Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Circadian disruption and sleep restriction increase risk of MS in teens

Researchers from Sweden have uncovered an association between shift work and increased risk of multiple sclerosis. Those who engage in off-hour employment before the age of 20 may be at risk for MS due to a disruption in their circadian rhythm and sleep pattern. Findings of this novel study appear today in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society.

18 Oct 2011

LRI launches major lupus research initiative

The Lupus Research Institute (LRI) launched a major international initiative aimed at attracting the highest level scientists to conduct pioneering research to discover the fundamental root causes of lupus, explore the potential for a cure, and transform the field of lupus research.

18 Oct 2011

Micro-electrical stimulators for spinal cord injuries

A new wireless device to help victims of spinal cord injury is receiving attention in the research community. Mesut Sahin, PhD, associate professor, in the department of biomedical engineering at NJIT, recently has published and presented news of his findings to develop micro-electrical stimulators for individuals with spinal cord injuries.

18 Oct 2011

Reversing low VEGF levels may potentially treat patients with SCA1

A groundbreaking study in the journal Nature Medicine suggests what could become the first effective treatment for a debilitating and fatal disease of the central nervous system called SCA1.

18 Oct 2011

Link between auditory working memory, musical aptitude and reading ability

Auditory working memory and attention, for example the ability to hear and then remember instructions while completing a task, are a necessary part of musical ability. But musical ability is also related to verbal memory and literacy in childhood. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Behavioral and Brain Functions shows how auditory working memory and musical aptitude are intrinsically related to reading ability, and provides a biological basis for this link.

18 Oct 2011

Heart-related treatments may improve wellbeing of patients with COPD

A new study has found that processes that control heart rate play an important role in the quality of life experienced by patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

15 Oct 2011

Micromet receives FDA feedback on blinatumomab registration for R/R ALL

Micromet, Inc. today outlined a clinical development plan intended to support U.S. registration of its lead product candidate blinatumomab in patients with B-precursor relapsed/refractory (r/r) acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

14 Oct 2011

NIH awards Salk Institute $4.5M to establish new Neuroscience Core Center

The National Institutes of Health has announced that the Salk Institute will receive $4.5 million to establish a Neuroscience Core Center, a new research center intended to accelerate brain research that lays the foundation for developing new ways to treat congenital brain defects and neurological diseases.

14 Oct 2011

GFAP protein levels can help identify HIE in newborns

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that increased blood levels of a protein specific to central nervous system cells that are vital to the brain's structure can help physicians identify newborns with brain injuries due to lack of oxygen.

14 Oct 2011

Faster cerebral cortex growth in infancy may lead to higher intelligence

New research suggests the growth rate of the brain's cerebral cortex in babies born prematurely may predict how well they are able to think, speak, plan and pay attention later in childhood. The research is published in the October 12, 2011, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Oct 2011

Study reveals new regulatory elements in human genome

An international research team led by Kerstin Lindblad-Toh at the Broad Institute, US and Uppsala University, Sweden has mapped and compared the genomes of 29 mammals. The findings, published in Nature, reveal millions of new regulatory elements in the human genome that in various ways govern how proteins are formed. The new knowledge is important for our understanding of how mutations in human genes give rise to diseases.

13 Oct 2011

AAN Foundation launches new PSA on finding cure for brain disease

With one in six people in the United States now affected by brain disease such as dementia, multiple sclerosis and epilepsy, the American Academy of Neurology Foundation is marking its 20th anniversary with the launch of a new public service announcement (PSA) to raise awareness about the need for more research to cure brain disease.

12 Oct 2011

Incoming dean of Weill Cornell receives 2011 ICS Honorary Lifetime Membership

Dr. Laurie Glimcher, the incoming dean of Weill Cornell Medical College, has received the 2011 International Cytokine Society (ICS) Honorary Lifetime Membership, the Society's highest honor, for her pivotal contributions to cytokine research, particularly as it relates to immune response.

12 Oct 2011

Neuroscience 2011 conference to held in Washington

New research findings about the brain, nervous system, and related disorders will be presented at Neuroscience 2011 in Washington, Nov. 12-16. Among the many findings are how the brain adapts during development, learning, and decision-making; how genes and the environment work in tandem to influence behavior and disease; and how novel science is changing the understanding of pain, mental illness, and aging.

12 Oct 2011

Activating brown adipose tissue may help combat obesity, type 2 diabetes

Activating a specialized type of fat, known as brown adipose tissue, may help combat obesity as well as result in better glucose control for type 2 diabetes, according to new research conducted by scientists at the UC Metabolic Diseases Institute.

12 Oct 2011

Omeros initiates OMS302 Phase 3 trial in intra-ocular lens replacement surgery

Omeros Corporation today announced that the first patients have been treated in the Company's Phase 3 clinical program evaluating OMS302 in intra-ocular lens replacement surgery.

11 Oct 2011

Roche's gantenerumab removes amyloid plaques from the brain of patients with AD

Roche today announced the publication of a study demonstrating that its monoclonal antibody gantenerumab removes amyloid plaques from the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The study "Mechanism of amyloid removal in patients with Alzheimer disease treated with gantenerumab" is published today in the October issue of Archives in Neurology.

11 Oct 2011

Leg-crossers more likely to have good recovery after severe stroke

People who are able to cross their legs soon after having a severe stroke appear to be more likely to have a good recovery compared to people who can't cross their legs.

11 Oct 2011

Targacept commences AZD3480 Phase 2b study in Alzheimer’s disease

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics™, today announced the initiation of a potential registration study of AZD3480 in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. The study is the subject of a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

10 Oct 2011

BDNF methionine variation increases risk of suicidal behaviour

A new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behaviour, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts.

10 Oct 2011