AANEM Education News Express

Science News: Immune or Genetic-mediated Disruption of CASPR2 Causes Pain Hypersensitivity Due to Enhanced Primary Afferent Excitability

    5/1/2018
Submitted by Shan (Sarah) Chen, MD, PhD, News Science Editorial Board
Additional comments by David B. Rosenfield, MD, News Science Editorial Board

In this article in Neuron, the authors discuss that contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) antibodies cause loss of Kv1 channel membrane expression and hyperexcitability in Dorsal Root Ganglion (DRG) without preexisting nerve injury or inflammation. These authors demonstrate in mice that one can passively transfer an autoimmune peripheral neuropathic disorder in which CASPR2 has an important role in regulating DRG excitability and posit that these antibodies might even have a role in autism spectrum disorders.

Science News: Two Reports on Spinal Muscular Atrophy Treatments - Nusinersen and Gene Replacement Therapy

    3/26/2018
Recent articles in the New England Journal of Medicine provide insight into spinal muscular atrophy treatments involving Nusinersen and gene replacement therapy.

Science News - Natural History of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease During Childhood: Natural History of Pediatric CMT

    3/21/2018
Submitted by John C. Kincaid, MD, News Science Editorial Board
Edited by Nandita S. Keole, MD, News Science Editorial Board

This summary provides details on a study that evaluated a group of 200 pediatric patients (ages 3- 20 years) with genetically classified types of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease assessed serially over a 2-year period using the CMT Pediatric Scale (CMT PedS). It provides information about the rate of natural progression of deficits in the CMT subtypes.

Science News: Axonal Components of Nerves Innervating the Human Arm

    3/8/2018
​Submitted by John C. Kincaid, MD, News Science Editorial Board
Edited by Lisa M. Williams, MD, News Science Editorial Board

Control of the human arm and hand are eloquently orchestrated by sensory and motor nerves arising from the cervical spinal cord. To date, the exact quantity of sensory and motor axons responsible for upper limb control are not known. The researchers of this study used 9 human heart-beating organ donors to perform a quantitative analysis of the nerve segments from the trunks and cords of the brachial plexus and segments of the major nerves arising from the cervical spinal cord.

FREE – Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Presentation

    3/8/2018
​The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM) is pleased to offer access to a FREE Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy presentation. 

Science News: A Comparative Study of Brachial Plexus Sonography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Neuropathy and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy

    2/23/2018
Submitted and edited by Nandita S. Keole, MD, News Science Editorial Board

This article summary covers a study that compared the performance of neuroimaging techniques (e.g. high-resolution ultrasound) and magnetic resonance imaging, when applied to the brachial plexus, as part of the diagnostic work-up of chronic inflammatory demyelinating neuropathy and multifocal motor neuropathy.

Science News: Quality of Life in Inflammatory Neuropathies: The IN-QoL

    2/8/2018
Submitted by Francisco E. Gomez, MD, News Science Editorial Board
Edited by Lisa M. Williams, MD, News Science Editorial Board

While there is a multitude of quality of life (QoL) questionnaires developed for chronic diseases, to date, there is no consensus on which questionnaire is best suited to assess QoL in inflammatory neuropathies. This study used an international cohort involving 264 patients diagnosed with GBS, CIDP, IgM monoclonal gammopathy related polyneuropathy (MGUSP) and Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN) to establish a new disease-specific questionnaire for inflammatory neuropathies (IN-QoL).

Anthology of Articles from the News Science Editorial Board Now Available

    2/5/2018
The News Science Anthology contains all of the article summaries created by the News Science Editorial Board between February 2017 and January 2018.