Glen Campbell
I appreciated your profile of Glen Campbell very much ("Still on the Line," December 2013/January 2014). I have seen several of my close friends die who had Alzheimer's disease. I have been tested for my memory twice. I still drive locally—when I close my eyes, I can picture where I need to go and how to get there. However, remembering people whom I have not seen in a while is much more difficult. - Anonymous, Sent from my iPad
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: We appreciate your letter. We have published several stories on the impact of neurologic conditions on driving. You can read "Driving Advice," and "Dementia Stop Driving?" href="/link/96b8bdf49732451189c96c7879d5eb19.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">When Should People With Dementia Stop Driving?"
I was surprised to read in the cover story on Glen Campbell that the former CEO of Warner-Lambert, the company that produced the cholesterol-lowering statin Lipitor (atorvastatin), has a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. My husband has just been taken off of atorvastatin due to a recent dementia diagnosis. Within one week, his short-term memory improved. He has been on atorvastatin for many years. His neurologist concurs with the cardiologist's decision to stop the statin. My husband will be having another evaluation in six months to see if he has recovered his memory. Meanwhile, he will continue to follow a healthy diet, exercise, and stay active socially—a plan that benefits everyone, not just those neurologically challenged. - Bonnie Boyle Cote, Arlington Heights, IL
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you, Bonnie. To read our Ask the Experts question on the impact of statins on memory, go to bit.ly/1asDKBL.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Your article about traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the December 2013/January 2014 issue—"You've Survived a TBI, but Will Your Marriage?"—is very relevant to what survivors and their loved ones face. I noticed that there was a reference made to "ambiguous loss" on page 21, but no reference was made to Dr. Pauline Boss, who developed the theory of ambiguous loss while researching those who were learning to live with unresolved grief. Dr. Boss wrote a book by that title in 1999 and continues her research. She should have been credited by the author of the article. The work of Dr. Boss has been instrumental in my research on children who care for disabled parents. - Joanne Wintersgill, Family Nurse Practitioner
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for pointing that out, Joanne. This was an accidental oversight; we certainly didn't mean to withhold recognition. People can find out more about Dr. Boss's work at ambiguousloss.com.
My TBI occurred in 1999 when, as a pedestrian, I was struck by a pick-up truck. The stories and commentary in the article fit my wife and me. Our marriage has survived and I believe deepened. We are lucky. Among many other disabilities, I was unable to express emotion. Did I have emotions? Probably, but neither of us knew what they were; I had what is called flat affect. It was very difficult for others to read my feelings of pleasure or sadness. For Janeane, my wife, understanding what I was thinking and trying to communicate was made more difficult by not knowing how I was feeling. What a difficult job!
Joy came first as I celebrated progress. I especially enjoy bringing laughter to others. It took at least nine years before I could express sadness, and that came in the form of grief. - Bernie, Lady Lake, FL
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Flat affect is a common symptom after TBI. We appreciate you sharing your experiences, Bernie.
Headaches in Children
In the June/July 2013 issue of Neurology Now, you published an article "Headaches in Children." I read it two times to be sure I had not read the article incorrectly.
I had not. And by the way, I read all articles in your publication as I receive it. At no point did the author say that headache symptoms in children could be related to an eye-vision problem. This was a serious omission. I have been practicing optometry for more than 49 years, and I would like to emphasize that undetected and uncorrected eye and vision problems can also cause headaches in children as well as adults. - Bill Sharpton, O.D., Emeritus Fellow, The American Academy of Optometry, Lakemont, GA
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Thank you for pointing this out, Dr. Sharpton. It is helpful to have healthcare professionals from outside of neurology offer their own unique perspective.
Peripheral Neuropathy
I have received several issues of Neurology Now and have yet to see mention of peripheral neuropathy. I believe it is one of the most common conditions. Why don't you include coverage of it? - Anonymous
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Peripheral neuropathy is indeed one of the most common neurologic conditions, and we regularly include coverage of it. See our full collection of articles on peripheral neuropathy.
Epilepsy
Thank you for the article in the December 2013/January 2014 issue on vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for epilepsy.
My 30-year-old son, who has tuberous sclerosis, had VNS surgery in 2009. The device turned on in January 2010. We were ecstatic when he went a full day without a seizure. In February 2010, he went for his scheduled tuning session. Immediately afterwards (within 72 hours), we noticed he began bouncing checks. He had never had any financial issues prior to this. In March 2010, he had another tuning. Soon after, he maxed out his credit card and his bank account was near zero.
We brought these things up to his neurologist, but they were dismissed. After another tuning, in April 2010, he attempted suicide and was hospitalized. The device had shorted out, but his neurologist did not want to turn the device off, as it was deemed unsafe in my son's condition. The manufacturer determined the device was randomly firing and not at the correct dose. Thankfully it was finally turned off. We have a new neurologist and my son is still recovering.
I would urge anyone considering this implant to find a neurologist who will listen to both medical and non-medical side effects. - Tom McDermott
THE EDITOR RESPONDS: Sorry to hear about your experiences. We always ask our experts to discuss both medical and non-medical side effects of treatment for neurologic conditions. Your letter has reinforced our commitment to that policy.