Dementia

Hypoglycemia has previously been linked to impaired cognitive function in children with type 1 diabetes. Now, in a longitudinal study of 16,667 patients (mean age 65 years) with type 2 diabetes, Whitmer and colleagues have revealed that a history of one or more severe hypoglycemic episodes is associated with an increased risk of dementia in this particular cohort of older patients.

Whitmer, R. A. et al. Hypoglycemic episodes and risk of dementia in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. JAMA 15, 1565–1572 (2009).

Parkinson disease

Patients with Parkinson disease have been described as 'honest', a character trait that might have a neurobiological basis, Abe et al. report. Compared with healthy controls (n = 20), patients with Parkinson disease (n = 32) had difficulty making deceptive responses in a cognitive task. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET revealed a correlation between difficulty in lying and prefrontal hypometabolism as a result of Parkinson disease.

Abe, N. et al. Do parkinsonian patients have trouble telling lies? The neurobiological basis of deceptive behaviour. Brain doi:10.1093/brain/awp052

Stroke

The Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) In Stroke (PAIS) trial sought to assess whether patients with acute stroke benefit from early treatment with paracetamol (6 g daily). Of 697 patients receiving paracetamol, 260 (37%) improved beyond expectation, compared with 232 (33%) of 703 patients receiving placebo, suggesting no benefit from paracetamol treatment. A possible benefit noted for patients with an elevated body temperature 37–39 °C requires further study.

den Hertog, H. M. et al. The paracetamol (acetaminophen) in stroke (PAIS) trial: a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase III trial. Lancet Neurol. 8, 434–440 (2009).

Movement disorders

A case study of the long-term clinical outcomes in 30 patients with primary generalized dystonia who received pallidal deep brain stimulation shows that the treatment is safe and effective, with improvement being sustained for up to 8 years in one patient. Low energies of stimulation from the implantable pulse generators prolonged the battery life without compromising the clinical outcome.

Isaias, I. U., Alterman, R. L. & Tagliati, M. Deep brain stimulation for primary generalized dystonia: long-term outcomes. Arch. Neurol. 66, 465–470 (2009).