Neurodegenerative Disease News and Research

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Researchers shed light on basis of Parkinson’s disease and other ‘synucleinopathies’

Parkinson's disease (PD) and other "synucleinopathies" are known to be linked to the misfolding of alpha-synuclein protein in neurons.

27 Jan 2017

Researchers explore how eye muscles retain mobility in ALS patients

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects all voluntary muscles in the body leading to paralysis and breathing difficulties.

26 Jan 2017

Faults in natural waste disposal system may play key role in neurodegenerative diseases

A fault with the natural waste disposal system that helps to keep our brain cell 'batteries' healthy may contribute to neurodegenerative disease, a new study has found.

25 Jan 2017

Researchers find new way to quantify olfactory sensory neurons using PET radiotracer

Olfactory health - how well we are able to smell - is a reliable marker of the health of the brain, but the "smell identification tests" commonly used in studies of olfactory health do not offer a complete picture of what is happening.

24 Jan 2017

Researchers explore ins and outs of genome sequencing in newborns

When you have a baby, a nurse or a phlebotomist performs a heel stick to take a few drops of blood from your infant and sends it off to a state lab for a battery of tests.

19 Jan 2017

New ‘5-D fingerprint’ technique could precisely measure properties of individual protein molecules

In research that could one day lead to advances against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, University of Michigan engineering researchers have demonstrated a technique for precisely measuring the properties of individual protein molecules floating in a liquid.

18 Jan 2017

Diminishing levels of GABA may play role in age-related cognitive decline

Diminishing levels of GABA, the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, may play a role in cognitive decline as we age, according to a study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging.

17 Jan 2017

New drug delivery system by Renishaw hopes to aid Parkinson’s treatment

Renishaw’s novel drug delivery system, to be used in partnership with Herantis Pharma Plc’s drug candidate CDNF for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, is about to enter phase 1-2 clinical trials. The study will be supported by a €6 million grant from Horizon 2020, the European Union’s Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.

From Renishaw plc - Spectroscopy 12 Jan 2017

Orphan Disease Center establishes new initiative that focuses on ALS

The Orphan Disease Center in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has established a new Program of Excellence for Motor Neuron Disease.

10 Jan 2017

Penn study finds evidence of AD neuropathology in post-mortem brains of LBD patients

Patients who had a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) with dementia (PDD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and had higher levels of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology in their donated post-mortem brains also had more severe symptoms of these Lewy body diseases (LBD) during their lives, compared to those whose brains had less AD pathology, according to research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

6 Jan 2017

Scientists discover OGDHL and NRD1 genes linked to progressive loss of neurological function

An international team of scientists has discovered that the gene, OGDHL, a key protein required for normal function of the mitochondria -- the energy-producing factory of the cell -- and its chaperone, nardilysin (NRD1) are linked to progressive loss of neurological function in humans.

22 Dec 2016

A Chain of Life for a Rare Neurodegenerative Disease

Researchers in Japan have improved a potential treatment for a rare genetic disease, decreasing its negative toxic effects by threading it onto a dumb-bell-shaped chain and holding it in place until it reaches its target.

22 Dec 2016

Scientists identify potential drug treatment in fight against Alzheimer’s disease

An international team of scientists has announced a new advance in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease by identifying a new drug target for not only improving symptoms of brain degeneration – but also to extend the life-span of the terminally ill mice.

21 Dec 2016

Scientists detail structure of molecule implicated in Alzheimer's disease

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have detailed the structure of a molecule that has been implicated in Alzheimer's disease.

21 Dec 2016

New study may shed light on diseases associated with mutations in aminoacyl tRNA synthetases

New research led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute reveals that a human enzyme has changed little from its days as a bacterial enzyme. In fact, the enzyme appears to be unique in its ability to change its shape—and its job in cells—without overhauling its basic architecture.

14 Dec 2016

Novel machine learning approach could help predict dementia risk in cognitively healthy older people

A machine learning method analyzing large amounts of health information has potential in assessing the risk of cognitively healthy older people for later dementia, according to research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. The new risk assessment tool also presents the individual risk profile in a quickly interpretable visual form.

8 Dec 2016

Bone density could be one of early indicators of brain degeneration in Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at NEOMED have just identified a major connection between areas of the brainstem - the ancient area that controls mood, sleep and metabolism - and detrimental changes to bone in a preclinical model of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

1 Dec 2016

Symptom trends may help predict recovery of patients suffering from post-concussion syndrome

Researchers at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre's Canadian Concussion Centre have identified symptom trends that may not only help predict how soon patients suffering from post-concussion syndrome (PCS) will recover, but also provide insight on how to treat those who experience persistent concussion symptoms.

30 Nov 2016

HD is myopathy as well as neurodegenerative disease, study suggests

Researchers have discovered that mice with Huntington's disease (HD) suffer defects in muscle maturation that may explain some symptoms of the disorder.

29 Nov 2016

Johns Hopkins researchers find evidence of brain injury in young NFL players

In a small study of young or recently retired NFL players, researchers at Johns Hopkins report finding evidence of brain injury and repair that is visible on imaging from the players compared to a control group of men without a history of concussion.