Pathophysiology News and Research

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Over-expression of heme oxygenase-1 enzyme protects the heart from doxorubicin damage

Life-threatening heart damage is an adverse side effect of the cancer drug doxorubicin, damage that also limits the use of newer chemotherapeutic agents such as trastuzumab and imatinib. The ability to protect the heart from these side effects would benefit patients, including cancer survivors who are at risk of developing heart damage years later, and it also could allow safer use of these drugs at higher doses.

26 Feb 2016

Understanding the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder

Advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition and analyses over the last two decades have enabled the identification of neuroanatomical abnormalities in a range of mental disorders, however one question which has consistently surfaced is the extent to which the medications used to treat such disorders may accentuate or ameliorate these abnormalities.

17 Feb 2016

Novel non-invasive method of vagus nerve stimulation reduces depressive symptoms

Researchers of a new study published in the current issue of Biological Psychiatry report successful reduction of depressive symptoms in patients using a novel non-invasive method of vagus nerve stimulation, or VNS.

5 Feb 2016

Height affects risk of major non-communicable diseases

Height is largely genetically determined, but in recent decades the height of children and adults has steadily increased throughout the world: In adulthood the children are almost always significantly taller than their parents.

3 Feb 2016

Oxeia accelerating development of neurometabolic treatments for concussions

Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, is catalyzing the development of first-in-class neurometabolic treatments for concussions and other aspects of brain injury.

21 Jan 2016

GBI Research says COPD therapeutics pipeline lacks innovation

Analysis from business intelligence provider GBI Research - Frontier Pharma: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - Identifying and Commercializing First-in-Class Innovation - states that while currently-available drugs aim to manage the frequency and severity of symptoms associated with COPD, none have been shown to modify long-term disease progression.

19 Jan 2016

Researchers link idiopathic congenital nystagmus to a defect in neurocomputation

Botond Roska and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research implicate a clearly defined neuron type and its circuit in the retina in the pathophysiology of idiopathic congenital nystagmus.

6 Jan 2016

Concussion expert shares important information on sports-related concussions

The Sports Concussion Program in the Children's Orthopaedic Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles is the only pediatric program of its kind in Southern California.

26 Dec 2015

NEJM publishes results of Cosentyx Phase III studies in ankylosing spondylitis

Novartis announced today that the results of the MEASURE 1 and MEASURE 2 Phase III studies for Cosentyx® (secukinumab) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). These pivotal studies demonstrated significant clinical improvements with Cosentyx versus placebo in reducing the signs and symptoms of active AS – a long-term, painful and debilitating inflammation of the spine.

24 Dec 2015

Benjamin Wolozin receives $500,000 award in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Research

Research that leads to improved therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is one goal of Boston University School of Medicine professor of pharmacology and neurology Benjamin Wolozin, MD, PhD. He was one of six researchers awarded a two-year, $500,000 award in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Discovery Research by the Edward N. & Della L. Thome Memorial Foundation.

22 Dec 2015

Bile acid may help treat fatty liver disease and obesity

A bile acid that can turn off a receptor in the gut has prevented and reversed fatty liver disease in mice, according to an international team of researchers. The compound may help treat certain metabolic disorders, such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity, as well.

16 Dec 2015

New CRC aims to better understand autophagy at molecular and cellular level

The German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft/DFG) has approved 11 M € for the next four years for establishing a CRC on selective autophagy under the lead of Goethe University. Autophagy literally means "self-eating" and refers to a sophisticated system in which cellular waste is specifically detected and removed.

12 Dec 2015

Findings may lead to new treatment strategy for phobia

A new study published in the latest issue of Biological Psychiatry reports the successful and instant reduction of fear in spider-fearful participants following a 2-minute exposure combined with a single dose of a regular pharmacological treatment.

11 Dec 2015

New drug therapies that target glutamate pathway may be effective for subgroups of patient with schizophrenia

Mounting evidence indicates that disturbances in the brain's glutamate pathway contribute to symptoms of schizophrenia. Thus, the glutamate pathway has become the target of a number of new drug therapies. Findings published in the journal Biological Psychiatry suggest that at least one of these drugs may be an effective treatment for individuals in the early course of the illness.

9 Dec 2015

Treatment with antiplatelet therapy does not reduce pain crises in children with sickle cell disease

Treatment with the antiplatelet agent prasugrel does not significantly reduce the rate of pain crises or severe lung complications in children with sickle cell disease, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine describing one of the largest and most geographically diverse international clinical trials on sickle cell disease to date.

9 Dec 2015

New drug screening method may predict treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma

A personalized method for testing the effectiveness of drugs that treat multiple myeloma may predict quickly and more accurately the best treatments for individual patients with the bone marrow cancer. The process, developed by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, also may aid patients with leukemia or lymphoma.

21 Nov 2015

Olfactory testing uses extended to Alzheimer’s disease

A simple olfactory test may help to identify people at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease dementia, suggest findings from a population-based study.

20 Nov 2015

Boston Children's Hospital selects Vijay G. Sankaran to receive Rising Star Award

Saluting his spectacular track record to date of innovative research on red blood cell disorders and his future promise as a physician/scientist, Boston Children's Hospital has selected Vijay G. Sankaran, MD, PhD, of Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center to receive the Rising Star Award at the hospital's third annual Global Pediatric Innovation Summit, Taking on Tomorrow (#PedInno15).

11 Nov 2015

Anavex reports safety and efficacy data of ANAVEX 2-73 Phase 2a trial in Alzheimer’s patients

On Saturday, investigators presented positive safety and cognitive efficacy data for ANAVEX 2-73, the Company’s lead investigational oral treatment for Alzheimer’s disease targeting sigma-1 and muscarinic receptors, which are believed to reduce protein misfolding including reduction of beta amyloid, tau protein and inflammation at the international CTAD 2015 conference in Barcelona, Spain.