Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

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TSRI scientists find dual inhibitor that attacks two enzymes associated with Parkinson's disease

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have found a compound that could counter Parkinson's disease in two ways at once.

21 Jun 2013

Penn researchers find ALS disease progresses in a stepwise, sequential pattern

The motor neuron disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, progresses in a stepwise, sequential pattern which can be classified into four distinct stages, report pathologists with the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in the Annals of Neurology.

20 Jun 2013

Mannitol could prevent aggregation of toxic proteins in the brain, says Tel Aviv University researcher

Mannitol, a sugar alcohol produced by fungi, bacteria, and algae, is a common component of sugar-free gum and candy. The sweetener is also used in the medical field - it's approved by the FDA as a diuretic to flush out excess fluids and used during surgery as a substance that opens the blood/brain barrier to ease the passage of other drugs.

18 Jun 2013

Researchers uncover DNA damage checkpoint used by cells to monitor oxidatively damaged DNA

In current health lore, antioxidants are all the rage, as "everybody knows" that reducing the amount of "reactive oxygen species" -- cell-damaging molecules that are byproducts of cellular metabolism -- is critical to staying healthy. What everyone doesn't know is that our bodies already have a complex set of processes built into our cells that handle these harmful byproducts of living and repair the damage they cause.

15 Jun 2013

UCSF researchers discover memory-boosting molecule in mice

Memory improved in mice injected with a small, drug-like molecule discovered by UCSF San Francisco researchers studying how cells respond to biological stress.

15 Jun 2013

TAU researcher develops peptide to protect and restore microtubule function

A structure called "the microtubule network" is a crucial part of our nervous system. It acts as a transportation system within nerve cells, carrying essential proteins and enabling cell-to-cell communications. But in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, ALS, and Parkinson's, this network breaks down, hindering motor abilities and cognitive function.

14 Jun 2013

African-Americans have much greater decrease in their sense of smell, study finds

The ability to distinguish between odors declines steadily with age, but a new study shows that African-Americans have a much greater decrease in their sense of smell than Caucasians.

13 Jun 2013

Discovery sheds new light on causes of debilitating diseases and birth defects

Danish researchers have just published findings that explain a previously unknown mechanism used by cells to communicate with one another. The research significantly contributes to understanding why some children are born with malformations and why children and adults may develop life-threatening diseases.

10 Jun 2013

New noninvasive system allows people to control flying robot using only their mind

Researchers in the University of Minnesota's College of Science and Engineering have developed a new noninvasive system that allows people to control a flying robot using only their mind. The study goes far beyond fun and games and has the potential to help people who are paralyzed or have neurodegenerative diseases.

6 Jun 2013

New approach in treating multiple sclerosis

In his article, "Pathoetiology of multiple sclerosis: are we barking up the wrong tree?", Peter K. Stys of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, argues that while the majority of the medical research community currently approaches MS as an autoimmune disease (much like Lupus and Rheumatoid Arthritis), for which the trigger is the immune system attacking a particular part of the nervous system, the features of the disease are equally well explained by approaching MS as a neurodegenerative disease (such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's), which is followed by an immune reaction to damage.

5 Jun 2013

Tel Aviv University researchers find protein modification may help control Alzheimer's and epilepsy

In the brain, cell-to-cell communication is dependent on neurotransmitters, chemicals that aid the transfer of information between neurons. Several proteins have the ability to modify the production of these chemicals by either increasing or decreasing their amount, or promoting or preventing their secretion.

4 Jun 2013

Study: GLT1 protein plays a critical role in cocaine craving

A new study conducted by a team of Indiana University neuroscientists demonstrates that GLT1, a protein that clears glutamate from the brain, plays a critical role in the craving for cocaine that develops after only several days of cocaine use.

3 Jun 2013

Alim Louis Benabid receives 2013 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research

The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) announced that Alim Louis Benabid , MD, PhD, is the recipient of the 2013 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research.

1 Jun 2013

Researchers uncover role of key protein linked to development of cancers

Virginia Commonwealth University researchers studying a key molecular player called Hsp70 that is responsible for protein homeostasis have uncovered how it binds together with another molecule responsible for intracellular energy transfer to enhance its overall activity and efficiency - details that have previously not been well understood.

1 Jun 2013

Protein presenilin plays critical role in controlling neuronal traffic on microtubule highways

Imagine if you could open up your brain and look inside. What you would see is a network of nerve cells called neurons, each with its own internal highway system for transporting essential materials between different parts of the cell.

29 May 2013

Study could open up new possibilities for early diagnosis of motor disorders

The scientists report these findings in the current online edition of "The Lancet Neurology". This pan-European study could open up new possibilities of early diagnosis and smooth the way for treatments which tackle diseases before the patient's nervous system is irreparably damaged.

24 May 2013

Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

TSRI scientists find dual inhibitor that attacks two enzymes associated with Parkinson's disease

Penn researchers find ALS disease progresses in a stepwise, sequential pattern

Mannitol could prevent aggregation of toxic proteins in the brain, says Tel Aviv University researcher

Researchers uncover DNA damage checkpoint used by cells to monitor oxidatively damaged DNA

UCSF researchers discover memory-boosting molecule in mice

TAU researcher develops peptide to protect and restore microtubule function

African-Americans have much greater decrease in their sense of smell, study finds

Discovery sheds new light on causes of debilitating diseases and birth defects

New noninvasive system allows people to control flying robot using only their mind

New approach in treating multiple sclerosis

Tel Aviv University researchers find protein modification may help control Alzheimer's and epilepsy

Study: GLT1 protein plays a critical role in cocaine craving

Alim Louis Benabid receives 2013 Robert A. Pritzker Prize for Leadership in Parkinson's Research

Researchers uncover role of key protein linked to development of cancers

Protein presenilin plays critical role in controlling neuronal traffic on microtubule highways

Study could open up new possibilities for early diagnosis of motor disorders

Researchers pinpoint catalytic trigger for onset of Alzheimer's disease

Northwestern University scientists identify gene important to morning wake-up call

Berlin scientists plan to research on neurodegenerative diseases

Research shows fish oils could minimize effects of junk food on brain

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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