience grad student working on epilepsy research. He also does a ton of community work and has won multiple scholarships … READ MORE

Sensor-equipped glove takes the guesswork out of measuring spasticity

Everyone experiences stiff muscles from time to time, whether after a rigorous workout, in cold weather, or after falling asleep in an unusual position. People with cerebral palsy, stroke and multiple sclerosis, however, live with … READ MORE

Music therapy for children with autism has positive outcome

It might not surprise that good relationships create good outcomes, as meaningful relational experiences are crucial to all of us in our everyday life. However, the development of a relationship with a child with autism may be … READ MORE

Patients with MS can now self-monitor online

PARIS — The ability of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) to monitor their own disease with use of web-based algorithms incorporating various patient outcome measures is becoming a reality. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease … READ MORE

Living in a greener neighbourhood could lower your risk of death

Not just parks but also streetside trees and lawns could have health benefits, study suggests. In Japan, they call it shinrin-yoku – literally, “forest bathing.” Here, we might just call it a walk in the park. Either … READ MORE

Uncovering origins of developmental brain disorders

UAlberta research gives new insight into healthy brain development. Recent research discoveries in the development of brain disorders could pave the way to new therapies for treating seizures, and even some children with autism, says … READ MORE

iPhone app for patients guides MS research, treatment

Patients can track symptoms, share data right from their phone. For some diseases, a simple blood test is all that’s needed to estimate severity or confirm a diagnosis. Not so for multiple sclerosis. With an iPhone app called MS … READ MORE

Your stiff back may not actually be stiff, U Alberta study finds

Feeling of stiffness may mean something else is going on in the back. With lower back pain being the leading cause of disability worldwide affecting approximately 632 million people, it is important to examine mechanisms associated … READ MORE

Getting a leg up: Hand task training transfers motor knowledge to feet

Skill transfer between body parts reflects plasticity of brain’s organization, researchers say. Training at tasks with your hands stimulates the areas of the motor cortex that controls your feet. Pexels Photo Rachel Butch, Johns … READ MORE

Pushing neuro-rehabilitation to its limits

Physiatrist Pablo Celnik is accustomed to getting referrals for sophisticated patients. What he is not used to is receiving referrals for patients accompanied by a film crew—until now, that is. Dr. Pablo Celnik. The Human Brain … READ MORE

Knee surgery may have minimal quality of life effects in those with less severe symptoms

According to a recently published study, knee replacement surgery had a minimal effect on quality of life for patients with osteoarthritis and was not cost-effective. Forest walk. Roger Bates photo, flickr Marni Goldstein, The Mount … READ MORE

Brain-computer interface advance allows fast, accurate typing by people with paralysis

Stanford University School of Medicine Clinical research led by Stanford University investigators has demonstrated that a brain-to-computer hookup can enable people with paralysis to type via direct brain control at the highest speeds … READ MORE

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