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MOH approves BrainStorm's NurOwn stem cell therapy for Phase I/II clinical trial

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, today announced that the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH) has granted clearance for a Phase I/II clinical trial using the company's autologous NurOwn stem cell therapy in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

11 Oct 2010

University of Missouri creates National Botanical Research Center with $7.5M NIH grant

Americans spend $25 billion a year on dietary supplement products such as herbs and other botanicals. While the Nutrition Business Journal forecasts that sales of botanical dietary supplements will increase by about 19 percent over the next five years, scientists still don't know the precise properties that make certain plants helpful or harmful to humans. Now, with a new $7.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, University of Missouri researchers have created a National Botanical Research Center to answer these questions.

11 Oct 2010

Discovery can lead to new approach for treating MS in early stages

A deficiency in one of the immune system's enzymes affects the severity of autoimmune diseases such as MS, and explains why the course of these diseases can vary so much. New findings give an insight into how this enzyme deficiency can be diagnosed, and could lead to new medicines, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy.

11 Oct 2010

Some herbal remedies for anxiety disorders effective

Two herbal remedies from passion flower extract and kava have shown to be effective in alleviating anxiety say scientists. The results came from an analysis of 24 studies involving more than 2,000 participants which also showed that combinations of the amino acids L-lysine and L-arginine may be useful anxiety remedies.

10 Oct 2010

Researchers reveal neural responses associated with empathy for others' pain

Witnessing a person from our own group or an outsider suffer pain causes neural responses in two very different regions of the brain. And, the specific region activated reveals whether or not we will help the person in need. Researchers at the University of Zurich studied the brain responses of soccer fans and now have neurobiological evidence for why we are most willing to help members of our own group.

8 Oct 2010

Study finds boosting mitochondria may delay onset of Parkinson's disease

In a study that sheds new light on the causes of Parkinson's disease, researchers report that brain cells in Parkinson's patients abandon their energy-producing machinery, the mitochondria. A shutdown in fuel can have devastating effects on brain cells, which consume roughly 20 percent of the body's energy despite making up only 2 percent of body weight.

8 Oct 2010

Two-day symposium marks an extraordinary decade for Brown Institute for Brain Science

Just as intense concentration allows a sharp mind to perform at its peak, a research institute that concentrates pre-eminent scientists from 11 academic departments can push back the frontiers of knowledge in a complex research area: the human brain.

8 Oct 2010

AstraZeneca provides free medicines to patients at Primary Care Center Pharmacy in Sacramento

AstraZeneca announced today that it is providing medicines at no cost to qualifying patients at the Primary Care Center Pharmacy in Sacramento, California.

7 Oct 2010

Cortex secures patent rights for combined use of AMPAKINE and mGluR5 compounds for Fragile X syndrome treatment

Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the rights to a published patent application entitled, "Pharmacological Modulation of Positive AMPA Receptor Modulator Effects on Neurotrophin Expression", has been licensed exclusively to Cortex from the University of California.

7 Oct 2010

New video PSA may help raise donation for brain research

In its continuing fight to end brain disorders, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation is turning entries submitted to the 2010 Neuro Film Festival into its latest video public service announcement about the need for donations for more research into curing brain disorders.

7 Oct 2010

Herbal supplements can treat anxiety disorders

A systematic review of research into the use of nutritional supplements for the treatment of anxiety disorders has found strong evidence for the use of extracts of passionflower or kava and combinations of L-lysine and L-arginine. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access Nutrition Journal pooled the results of 24 studies involving a total of more than 2000 participants, showing that some nutritional and herbal supplements can be effective, without the risk of serious side effects.

7 Oct 2010

Lumosity.com launches Italian version of cognitive training service

Lumosity.com, the leading online provider of games that improve brain performance, announced today the launch of an Italian version of their cognitive training service -- i.lumosity.com/it. The translation of the site into Italian was sponsored by Abbott Laboratories. Abbott also sponsored hundreds of memberships to make the Lumosity.com cognitive training program available to doctors and patients throughout Italy in an effort to raise awareness about the cognitive deficits associated with HIV/AIDS.

6 Oct 2010

NBF's Brilliance in Bipolar Initiative receives Congressman Kennedy's endorsement

Congressman Patrick Kennedy, a long-time advocate for people living with mental illness, and Marc Kullman, co-founder of the National Bipolar Foundation, joined efforts to help reduce the stigma associated with bipolar disorder. The Brilliance in Bipolar Initiative is a national and collaborative effort to draw attention to and develop a better understanding of bipolar disorder.

6 Oct 2010

New hope for patients with brain injury

New neuroscience research by life scientists from UCLA and Australia may potentially help people who have lost their ability to remember due to brain injury or disease.

6 Oct 2010

Study may lend insight about hallucination mechanism in schizophrenia

Scripps Research Institute scientists have shown for the first time that the neurotransmitter serotonin uses a specialized signaling pathway to mediate biological functions that are distinct from the signaling pathways used by hallucinogenic substances. The new findings could have a profound effect on the development of new therapies for a number of disorders, including schizophrenia and depression.

6 Oct 2010

Elsevier launches new version of BrainNavigator online research tool

Elsevier, the leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced a new version of its online research tool BrainNavigator.

6 Oct 2010

Watson seeks FDA approval to market rasagiline mesylate tablets

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that its subsidiary, Watson Laboratories, Inc., filed an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval to market rasagiline mesylate 0.5 and 1.0 mg tablets.

6 Oct 2010

IDMC recommends early termination of Phase 3 intramuscular depot aripiprazole trial

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (OPC) and Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) announced today that an independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) has recommended the early termination of its Phase 3, 52-week, placebo-controlled, intramuscular depot aripiprazole trial.

6 Oct 2010

Scientists use directed light to cause arrhythmia in genetically modified mice

Scientists at the University of Bonn have altered cardiac muscle cells to make them controllable with light. They were thus able to use directed light to cause conditions such as arrhythmia in genetically modified mice. The method opens up completely new possibilities for researching the development of such arrhythmias. The study will be published in the upcoming edition of "Nature Methods".

5 Oct 2010

Researchers explore changes in brain regions to combat sleep apnea

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the average sleep apnea sufferer stops breathing and loses oxygen between five and 30 times a night. This lack of oxygen leads to a host of complications, including high blood pressure, vascular disease, an abnormal heart rhythm, or even a fatal cardiac event. Now, a team of University of Missouri researchers is exploring the changes in distinct brain regions that contribute to these symptoms in hopes of combating this common health issue.

5 Oct 2010