Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Genetically engineered excitable cells made to generate and pass electrical current

By altering the genetic makeup of normally "unexcitable" cells, Duke University bioengineers have turned them into cells capable of generating and passing electrical current.

21 Jul 2011

Inherited forms of Alzheimer's could be detected long before memory problems develop

Inherited forms of Alzheimer's disease may be detectable as many as 20 years before problems with memory and thinking develop, scientists will report July 20, 2011, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Paris.

21 Jul 2011

Study examines cost-effectiveness of MS drugs in the U.S.

A new study examining the cost-effectiveness of drugs to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States finds that the health gains from these drugs come at a very high cost compared to basic therapy to control the symptoms of MS and compared to treatments for other chronic diseases.

21 Jul 2011

Intense visual stimulation renders nerve cells more receptive to subsequent learning

Dr. Ed Ruthazer is a mapmaker but, his landscape is the developing brain - specifically the neuronal circuitry, which is the network of connections between nerve cells. His research at The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro at McGill University, reveals the brain as a dynamic landscape where connections between nerves are plastic, changing and adapting to the demands of the environment.

21 Jul 2011

Inherited forms of Alzheimer's can be detected years before dementia develops

20 Jul 2011

New insights into sleep difficulties among older people

A new study of the brain's master circadian clock - known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or SCN - reveals that a key pattern of rhythmic neural activity begins to decline by middle age. The study, whose senior author is UCLA Chancellor Gene Block, may have implications for the large number of older people who have difficulty sleeping and adjusting to time changes.

20 Jul 2011

Medco announces new offerings within Advanced Oncology Solutions

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. today announced new offerings within its Advanced Oncology Solutions, that include treatment pathways decision support with embedded pharmacogenomic testing and nutrition recommendations for cancer patients.

20 Jul 2011

Scientists discover cholesterol moves far slower within and between cells

Neutrons have shown the movement of cholesterol between and within cells takes far longer than previously thought. Findings could impact the treatment of a range of diseases linked to abnormal rates of cholesterol transfer.

19 Jul 2011

Coal seam gas and cancer risk: Report

An Australian Senate committee has been looking into the impact of coal seam gas (CSG) mining on the Murray-Darling Basin that has moved to Dalby on Queensland's western Darling Downs today. The Senate Standing Committee on Rural Affairs and Transport is touring southern Queensland examining the environmental consequences of CSG mining on the Murray-Darling River system.

19 Jul 2011

Disrupting protein components kills mosquitoes

Mosquitoes die soon after a blood meal if certain protein components are experimentally disrupted, a team of biochemists at the University of Arizona has discovered.

18 Jul 2011

Upsher-Smith initiates USL261 ARTEMIS1 Phase III study for seizure clusters in epilepsy patients

Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc. announced today the initiation of a Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of USL261, an investigational intranasal midazolam, for the rescue treatment of seizures in patients on stable anti-epileptic drug (AED) regimens who require control of intermittent bouts of increased seizure activity, frequently referred to as seizure clusters. USL261 has been granted orphan drug designation for this use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

18 Jul 2011

HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer women benefit from trastuzumab and chemotherapy

The use of trastuzumab, chemotherapy and surgery among women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer significantly improved survival from the time central nervous system metastases were diagnosed.

18 Jul 2011

Positive results from levomilnacipran Phase III study for major depressive disorder

Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Pierre Fabre Medicament today announced preliminary top-line results from a Phase III study of levomilnacipran for the treatment of adults with major depressive disorder (MDD).

18 Jul 2011

QRxPharma seeks NDA approval for MoxDuo IR

QRxPharma Limited announced today initiation of the New Drug Application (NDA) approval process for MoxDuo IR with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This NDA submission sets the stage for the regulatory approval process for MoxDuo IR for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain, a $2.5 billion segment of the $8 billion spent annually on prescription opioids in the US.

18 Jul 2011

Retinal cells require vitamin C to function properly

Nerve cells in the eye require vitamin C in order to function properly - a surprising discovery that may mean vitamin C is required elsewhere in the brain for its proper functioning, according to a study by scientists at Oregon Health & Science University recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

16 Jul 2011

Scientists analyze structural changes in calcium channels caused by Timothy-mutation

The human genome encodes 243 voltage-gated ion channels. Mutations in calcium channels can cause severe inherited diseases such as migraine, night blindness, autism spectrum disorders and Timothy syndrome, which leads to severe cardiovascular disorders.

15 Jul 2011

NSF announces $18.5M grant to establish new engineering research center

The National Science Foundation today announced an $18.5 million grant to establish an Engineering Research Center for Sensorimotor Neural Engineering based at the University of Washington.

15 Jul 2011

Neuralstem receives U.S. patent allowance for three new neurogenic compounds

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that it has received notice of allowance for U.S. Patent Applications 12/939,897 and 12/939,914 entitled: "Compositions to Effect Neuronal Growth."

15 Jul 2011

Study demonstrates how unconscious brain continues to process information

Brain damage can cause significant changes in behaviour, such as loss of cognitive skills, but also reveals much about how the nervous system deals with consciousness. New findings reported in the July 2011 issue of Elsevier's Cortex demonstrate how the unconscious brain continues to process information even when the conscious brain is incapacitated.

14 Jul 2011

Maintaining general health may help reduce risk for dementia

Improving and maintaining health factors not traditionally associated with dementia, such as denture fit, vision and hearing, may lower a person's risk for developing dementia, according to a new study published in the July 13, 2011, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Jul 2011