Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

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Basque researchers find new Alzheimer's-related mechanism

Researchers from the University of the Basque Country have found a new Alzheimer's-related mechanism that could give rise to the development of new therapies against this disease. The study was recently published in the Cell Calcium journal, and the authors have already applied for a European patent to protect the commercial exploitation of this new discovery.

20 May 2010

Research team converts astroglia into two main classes of cortical neurons

The research team led by Professor Magdalena Götz of Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) Munich reports a major step forward in discovering a therapy for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's or stroke. The researchers were able to convert glial cells of the brain into two different functional classes of neurons. The findings are published on May 18th in the renowned journal PLoS Biology.

19 May 2010

Vect-Horus accentuates its leadership in delivering drugs to the central nervous system

Vect-Horus is a biotechnology company based on the scientific work of Dr. Michel Khrestchatisky and specializes in the development of peptide and pseudo-peptide-based vector molecules for drug targeting and delivery to the central nervous system (CNS).

18 May 2010

Caffeine normalizes brain function and prevents cognitive decline

Although caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug worldwide, its potential beneficial effect for maintenance of proper brain functioning has only recently begun to be adequately appreciated. Substantial evidence from epidemiological studies and fundamental research in animal models suggests that caffeine may be protective against the cognitive decline seen in dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

18 May 2010

Cortex first-quarter net income increases to $0.08 per share

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported net income of approximately $5,596,000, or $0.08 per share for the quarter ended March 31, 2010 compared with a net loss of $3,168,000, or $0.07 per share for the corresponding prior year period, with the difference reflecting revenues from the Company's March 2010 transaction with Biovail Laboratories International SRL (Biovail).

17 May 2010

Power3 Medical Products files provisional patent applications with USPTO

Power3 Medical Products, Inc. announced today that it has filed two provisional patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) - one on Alzheimer's disease specific differential diagnosis in the clinical setting and the other on important differences in pathophysiology and therapeutic options for the genetically distinct groups of Alzheimer's disease patients.

15 May 2010

A cutting-edge symposium sheds light on the possibilities of molecular neuroimaging

SNM's Molecular Imaging Center of Excellence wrapped up its Molecular Neuroimaging Symposium today in Bethesda, Md., at the Natcher Auditorium of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

10 May 2010

ADDF awards $210,300 to Amicus Therapeutics to evaluate PCs for treating Alzheimer's disease

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation announced today that it has awarded a grant of $210,300 to Amicus Therapeutics (Cranbury, NJ) to evaluate small-molecule, orally delivered pharmacological chaperone compounds as a novel approach for treating Alzheimer's disease.

7 May 2010

Neurons' complicated tree-like structure formation unravelled

A breakthrough about the formation and maintenance of tree-like nerve cell structures could have future applications in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the repair of injuries in which neurons are damaged. The findings by the international team led by Prof. Benjamin Podbilewicz of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Faculty of Biology are published in the May 6th issue of Science Express.

7 May 2010

NWO awards 31 grants in Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 31 grants in the Investment Subsidy NWO Medium programme for the acquisition of equipment, the setting up of data collections and the production of software and bibliographies. The total investment amounts to 10 million euro.

30 Apr 2010

MU researcher develops test to pinpoint neurological origins of dysphagia

Muscle degeneration and confinement to a wheelchair are the hallmarks of Lou Gehrig's disease, Parkinson's, muscular dystrophy and other neurodegenerative diseases. One of the silent, and most serious, symptoms of these diseases is losing the ability to swallow.

29 Apr 2010

Cellular IPOD plays role in prion biology

Cells take advantage of a biologically ancient compartment to sequester prions, an action that can initially prevent the prions’ phenotypic expression, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. While in this compartment, less heritable prion plaques mature to a more transmissible state.

27 Apr 2010

Structure of Amyloid fibers surprises researchers

The Atomic Force Microscope depicts on its screen the few nanometer thick and few micrometer long fibers as white flexible sticks, crisscrossing the surface on which they are deposited. The very peculiar property of these proteins lies in fact that they can self assemble into complex ribbon-like twisted fibers.

19 Apr 2010

Repligen expects total revenue of $21.0M for fiscal year 2010

Repligen Corporation today announced preliminary financial results for fiscal year 2010 which ended March 31, 2010. Total revenue for the year is expected to be $21.0 million, including $10.3 million of bioprocessing product revenue and $10.7 million of royalty and other revenue. Research and development expenses are expected to be between $13.8-$14.2 million and selling, general and administrative expenses between $6.8-$7.2 million.

16 Apr 2010

EU Joint Programming initiative to tackle neurodegenerative diseases

Leading researchers from across Europe will gather today in Stockholm to develop a European-wide research strategy to tackle neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease.

15 Apr 2010

Role of beta defensins in development of chronic inflammatory response in the brain

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and School of Medicine will look for evidence within the brain for human beta defensin peptide function-proteins important to the peripheral body's natural defense system against infection from the outside environment.

8 Apr 2010

ADDF, AFTD announce recipients of Frontotemporal Dementia Drug Discovery Program award

The Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) and the Association for Frontotemporal Dementias (AFTD) announced today the recipients of their third annual research award, Frontotemporal Dementia Drug Discovery Program. The goal of the program is to accelerate the development of novel therapies for frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The program will provide a total of $1,200,000 in research grants over four years.

8 Apr 2010

Defective protein responsible for SCA5 disease cuts synaptic terminals and snarls traffic inside neurons

The neurodegenerative disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5) damages nerve cells in two ways. University of Minnesota researchers now report that the defective protein responsible for the disease cuts the number of synaptic terminals and snarls traffic inside neurons.

7 Apr 2010

ExonHit Therapeutics obtains "Innovative Company" accreditation

ExonHit Therapeutics today announced that it has obtained the "Innovative Company" accreditation from OSEO (the French state innovation agency), in recognition of the company's cutting-edge innovations in its target sectors.

6 Apr 2010

Molecular mechanism behind mutation in calcium channel protein linked with night blindness

Congenital stationary night blindness, an inherited condition that affects one's ability to see in the dark, is caused by a mutation in a calcium channel protein that shuttles calcium into and out of cells. Now, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have teased apart the molecular mechanism behind this mutation, uncovering a more general principle of how cells control calcium levels.

2 Apr 2010