Nervous system changes . . . and other stories

Ageing and the peripheral nervous systemFindings on examination of the peripheral nervous system in 4000 people without polyneuropathy are a reminder that what counts as normal changes with age. Vibration sensation was absent at the hallux and Achilles tendon reflexes were lost in a third of older people. In contrast, superficial pain sensation and patellar reflexes remained stable. Sural nerve action potential amplitude declined with age and, beyond the age of 80, became unrecordable in a quarter of participants (Neurology doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000207665).HobbiesThe proportion of people who enjoy a hobby in their leisure time varies substantially between countries, according to data from five longitudinal studies across 16 nations. Only half of Spanish participants reported having a hobby, while almost everyone living in Denmark had one. Engaging with a hobby was associated with fewer depressive symptoms and better self-reported health, happiness, and life satisfaction (Nat Med doi:10.1038/s41591-023-02506-1).Dissection and rupture of the aortaTwenty five…
Read Original Article: Nervous system changes . . . and other stories »