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UT Southwestern researchers uncover core function of gene involved in Fragile X syndrome

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered how the genetic mutation that causes Fragile X syndrome, the most common form of inherited mental retardation, interferes with the "pruning" of nerve connections in the brain. Their findings appear in the April 29 issue of Neuron.

10 May 2010

Majority of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience multi-symptom pain disorders

Dr. Gallagher further noted the VA's pain care challenge is magnified by a 90 percent injury survivor rate from these conflicts compared with only 40 percent in the Vietnam War. VA clinicians are now challenged to manage pain in blast survivors with one or several other consequences of blast, such as head injuries causing mild to severe TBI, physical disfigurement and social stigma, emotional trauma, and often post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

10 May 2010

Fragile X syndrome iPS cells and embryonic stem cells behave differently: Study

In the last three years, a new technique for reprogramming adult cells has given scientists an easier and less controversial way to harness the power of embryonic-like stem cells to study human disease from its earliest beginnings in hopes of gleaning new insights into the root causes of disease and developing new therapies.

7 May 2010

High resolution ultrasound can be used to evaluate patients with foot drop: Study

High resolution ultrasound should be the imaging test of choice when evaluating patients with foot drop (an inability or difficulty in moving the ankle and toes causing uncontrolled slapping of the foot while taking a step), according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

7 May 2010

Inadvertent reprogramming of genes in peripheral nervous system may cause chronic pain

Chronic pain severely limits patients' quality of life and is among the cost drivers in U.S. health care. Patients can suffer pain without an apparent cause and often fail to respond to available treatments. Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators now report that chronic pain may be caused by the inadvertent reprogramming of more than 2,000 genes in the peripheral nervous system. The research findings appear in the current issue of the journal Genome Research.

7 May 2010

Study highlights benefits of using endometrial stem cells to restore functioning of brain cells

Stem cells derived from the endometrium (uterine lining) and transplanted into the brains of laboratory mice with Parkinson's disease appear to restore functioning of brain cells damaged by the disease, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

7 May 2010

Neurons' complicated tree-like structure formation unravelled

A breakthrough about the formation and maintenance of tree-like nerve cell structures could have future applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the repair of injuries in which neurons are damaged. The findings by the international team led by Prof. Benjamin Podbilewicz of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Faculty of Biology are published in the May 6th issue of Science Express.

7 May 2010

Survey reveals low awareness of postherpetic neuralgia amongst Americans

The American Pain Foundation (APF) announced today at the American Pain Society (APS) Annual Meeting the results of a national survey that showed postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), also known as after-shingles pain, continues to be a condition with low awareness amongst Americans, demonstrating a need for health care provider (HCP) intervention.

7 May 2010

Preoperative MRI helps spare erectile function, continence after RALP for prostate cancer

Preoperative prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help urologic surgeons spare the neurovascular bundle (NVB) (which controls a man's erectile function and continence) during a robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for the treatment of prostate cancer, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

7 May 2010

Advances in genetic research could help develop personalized pain medications

In the not too distant future, it may be possible to discern an individual's genetic predisposition to chronic pain conditions and treat them proactively to prevent lifetime afflictions, according to research presented today at the American Pain Society's (www.ampainsoc.org) annual scientific meeting.

7 May 2010

Neuroscientists show how individual neurons carry significant aspects of sensory processing

Pioneering a novel microscopy method, neuroscientist Arthur Konnerth and colleagues from the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have shown that individual neurons carry out significant aspects of sensory processing: specifically, in this case, determining which direction an object in the field of view is moving.

7 May 2010

Mouse study may lead to new therapies for Parkinson's disease

Endometrial stem cells injected into the brains of mice with a laboratory-induced form of Parkinson's disease appeared to take over the functioning of brain cells eradicated by the disease.

7 May 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

PTNS performed using Urgent PC Neuromodulation System to receive category 1 CPT reimbursement code

Uroplasty, Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative proprietary products to treat voiding dysfunctions, announced today that it has been informed that percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), the procedure performed using the Uroplasty Urgent PC Neuromodulation System, will receive a category 1 CPT reimbursement code. This is expected to occur when those codes are published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is expected in October 2010.

6 May 2010

Two Cardiff University academics elected Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Two Cardiff University academics, both leaders in different aspects of neuroscience research, have received one of the leading honours in medical science.

6 May 2010

Southeast Pain Care offers non-addictive alternatives to pain relief

The untimely death of Michael Jackson has brought the issue of pain medication addiction to the forefront of American media recently. The good news for people suffering with pain is that there are several non-addictive alternatives to pain relief.

6 May 2010

Dark chocolate may protect brain after stroke by increasing cellular signals: Researchers

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that a compound in dark chocolate may protect the brain after a stroke by increasing cellular signals already known to shield nerve cells from damage.

6 May 2010

Research may promote better diagnosis and treatment for glaucoma

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, tends to progress silently until decreased vision indicates trouble, said Dr. Kathryn Bollinger, Medical College of Georgia clinician-scientist specializing in glaucoma.

6 May 2010

Researchers discover link between sporadic and familial forms of ALS

Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered a link between sporadic and familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

6 May 2010

Scientists use specialized fluorescent protein to study nerve cell activity

Electrical currents are invisible to the naked eye - at least they are when they flow through metal cables. In nerve cells, however, scientists are able to make electrical signals visible. Working with fellow experts from Switzerland and Japan, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg successfully used a specialized fluorescent protein to visualize electrical activity in neurons of living mice.

6 May 2010

Nerve News and Research

UT Southwestern researchers uncover core function of gene involved in Fragile X syndrome

Majority of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience multi-symptom pain disorders

Fragile X syndrome iPS cells and embryonic stem cells behave differently: Study

High resolution ultrasound can be used to evaluate patients with foot drop: Study

Inadvertent reprogramming of genes in peripheral nervous system may cause chronic pain

Study highlights benefits of using endometrial stem cells to restore functioning of brain cells

Neurons' complicated tree-like structure formation unravelled

Survey reveals low awareness of postherpetic neuralgia amongst Americans

Preoperative MRI helps spare erectile function, continence after RALP for prostate cancer

Advances in genetic research could help develop personalized pain medications

Neuroscientists show how individual neurons carry significant aspects of sensory processing

Mouse study may lead to new therapies for Parkinson's disease

Neuroscientists investigate alcohol dependency, withdrawal in C. elegans worms

PTNS performed using Urgent PC Neuromodulation System to receive category 1 CPT reimbursement code

Two Cardiff University academics elected Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences

Southeast Pain Care offers non-addictive alternatives to pain relief

Dark chocolate may protect brain after stroke by increasing cellular signals: Researchers

Research may promote better diagnosis and treatment for glaucoma

Researchers discover link between sporadic and familial forms of ALS

Scientists use specialized fluorescent protein to study nerve cell activity

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

How microplastics and bacteria interact to drive antibiotic resistance

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