Neurological Disease News and Research

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Raptor initiates dosing in DR Cysteamine Phase 2 clinical trial for Huntington's Disease

Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp., today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 2 clinical trial of DR Cysteamine for the potential treatment of Huntington's Disease. The Phase 2 clinical trial is being conducted under a previously announced collaboration agreement with The Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers ("CHU d'Angers"), which has commenced enrolling patients at eight clinical sites throughout France.

8 Nov 2010

Scientists identify events that causes AD progression

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Neurological Disease (GIND) have offered new information about the events that underlie the "spread" of Alzheimer's disease (AD) throughout the brain.

4 Nov 2010

FDA new approvals, antibiotic and neurological drugs

Two new drugs have gained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – one is an antibiotic from Forest Labs and the other a first-time treatment for a neurological disorder developed by Avanir Pharmaceuticals. Another waiting for approval is Biodel's fast-acting insulin Linjeta. On the other hand seven new drugs got rejected including a diabetes drug from Amylin Pharmaceuticals and weight-loss drugs from Arena Pharmaceuticals and Vivus, respectively.

31 Oct 2010

FDA approves NUEDEXTA capsules for pseudobulbar affect

AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved NUEDEXTA (dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate) capsules, as the first treatment for pseudobulbar affect.

30 Oct 2010

Pledge to reduce antipsychotic use in dementia sufferers

A new coalition of 44 organizations called the Dementia Action Alliance, has called for a cut in the use of anti-psychotic drugs for patients with dementia. The coalition includes Alzheimer's Research Trust, Alzheimer's Society, BUPA, Dementia UK, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of General Practitioners and Stroke Association.

26 Oct 2010

Stereotactic radiation effective for trigeminal neuralgia

Stereotactic radiation is an effective, long-term treatment for trigeminal neuralgia: a painful condition that occurs with increased frequency in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Radiation is noninvasive and has less negative side effects than other treatments, according to the longest follow-up in a study of its kind presented October 31, 2010, at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

26 Oct 2010

Eye-gaze technology opens world of communication for Rett Syndrome children

Special eye-gaze technology now being used in the Department of Neurology at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) is revealing the hidden, inner world of children who have Rett Syndrome, a rare and severe autism spectrum disorder that primarily affects little girls. It is a neurological disease in which mobility and autonomic functions are severely impaired, seizures and orthopedic problems are common, and the children lose functional hand use and the ability to speak.

26 Oct 2010

Alzheimer’s risk raised 157% with smoking: Study

A Kaiser Permanente study reported this Monday that heavy smoking in midlife more than doubles the odds of developing Alzheimer's disease. This study is one of the first of its kind to examine the long-term consequences of heavy smoking on Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia explained the study's principal investigator, Rachel Whitmer, a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. The research is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

25 Oct 2010

A new way of seeing the world

Scientists at The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro, McGill University have discovered that our brains have the ability to determine the shape of an object simply by processing specially-coded sounds, without any visual or tactile input. Not only does this new research tell us about the plasticity of the brain and how it perceives the world around us, it also provides important new possibilities for aiding those who are blind or with impaired vision.

20 Oct 2010

ApoE4 protein causes GABAergic interneuron loss, learning and memory deficits

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an extremely complicated disease. Several proteins seem to be involved in its cause and progression. For example, the lipid-transport protein apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) is the major genetic risk factor for AD, and apoE4 carriers account for 65% of all Alzheimer's cases, but exactly how apoE4 contributes to the disease is unclear.

14 Oct 2010

'Achilles heel' for HCV infection

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology (GIVI) have found that an enzyme associated with the storage of fat in the liver is required for the infectious activity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This discovery may offer a new strategy for treating the infection.

11 Oct 2010

Two-day symposium marks an extraordinary decade for Brown Institute for Brain Science

Just as intense concentration allows a sharp mind to perform at its peak, a research institute that concentrates pre-eminent scientists from 11 academic departments can push back the frontiers of knowledge in a complex research area: the human brain.

8 Oct 2010

Parkinson’s disease pathology breakthrough

Researchers have found that brain cells of people with early Parkinson's disease have damaged powerhouses. In a new study they have identified 10 groups of gene sets related to the energy production problems in the brain cells of these people.

8 Oct 2010

New reference material to standardize gene therapy protocols in clinical trials

The introduction of a new, fully characterized viral vector for use as reference material to help standardize gene therapy protocols in research applications and human clinical trials is described in an article in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The article, which is published online ahead of print, is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/hum

7 Oct 2010

Researchers reveal ways to halt Rett Syndrome

In a study published today in the Journal, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, an international team of researchers based in the U.S. and UK revealed that they were able to halt the potentially lethal, breath holding episodes associated with the neurological disease Rett syndrome.

5 Oct 2010

Second pathway to brain’s memory function uncovered

Australian and US scientists have successfully identified a new mechanism by which the brain learns and stores memories. This could spell hope for brain injuries and diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

4 Oct 2010

NIH awards three grants to explore novel treatment strategies for muscular dystrophy

Three grants totaling more than $4.5 million, from agencies of the National Institutes of Health, will be used to explore novel treatment strategies for muscular dystrophy.

30 Sep 2010

Memantine enhances language and communication skills in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Memantine enhances language and communication skills in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a valuable contribution for patient independence and quality of life for both the patient and the family/caregivers. These are the findings discussed at the 14th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS).

30 Sep 2010

NEUROKIN accentuates its leadership in the treatment of acute neurological diseases

Bbiotechnology company NEUROKIN, dedicated to the development of neuroprotective drugs to treat acute neurological diseases, announces today that the European Patent Office (EPO) has granted patent EP 1998778 protecting the use of NK-102, its most advanced drug candidate. This first European award constitutes an important milestone for NEUROKIN. An application for registration is under way in Brazil, Canada, China, USA and Japan.

29 Sep 2010

NINDS establishes new sites as part of Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, has established two new sites as part of the Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research. The NINDS grants will provide a five-year investment totaling more than $16 million for Emory University in Atlanta and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y.

29 Sep 2010