Memory Loss Isn’t the Only Sign of Dementia (Links to an external site)

Running red lights. Falling for scams. Shutting out friends. Memory loss is the most well-known symptom of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. But experts say there are other warning signs that can signal early brain changes — ones that are especially important for types of dementia where forgetfulness is not the primary symptom.

Day steps in as interim section chief for Epilepsy

Keith Day

Brian “Keith” Day, MD, PhD, will assume the role of interim section chief for the Section of Adult Epilepsy. This comes as Edward R. Hogan, MD, steps down from the role in which he has provided exemplary leadership. Under Hogan’s guidance, the Section of Epilepsy has seen significant growth both in size and scope. His […]

Novel immunotherapy improves recovery from spinal cord injury (Links to an external site)

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Severe injuries to the spinal cord damage nerve cells, disrupt communication with the brain and rest of the body, and lead to lasting disabilities for millions of people worldwide. The injury itself accounts for only a fraction of the overall damage inflicted on the spinal cord, tissue that runs from the brain stem to the […]

Adding anti-clotting drugs to stroke care ineffective, clinical trial finds (Links to an external site)

Opeolu Adeoye, MD, and Peter Panagos, MD, (right) both professors of emergency medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, analyze a brain scan for stroke damage. Adeoye led a national clinical trial that found that two anti-coagulant medications are ineffective at improving post-treatment outcomes for stroke patients. (Photo: Tim Miller)

Stroke patients who survive a blood clot in the brain’s blood vessels are prone to developing new blockages during their recovery periods, even if they receive vessel-clearing interventions. In an effort to avoid further clots, doctors at 57 sites around the U.S. tested a possible solution: the addition of anti-coagulant drugs to medicine that dissolves […]

Multiple sclerosis appears to protect against Alzheimer’s disease (Links to an external site)

A collaborative investigation among WashU Medicine experts in Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) finds evidence that MS patients are less likely to have amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, than adults without MS.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are far less likely than those without the condition to have the molecular hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The discovery suggests a new avenue of research through which to seek Alzheimer’s treatments, said Matthew Brier, MD, PhD, an assistant […]

58 Neurology faculty recognized as 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctors®

Neurology Top Doctors 2024

The Department of Neurology is pleased to announce 58 of our faculty members have been selected as 2024 Castle Connolly Top Doctors®. We are proud of our physicians for their dedication to their work and patients each and every day. Each year, Castle Connolly uses a merit-based system to select board-certified physicians for its Top […]

First-ever WashU ALS Symposium brings national ALS community together

Individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s disease, their caregivers, friends, family and medical providers who specialize in ALS treatment and research had the opportunity to connect at the first-ever Washington University ALS Symposium Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. The event, hosted by the Washington University Department of Neurology ALS Center, was held at […]

Blood tests for Alzheimer’s may be coming to your doctor’s office. Here’s what to know (Links to an external site)

FILE - A doctor points to PET scan results that are part of a study on Alzheimer’s disease at Georgetown University Hospital, on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

New blood tests could help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s disease faster and more accurately, researchers reported Sunday – but some appear to work far better than others. It’s tricky to tell if memory problems are caused by Alzheimer’s. That requires confirming one of the disease’s hallmark signs — buildup of a sticky protein called beta-amyloid — with a hard-to-get brain […]

Three Washington University child neurologists distinguished in first-ever Child Neurology Society fellow class

2024 Fellow of the Child Neurology Society Christopher Smyser Soe Mar Renee Shellhaas

Christopher Smyser, MD, MSCI, Soe Mar, MD, MBBS, MRCP, and Renée Shellhaas, MD, MS, have all been included in the inaugural Fellow of the Child Neurology Society (FCNS) program class. The designation “recognizes and honors our dedicated members’ professional achievements and contributions.” In order to be eligible, the applicant must be an active member in good standing with […]

Staff spotlight Lori Nichols

Lori Nichols

Lori Nichols is a native of Collinsville, Illinois. She earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Psychology and Sociology as well as a Master of Science in Education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Following graduate school, she returned to the St. Louis area and now calls Crestwood, Missouri home.  She began her career in […]