Tapeworm-Induced Seizures; Brain Plasticity and Music; Vaccines’ Neurologic Effects

The case report of a 38-year-old man with altered mental status and new onset of seizures detailed his diagnosis of neurocysticercosis, a brain infection caused by ingesting eggs from the tapeworm Taenia solium. (New England Journal of Medicine)

As more anti-amyloid Alzheimer’s drugs head to FDA review, Nature offers a recap of unanswered questions that still linger in the wake of the controversial aducanumab (Aduhelm) approval.

Costs associated with aducanumab are responsible for about half of the hike in Medicare Part B outpatient premiums in 2022. (AP)

Repeated listening to favorite music improved brain plasticity and cognitive performance of people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer’s disease, a pilot study showed. (Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease)

Researchers for the lecanemab AHEAD study will use a blood biomarker to screen participants, the first time a blood test will be used to assess amyloid in an Alzheimer’s clinical trial.

Cerebrospinal fluid microRNAs suggested angiogenesis may be impaired in Parkinson’s disease. (Neurology Genetics)

Increasing neurofilament light levels had a greater effect on brain atrophy and clinical severity in women with Huntington’s disease than men. (Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology)

The way the brain makes inferences changes substantially as people age, an fMRI study showed. (Nature Human Behavior)

A literature search showed very rare neurologic side effects developed after receiving all commercially available SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, but transverse myelitis occurred predominantly after the AstraZeneca shot. (Acta Neurologica Scandinavica)

Losartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, did not reduce the rate of brain atrophy in clinically diagnosed mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease. (Lancet Neurology)

Smoking and hypertension appeared to partly explain the previously reported inverse association between BMI and subarachnoid hemorrhage risk. (Stroke)