Ibrahim Imam BLOGS, GENERAL

The 25 most popular Neurology Lounge blog posts of 2020

As we have done for the last five years, I am taking stock of my neurology blogging activities over last 12 months. A sort of reckoning, it enables me to list the blog posts that have attracted the most attention, and to quietly reflect on why some did not blaze a trail.

Bamboo Keyboard and Mouse! Wicker Paradise on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/wicker-furniture/14786175336

With almost 40,000 visitors, and more than 50,000 views, 2020 has been the busiest so far in the Lounge, outstripping every year since 2015 when I launched the blog. Whilst a lot of the footfall has been to blogs I posted in 2020, I must admit that the golden oldies are attracting more visits than the newbies, making up the top 7 most viewed posts this year. Talk about blossoming with age!

By Cortega9 – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

Enough reflection then, here are the 20 most popular Neurology Lounge blog posts of 2020

 

20.

5 exciting developments in the management of Wilson’s disease

19.

On the seizure-detecting instincts of pets

18.

Migraine and the challenge of white matter lesions in the brain

17.

What is so distinctive about anti-MUSK myasthenia gravis?

16.

The 7 most hazardous occupations to the nervous system

15.

3 exciting emerging interventional treatments for Parkinson’s disease

14.

Monumental breakthroughs in the history of neuroscience

13.

10 more catchy titles from the recent neurology literature

12.

8 things we now know about the toxicity of gadolinium to the brain

11.

What are the most controversial questions in neurology?

Tier10-Digital-Content-marketing-wheel cropped. DigitalRalph on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/ralphpaglia/8316453191
10.

Which are the most useful neurological applications?

9.

7 remarkable patients who determined the course of neuroscience

8.

25 non-eponymous neurological disorders… and the names behind them

7.

15 more creative and catchy neurology headlines for 2019

6.

7 ominous signs that suggest you need to see a neurologist

5.

Outstanding neurology video channels and sites

4.

10 bizarre things neurologists do to their patients

3.

18 most insightful and profound quotations about the brain

2.

The 13 most dreadful neurological disorders…and the groups standing up to them

1.

Are these the all-time most influential Neurologists?

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There are more exciting blog posts planned for 2021…what may turn out to be a turning point for The Neurology Lounge. So stay tuned!
Ibrahim Imam BLOGS

The 12 most viewed blog posts on The Neurology Lounge in 2019

2019 saw almost 20,000 visitors to this blog.

Almost 300 blog posts were viewed.

And 60 of these were freshly posted in 2019.

Keyboard From Stone Age. Libor Krayzel on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/elka_cz/126813739

So which of our 2019 blog posts attracted the most attention?

Giant #life size #Keyboard. Wicker Paradise on Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/wicker-furniture/8601135380

Here is our countdown of…

…the 12 most viewed blog posts of 2019!

***

12.

What are the pitfalls and perils of intracranial pressure?

11.

What is the last word on migraine and PFOs?

10.

What should we really know about cerebral aneurysms?

 

9.

7 epic historical rivalries that shaped neuroscience

8.

The emerging links between Alzheimer’s disease and infections

 

7.

18 most insightful and profound quotations about the brain

6.

9 promising advances in the management of traumatic brain injury

5.

15 more creative and catchy neurology headlines for 2019

4.

What, precisely, is the Alice in Wonderland syndrome?

3.

Mozart and epilepsy: the rhythm beats on

2.

The 9 neurological manifestations of anti MOG antibody disorder

1.

The 10 most viewed neurology videos on Youtube

***

 

Ibrahim Imam BLOGS

The 20 most viewed blog posts on The Neurology Lounge in 2017

The Neurology Lounge launched in August 2015. And it is now well into its third year. 2017 has been a busy one for the blog. It has surely been a hard slog. But with  >20,000 visitors. And >30,000 post views. It’s been well worth it.

Man blogging. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/5031748151

Most posts have attracted encouraging attention. But some have done so more than others.

Two bloggers. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/2744489459

So which were the 20 most viewed blog posts in 2017? Here is the countdown.

John Meynard Keynes blogging. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/7276886256

 

14. 6 exciting neuroscience discoveries that will shape neurology

 

13. When Shakespeare meets neurology: Hamlet, Ophelia and autoimmune encephalitis

 

12. IgLON5: a new antibody disorder for neurologists

 

11. What are the drugs promising neuroprotection in PD?

***

10. Fronto-temporal brain sagging syndrome

 

9. More activity on the fringes of gluten neurology

 

8. Outstanding neurology video channels and sites

 

7. What are the most controversial questions in neurology?

 

6. Migraine and the challenge of white matter lesions in the brain

***

5. Which are the most useful neurological applications?

 

4. The 13 most dreadful neurological disorders…and the groups standing up to them

 

3. What are the new diseases emerging in neurology?

 

2. 10 bizarre things neurologists do to their patients

 

1. 7 ominous signs that suggest you need to see a neurologist

 ***

Join the journey; follow The Neurology Lounge in 2018.

Blogging when the children have gone to bed. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/8479881057
Ibrahim Imam BLOGS

What were the most popular posts on The Neurology Lounge in 2016?

The Neurology Lounge started in July 2015 and it is now well into its 2nd year. 2016 was the first complete 12-month calendar period, and during this time the blog received about 25,000 visits and just under 40,000 views.

Keyboard cat. Cassandra Leigh Gotto on Flikr https://www.flickr.com/photos/threecheersformcr_xo/5340309206
Keyboard cat. Cassandra Leigh Gotto on Flikr https://www.flickr.com/photos/threecheersformcr_xo/5340309206

There were visitors from >150 countries around the world with the United States recording the most visits at just under 15,000, followed closely by the United Kingdom with about 5,000. There were >1,000 visitors each from Canada, Australia, Spain and India. Engagement however remains disappointingly low with only 117 comments and 67 likes.

Blog dog. Håkan Dahlström on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dahlstroms/5499898533
Blog dog. Håkan Dahlström on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dahlstroms/5499898533

Some topics attracted more interest than others, sometimes surprisingly so. Below is the countdown of the 15 most viewed posts on The Neurology Lounge in 2016.

 

15. Top all-time neurology review articles

14. How to keep your distance from a neurologist

13. How bright is the future for Alzheimer’s disease?

12. Proven all-time outstanding neurology textbooks

11. What are the most controversial questions in neurology?

10. What’s evolving at the cutting-edge of autoimmune neurology?

9. Keeping up with the latest practical guidelines in neurology

8. Are these the all-time most influential Neurologists?

7. Which are the most useful neurological applications?

6. What are the dreadful autoimmune disorders that plague neurology?

5. The emerging research boosting Parkinson’s disease treatment

4. Masitinib, a breakthrough drug shattering neurology boundaries

3. Outstanding neurology video channels

2. Is neurology research finally breaking the resolve of MND?

1. 7 ominous signs that suggest you need to see a neurologist 

https://pixabay.com/en/blog-leave-texts-blogger-blogging-1027861/
https://pixabay.com/en/blog-leave-texts-blogger-blogging-1027861/

 

The statistics are encouraging enough for The Neurology Lounge to carry on through 2017!

 

Ibrahim Imam BLOGS, GENERAL

What are other neurology blogs talking about?

I try to keep an eye on other neurology bloggers tapping away at their blogs. I previously listed the top neurology blogs in my posts, what is the state of neurology on the blogoshpere? and later updated the list of neurology blogs. What are these bloggers up to? Here are 5 interesting posts to give a taste.

1. From: Neuroskeptik

brainquest1

There was a recent, very concerning report about the reliability of functional MRI (fMRI) software. This raised doubts about the veracity of all fMRI research carried out over decades. Thankfully Neuroskeptic addressed this issue headlong in a post titled False positive functional MRI hits the mainstream. The blog pointed out that fMRi software concerns are not new, and importantly, they are not serious enough to invalidate 15 years of research. Phew! The post also discussed the retraction and anti-retraction story that somehow missed the headlines. And who is Neuroskeptic? You need to check out another blog on pseudnymous bloggers to find out.

2. From: Brainfacts.org

Gun_violence-lowres-300x200

What could be more tantalising than a blog post titled The neuroscience of violence? This post, by Douglas Fields, discusses the discovery of the neuronal rage circuit, and how neuroscientists can now manipulate this. The post says “…with the flip of a switch neuroscientists can launch an animal into a violent attack or arrest a violent battle underway by activating or quelling the firing of specific neurons in the brain’s rage circuits”. Add the hypothalamic attack region to the mix and you have a blog post worth reading. 

3. From: The Stroke Blog

Postpartum-occipital-stroke-MRI-239x300

I admit that the question, What does “blurry vision” really mean after stroke?, has never occurred to me. This clinical post is a good reminder of all the visual symptoms that may accompany a stroke. It is quite basic but informative.

4. From: Curious Stardust

paulbroca

I was intrigued by this blog post by Seana Coulson titled What a Speech Disorder Reveals About Brain Function. It looks at language and its relationship to the brain and takes readers on a historical excursion of the ‘discovery’ of aphasia by Paul Broca. It details how the field has progressed since then, and sprinkled a couple of demonstrative video clips to explain the symptom. The blog refreshingly admits to how little we know about the brain: “while cognitive neuroscientists have learned quite a bit in the last 150 years about which parts of the brain are involved in different aspects of speaking and understanding language, we still don’t have a really good explanation of exactly what the cells in the left frontal lobe code for…”. Will we ever?

5. From: Beyond the Ion Channel

RORB

Neurogenetics isn’t easy but this blog makes it, at least, readable. Take this post by titled RORB in generalized epilepsy with absences–going retinoic. This explores a hormone receptor called Retinoid-Related Orphan Receptor-Beta (RORB) which plays an important role in epilepsy and neuro-developmental disorders. Not the easiest read for a layperson, but a good read anyway. 

Suzanne Valadon Blogging, after Lautrec. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/4784971557
Suzanne Valadon Blogging, after Lautrec. Mike Licht on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/4784971557

Are you blogging neurology? Please drop a comment… and a link to your blog.

 

 

Ibrahim Imam BLOGS, GENERAL, GENERAL NEUROLOGY

What is the state of neurology on the blogosphere?

I have dipped my toes in the waters, and I am beginning to find my feet. The blogosphere is a huge universe and I wondered who else are ‘out there’ blogging on neurology?

I ‘googled’ neurology blogs and came across sites listing neurology-related blogs. One is titled ’50 fascinating brain science blogs’ and another lists ‘most popular neuroscience blogs’. I plough through the lists looking for blogs that will be helpful to a jobbing neurologist. I soon discover however that most of the blogs listed are not actually neurological. Many where neuroscience and psychology, and a lot were completely irrelevant to neurology.

„Blog (1)“ von Cortega9 - Eigenes Werk. Lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 3.0 über Wikimedia Commons.
„Blog (1)“ von Cortega9 – Eigenes Werk. Lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 3.0 über Wikimedia Commons.

 

So which are the relevant neurology blogs? Here are my choices:

Core neurology blogs

  • The Stroke Blog dissects developments in stroke
  • Blogging Stroke is a blog of the journal Stroke
  • JNNP blog is a surprise for me and worth following in view of the authority that comes with it.
  • Brainblogger has a high rating and covers a diversity of topics; it is written by different contributors and well well worth a visit.
  • Neurophilosophy blog in The Guardian is well-written and well-laid out, with good general neurology items.
  • Alltop neuroscience blog collates a variety of news and views on neurology-related items.
  • Medscape neurology blog is quite interesting
  • Neurocritic has some striking images
  • Caseblog has a section with interesting views on recent neurology issues.
  • Neurology minutiae is unapologetic for its interest in ‘arcane stuff’ but is nevertheless interesting to peruse.
  • The Neuro Times has several contributors and talks of trends in the history of neurology and neuroscience
  • Lancaster General Hospital neurology blog has a variety of professionals contributing to it although the last entry was dated 2013.
  • Neurology update is very educational and seems to target neurology trainees
  • Oliver Sachs is interesting but refers to ‘Dr. Sacks’ in the 3rd person! Hmm. I wasn’t convinced there was much there for a jobbing neurologist but nevertheless worth a look in view of the eminence associated with the name

Blogs on the margins of neurology

 

Neurology facts and trivia blogs

There are several other neurology or neuroscience themed blogs with fascinating names like ‘mindhacks‘, ‘brain windows‘, ‘brain waves‘, and ‘neurodudes‘ but I didn’t think they were relevant to practice or of sufficient general interest to explore.

Blog et blogging : définition par tags. Luc Legay on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/4299610669
Blog et blogging : définition par tags. Luc Legay on Flikr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/luc/4299610669

 

Want to explore more. This link is to Webicin’s Neurology on the Medical Blogosphere.

Let me however have your thoughts on these or other blogs? Feel free to make recommendations for inclusion or exclusion.

 

Ibrahim Imam BLOGS, GENERAL

Neurology blogs update

A quick post to add a couple of blogs to my blogroll.

The first is the Stroke blog. It is clearly for the academic minded!

The other is Brain Watch. More colourful and suited for the general reader.

The neuroscience page of Alltop has an extensive list of neuroscience blogs and sites lists which look quite enticing-I haven’t explored it yet but look quite good.