Category: Neurology

How postmortem brain research is changing autism science [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We explore the groundbreaking efforts to advance autism research through postmortem brain tissue donation with David G. Amaral, professor of psychiatry and behavioral scie…

Insurance denied her a voice, but this doctor wouldn’t back down

Our nation and the health care industry have been in shock following the assassination of the CEO of one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S. The brazen killing of Brian Thompson and the suspected shooter Luigi Mangione has captured America&#…

How a family caregiver saved my life during a rare medical crisis

Americans heard a lot this campaign season about family caregivers. The federal government is making progress, but more needs to be done. I know about the importance of family caregiving; I’m alive today because a family caregiver advocated for m…

Why professionalism in health care shouldn’t depend on appearance [PODCAST]

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we sit down with neurologist Lealani Mae Acosta to explore the intersection of beauty standards, professionalism, and gender disparities in medicine. From…

Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter

Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew th…

Navigating a rare neurodegenerative disorder as mother and daughter

Before her diagnosis, my mom was extremely active and healthy. She loved bird watching, walking, and volunteering at her church and its school. So in 2013, when she began experiencing symptoms like incontinence and difficulties with walking, we knew th…

Are new blood tests for Alzheimer’s and cancer worth the hype?

Recently, consumer articles heralded that blood tests for detecting Alzheimer’s dementia (AD) and many cancers were close to clinical availability. Given the narrow window in which AD must be diagnosed for present treatments to be effective, and …

Why talking to families of autistic individuals about brain donation is a priority

Efforts to generate a resource of postmortem brain tissue for research are in their infancy. Autism BrainNet, a program of the Simons Foundation, is trying to jump-start those efforts. Currently, there are fewer than 200 postmortem autistic brains in t…

A wake-up call for dementia detection: the urgent need for precision tools across health care

Dementia is advancing at an unprecedented rate—every three seconds, another person is diagnosed. Currently, 55 million people worldwide live with dementia, and by 2050, that number could soar to 139 million. These figures aren’t mere statistics; …

Overlooked problems in individuals with autism

A series of behaviors in autistic children, not well addressed by medical providers today, include self-harming, hitting, biting, mouthing, licking objects, pickiness with food, clothing textures, and touching private areas – otherwise known as “…