Psychological migraine treatment gives sufferers a confidence boost in their ability to self-manage their symptoms. For severe migraine sufferers, psychological treatments build on the benefits of drug therapy, according to a new study. A comparison of the effects of various treatment combinations for severe migraine - drug therapy with or without behavioral management - shows that those patients receiving the behavioral management program alongside drug therapy are significantly more confident in their ability to use behavioral skills to effectively self-manage migraines. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)MedWorm Message: Register for MedMatcha, MedWorm's medical advertising network, and receive $5 free advertising.

Conclusions. The results confirm the vulnerability of HCWs, whether clinical or nonclinical, to emerging H1N1 influenza. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Conclusion This was a well-conducted and well-described genetic study that followed a recognised approach for studies in this field. There are some points to consider: One proposed cause of neurological disorders is problems with ion channels (pores in the nerve cell walls that aid the transmission of nerve signals). The researchers say that in their study, they did not identify any associations between known ion channel genes and migraine. Possessing the rs1835740 genetic variant put people at an increased risk of migraine, but not all people with the variant experienced migraine. Conversely, some people without the variant experienced migraine, illustrating that other factors are also behind migraine. Despite speculation by newspapers, there is still more work to be done in this f...

Many people who suffer from migraines believe fluorescent lights are the culprit. (Source: NYT)

Many people who suffer from migraines believe fluorescent lights are the culprit. (Source: NYT Health)

"People who suffer from a severe form of migraine are more likely to die of heart disease and strokes,” reported The Daily Telegraph. It said that people who had migraine with aura were 28% more likely to die from coronary heart disease and 40% more likely to die of stroke. (Source: Neurological Conditions Specialist Library)MedWorm Message: Register for MedMatcha, MedWorm's medical advertising network, and receive $5 free advertising.

According to Forbes.com:Caffeine is a drug of abuse, like alcohol or cocaine, because it meets these two criteria: "reinforcing efforts" and "adverse effects which can cause harm to self or society." Reinforcing effects is science talk for "addictive": The more you have, the higher your tolerance levels and the more you need. Take it away, and you experience withdrawal symptoms.C8H10N4O2 is a chemical compound found in beans, leaves and fruits of some plants. It's a natural pesticide for them, paralyzing and killing insects that try to feed on them. On humans it acts as a stimulant on the central nervous system and has psychotropic effects. It increases heart rate, blood pressure and respiration, and it is mildly diuretic.Caffeine is structurally similar to adenosine. Image source: Wikiped...

(Springer) For severe migraine sufferers, psychological treatments build on the benefits of drug therapy, according to a new study by Elizabeth Seng and Dr. Kenneth Holroyd from Ohio University in the US. Their comparison of the effects of various treatment combinations for severe migraine -- drug therapy with or without behavioral management -- shows that those patients receiving the behavioral management program alongside drug therapy are significantly more confident in their ability to use behavioral skills to effectively self-manage migraines. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Allergan agreed to settle criminal and civil allegations that it had marketed Botox for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. (Source: NYT Health)

Allergan agreed to pay $600 million to settle criminal and civil allegations that it had marketed Botox for medical uses, like pain and headache, not approved by the Food and Drug Administration. (Source: NYT Health)

We report here the case of a 20-month-old girl with juvenile polyarteritis nodosa who developed cranial nerve III palsy, demonstrated both clinically and radiographically on MRI despite aggressive management with immunosuppressants. Neurologic manifestations resolved with treatment including corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide; however, persistent fevers, rash, and headaches interfered with attempts at a corticosteroid taper. Subsequent therapy with a combination of mycophenolate mofetil and infliximab proved highly efficacious in inducing disease remission and eventual discontinuation of corticosteroids. Knowledge about the management of refractory juvenile polyarteritis nodosa is limited. Here we report a rare case of cranial nerve involvement, as demonstrated on MRI, and successful man...MedWorm Message: Register for MedMatcha, MedWorm's medical advertising network, and receive $5 free advertising.

Just before this blog moved to the Guardian, I wrote about a supersymmetry meeting I attended. Now my theory pal who organised it chips inIn case you missed it, I wrote about a conference on supersymmetry I went to last week, just before this blog moved home. I also gave some reasons why supersymmetry might, or might not, be seen as an attractive extension of the Standard Model of particle physics, given that there is no experimental evidence for it yet.Now my theory friend Herbi Dreiner, who I used to work with when I was a student and who organised the Bonn meeting, has given his view. Since I know there are heaps of supersymmetry fans out there, I thought I should bring it to your attention:The conference on "Supersymmetry and the Unification of Fundamental Interactions", which my coll...

Objectives: These EFNS guidelines on the molecular diagnosis of channelopathies, including epilepsy and migraine, as well as stroke, and dementia are designed to summarize the possibilities and limitations of molecular genetic techniques and to provide diagnostic criteria for deciding when a molecular diagnostic work-up is indicated. (Source: Neurological Conditions Specialist Library)

(Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)

(Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)

(Headache (Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)MedWorm Message: Register for MedMatcha, MedWorm's medical advertising network, and receive $5 free advertising.

(Headache (Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)

Background.— (Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)

(Headache (Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)

Objective.— (Source: Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain)