Matthew Gavidia

Researchers uncovered the amount of variance among interrelated Parkinson disease (PD) motor, neuropsychiatric, and cognitive symptoms, which may improve understanding into the pathophysiology of PD, according to study findings published in Human Brain Mapping.

A comprehensive workplace wellness program was shown to increase the proportion of employees with a designated primary care physician and improve employee beliefs on their own health. However, no significant effects were observed on physical health outcomes, rates of medical diagnoses, or health care service use, according to study findings published this week.

Forming an action plan to manage treatment of patients with epilepsy, as well as factors such as stress and anxiety that may be intensified amid the COVID-19 pandemic, can assist in lessening the uptick of seizures and emergency department use, said James Wheless, MD, director of the Le Bonheur Comprehensive Epilepsy Program and chief of the Department of Pediatric Neurology at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

To safely accommodate the return of employees to the workplace amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, employers have formed multidisciplinary task forces to address issues related to risk, testing, and impact on behavioral and physical health, said Michael Thompson, president and CEO of the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

According to study findings, continuous duodenal levodopa/carbidopa infusion was indicated as the most expensive second-line therapy in advanced stage Parkinson disease compared with deep brain stimulation and continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion.

Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia was found to reduce severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) by 15% in patients with comorbid insomnia and OSA, according to study findings.

Presented at Virtual ISPOR 2020, researchers examined the efficacy of a machine learning approach in detecting predictors of Parkinson disease (PD), with an additional study testing the use of a statistical model to predict severity of PD.

Utilizing a consistent strategy consisting of 4 key attributes—trust, stability, compassion, and hope—can assist employers in designing an effective burnout strategy for physicians amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond, said Vibhas Ratanjee, senior practice expert at Gallup.

Severity of obstructive sleep apnea in patients was shown to be positively associated with a 3-month depression after ischemic stroke, according to study findings.

In 2 abstracts presented at the Virtual ISPOR 2020 meeting, researchers discuss how “OFF” episodes among patients with Parkinson disease may contribute to an increased degree of burden for respective caregivers, with patient preferred on-demand treatments for these episodes also detailed.

Quality, as opposed to duration, was suggested as the optimal target for prevention and intervention in sleep health among adolescents, with potential efficacy cited in improving psychological functioning, according to study findings.

Uncertainty remains surrounding the overall cost of care for employers, as subsequent waves of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related care may occur. Current projections suggest a lower health care spend due to deferral of nonrelated care, said Trevis Parson, chief actuary of Health & Benefits North America at Willis Towers Watson.

A novel treatment that reprogrammed the skin cells of a single patient with Parkinson disease (PD) to replace cells in the brain improved symptoms over 24 months, according to a study published Wednesday, although researchers cautioned that a longer, more diverse clinical trial is needed to demonstrate results.

Shift workers were found to have a higher incidence of excessive daytime sleepiness compared with patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to study findings published this week.

Almost twice as many young women than men account for the 60% of Canadian adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosed between ages 20 and 49 years. Researchers developed an expert review of the most common comorbidities, as well as effective management styles available.

Improvements observed through CVT-301 treatment in motor scores measured by part 3 of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale were associated with improved scores in activities of daily living for patients with Parkinson disease, according to findings presented in an abstract.

The average sleep recommended for an adolescent is 8 to 10 hours per night, but recent study results show sleep deprivation is a widespread concern among this age group.

Levels of caffeine consumption and lower blood urate were both inversely associated with the risk of Parkinson disease, highlighting the benefit derived from sufficient levels of both components, according to study findings.

As the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic causes employers nationwide to implement strategies to efficiently operate amid potential revenue loss, the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions released a comprehensive plan for employers and plan sponsors to optimize the delivery of advanced primary care.

Although men with moderate lifetime alcohol consumption were at higher risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD) compared with light drinkers, no significant link was found between alcohol consumption and risk of PD, according to study findings.

In recent years, targeted cancer therapies have increased in use. These individualized treatments are based on the genetic makeup of a patient's disease.

Compared with patients who have just sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), those with both SAS and restless leg syndrome were shown to exhibit a higher degree of insomnia-specific psychological symptoms, which may indicate the benefit of cognitive behavioral therapy in these populations, according to study findings.

In an opinion article published in JAMA Neurology, researchers discuss how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has transformed neurologic care more than any other crisis in modern history.

In new data from the phase 3 EMBRACA trial presented yesterday at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, researchers found that PARP inhibitor talazoparib exhibited no statistically significant benefit in the secondary end point of overall survival in patients with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer and mutations in the BRCA1/2 genes.

Delayed school start times were shown to increase sleep duration among adolescents and lessen the need for catch-up sleep during the weekend, which may assist in addressing nationwide sleep deficits in these populations.

In a set of updated guidelines issued for general neurologists managing patients with Parkinson disease (PD), researchers note the significance of efficient communication with members of a healthcare team specialized in movement disorders as they may assist in identifying and resolving common issues, especially among those with advanced PD.

Compared with conventional methods, novel polysomnography parameters better describe how the severity of oxygen desaturation during sleep affects daytime alertness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to study findings.

Researchers found that signs of autoimmunity can appear in Parkinson disease years before an official diagnosis, which may allow for heightened detection before symptom onset and greater preventive measures to slow disease progression.

As some states move to eschew social distancing recommendations by beginning plans to reopen businesses amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, a group of economists highlight in a recent study that the potential benefits of social distancing in saving lives far outweigh the projected damage to the economy.

Nearly 7 in 10 employees indicated in a survey by mental health provider Ginger that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is the most stressful time of their entire professional career, which has aligned with stark increases in new prescriptions of antidepressant, antianxiety, and anti-insomnia medications.