Neurodegenerative Disease News and Research

RSS

PLXNA4 gene may increase risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine report variants in a new gene, PLXNA4, which may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The discovery of this novel genetic association may lead to new drug treatment options that target PLXNA4 specifically.

28 Jul 2014

Brain network measures placebo effects in Parkinson's disease patients

Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have utilized a new image-based strategy to identify and measure placebo effects in randomized clinical trials for brain disorders. The findings are published in the August issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

19 Jul 2014

Deadly neurodegenerative disease treated in worms gives hope for humans

An untreatable and deadly neurodegenerative disease has been modelled and treated in worms by University of Liverpool researchers, suggesting a cure could be found for humans.

17 Jul 2014

Sleep problems in PD patients can worsen in later stages of disease

Up to 70% of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients experience sleep problems that negatively impact their quality of life.

11 Jul 2014

Cinnamon can be used to halt disease progression in Parkinson's patients

Neurological scientists at Rush University Medical Center have found that using cinnamon, a common food spice and flavoring material, can reverse the biomechanical, cellular and anatomical changes that occur in the brains of mice with Parkinson's disease (PD).

9 Jul 2014

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in veterans: an interview with Milan Michael Karol, The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins

ALS stands for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the death of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

30 Jun 2014

Increasing clearance of ALS misfolded protein from neurons improves their survival

In work supported by The ALS Association, researchers have shown that increasing the clearance of misfolded protein from neurons improves their survival. The study was published today in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.

30 Jun 2014

American Pain Society, Pain Research Forum provide grant support for PRF's "Papers of the Week"

The American Pain Society announced today it has begun a collaboration with the Pain Research Forum in which APS will provide grant support for PRF's "Papers of the Week" website postings of new papers in pain research, which are published in peer-reviewed journals covering pain, neuroscience and related disciplines.

24 Jun 2014

REM sleep disorder: A sign of impending neurodegenerative disease

How many millions of people suffer from sleep disturbance? One sleep disorder in particular, called REM behavior disorder, could be a sign of impending neurodegenerative disease, including Parkinson's and dementia, say scientists presenting their research at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2014 Annual Meeting.

10 Jun 2014

Late-life depression could become major risk factor for developing Alzheimer's

Many people develop depression in the latest stages of life, but until now doctors had no idea that it could point to a build up of a naturally occurring protein in the brain called beta-amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

10 Jun 2014

Scientists identify new way to reactivate latent HIV

A team of scientists at the Gladstone Institutes has identified a new way to make latent HIV reveal itself, which could help overcome one of the biggest obstacles to finding a cure for HIV infection.

6 Jun 2014

NYU Langone scientists identify promising treatment target for Alzheimer's disease

Scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center have identified a compound, called 2-PMAP, in animal studies that reduced by more than half levels of amyloid proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease.

3 Jun 2014

Biovision provides list of businesses, projects selected for Investor Conference and Catalyzer sessions

Biovision, the annual forum on future-oriented research in life sciences, today announces the list of biotech and medtech companies and projects selected for the Investor Conference and Catalyzer sessions. Awards will be presented during the closing ceremony.

20 May 2014

Pharmaceutical and academic leaders come together to discuss biomarkers in ALS

Leaders from academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and pharmaceutical companies will meet in Cambridge, Mass., on Monday, May 19, to discuss biomarkers in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

19 May 2014

MetLife announces recipients of 2014 MetLife Foundation Awards for Medical Research

MetLife Foundation today announced the recipients of the 2014 MetLife Foundation Awards for Medical Research.

16 May 2014

Salk scientists explore earliest detectable changes in the brain that lead to schizophrenia

Using new stem cell technology, scientists at the Salk Institute have shown that neurons generated from the skin cells of people with schizophrenia behave strangely in early developmental stages, providing a hint as to ways to detect and potentially treat the disease early.

14 May 2014

Melbourne researchers find link between necroptosis and inflammatory disease

A team of Melbourne researchers has shown a recently discovered type of cell death called necroptosis could be the underlying cause of inflammatory disease.

13 May 2014

People with longevity gene have improved brain skills

Scientists showed that people who have a variant of a longevity gene, called KLOTHO, have improved brain skills such as thinking, learning and memory regardless of their age, sex, or whether they have a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

12 May 2014

ImaginAb announces completion of $21M Series B financing

ImaginAb, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company that engineers antibodies into smaller protein formats optimized for in vivo molecular imaging, announced today the completion of a $21M Series B financing of the company, led by Mérieux Développement and syndicated with Novartis Venture Funds, Cycad Group and Nextech Invest.

9 May 2014

Neuron-to-neuron communication plays essential role in development of synapses

A study has shown that a long-overlooked form of neuron-to-neuron communication called miniature neurotransmission plays an essential role in the development of synapses, the regions where nerve impulses are transmitted and received.

8 May 2014