Neural Stem Cells News and Research

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Finding has implications for understanding cognitive decline in degenerative diseases

New research suggests that certain types of brain cells may be "picky eaters," seeming to prefer one specific energy source over others. The finding has implications for understanding the cognitive decline seen in aging and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.

8 May 2014

Researchers coax human embryonic stem cells to turn into working spinal cord cells

The sponginess of the environment where human embryonic stem cells are growing affects the type of specialized cells they eventually become, a University of Michigan study shows.

16 Apr 2014

Genetically modified neural stem cells offer potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease

UC Irvine neurobiologists have found that genetically modified neural stem cells show positive results when transplanted into the brains of mice with the symptoms and pathology of Alzheimer's disease. The pre-clinical trial is published in the journal Stem Cells Research and Therapy, and the approach has been shown to work in two different mouse models.

16 Apr 2014

Abnormal levels of lipid molecules can trigger autism during prenatal brain development

In a groundbreaking York University study, researchers have found that abnormal levels of lipid molecules in the brain can affect the interaction between two key neural pathways in early prenatal brain development, which can trigger autism.

9 Apr 2014

Researchers investigate how gene regulation affects evolution and development

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has received EUR 900,000 for three years to investigate, jointly with the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), how gene regulation affects evolution and development.

3 Apr 2014

Neuralstem announces results from Phase I trial using NSI-566 spinal cord stem cells in treatment of ALS

Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE MKT: CUR) announced that the final results from the Phase I safety trial using NSI-566 spinal cord stem cells in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) were published in the peer-reviewed journal, "Annals of Neurology".

18 Mar 2014

Duke-NUS researchers shed light on process that inhibits tumor development

A team of researchers from Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School have discovered a protein complex that disrupts the process known as dedifferentiation, known to promote tumor development.

13 Mar 2014

Chronic stress generates long-term changes in brain that lead to mental problems

University of California, Berkeley, researchers have shown that chronic stress generates long-term changes in the brain that may explain why people suffering chronic stress are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life.

12 Feb 2014

UC Irvine researchers receive $1.54M for stem cell research

Two UC Irvine research teams will receive $1.54 million to further studies on the fundamental structure and function of stem cells. Their work will aid efforts to treat and cure a range of ailments, from cancer to neurological diseases and injuries.

31 Jan 2014

Neuroscientist, researchers receive Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science

The Vilcek Foundation is pleased to name Thomas M. Jessell as the winner of the 2014 Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. Awarded annually, the Vilcek Prizes honor the contributions of immigrants to the American arts and sciences, and include $100,000 cash awards.

30 Jan 2014

Childhood brain cancer (ETMR/ETANTR): an interview with Dr. Nada Jabado, Department of Pediatrics at McGill University

Embryonal tumours with multilayered rosettes (ETMR) are rare, deadly brain tumours that affect mainly children below the age of 4 years. There are 300 cases reported but probably there are many more as this tumour is often misdiagnosed.

21 Jan 2014

RNA sequencing unlocks bipolar secrets

An RNA sequencing study of patients with bipolar disorder has shown altered expression of genes and transcripts, including those involved in neuroplasticity and circadian rhythms.

16 Jan 2014

Cell transplantation, gene therapy combination to open new therapeutic avenues for Alzheimer's disease

In a recent study published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No. 33, 2013), Prof. Feng Li and team from Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University in China, synthesized a 19-nt oligonucleotide targeting BACE1, the key enzyme in amyloid beta protein (Aβ) production, and introduced it into the pSilenCircle vector to construct a short hairpin (shRNA) expression plasmid against the BACE1 gene.

24 Dec 2013

Research: Human neural stem cells could improve blood flow in critical limb ischemia

New research has shown human neural stem cells could improve blood flow in critical limb ischemia through the growth of new vessels. Critical limb ischemia is a disease that severely obstructs arteries and reduces the blood flow to legs and feet. CLI remains an unmet clinical problem and with an ageing population and the rise in type II diabetes, the incidence of CLI is expected to increase.

27 Nov 2013

Buyang Huanwu Decoction regulates neural stem cell behavior in ischemic brain

The traditional Chinese medicine Buyang Huanwu Decoction has been shown to improve the neurological function of patients with stroke.

7 Nov 2013

Study suggests neural stem cells have tendency for malignant transformation

Although it is believed that glioma is derived from brain tumor stem cells, the source and molecular signal pathways of these cells are still unclear.

30 Oct 2013

Study highlights new treatment options for neurodevelopmental disorders like TSC

Clemson University scientists are working to determine how neurons are generated, which is vital to providing treatment for neurological disorders like Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC).

23 Oct 2013

Researchers suggest new view of how stem cells may help repair brain following trauma

University of South Florida researchers have suggested a new view of how stem cells may help repair the brain following trauma. In a series of preclinical experiments, they report that transplanted cells appear to build a "biobridge" that links an uninjured brain site where new neural stem cells are born with the damaged region of the brain.

4 Oct 2013

Stem cell therapy improves radiation-induced cognitive impairment

Patients receiving cranial irradiation treatment for brain cancer may find the treatment life-saving, but often suffer progressive and debilitating cognitive detriments, including spatial learning and memory deficits. The cognitive deficits are a contributing factor to the often significant adverse impacts on the surviving patients' quality of life after radiation therapy. In an effort to improve post-irradiation cognitive impairment, scientists at the University of California, Irvine, and colleagues at Neuralstem, Inc. (Rockville, MD), have transplanted fetal stem cells into laboratory animals with radiation-induced cognitive impairments and found that this led to a number of cognitive improvements.

23 Aug 2013

Neural stem cells transplantation in tumor-bearing rats can hinder tumor cell growth

Neural stem cells transplanted into tumor-bearing rats can hinder tumor cell growth and prolife-ration; however, the mechanism remains unclear.

14 Aug 2013