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Genetic signals determine neurotransmitter use for communication

Cascades of genetic signals determine which neurotransmitter a brain cell will ultimately use to communicate with other cells. Now a pair of reports from biologists at the University of California, San Diego, have shown for the first time that electrical activity in these developing neurons can alter their chemical fate-and change an animal's behavior-by tweaking this genetic program.

29 Jul 2010

Inhibition of MMPs can offer therapeutic benefit in Huntington's disease: Study

A new study reveals that an enzyme linked with multiple disorders is also involved in the generation of toxic, neuron-killing protein fragments in Huntington's disease (HD). The research, published by Cell Press in the July 29 issue of Neuron, provides insight into Huntington's pathology and proposes new therapeutic strategies for this devastating incurable disease.

29 Jul 2010

Major breakthrough in Alzheimer's disease research

Researchers from the University of Sydney's Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Laboratory have achieved a major breakthrough by finding the causes of Alzheimer's disease at a cellular level and thereby identifying a potential therapy as a result.

23 Jul 2010

Protein parkin essential for hypothalamic neurons recovery in Parkinson's disease patients

A Michigan State University researcher is working to uncover how a protein known as parkin may help nerve cells fight off damage from Parkinson's disease, a strategy that could lead to new therapies for the degenerative ailment.

23 Jul 2010

Brain neuron activity can signal initiation, termination of behavioural sequences: Study

Rui Costa, Principal Investigator of the Champalimaud Neuroscience Programme at the Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, and Xin Jin, of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, describe in the latest issue of the journal Nature, that the activity of certain neurons in the brain can signal the initiation and termination of behavioural sequences we learn anew. Furthermore, they found that this brain activity is essential for learning and executing novel action sequences, many times compromised in patients suffering from disorders such as Parkinson's or Huntington's.

22 Jul 2010

Mental exercises may help reverse age-related cognitive decline

Specialized brain training targeted at the regions of a rat's brain that process sound reversed many aspects of normal, age-related cognitive decline and improved the health of the brain cells, according to a new study from researchers at University of California, San Francisco.

21 Jul 2010

Winston Laboratories receives NOC for CIVANEX

Winston Laboratories, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Winston Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel pain management therapies, announced that it has received Notice of Compliance from the Therapeutics Drug Directorate, Health Canada for its New Drug Submission for CIVANEX (zucapsaicin cream 0.075%) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis.

20 Jul 2010

Penn researchers reverse cognitive decline in fruit flies with Alzheimer's gene mutation

Investigators have found that fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) males -- in which the activity of an Alzheimer's disease protein is reduced by 50 percent -- show impairments in learning and memory as they age. What's more, the researchers were able to prevent the age-related deficits by treating the flies with drugs such as lithium, or by genetic manipulations that reduced nerve-cell signaling.

16 Jul 2010

Columbia scientists discover new way to alleviate chronic pain

Columbia scientists working to combat injury-related depression, substance abuse and suicide due to unremitting, persistent pain may have discovered a new way of treating that pain: a powerful analgesic dubbed N60 that leads to neither tolerance nor addiction.

16 Jul 2010

Noscira presents results of Nypta Phase IIa clinical trial for AD at ICAD 2010

Noscira, the Grupo Zeltia (ZEL.MC) subsidiary specialized in researching and developing drugs for treating neurodegenerative diseases, presented the results of a Phase IIa clinical trial of Nypta(R) (Tideglusib) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD), held in Honolulu (Hawaii) from July 10-15, 2010.

16 Jul 2010

Intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells help blind mice 'see'

It would make the perfect question for the popular television show "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader:" What parts of the eye allow us to see?

15 Jul 2010

New research studies presented at Alzheimer's Association International Conference

The primary therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease has been the beta amyloid peptide, which clusters outside cells in the brain to form sticky clumps known as plaques. Recently, more attention has been given to the tau protein, which aggregates inside the brain cells of people with Alzheimer's, forming neurofibrillary tangles. Precisely how these proteins interact in causing the disease is unclear.

14 Jul 2010

CSHL scientists reverse symptoms of Type III SMA using ASOs

The devastating, currently incurable motor-neuron disease spinal muscular atrophy might soon be treated with tiny, chemically modified pieces of RNA called antisense oligonucleotides.

13 Jul 2010

Japanese scientists identify long-elusive enzyme necessary for proper regulation of cilia

It's safe to say that cilia, the hairlike appendages jutting out from the smooth surfaces of most mammalian cells, have long been misunderstood - underestimated, even.

8 Jul 2010

Patent issued for jellyfish protein for therapeutic application

Quincy Bioscience, a research-based biotechnology company, announced the issuance of United States patent No.7,671,015. The patent covers the use of aequorin-containing compounds for the purpose of preventing and alleviating symptoms and disorders related to calcium imbalance.

7 Jul 2010

Winston submits NDA for CIVANEX to U.S. FDA

Winston Laboratories, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Winston Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel pain management therapies, announced that it has submitted a new drug application (NDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval to market its civamide (zucapsaicin) 0.075% cream, CIVANEX®, for the treatment of signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee.

7 Jul 2010

Phase Ia clinical trial of SYL040012 for treating elevated intraocular pressure, glaucoma completed

Sylentis, a biopharmaceutical subsidiary of Grupo Zeltia and a pioneer in the research and development of new drugs based on gene silencing (interference RNA, RNAi), has completed Phase Ia of its first clinical trial with SYL040012 in the form of ophthalmic drops to treat elevated intraocular pressure and glaucoma.

7 Jul 2010

ERA-Net NEURON names winners of 2009 Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists

ERA-Net NEURON, an initiative of the European Commission aimed at advancing transnational European research in the field of disease-related neuroscience, announced today the winners of the Excellent Paper in Neuroscience award for young scientists for the year 2009.

6 Jul 2010

Brain is intrinsically unreliable, says new research

Next time your brain plays tricks on you, you have an excuse: according to new research by UCL scientists published today in the journal Nature, the brain is intrinsically unreliable.

1 Jul 2010

Researchers study mechanism of human brain

Because of its intricate organization, figuring out the wiring diagram that explains how the billions of neurons in the brain are connected, and determining how they work together, remains a formidable task.

29 Jun 2010