Myelin News and Research

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Myelin is the fatty substance that covers and protects nerves.

Low-oxygen exposure shortly after birth may increase learning and behavioral disorder risks

New research published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, shows that the development of white matter in the mouse brains is delayed when they are exposed to chronic low oxygen levels shortly after birth.

7 Jan 2016

Novoron Bioscience receives NIH grant to study novel therapeutic approach for multiple sclerosis

Novoron Bioscience, Inc., a private biotech company dedicated to developing new therapeutics for disorders of the central nervous system, today announced that the company has been awarded a National Institutes of Health grant under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program.

22 Dec 2015

Study: Brain cell death may trigger multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) may be triggered by the death of brain cells that make myelin, the insulation around nerve fibers, according to research on a novel mouse model developed by scientists from the University of Chicago and Northwestern Medicine. The death of these cells initiates an autoimmune response against myelin, the main characteristic of the disease, which leads to MS-like symptoms in mice.

14 Dec 2015

Sex differences in the brain may provide clues to why certain forms of autism more common in males

Many early-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, are more common in males than females. The origin of this gender bias is not understood, partially due to a major gap in research on sex differences regarding how the brain typically develops.

11 Dec 2015

Taking estriol along with conventional medications helps RRMS patients avoid relapses

Taking the pregnancy hormone estriol along with their conventional medications helped patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) avoid relapses, according to results of a Phase II randomized, placebo-controlled study led by UCLA researchers.

1 Dec 2015

UF Health researcher finds simple way to treat immune-related disorder in mice

A University of Florida Health researcher has found a simple, rapid way to treat an immune-related disorder in mice, an approach that could eventually help multiple sclerosis patients after further research.

25 Nov 2015

Study shows promise for developing targeted treatments for multiple sclerosis

Modern scientific understanding has considered multiple sclerosis (MS) to be a disease controlled by the T cell, a type of white blood cell. Research has shown that in MS, T cells inappropriately attack myelin, the protective layer of fat covering nerves in the central nervous system, exposing them to damage.

23 Oct 2015

Single drop of blood in the brain can activate autoimmune response akin to multiple sclerosis

A new study from the Gladstone Institutes shows that a single drop of blood in the brain is sufficient to activate an autoimmune response akin to multiple sclerosis (MS). This is the first demonstration that introduction of blood in the healthy brain is sufficient to cause peripheral immune cells to enter the brain, which then go on to cause brain damage.

12 Oct 2015

Experimental drug shows promise in mice with multiple sclerosis

An experimental drug originally identified in a National Cancer Institute library of chemical compounds as a potential therapy for brain and basal cell cancers improves the symptoms of mice with a form of the debilitating neurological disorder multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research from NYU Langone Medical Center.

1 Oct 2015

Researchers develop new method to capture how brain cells interact

Interactions between brain cells hold the key to healthy brain function and cognition, but many of those interactions are notoriously difficult to study.

21 Sep 2015

Researchers reveal molecular mechanism that controls remyelination

Researchers in Japan have revealed the molecular mechanism involved in the process of repair to damage of the myelin sheath. In vertebrates, axons extending from nerve cells are covered by insulating sheets called the myelin sheath, made with the cell membranes of oligodendrocytes, enabling fast electrical signaling through saltatory conduction.

4 Sep 2015

Cryoport to support future clinical trials for Opexa's personalized T-cell immunotherapy programs for MS, NMO

Cryoport, Inc., the leading provider of advanced cryogenic logistics solutions for the life sciences industry, today announced that its validated cryogenic logistics solution will support future clinical trials for Opexa Therapeutics' lead personalized T-cell immunotherapy programs for Multiple Sclerosis ("MS") and Neuromyelitis Optica ("NMO").

27 Aug 2015

NFIX protein drives NSC differentiation toward oligodendrocytes

An international team of researchers has shown that NFIX, a protein that regulates neuronal stem cell activity (NSC), also has a role in driving NSC differentiation toward oligodendrocytes, a type of glial cell. These cells produce the myelin that surrounds and protects neurons.

7 Aug 2015

UAB researchers find therapeutic target for treatment of acute spinal cord injuries

UAB researchers have identified a therapeutic target for the treatment of acute spinal cord injuries. According to this research, conducted on mice, the administration of a drug that prevents loss of myelin - the insulating sheath around nerve fibres that allows signals to be transmitted - increases the mobility of the mice after an injury.

15 Jul 2015

New research may explain why youngsters' recovery times vary widely after traumatic brain injury

Why do some youngsters bounce back quickly from a traumatic brain injury, while others suffer devastating side effects for years? New UCLA/USC research suggests that damage to the fatty sheaths around the brain's nerve fibers--not injury severity-- may explain the difference. Published in the July 15 edition of the Journal of Neuroscience, the finding identifies possible biomarkers that physicians could use to predict higher-risk patients who require closer monitoring.

15 Jul 2015

International research team identifies new gene associated with 4H leukodystrophy

Leukodystrophies are deadly neurodegenerative diseases that affect one in 7,000 children and remain incurable. These genetic diseases attack myelin or the "insulating rubber sheath" surrounding neurons, which leads to deteriorating health for affected children.

9 Jul 2015

Wayne State University awarded grant to explore new MS pathology model

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has provided a grant to a Wayne State University School of Medicine professor to explore a new model of MS pathology.

2 Jul 2015

Long-acting injectable antipsychotic medication benefits people with schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, which affects 2 million to 3 million people in the U.S., causes hallucinations, delusions and disorganization. Left untreated, the disease can cause a significant loss in quality of life, including unemployment and estrangement from loved ones. But many people with schizophrenia can control the disorder and live without symptoms for several years if they consistently take prescribed antipsychotic medication, typically a daily pill.

25 Jun 2015

Biotin benefits ‘clinically relevant’ in progressive multiple sclerosis

Patients with progressive multiple sclerosis and their clinicians see clear improvements during treatment with a high dose of biotin, show further results from the phase III trial of the therapy.

22 Jun 2015

MedDay announces additional positive results from MD1003 Phase III trial in patients with progressive MS

MedDay, a biotechnology company focused on the treatment of nervous system disorders, reports additional positive data from its pivotal Phase III clinical trial, MS-SPI, with MD1003, a highly-concentrated pharmaceutical grade biotin, in patients with Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

19 Jun 2015