News in brief Brain scans and ultrasounds chart Zika’s effect on babies’ brains A study in Radiology found damage to the cortex, calcficiation, and brain stem damage among 45 Zika-infected babies in Brazil. Aug. 30, 2016Tuesday The DO Staff Contact The DO Staff Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Topics Zika virus A collection of brain scans and ultrasounds published in Radiology last week offer a grim close-up of how Zika can derail babies’ brain development. The 45 babies, all Brazilian, were born to mothers who contracted Zika while pregnant. All but three of the babies were born with microcephaly, but the scans and ultrasounds also uncovered additional issues with brain development. In its reporting on the study, the New York Times notes that the study suggests that Zika-infected babies who escape microcephaly could still face developmental problems: “Most of the babies in the study had [calcification] in the cortex, which plays a crucial role in learning, memory and coordination, and also continues to develop at least through infancy, suggesting that Zika-infected babies who seemed to emerge unscathed might be vulnerable to difficulties as they grow.” Deborah Levine, MD, one of the study’s authors, told NPR that these are the worst brain infections doctors will ever see. “Most doctors will have never seen brains like this before,” she says. She notes that while the Radiology study documents severe Zika outcomes, it’s not yet known how milder scenarios might look. To learn more, read the full study in Radiology. More in Newsbriefs TouroCOM opens new school in Great Falls, Montana The new campus is Touro University’s third college of osteopathic medicine and the first nonprofit medical school in Montana. “Operation Nightingale” fraud scheme alert: Bogus nursing credentials sold to thousands of aspiring nurses It was recently discovered that a scheme, nicknamed “Operation Nightingale,” offered aspiring nurses the opportunity to purchase fake nursing degree diplomas and transcripts. Previous articleConcussion safety: New policy harnesses clinical evidence to drive advocacy Next articleWorried someone you love is depressed? Check their Instagram feed
TouroCOM opens new school in Great Falls, Montana The new campus is Touro University’s third college of osteopathic medicine and the first nonprofit medical school in Montana.
“Operation Nightingale” fraud scheme alert: Bogus nursing credentials sold to thousands of aspiring nurses It was recently discovered that a scheme, nicknamed “Operation Nightingale,” offered aspiring nurses the opportunity to purchase fake nursing degree diplomas and transcripts.