Neurological Disease News and Research

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Data emphasise need for comprehensive analysis of mtDNA in mitochondrial disease patients

French scientists have discovered that supposedly rare mutations in the mitochondria, the 'power plants' of human cells responsible for creating energy, account for more than 7% of patients with a mitochondrial disease manifesting itself as a respiratory deficiency.

10 Jun 2013

Scientists discover how Arc protein helps translate learning into memory

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have deciphered how a protein called Arc regulates the activity of neurons-providing much-needed clues into the brain's ability to form long-lasting memories. These findings, reported today in Nature Neuroscience, also offer newfound understanding as to what goes on at the molecular level when this process becomes disrupted.

10 Jun 2013

Genetically engineered immune cells appear to promote healing in mice infected with MS-like disease

Genetically engineered immune cells seem to promote healing in mice infected with a neurological disease similar to multiple sclerosis (MS), cleaning up lesions and allowing the mice to regain use of their legs and tails.

1 Jun 2013

Neupro reduces PLMS and total NSBP elevations in patients with RLS, study finds

UCB today announced data from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that found that Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System) reduced total nocturnal systolic blood pressure elevations associated with periodic limb movements during sleep and total PLMS in patients with idiopathic moderate-to-severe Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom disease.

18 May 2013

BioMed Central launches new journal Acta Neuropathologica Communications

Open access publisher BioMed Central is proud to announce the launch of Acta Neuropathologica Communications (ANC). ANC will publish work on pathology and mechanisms of neurological disease using structural, molecular and cellular techniques.

8 May 2013

Researcher looks for markers of sleep loss in humans

For years, Paul Shaw, PhD, a researcher at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has used what he learns in fruit flies to look for markers of sleep loss in humans.

4 May 2013

Study results support new view of molecules important for nerve cell signaling

National Institutes of Health researchers used the popular anti-wrinkle agent Botox to discover a new and important role for a group of molecules that nerve cells use to quickly send messages.

3 May 2013

Small device implanted in the brain predicts epilepsy seizures in humans

A small device implanted in the brain has accurately predicted epilepsy seizures in humans in a world-first study led by Professor Mark Cook, Chair of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and Director of Neurology at St Vincent's Hospital.

3 May 2013

Hypothalamus controls aging throughout the body, scientists report

While the search continues for the Fountain of Youth, researchers may have found the body's "fountain of aging": the brain region known as the hypothalamus.

2 May 2013

3D surgical microscopes from Leica Microsystems and TrueVision® debut at AANS Annual Meeting

Leica Microsystems and TrueVision® 3D Surgical announced the debut of 3D surgical microscopes at the 81st Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).

29 Apr 2013

Nanogels to attack lupus: an interview with Dr Look and Dr Fahmy, Yale University

Nanogels are synthetic particles that can be used for drug delivery. They are approximately 100 nm to 200 nm in diameter, and are made from safe, biocompatible materials: a gel-like interior and a lipid exterior.

24 Apr 2013

Non-invasive brain surgery: an interview with Dr Andres Lozano, University of Toronto

MR-guided focused ultrasound is a new technique that involves focusing 1024 beams of ultrasound through the skull to a focal point in the brain, very much like using the sun and a magnifying glass to burn a hole in a sheet of paper.

22 Apr 2013

Researchers map use of alternative treatment among multiple sclerosis patients

A major Nordic research project involving researchers from the University of Copenhagen has, for the first time ever, mapped the use of alternative treatment among multiple sclerosis patients - knowledge which is important for patients with chronic disease and the way in which society meets them.

19 Apr 2013

Telemedicine house calls for Parkinson’s patients: an interview with Dr Ray Dorsey, Johns Hopkins University

Access to neurological care for Parkinson disease is currently limited by distance, disability, and the distribution of doctors.

18 Apr 2013

Americans with brain diseases have more difficulty in finding a neurologist, new study reveals

Americans with brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis who need to see a neurologist may face longer wait times or have more difficulty finding a neurologist, according to a new study published in the April 17, 2013, online issue of Neurology-, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Apr 2013

Study sheds light on role of microglia during progression of Alzheimer's disease

The plaque deposits in the brain of Alzheimer's patients are surrounded by the brain's own immune cells, the microglia. This was already recognized by Alois Alzheimer more than one hundred years ago. But until today it still remains unclear what role microglia play in Alzheimer's disease.

12 Apr 2013

Many HDLS patients still incorrectly diagnosed

The very serious hereditary disease HDLS was discovered in 1984 in Sweden. Many HDLS patients are still incorrectly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, MS or Parkinson's disease, but researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have now developed a more certain diagnosis method - and are seeking to find a treatment for the "unknown" neurological disorder.

11 Apr 2013

Research: ACOT7 enzyme keeps neurons' fat levels under control

We're all fatheads. That is, our brain cells are packed with fat molecules, more of them than almost any other cell type. Still, if the brain cells' fat content gets too high, they'll be in trouble. In a recent study in mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins pinpointed an enzyme that keeps neurons' fat levels under control, and may be implicated in human neurological diseases.

9 Apr 2013

Genetic testing services for rare neurological disorders launched by Athena Diagnostics

Athena Diagnostics, a leader in neurological diagnostics, today announced the clinical availability of new genetic tests to aid the detection of several rare neurological disorders, including hereditary neuropathy, neuromuscular disease, epilepsy and certain movement disorders. The lab-developed tests are available through Athena Diagnostics, a business of Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services.

From Quest Diagnostics 19 Mar 2013

New therapeutic approach for bladder pain syndrome

Severe chronic pain associated with conditions such as bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis often require the use of opioid medication, with the risk of dependency and serious adverse reactions.

15 Mar 2013