Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Otsuka Pharmaceutical to acquire Avanir Pharmaceuticals for $3.5B

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. pursuant to which Otsuka will acquire Avanir for $17.00 per share in cash.

2 Dec 2014

Ligand indazole chloride improves motor function, study shows

Multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the brain and spinal cord, affects about 2.3 million people worldwide (400,000 in the United States). Affecting more women than men, it can be seen at any age, although it is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 40.

2 Dec 2014

DFG to establish eight new Collaborative Research Centres

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish eight new Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs).

2 Dec 2014

DFG to establish new Collaborative Research Centres

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) will establish eight new Collaborative Research Centres (CRCs).

29 Nov 2014

UCL research opens up new way to treat neurological disorders

The way that tetanus neurotoxin enters nerve cells has been discovered by UCL scientists, who showed that this process can be blocked, offering a potential therapeutic intervention for tetanus. This newly-discovered pathway could be exploited to deliver therapies to the nervous system, opening up a whole new way to treat neurological disorders such as motor neuron disease and peripheral neuropathies.

28 Nov 2014

55% of people with dementia have never seen a doctor, shows study

The majority of people with dementia have never seen a doctor about their memory and thinking problems, according to a new study published in the November 26, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

27 Nov 2014

FDA issues Complete Response letter for Avanir’s AVP-825 NDA

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Complete Response letter to its New Drug Application (NDA) for AVP-825.

27 Nov 2014

Researchers say that nervous system may play vital role in infections, autoimmune diseases

The nervous system may play a bigger role in infections and autoimmune diseases than previously known. If researchers can learn more about that role, it could provide insight into diagnosing and treating everything from the stomach flu to rheumatoid arthritis.

27 Nov 2014

Biologist Marnie Halpern selected as AAAS Fellow

Biologist Marnie Halpern of Carnegie's Department of Embryology has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her "fundamental contributions to developmental biology, particularly using novel genetic approaches to study patterning of the nervous system."

26 Nov 2014

Adults diagnosed with retinoblastoma as infants perform better on tasks, study finds

Most long-term survivors of retinoblastoma, particularly those who had been diagnosed with tumors by their first birthdays, have normal cognitive function as adults, according to a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital study. The research, which appears in the current issue of the journal Cancer, found that the vast majority of survivors work full time, live independently and fulfill other milestones of adult life.

25 Nov 2014

Researchers take major step in fight against sleeping sickness

Researchers from Aarhus University have taken an important step in the fight against sleeping sickness, a disease that is a major problem in parts of Africa. According to the World Health Organization, the disease threatens approximately 60 million people and the treatment options are poor.

24 Nov 2014

NUS researchers make breakthrough discovery that could lead to future treatment for multiple sclerosis

A multi-disciplinary research team from the National University of Singapore has made a breakthrough discovery of a new type of immune cells that may help in the development of a future treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).

24 Nov 2014

NOS1AP gene may help explain biological process of schizophrenia

A gene associated with schizophrenia plays a role in brain development and may help to explain the biological process of the disease, according to new Rutgers research.

24 Nov 2014

Special receptor signalling mediates astrocytic hyperactivity in Alzheimer's disease mouse model

It has long been known that astrocytes change their shapes as a consequence of Alzheimer's. Cells located near the "plaques", as the protein deposits typical for this disease are called, grow in size and form additional extensions.

20 Nov 2014

People who handle complex jobs may have longer-lasting memory and thinking abilities

People whose jobs require more complex work with other people, such as social workers and lawyers, or with data, like architects or graphic designers, may end up having longer-lasting memory and thinking abilities compared to people who do less complex work, according to research published in the November 19, 2014, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

20 Nov 2014

Study shows how anesthesia affects cells in central nervous system

Anesthesia, long considered a blessing to patients and surgeons, has been a mystery for much of its 160-plus-year history in the operating room.

14 Nov 2014

Research shows mustard and garlic receptor is linked to cold-induced pain

Some people experience cold not only as feeling cold, but actually as a painful sensation. This applies even to fairly mild temperatures - anything below 20°C.

14 Nov 2014

Vitamin B12, folic acid supplements may not reduce risk of memory and thinking problems

Taking vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements may not reduce the risk of memory and thinking problems after all, according to a new study published in the November 12, 2014, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study is one of the largest to date to test long-term use of supplements and thinking and memory skills.

13 Nov 2014

Scientists receive NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Grants for mental health research

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation today announced the award of NARSAD Distinguished Investigator Grants valued at $1.5 million to 15 scientists, who are full professors or the equivalent, conducting innovative projects in diverse areas of neurobiological and behavioral research.

13 Nov 2014

Researchers identify key protein that can reduce severity of disease equivalent to MS in mice

In multiple sclerosis, the immune system goes rogue, improperly attacking the body's own central nervous system. Mobility problems and cognitive impairments may arise as the nerve cells become damaged.

12 Nov 2014