Browsing by Subject "neurology"

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    Bacterial Infections of the Central Nervous System
    (Lippincott, Williams, and Wilkins, 2015-12) Roos, Karen L.; Department of Neurological Surgery, IU School of Medicine
    Purpose of Review:: Bacterial infections of the central nervous system are neurologic emergencies. Prompt recognition and treatment are essential not only to prevent mortality, but also to decrease neurologic sequelae. This article focuses on the two most common central nervous system bacterial infections, bacterial meningitis and spinal epidural abscess. Recent Findings:: Two outbreaks of serogroup B meningococcal disease have occurred on US college campuses. The meningococcal vaccine given to young adults does not contain serogroup B. Summary:: In bacterial meningitis and in bacterial spinal epidural abscess, the identification of and eradication of the pathogen with antimicrobial therapy is the easy part. It is the recognition of the disorder, the understanding of which diagnostic studies to obtain and their limitations, and the management of the neurologic complications that require the expertise of a neurologist.
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    Parenting and Beyond: Common Neurocircuits Underlying Parental and Altruistic Caregiving
    (2012-04-01) Swain, James E.; Konrath, Sara H.; Brown, Stephanie L.; Finegood, Eric D.; Akce, Leyla B.; Dayton, Carolyn J.; Ho, S. Shaun
    Interpersonal relationships constitute the foundation on which human society is based. The infant–caregiver bond is the earliest and most influential of these relationships. Driven by evolutionary pressure for survival, parents feel compelled to provide care to their biological offspring. However, compassion for non-kin is also ubiquitous in human societies, motivating individuals to suppress their own self-interests to promote the well-being of non-kin members of the society. We argue that the process of early kinship-selective parental care provides the foundation for non-exclusive altruism via the activation of a general Caregiving System that regulates compassion in any of its forms. We propose a tripartite structure of this system that includes (1) the perception of need in another, (2) a caring motivational or feeling state, and (3) the delivery of a helping response to the individual in need. Findings from human and animal research point to specific neurobiological mechanisms including activation of the insula and the secretion of oxytocin that support the adaptive functioning of this Caregiving System.