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Susceptibility to schizophrenia and autism may have common genetic fingerprints, says researchers

Johns Hopkins scientists report having used a commercially available drug to successfully "rescue" animal brain cells that they had intentionally damaged by manipulating a newly discovered gene that links susceptibility genes for schizophrenia and autism.

28 Oct 2009

UCSF receives $6.5 million gift from philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs of La Jolla

Philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs of La Jolla, CA are giving a $6.5 million gift to UCSF for head and neck cancer research. It is believed to be the largest private, U.S. gift for research supporting this disease.

28 Oct 2009

Discovery of AVM can relieve pain due to chronic back pain and neurologic deficits

The discovery of a multi-level arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the thoracic epidural space can now bring relief to potentially thousands of suffers of chronic thoracic pain and progressive myelopothy. Identified as thoracic epidural arteriovenous malformation (T.E.A.M.), this particular AMV primarily affects younger women ages 20 to 40.

27 Oct 2009

HealthCore study shows Metanx tablets reduces health plan costs

Diabetic patients diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy had lower medical costs and reduced use of anticonvulsant medications when treated with a folate-enriched prescription medical food, according to data presented today at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research 12th Annual European Congress.

27 Oct 2009

Study links abnormalities in the white matter of the brain with schizophrenia

A new study by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King's College London has discovered abnormalities in the white matter of the brain that seem to be critical for the timing of schizophrenia. The study, led by Professor Phillip McGuire and Dr Sophia Frangou, has been published in this month's edition of the British Journal of Psychiatry.

26 Oct 2009

Cephalon, BDC sign option agreement

Cephalon, Inc. and BioAssets Development Corporation (BDC), a privately held biopharmaceutical company, today announced that the companies have signed an agreement that will provide Cephalon with an option to acquire BDC.

26 Oct 2009

EMG and NCS reports performed by 'non-prequalified' physicians are found to be unreliable

In a recent study of workers’ compensation injury cases, Electromyography (EMG) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCSs), which were performed by physicians who were not evaluated and pre-determined to meet a certain level of quality, were discovered to be highly unreliable.

26 Oct 2009

Enzyme Mst3b is essential for regenerating damaged axons in live animal model, say researchers

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston report that an enzyme known as Mst3b, previously identified in their lab, is essential for regenerating damaged axons (nerve fibers) in a live animal model, in both the peripheral and central nervous systems.

26 Oct 2009

Persistent postoperative pain related to surgical and patient specific factors

Most patients believe following their surgery, they will experience relief from the pain and complications faced before entering the operating room. However, for five to ten percent of patients, recovery does not bring relief, but persistent postoperative pain that can affect daily activities more than six months after surgery.

26 Oct 2009

Surgery offers hope for migraine sufferers

In newly released research, 79 migraine sufferers were followed for at least five years after having undergone detection of migraine "trigger sites" and surgery. The new data finds promising outcomes for treating trigger sites surgically for migraine headaches resulting in elimination of pain for those afflicted with the condition.

26 Oct 2009

APC enzyme may be effective for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A chemical cousin of a drug currently used to treat sepsis dramatically slows the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, in mice. The results offer a bit of good news in efforts to develop a therapy to stop or slow the progression of a disease that generally kills its victims within just a few years.

26 Oct 2009

Orthovita to present comparative study data of its Cortoss product to polymethylmethacrylate

Orthovita, Inc., an orthobiologics and biosurgery company, is pleased to announce that Dr. Pierce D. Nunley, Director of the Spine Institute of Louisiana, will present his abstract, “A Comparison of Clinical Outcomes and Adjacent Level Fractures in Patients Receiving Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures Using CortossTM or PMMA: A Prospective, Randomized Trial,” at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).

24 Oct 2009

Neuros Medical announces $1.8 million series A round of investment

Neuros Medical, Inc., a medical device company developing innovative neurostimulation technology for the treatment of chronic pain, announced today a $1.8 million series A round of investment, led by the North Coast Angel Fund (NCAF), which was joined in the investment by Glengary LLC, Ohio Tech Angel Fund, Queen City Angels First Fund III, and individual investors. This round follows the initial investment made earlier in the year from JumpStart Ventures and Case Technology Ventures.

24 Oct 2009

Modified NAGA: New enzyme for enzyme replacement therapy

A new study uses a creative structure-based remodeling strategy to design a therapeutic protein that exhibits significant advantages over currently available treatments for a rare disease that often leads to cardiac and renal failure. The research, published by Cell Press on October 22nd in the American Journal of Human Genetics, describes a new and highly promising candidate for enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for Fabry disease.

23 Oct 2009

Scientists demonstrate how second set of cells carry signals from the inner ear to the brain

Deep in the ear, 95 percent of the cells that shuttle sound to the brain are big, boisterous neurons that, to date, have explained most of what scientists know about how hearing works. Whether a rare, whisper-small second set of cells also carry signals from the inner ear to the brain and have a real role in processing sound has been a matter of debate.

23 Oct 2009

University researchers inject 'nanowires' in rat brains

The biological safety of nanotechnology, in other words, how the body reacts to nanoparticles, is a hot topic. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have managed for the first time to carry out successful experiments involving the injection of so-called 'nanowires.'

23 Oct 2009

FDA extends Acorda Therapeutics' Fampridine-SR PDUFA goal date

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the PDUFA goal date for its review of the New Drug Application (NDA) for Fampridine-SR to January 22, 2010. The original Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) date for this priority review application was October 22, 2009.

22 Oct 2009

Scientists explore new molecular insights for treating anxiety disorders

There are increasingly precise molecular insights into ways that stress exposure leads to fear and through which fear extinction resolves these fear states. Extinction is generally regarded as new inhibitory learning, but where the inhibition originates from remains to be determined.

22 Oct 2009

Electronic eye implant mimics human retina; restores partial vision

A 50-year-old New York woman who was diagnosed with a progressive blinding disease at age 13 was implanted with an experimental electronic eye implant that has partially restored her vision. A team led by Dr. Lucian V. Del Priore at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center performed the June 26 surgery -- the first case of its kind in New York.

22 Oct 2009

NIH awards $3.7 million to Johns Hopkins scientists for research on stem cells developed from ALS patients' skin

Johns Hopkins scientists have been awarded a $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to learn more about the nerve and muscle-wasting disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using stem cells developed from ALS patients' skin. The award, given over a two-year span, will be shared with three other laboratories, including one at Harvard University and two at Columbia University.

22 Oct 2009

Nerve News and Research

Susceptibility to schizophrenia and autism may have common genetic fingerprints, says researchers

UCSF receives $6.5 million gift from philanthropists Irwin and Joan Jacobs of La Jolla

Discovery of AVM can relieve pain due to chronic back pain and neurologic deficits

HealthCore study shows Metanx tablets reduces health plan costs

Study links abnormalities in the white matter of the brain with schizophrenia

Cephalon, BDC sign option agreement

EMG and NCS reports performed by 'non-prequalified' physicians are found to be unreliable

Enzyme Mst3b is essential for regenerating damaged axons in live animal model, say researchers

Persistent postoperative pain related to surgical and patient specific factors

Surgery offers hope for migraine sufferers

APC enzyme may be effective for treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Orthovita to present comparative study data of its Cortoss product to polymethylmethacrylate

Neuros Medical announces $1.8 million series A round of investment

Modified NAGA: New enzyme for enzyme replacement therapy

Scientists demonstrate how second set of cells carry signals from the inner ear to the brain

University researchers inject 'nanowires' in rat brains

FDA extends Acorda Therapeutics' Fampridine-SR PDUFA goal date

Scientists explore new molecular insights for treating anxiety disorders

Electronic eye implant mimics human retina; restores partial vision

NIH awards $3.7 million to Johns Hopkins scientists for research on stem cells developed from ALS patients' skin

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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