Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

New research results reveal that two Parkinson genes can maintain the mitochondrial functions

Parkinson's disease is caused by the degeneration of neurons in the midbrain. The mechanisms leading to the loss of these neurons, however, are largely unknown. Recent research revealed that about ten per cent of cases are caused by defects in so-called Parkinson-associated genes. Furthermore, mitochondria, the cellular powerhouses, seem to play a major role. New results from researchers at the LMU Munich under the lead of associate professor Dr. Konstanze Winklhofer and Professor Christian Haass connect both phenomena, showing that two Parkinson genes maintain the function of mitochondria.

24 Aug 2009

Biovail enters into an agreement with Santhera to develop and market JP-1730/fipamezole drug

Biovail Corporation (NYSE:BVF) (TSX:BVF) today announced that its subsidiary, Biovail Laboratories International SRL (BLS), has entered into an agreement with Santhera Pharmaceuticals (Switzerland) Ltd., a subsidiary of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG (SIX: SANN) to acquire the U.S. and Canadian rights to develop and commercialize Santhera’s JP-1730/fipamezole for the treatment of Dyskinesia in Parkinson’s Disease (DPD). JP-1730/ fipamezole is a first-in-class compound that, in a recent Phase IIb study, displayed the potential to reduce levodopa-induced dyskinesia.

24 Aug 2009

Role of HPRT genes detected in Lesch Nyan X-linked inherited disorders

A study from the Center for Molecular Genetics at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine shows that a gene called HPRT plays an important role in setting the program by which primitive or precursor cells decide to become normal nerve cells in the human brain. This unconventional view of metabolic genes known as "housekeeping" genes is now online at the journal Molecular Therapy.

21 Aug 2009

Running and addiction

Although exercise is good for your health, extreme exercise may be physically addicting. Rats given a drug that produces withdrawal in heroin addicts went into withdrawal after running excessively in exercise wheels, according to new research. Rats that ran the hardest had the most severe withdrawal symptoms.

17 Aug 2009

Decreased cravings for pleasure may be at root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder

Decreased motivation to seek and experience pleasurable experiences, known as anhedonia, is a primary symptom of major depressive disorder. Anhedonia is less responsive to many antidepressants and often persists after other symptoms of depression subside. However, understanding the different components of anhedonia - the desire to obtain something pleasurable versus experiencing pleasure - has been difficult for researchers to determine in humans.

12 Aug 2009

H5N1 avian influenza leaves people at increased risk for Parkinson's disease

At least one strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus leaves survivors at significantly increased risk for Parkinson's disease and possibly other neurological problems later in life, according to new research from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

10 Aug 2009

Leptin influences baseline dopamine levels and motivation to eat

As we all know from experience, people eat not only because they are hungry, but also because the food just simply tastes too good to pass up. Now, a new study in the August 6th Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, helps to explain how leptin, a hormone produced by fat tissue, influences that motivation to eat.

5 Aug 2009

Set-shifting and the on-line processing of relative clauses in Parkinson's Disease

The study of the neural basis of language has largely focused on regions in the cortex - the outer brain layers thought by many researchers to have expanded during human evolution.

4 Aug 2009

Eye movements of Parkinson’s disease patients during sentence comprehension support subcortical role in processing syntax

The study of the neural basis of language has largely focused on regions in the cortex – the outer brain layers thought by many researchers to have expanded during human evolution.

4 Aug 2009

Novel drug discovery tool could bring new therapies for Parkinson’s

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have turned simple baker?s yeast into a virtual army of medicinal chemists capable of rapidly searching for drugs to treat Parkinson's disease.

13 Jul 2009

ADHD genes found - missing DNA segments may suggest future drug targets

Pediatric researchers have identified hundreds of gene variations that occur more frequently in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than in children without ADHD. Many of those genes were already known to be important for learning, behavior, brain function and neurodevelopment, but had not been previously associated with ADHD.

24 Jun 2009

Mouse model of Parkinson's reproduces non-motor symptoms

The classic symptoms of Parkinson's disease involve tremor, stiffness and slow movements. Over the last decade, neurologists have been paying greater attention to non-motor symptoms, such as digestive and sleep problems, loss of sense of smell and depression.

23 Jun 2009

Animal model for human gambling

UBC researchers have created the world's first animal laboratory experiment to successfully model human gambling. The advance will help scientists develop and test new treatments for gambling addictions, a devastating condition that affects millions worldwide.

17 Jun 2009

Histamine affects alcohol-related behaviour

The histamine-3 receptor is important in terms of alcohol-related behaviour, and a drug affecting that receptor may have qualities that alter alcohol-related behaviour.

16 Jun 2009

Could hormones explain gender differences in neurological disease?

Neurological diseases including Parkinson's, Tourette's, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's, and schizophrenia are all associated with alterations in dopamine-driven function involving the dopamine transporter (DAT).

16 Jun 2009

Positron emission tomography scans may improve the accuracy of dementia diagnosis

A new study shows that the use of positron emission tomography (PET) scans may improve the accuracy of dementia diagnoses early in disease onset for more than one out of four patients. The results were presented at SNM's 56th Annual Meeting.

15 Jun 2009

Nintendo Wii may help treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disease that impairs motor skills. Dr. Herz theorized that the popular computer game console, which simulates various sports and activities, could improve coordination, reflexes and other movement-related skills, but he found additional benefits as well.

12 Jun 2009

Skin cells provide new knowledge about brain functions

Until now diseases like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder have been difficult to study biologically, since this would entail taking samples from the patient's brain.

3 Jun 2009

A new path for cocaine addiction research

Cocaine is one of the oldest drugs known to humans, and its abuse has become widespread since the end of the 19th century. At the same time, we know rather little about its effects on the human brain or the mechanisms that lead to cocaine addiction.

19 May 2009

Biovail acquires worldwide rights to Tetrabenazine

Biovail Corporation today announced a wholly owned subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire worldwide development and commercialization rights to the entire portfolio of tetrabenazine products, including Xenazine/Nitoman (tetrabenazine tablets), and the associated intellectual property rights held by Cambridge Laboratories (Ireland) Ltd and its affiliates.

18 May 2009

Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

New research results reveal that two Parkinson genes can maintain the mitochondrial functions

Biovail enters into an agreement with Santhera to develop and market JP-1730/fipamezole drug

Role of HPRT genes detected in Lesch Nyan X-linked inherited disorders

Running and addiction

Decreased cravings for pleasure may be at root of a core symptom of major depressive disorder

H5N1 avian influenza leaves people at increased risk for Parkinson's disease

Leptin influences baseline dopamine levels and motivation to eat

Set-shifting and the on-line processing of relative clauses in Parkinson's Disease

Eye movements of Parkinson’s disease patients during sentence comprehension support subcortical role in processing syntax

Novel drug discovery tool could bring new therapies for Parkinson’s

ADHD genes found - missing DNA segments may suggest future drug targets

Mouse model of Parkinson's reproduces non-motor symptoms

Animal model for human gambling

Histamine affects alcohol-related behaviour

Could hormones explain gender differences in neurological disease?

Positron emission tomography scans may improve the accuracy of dementia diagnosis

Nintendo Wii may help treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Skin cells provide new knowledge about brain functions

A new path for cocaine addiction research

Biovail acquires worldwide rights to Tetrabenazine

Quality, Patient Safety and Innovation Manager at Elsevier

How Bruker worked with the University of Manchester on mapping the dynamics of complex protein

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

Dopamine News and Research

Latest Dopamine News and Research

Quality, Patient Safety and Innovation Manager at Elsevier

How Bruker worked with the University of Manchester on mapping the dynamics of complex protein

Real-time Raman monitoring for pharmaceutical hot melt extrusion

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