“I can’t verbally formulate what I think. What can it depend on? “,” Is anxiety a neurological disease? “,” What tests must be done to know the state of health of the brain in a preventive way? “,” Are neurological diseases hereditary? “,” Does stress affect on brain health? ” These are some of the hundreds of questions posted in recent days on the social channels of the Italian Society of Neurology (SIN) by patients with neurological diseases, family members or people interested in learning more. Many of them will find an answer on 22 September, during the first National Day of Neurology established by SIN. For the occasion, in fact, “Protect your brain, entrust yourself to the neurologist” will start: a social campaign that will involve 30 neurologists throughout Italy, created with the aim of increasing knowledge on neurological diseases, providing correct information on the main pathologies, on the symptoms that can be alarm bells, on the role of the neurologist and on the characteristics of the treatment centers.
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by Irma D’Aria
One in three people will develop a neurological disease
Neurological diseases are a complex universe. There are hundreds of them and they affect the nervous system, spinal cord and nerves. Among the most common are migraines, headaches, epilepsy, speech, movement and sleep disorders, encephalitis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, strokes. , dementia. And it is estimated that one in three people in their lifetime is destined to develop a neurological disease. In Italy alone, for example, over 7 million people suffer from migraines, 12 million from sleep disorders and well over 1.2 million from dementia. In addition to these, there are 800,000 patients who have disabilities caused by stroke – a pathology that annually records 180,000 new cases – and 400,000 people affected by Parkinson’s. “Considering all the possible causes of neurological damage, from those of the cerebral cortex to the muscle, the diagnosis and treatment of nervous system disorders is undoubtedly complex”, explains Alfredo Berardelli of the La Sapienza University of Rome and President of the Italian Society of Neurology. : “Only those who have adequate neurological preparation are able to discern among the wide range of possible diagnostic variables: the role of the neurologist is therefore fundamental, especially in conditions in which, such as stroke, minutes count” .
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The social campaign
From 22 to 30 September, the video responses of neurologists to the questions collected will be published on SIN’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels. Those who want can ask questions of general interest by writing them in the comments under the dedicated posts, or by sending a message. The dedicated day will also be an opportunity to take stock of the situation on the aspects concerning the assistance organization provided in Italy. “Half of all causes of disability are neurological in nature – underlines Leandro Provinciali of the Polytechnic University of Marche – and the disease burden of neurological patients is far greater than that sustained by those suffering from heart or neoplastic diseases” .
Train the memory against cognitive deficits
The requests of SIN
SIN, in fact, has long asked the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza for a permanent inter-institutional table for the reorganization of hospital and territorial assistance models, underlining the need to increase the number of neurologists and greater coordination of the various levels of assistance. that pivots on the patient. “Collaboration with institutions – emphasizes the President of SIN – is important to provide an adequate response to the problems arising from the spread of neurological diseases characterized by clinical complexity and frequent chronicity, especially relevant in neurodegenerative diseases, which are constantly increasing with aging of the population”.
Stroke: rehabilitation is insufficient for one in three patients
by Irma D’Aria
Italian neurology research, fifth worldwide
On the national day dedicated to these pathologies, a look at the results obtained from the scientific studies conducted in our country is also a must: Scival / Elsevier, a platform for the analysis of research results, indicates that, for the three-year period 2019-2022, Italian neurological research ranked fifth worldwide, after the USA, China, Germany and Great Britain, with research conducted on Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Stroke, Covid and dementia.
Stroke, rehabilitation passes through video games. Thanks to telemedicine
by Mara Magistroni
