Neuropeptide News and Research

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Breakthrough research offers hope for new obesity treatment

By knocking down the expression of a protein in rat brains known to stimulate eating, Johns Hopkins researchers say they not only reduced the animals' calorie intake and weight, but also transformed their fat into a type that burns off more energy. The finding could lead to better obesity treatments for humans, the scientists report.

4 May 2011

Neuropeptide ghrelin impacts alcoholism, binge-eating and sugar consumption

The substance ghrelin plays an important role in various addictions, such as alcoholism and binge-eating. It also impacts on sugar consumption, which is due, in part, to genetic factors, reveals new research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

5 Apr 2011

Study identifies genetic variation linked with increased risk of major depression

Numerous studies have shown that the brain molecule neuropeptide Y (NPY) helps to restore calm after stressful events. A team of University of Michigan-led researchers has now found that people whose genes predispose them to produce lower levels of NPY are more responsive to negative stimuli in key brain circuits related to emotion - and are therefore less resilient in the face of stress and may be at higher risk for developing a major depressive disorder.

8 Feb 2011

International scientist team identifies gene mutation strongly linked to schizophrenia

In a major advance for schizophrenia research, an international team of scientists, led by Jonathan Sebat, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, has identified a gene mutation strongly linked to the brain disorder - and a signaling pathway that may be treatable with existing compounds.

3 Feb 2011

Gestational diabetes raises risk of diabetes and weight problems in babies: Study

The latest Australian research suggests that women who have diabetes during pregnancy – also known as gestational diabetes, are more likely to have children who will battle diabetes and weight problems through their lives. The research is published in the journal Diabetologia, now online.

27 Jan 2011

Neuropeptide S protein boosts memory

UC Irvine researchers have identified a novel mechanism in the brain that boosts memory.

15 Dec 2010

Research on spatial memories may lead to potential treatments for addiction and obesity

A researcher from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta has discovered a mechanism underlying some forms of obesity and addictions which could lead to a treatment for both diseases.

5 Oct 2010

Increasing levels of neuropeptide Y, receptors can counteract seizures: Research

Research in recent years has shown that the brain tries to counteract seizures. One of the ways it does this is by increasing levels of a protein-like molecule called neuropeptide Y and the expression of certain receptors for it.

25 Aug 2010

POA releases consensus statement on CIRS-WDB

Policyholders of America released a consensus statement written by treating physicians and researchers in the field on the mechanism and treatment of illness found in people sickened by exposure to water-damaged buildings. This illness has been the subject of heated debate that has resulted in harsh allegations being lobbed at patients by experts hired by industry to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the illness.

28 Jul 2010

Merck's MK-4305 improves overall sleep efficiency in primary insomnia patients

Clinical results from a Phase IIb study showed that MK-4305, Merck's investigational dual orexin receptor antagonist, was significantly more effective than placebo (p<0.005) in improving overall sleep efficiency at night one and at the end of week four in patients with primary insomnia. MK-4305 was generally well-tolerated in the study. Orexins are neuropeptides (chemical messengers) that are released by specialized neurons in the hypothalamus region of the brain and are believed to be an important regulator of the brain's sleep-wake process.

9 Jun 2010

Neuroscientists investigate alcohol dependency, withdrawal in C. elegans worms

Drinking alcohol over a long period of time profoundly affects the brain, which adapts to the intoxicant and causes withdrawal symptoms when consumption stops.

6 May 2010

Oxytocin enhances ability to experience fellow-feeling

48 healthy males participated in the experiment. Half received an oxytocin nose spray at the start of the experiment, the other half a placebo. The researchers then showed their test subjects photos of emotionally charged situations in the form of a crying child, a girl hugging her cat, and a grieving man. The test subjects were then invited to express the depth of feeling they experienced for the persons shown.

30 Apr 2010

Hidden neuronal circuit that modulates sensory perception under stress identified

Did you ever wonder how you are able to perform complex tasks - even under stress? And how do emotions and memories mould your ability to live your everyday lives? The answer is just beginning to be understood and lies in hidden circuits in the brain.

19 Apr 2010

Neurologix receives US PTO Notice of Allowance concerning treatment approach for epilepsy

Neurologix, Inc. today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for intellectual property central to the company’s approach to the treatment of epilepsy. The patent allowance specifically refers to Neurologix’s patent application, “Methods and Compositions for the Treatment of Neurological Disease,” which covers the treatment of seizures associated with temporal lobe epilepsy by direct administration into the brain’s temporal lobe of an AAV vector encoding Neuropeptide Y (NPY).

15 Mar 2010

AOSSM and RTI Biologics award $250,000 grant for ligament and tendon repair and regeneration research

Dr. Robert C. Bray of the University of Calgary was recently selected as the winner of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) $250,000 Ligament and Tendon Repair and Regeneration Grant for his project, "Biological Augmentation of Ligament and Tendon Healing: Role of Neuropeptides."

25 Feb 2010

PsychoGenics announces alliance with experimental neuropharmacology expert for specialized microdialysis services

PsychoGenics Inc. today announced the establishment of an exclusive alliance with Dr. Jan Kehr, an internationally recognized expert in experimental neuropharmacology, to provide specialized microdialysis services to complement PsychoGenics’ in vivo testing capabilities.

19 Feb 2010

WellWorld Science officially launches Livea in the U.S.

After more than 30 years of research and an extensive open-label weight loss study, WellWorld Science® announces the official U.S. launch of Livea®, a doctor-developed, non-prescription, patent-pending appetite-control supplement that is unlike any other dietary supplement on the market.

27 Jan 2010

Findings may provide new insights into diabetes; suggest novel targets for drug intervention

The neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) makes cameo appearances throughout the body, but its leading role is as the opening act in the stress response, jump-starting the process along the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that CRF also plays a part in the pancreas, where it increases insulin secretion and promotes the division of the insulin-producing beta cells.

22 Jan 2010

Thomas S. Kilduff named a Fellow of the AAAS

SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development institute, announced today that Thomas S. Kilduff, Ph.D., director of SRI International's Center for Neuroscience, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).