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        <title>Australasian Journal of Neuroscience Feed</title>
        <link>https://sciendo.com/journal/AJON</link>
        <description>Sciendo RSS Feed for Australasian Journal of Neuroscience</description>
        <lastBuildDate>Sun, 10 May 2026 13:18:14 GMT</lastBuildDate>
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            <title>Australasian Journal of Neuroscience Feed</title>
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            <link>https://sciendo.com/journal/AJON</link>
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        <copyright>All rights reserved 2026, Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association</copyright>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Impulsive Choices and Delayed Rewards: The Impact of Dopamine Disruptions on Temporal Discounting in Parkinson’s Disease]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0012</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0012</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

This review addresses the compelling evidence that dopaminergic function plays a key role in regulating temporal discounting, using Parkinson’s disease (PD) as a model of dopaminergic dysfunction. Based on evidence from pharmacological intervention, neuroimaging studies, and computational modeling we can demonstrate that both dopamine depletion in PD and dopamine replacement therapy significantly impact the valuations patients place on immediate versus delayed rewards. The results offer a nuanced, non-linear interaction between temporal preference and dopamine levels with implications extending beyond PD to the neurobiology of decision-making. These findings support the possibility of using targeted dopaminergic treatments to amend aberrant decision-making behaviors in neuropsychiatric disorders that feature impulsive states and reward deficiency. These findings therefore have the potential to guide more targeted therapeutic approaches aimed at improving decision-making in both PD and other disorders of impulsivity.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
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        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Australian Multidisciplinary Concussion Clinic: A New Model of Care.]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0016</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0016</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Literature suggests that there is a paucity of dedicated concussion clinics in Australia, with the ones that exist being privately owned and usually offering discipline specific services (e.g. physiotherapy) (Nguyen, McKay, Ponsford, Davies, Makdissi, Drummond, Reyes, Makovec Knight, Peverill, Brennan &amp; Willmott, 2023). Whilst the long-term impact of concussions, for instance, traumatic encephalopathy syndrome, dominates media coverage, everyday concussions, especially at the community level, require more consideration. Concussions need to be identified and managed appropriately using best practice care. This is usually provided initially, by a General Practitioner or Emergency Department. However, if concussion symptoms are prolonged, a multidisciplinary team of concussion experts are best placed to provide the required holistic care.
Prior to 2022, there was no adult public concussion clinic in NSW and only one public paediatric concussion clinic at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Westmead. The need for more clinics was apparent, and overseas literature suggests that multidisciplinary management made the most gain in regard to patient outcomes (Jaganathan &amp; Sullivan, 2020). Therefore, the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) established a multidisciplinary Concussion Clinic at Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH) in 2022. This was the first of its kind in Australia, where a true multidisciplinary approach was at the centre of the model of care. While there are many multidisciplinary clinics in Australia, the difference is that this one had the multidisciplinary team (MDT) playing a combined role in the assessments and discussions with the patient, all seeing the patient together in real time. This made for better understanding of events, concussive mechanisms, recovery timelines, symptom causes, patient examination, and a diverse but cohesive evidence-based approach to treatment and management. There was less repetition for the patient, optimised resource and time allocation per patient, increasing quality and effectiveness of care while reducing wait times to access appropriate services, notwithstanding increased patient satisfaction.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Neurotrauma Nursing: Clinical and Educational Challenges]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0010</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0010</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Neurosurgery trauma patients are unique, and their care is often complex, requiring multidisciplinary, multimodal, and creative approaches. The uniqueness of brain injuries mean that patient care must be individualised, and therefore a standardised, generic approach is not sufficient. This paper explores a case study of a patient with a severe traumatic brain injury, detailing management of some of the key complications that they experienced. This case raised several challenges in both the provision of clinical care, and the required nursing education. The case highlighted the importance of specialised, knowledgeable and experienced neurosurgery nurses, and raises several questions for future practice and research.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Recurrent strokes in a patient with bow hunter syndrome and comorbid atrial fibrillation: A case study]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0013</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0013</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Bow hunter’s syndrome (BHS) is a rare condition causing dynamic vertebral artery compression, which can result in recurrent strokes, posing unique challenges in patients with cardiovascular comorbidities like atrial fibrillation (AF). This case study describes the presentation, management and outcomes of a 75-year-old female with BHS and AF, who experienced recurrent posterior circulation strokes despite anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy. A comprehensive stroke work-up, including advanced imaging, identified BHS as the primary cause. Despite adding aspirin to apixaban (Eliquis) and later switching to prasugrel (Efficient), the patient had another stroke, prompting vertebral artery embolisation. No further events occurred prior to the nine-month follow-up. Nurses play a crucial role throughout the patient’s journey and were instrumental in recognising BHS symptoms early, advocating for timely advanced imaging, and educating the patient on avoiding head rotation to minimise vertebral artery compression. They also monitored for complications, provided ongoing support during recovery, and contributed to improved patient outcomes through vigilant care and coordination with the multidisciplinary team. This case underscores the complexity of managing BHS in AF patients, highlighting the need for nuanced, multidisciplinary approaches and further research into the management of BHS in the context of other stroke risk factors.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[EVD nursing management – exploring the differences in Australasia]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0011</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0011</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Background:
Infection is a significant risk for neurosurgical patients undergoing external ventricular drain (EVD) insertion. Nurses are well placed in the care of the patient with an EVD and in the role of infection prevention. Aim: This article aims to explore evidence-based practices and variations in nursing management of EVDs across Australasia, explored through questionnaires at the 2024 Australasian Neuroscience Nurses Association (ANNA) conference and compared with the literature.

Methods:
A written questionnaire containing 10 pre-determined questions were provided to participants who signed up for an EVD session at the ANNA 2024 conference workshops. Results from this survey along with data from conference discussions and existing research though a librarian, with thanks to the university of Otago the search were analysed to highlight effective prevention strategies and risk factors for external Ventriculostomy drain Associated Infections (VAIs).

Results:
A final sample of 9 neurosurgical nurses from Australasia and Canada completed the questionnaire although more nurses attended the workshop (n = 25). Combined with findings from the literature, the survey data identified several modifiable risk factors for VAIs, including cerebrospinal fluid sampling frequency, catheter duration, and site care. Effective practices—such as tunnelling EVDs, using antimicrobial-impregnated catheters, and implementing evidence-based maintenance protocols—were consistently highlighted. Ongoing education and adherence to best-practice guidelines were recognised as key strategies to reduce infection risk.

Conclusion:
Standard guidelines do not necessarily need extensive changes but should be regularly reviewed and adjusted to improve practices. Continuous education is crucial for reducing VAIs. Collaborative efforts among neuroscience nurses can significantly enhance patient care and outcomes. Focus areas for nurses could include wound dressing, cleaning and sampling technique.

]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Report from the 13th WFNN Quadrennial Congress]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0018</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0018</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Continuous recording to identify that there are at least 684 interventions for disorders of consciousness]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0009</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0009</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

The care of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC) is variable worldwide. The aim of this study was to create a comprehensive, mutually exclusive and collectively exhausted, list of medical and nursing care interventions provided to patients with DoCs including those not documented in the EMR to better understand the care given to coma patients. After obtaining consent from patients’ legally authorized representative, 12 hours of continuous video footage was collected inside the patient’s intensive care unit room. Five patients aged 25–69 with a Glascow Coma Scale (GCS) of six or less were enrolled for a total of 57 hours. There were 684 unique interventions (575 physical and 109 cognitive) observed during collective observation periods. The bedside nurse was involved in 500 (73.1%) unique interventions, and family members, providers, and other personnel provided the remaining 26.9% of interventions. There is need to standardize the treatment of patients with disorders of consciousness across patients and hospitals around the world.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses 14th Quadrennial Congress]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0007</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0007</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Thomas Willis, his Life, Legacy, and the Revolutionary Advances Made in Medicine Including in the Field we now know as Neuroscience]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0014</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0014</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

November 2025 marks 350 years since the passing of Thomas Willis (b. 1621 – d.1675). Thomas was a pious man who was orthodox in his beliefs and charitable to the end. He lived in an era of political and religious instability, however, despite these turbulent times Thomas along with other colleagues made pioneering medical discoveries and completely changed our thinking and understanding of the human body and disease. He rewrote history and set in place our modern knowledge and understanding of the brain, cerebrovascular system and nervous system. As the English Civil War raged, Thomas’ formal medical training was cut short, but he used this to his advantage and undertook a vast range of practical, clinical, experimental and theoretical self-directed learning. Thomas’s discoveries and opportunities to understand the brain were influenced by his collaborative and clandestine partnerships, as well as chance meetings, including that with Anne Greene who had hung at the end of a hangman’s noose for over half an hour, only to be revived by Thomas and his colleagues. Whilst Thomas studied and wrote on many topics, his cumulating opus was the publication of Cerebri Anatome, in which he elicited polarised theories and explanations and changed neurology forever. This manuscript aims to cover Thomas’ life, family, the political and religious influences of the time and the impact of these on both his medical career, and work as a medical practitioner, anatomist, scientist and author.
Thomas Willis is undoubtedly the father of neurology and the study of the nervous system. His name is immortalised in the Circle of Willis and whilst every medical and nursing student learns of the Circle of Willis, there is much to learn about the man, his life, his allegiances and devotion to the Church of England, his theories, publications and legacy.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Bridging Mind and Movement: Lessons from my placement]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0017</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0017</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Addressing the Growing Need for Education in Neuroscience Nursing]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0008</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0008</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Acquired vocal tic disorder following Miller Fisher variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A case report]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0015</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0015</guid>
            <pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[
Tics are abnormal, brief, sudden, and repetitive movements or sounds that comprise part of the spectrum of hyperkinetic movement disorders. We report the case of a 57-year-old female who developed intractable ‘nasal snorting’ and ‘throat clearing’ five months after treatment for the Miller Fisher variant of Guillain-Barré Syndrome. A diagnosis of acquired vocal tic disorder was made and treatment with tetrabenazine resulted in sustained improvement in her symptoms. There are multiple reports of tics and other hyperkinetic movement disorders being triggered by autoimmune conditions, but this is rarely described in patients with Guillain-Barré Syndrome. This report outlines a rare case of tic disorder in a patient with Guillain-Barré Syndrome with a review of the literature.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[The Fateful Failed Hanging of Anne Greene]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0006</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0006</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

The year was 1650 and Anne Green was a 22-year-old maidservant who had been found guilty of infanticide. Anne was found guilty not for her crime but for her class, as the father of the foetus was the son of her employer who was hellbent on seeing her quickly and ruthlessly removed from history.
Despite her claims, and the claims of many others in regard to her innocence, she was sentenced to hang at Oxford Castle. Anne bravely faced her fate and for over 30 minutes did she hang. She was taunted and friends tried to expediate her death by pulling on her legs, some using all their weight swinging from her lifeless body, until the executioner was so concerned that the rope might break he put an end to it.
When all were satisfied that Anne was indeed dead, a musket butt was rammed into her chest for good measure. Anne’s body was taken down, placed in a simple coffin and sent for delivery to the anatomy table. However when she arrived and the anatomists, Thomas Willis and William Petty, opened the coffin she showed signs of life. All thoughts of an anatomy lesson were quickly dismissed, and attention was focused on reviving Anne. Through measures and interventions, they worked to revive her and she quickly regained consciousness. Within a month she was restored to health.
Hanging is one of the oldest methods of execution. Methods and equipment have changed and developed over time; death associated with early hanging occurred secondary to a slow gravitational strangulation. Modern hanging is more effective and associated with a rapid compression of the neck resulting in fracturing of the upper cervical spine vertebra. Self-inflicted hanging can be plagued by unfortunate incidents, and some fortunate survivals. It is these survivals that are often nursed on Neurosurgical units.
This manuscript follows Anne Greene’s story, her failed hanging and resuscitation in the anatomy room. The history of hanging and changes in methods is also explored. The literature has also been explored for self-inflicted hanging and the impact on and role of neuroscience nurses when caring for survivors.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Nursing care in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS): Pathways for patients undergoing spinal surgery]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0005</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0005</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Pain is an expected outcome following spinal surgery. However, increasing evidence indicates that pain is often managed inadequately during the optimisation of patient recovery (Ali, et al, 2018). Following the expected early post-operative pain period, many patients undergoing spinal surgery may experience longer term moderate pain up to six months post-operatively (Prabhakar et al 2022). An exploration of the support required for patients with spine conditions following surgery is presented. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs have been introduced globally as evidenced based protocols to provide effective care for surgical patients and are aimed at achieving early and optimal recovery post-surgery (Debono et al., 2021). The aim of this paper is to discuss nursing roles, what constitutes pre-operative risk factors; post operative complications and outcomes; information required for enhanced recovery and effective medications for spinal surgery. A summary of ERAS Programs and the support that is required for patients post spinal surgery is also provided.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Neuroscience Nursing Celebrating International Nurses Day]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0001</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0001</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[A Unified Vision for Global Neurosurgery — Boston Declaration 2025]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0003</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0003</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Emerging from the foundational efforts of the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (2015) and the Bogota Declaration (2016), the Boston Declaration 2025 marks a transformative milestone in the Global Neurosurgery movement. It calls for equitable, timely, and affordable neurosurgical care across all regions, especially in low-resource settings. Central to this vision is the active inclusion of Neuroscience Nurses—recognized as frontline caregivers, educators, and advocates—within the neurosurgical nexus.
The Boston Declaration uniquely positions Neuroscience Nurses as central architects in this transformation. Nurses serve as essential links across the continuum of care, contributing to frontline service delivery, capacity building, education, policy advocacy, and health system integration. Their inclusion ensures a person-centered approach rooted in lived experience and local context.
The Declaration grounded in for an expanded neurosurgical ecosystem that embraces interdisciplinary collaboration—spanning clinicians, engineers, policymakers, and communities—and encourages innovation through data, artificial intelligence, and sustainability. It underscores the urgency of building resilient care systems to address the global neurosurgical burden.
As a global blueprint for neurosurgical equity, the Boston Declaration invites all Neuroscience Nurses and professional societies to take an active role in this collective endeavour. Through shared commitment, we can drive transformative progress that reshapes global neurosurgical care and affirms the essential role of nurses in leading change.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Neuroscience Nursing: Strengthening Connections for Better WellBeing]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0002</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0002</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[2024 Annual Demographic Survey of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Nurse Specialists]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0004</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/ajon-2025-0004</guid>
            <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition, ranking as the most common amongst movement disorders. In Australia, up to 150,000 people are living with Parkinson’s disease and this continues to grow each year (Mellick, 2024). People living with Parkinson’s disease benefit from the specialised skills and expertise of a dedicated Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders nurse specialist (PDMDNS) (Bramble, Carroll, &amp; Rossiter, 2018). Access to a PD nurse embedded into the local health setting impacts the potential to avoid hospital admissions due to worsening of symptoms, improves quality of life through improved access to specialist services, and reduces carer burden. (Bramble et al. 2018). The World Health Organisation advocates for the tracking of healthcare workforce demographics and distribution trends, to ensure equity of health care services and robust economic planning to meet future needs (WHO 2016). The latter is equally as important as equity, as Parkinson’s disease costs the Australian economy more than $10 billion each year (Mellick, 2024). This paper marks the fifth publication in an ongoing annual series examining the longitudinal trends of the PDMDNS workforce in Australia (Williams et al., 2021; 2023).
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[Exploring The Diving Bell and the Butterfly: Locked In but not Out.]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.21307/ajon-2024-011</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.21307/ajon-2024-011</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

The Main character is Jean-Dominique Bauby who was 43 and the editor in chief for the French magazine Elle. Bauby was successful, some say at the height of his career and described by many as an enigmatic, vivacious, charismatic, talented, handsome and a charmer who had the world at his fingertips and an impassioned approach to life. He led a privileged life, with a lot of it spent globetrotting and undertaking exciting adventures and activities (Glenn, 2009). Spending his time between work, social events, his mistress and his two young children.
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
        </item>
        <item>
            <title><![CDATA[2023 Annual Demographic Survey of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Nurse Specialists]]></title>
            <link>https://sciendo.com/article/10.21307/ajon-2024-010</link>
            <guid>https://sciendo.com/article/10.21307/ajon-2024-010</guid>
            <pubDate>Wed, 23 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate>
            <description><![CDATA[

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition, ranking as the most common among movement disorders. People living with Parkinson’s disease benefit from the specialised skills and expertise of a dedicated Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders nurse specialist (PDMDNS) (Bramble, Carroll, &amp; Rossiter, 2018). Access to a PD nurse embedded into the local health setting impacts the potential to avoid hospital admissions due to worsening of symptoms, improving quality of life through improved access to specialist services and reducing carer burden (Bramble et al. 2018) The World Health Organisation advocates for the tracking healthcare workforce demographics and distribution trends to ensure equity of health care services and robust economic planning to meet future needs (WHO 2016). This marks the fourth publication in an ongoing annual series examining the longitudinal trends of the PDMDNS workforce in Australia (Williams et al., 2021, 2023).
]]></description>
            <category>ARTICLE</category>
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