Neurodegenerative Disorder News and Research

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Research: New target for treating Huntington's and Parkinson's disease

Research from Western University (London, Canada) has revealed a possible new target for treating movement disorders such as Huntington's disease (HD) and Parkinson's disease. Stephen Ferguson, PhD, a scientist at Western's Robarts Research Institute, and Fabiola Ribeiro, PhD, of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil found a definite improvement in motor behaviors in a HD mouse model when one of the major neurotransmitters in the brain, called Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 5 (mGluR5) was deleted.

9 Jan 2014

Research: Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease might be transmitted by blood transfusion

Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare but fatal disease in humans. For the first time, the presence of infectivity[1] in the blood of patients affected by sporadic and the new variant of CJD was established by scientists from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the French National Veterinary School (ENVT), in collaboration with European partners.

12 Dec 2013

Exercise program improves symptoms of depression in patients with Parkinson's disease

A new study by a movement disorder neurologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center found that depression improved among patients with Parkinson's disease who participated in a long-term group exercise program.

10 Dec 2013

Scientists identify enzyme that could lead to better treatment of Alzheimer's disease

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified an enzyme that can halt or possibly even reverse the build-up of toxic protein fragments known as plaques in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. The research appeared in a recent edition of the scientific journal Nature Communications.

3 Dec 2013

Mutation in alpha-synuclein gene causes increased vulnerability to pesticides, leading to Parkinson's

A team of researchers has brought new clarity to the picture of how gene-environmental interactions can kill nerve cells that make dopamine. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that sends messages to the part of the brain that controls movement and coordination.

27 Nov 2013

Biochemical signal in blood is associated with faster-progressing form of Parkinson's

The physical decline experienced by Parkinson's disease patients eventually leads to disability and a lower quality of life. Depending on the individual, the disorder can progress rapidly or slowly.

25 Nov 2013

Rugby star partners with researchers to tackle motor neurone disease

A World Cup winning rugby star is joining forces with leading researchers in a new partnership to tackle motor neurone disease (MND).

15 Nov 2013

Researchers use new approach to parse roles of key mutated protein that causes familial AD

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have used genetic engineering of human induced pluripotent stem cells to specifically and precisely parse the roles of a key mutated protein in causing familial Alzheimer's disease, discovering that simple loss-of-function does not contribute to the inherited form of the neurodegenerative disorder.

15 Nov 2013

Researchers study link between vision loss and Alzheimer's disease

An international team of researchers studying the link between vision loss and Alzheimer's disease report that the loss of a particular layer of retinal cells not previously investigated may reveal the disease's presence and provide a new way to track disease progression.

14 Nov 2013

Whitehead Institute scientists identify novel Parkinson's disease drug target

Using a discovery platform whose components range from yeast cells to human stem cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have identified a novel Parkinson's disease drug target and a compound capable of repairing neurons derived from Parkinson's patients.

25 Oct 2013

Study: Depression in Parkinson's patients may reflect impaired striatal dopamine function

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, up to 60% of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit mild to moderate depression, which is often underdiagnosed.

11 Oct 2013

Depression in Parkinson's disease people associated with reduced dopamine synthesis capacity

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, up to 60% of individuals with Parkinson's disease exhibit mild to moderate depression, which is often underdiagnosed. It is unclear whether depression results from having a debilitating disease or reflects a parallel abnormal change in the brain caused by PD pathophysiology.

11 Oct 2013

Cholinergic degeneration marks gait speed in Parkinson’s patients

Gait speed is preserved in patients with Parkinson’s disease who have isolated dopaminergic denervation, but reduced in those with comorbid cholinergic denervation, research shows.

10 Oct 2013

Three Penn Medicine researchers awarded grants for neuromuscular disease research

The Muscular Dystrophy Association has awarded research grants totaling over $1,000,000 to three Penn Medicine researchers: James Shorter, PhD, associate professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics; Hansell Stedman, MD, associate professor of Surgery; and Lee Sweeney, PhD, director of the Center for Orphan Disease Research and Therapy.

9 Oct 2013

Study discovers biomarker that helps doctors to accurately diagnose Parkinson's at earlier stage

Although Parkinson's disease is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S., there are no standard clinical tests available to identify this widespread condition.

8 Oct 2013

Omeros' OMS824 gets FDA orphan drug designation for treatment of Huntington's disease

Omeros Corporation announced that OMS824, its phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitor, has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Huntington's disease.

30 Sep 2013

Epigenetic changes appear to be candidates as early stage biomarkers for Parkinson

Parkinson disease, a neurodegenerative disorder in which both genetic and environmental factors play important roles, has been associated with epigenetic changes (those molecular modifications that alter the behavior of genes without changing the DNA sequence).

26 Sep 2013

Omeros announces initiation of enrollment in OMS824 Phase 2 trial for schizophrenia

Omeros Corporation today announced initiation of enrollment in a Phase 2 clinical trial of OMS824, the company's phosphodiesterase 10 inhibitor. The trial will evaluate the compound's tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics, potential interactions with concomitant antipsychotic medications, and a battery of cognitive tests in patients with stable schizophrenia.

19 Sep 2013

Omeros announces positive data from OMS824 Phase 1 clinical trial

Omeros Corporation today announced positive data from the Company's Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics of OMS824, the lead compound in Omeros' phosphodiesterase 10 program, further supporting that OMS824 can achieve superior target engagement with lesser side effects compared to other PDE10 inhibitors in development.

12 Sep 2013

GLNT integrates video conferencing technology into Kinesia HomeView for Parkinson’s disease patients

Great Lakes NeuroTechnologies announced today they are launching commercialization and clinical studies to expand their telemedicine technology, Kinesia HomeView, for individuals with Parkinson’s disease by adding real-time video conferencing.

7 Sep 2013