Encephalopathy News and Research

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Study identifies small loop in human prion protein that resists chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) — an infectious disease caused by prions — affects North American elk and deer, but has not been observed in humans. Using a mouse model that expresses an altered form of the normal human prion protein, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have determined why the human proteins aren't corrupted when exposed to the elk prions.

24 Feb 2015

Virginia Tech biochemists identify potential drug target against sleeping sickness

Virginia Tech biochemists are trying to deliver a stern wake-up call to the parasite that causes sleeping sickness.

24 Feb 2015

TSRI scientists discover novel mechanism involved in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have for the first time discovered a killing mechanism that could underpin a range of the most intractable neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and ALS.

16 Feb 2015

'Mad Cow' discovery points to possible neuron killing mechanism behind alzheimer’s and parkinson’s diseases

The new study, published recently in the journal Brain, revealed the mechanism of toxicity of a misfolded form of the protein that underlies prion diseases, such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy (“mad cow disease”) and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

13 Feb 2015

Use of STAN in addition to usual monitoring does not improve perinatal outcomes

In a study to be presented on Feb. 5 in an oral plenary session at 8 a.m. PST, at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting™, in San Diego, researchers will report that use of the ST segment (STAN) as an adjunct to conventional intrapartum electronic fetal heart rate monitoring did not improve perinatal outcomes or decrease operative deliveries in hospitals in the United States.

9 Feb 2015

Groundbreaking study reveals potential dangers of ice hockey for young athletes

James Hudziak, M.D., has two children who love ice hockey. His son skates for his college team and one of his daughters plays in high school.

9 Feb 2015

Kaleo, CHMI partner to reduce prescription drug-related deaths

Kaleo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, today announced a national strategic partnership with the Clinton Health Matters Initiative, an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, that will help support its goal of cutting prescription drug-related deaths in half, saving approximately 10,000 lives over five years.

27 Jan 2015

Scrapie pathogens can convert human prion protein to a pathological state

INRA scientists have shown for the first time that the pathogens responsible for scrapie in small ruminants (prions) have the potential to convert the human prion protein from a healthy state to a pathological state. In mice models reproducing the human species barrier, this prion induces a disease similar to Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

24 Dec 2014

Deeper cooling does not reduce NICU death among newborns with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

Among full-term newborns with moderate or severe hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (damage to cells in the central nervous system from inadequate oxygen), receiving deeper or longer duration cooling did not reduce risk of neonatal intensive care unit death, compared to usual care, according to a study in the December 24/31 issue of JAMA.

24 Dec 2014

First successful vaccination of deer against chronic wasting disease

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and elsewhere say that a vaccination they have developed to fight a brain-based, wasting syndrome among deer and other animals may hold promise on two additional fronts: Protecting U.S. livestock from contracting the disease, and preventing similar brain infections in humans.

23 Dec 2014

Lilly receives FDA approval for CYRAMZA (ramucirumab)

Eli Lilly and Company has received its third U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for CYRAMZA (ramucirumab).

16 Dec 2014

Bayer, DNDi sign first agreement to develop new oral treatment for onchocerciasis

Bayer HealthCare and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) have signed an agreement under which Bayer will provide the active ingredient emodepside to support DNDi in its effort to develop a new oral drug to treat river blindness (or onchocerciasis). The world's second leading infectious cause of blindness, river blindness is a neglected tropical disease caused by a filarial worm.

10 Dec 2014

Amgen announces new data from BLINCYTO Phase 2 study for treatment of patients with ALL

Amgen today announced that new data from a pivotal Phase 2 study evaluating BLINCYTO (blinatumomab) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was presented at the 56th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition.

9 Dec 2014

Study provides insights into genetic underpinnings of childhood epilepsies

Technological advances in genetic analysis have uncovered changes in single genes that account for a surprising number of infantile and early-childhood epilepsies. Though some of the affected genes have been identified, the physical manifestations of these alterations remain largely uncharacterized.

7 Dec 2014

UB researchers explore link between behavioral symptoms and chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Aggression, violence, depression, suicide. Media reports routinely link these behavioral symptoms with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the neurodegenerative brain disease, in former football players.

5 Dec 2014

AGA's journals highlight important updates into treatments for cirrhosis, NAFLD

Cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are two serious liver conditions with limited pharmacological treatments. The December issues of AGA's journals -- Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Gastroenterology -- highlight important updates into treatments for these two debilitating diseases.

23 Nov 2014

Researchers discover new genetic cause of rare, complex form of epilepsy

A research team led by scientists at the Scripps Translational Science Institute has used whole genome sequencing to identify a new genetic cause of a severe, rare and complex form of epilepsy that becomes evident in early childhood and can lead to early death.

7 Nov 2014

D-LIVER project aims to help patients with chronic liver disease

A European ICT for Health project aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease, by developing a remote support system to monitor their condition at home.

6 Nov 2014

FDA approves CYRAMZA in combination with paclitaxel for advanced adenocarcinoma

Eli Lilly and Company announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved CYRAMZA (ramucirumab) in combination with paclitaxel (a type of chemotherapy) as a treatment for people with advanced or metastatic gastric (stomach) or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma whose cancer has progressed on or after prior fluoropyrimidine- or platinum-containing chemotherapy.

5 Nov 2014

Common drug could become the future standard of care for HE patients

A common drug used to clean a person's bowels before a colonoscopy could become the future standard of care for patients with acute hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a mental disorientation problem that affects up to one in two cirrhosis patients.

4 Nov 2014