Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

India cops criticism over alarming rise in polio cases

Health officials in India are concerned over the increasing number of polio cases in the country; 119 new cases have been reported in the past month, and the total number of infections is now 416.

26 Oct 2006

Researchers identify peptide that spurs cargo transport in nerve cells

For the first time, researchers have identified a peptide that can spur cargo transport in nerve cells, a discovery that could help scientists better understand nerve cell function and test possible therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

24 Oct 2006

Link discovered between common cold viruses and Alzheimer's disease

According to new research memory loss and Alzheimer's disease may be linked to the very viruses which cause the common cold.

24 Oct 2006

Period 2 gene - key component of the circadian time-keeping system

By investigating how animals can predict the timing of food availability, researchers have identified the first gene critical for anticipation of mealtime. This gene, called Period 2, is a key component of the circadian time-keeping system.

23 Oct 2006

Otoferlin, defective in a human deafness form, is essential for exocytosis at the auditory ribbon synapse

By studying a gene earlier linked to deafness in humans, researchers now have new insight into the molecular process by which components of the inner ear send messages to the brain.

20 Oct 2006

New Purdue biochip may speed drug development

Purdue University researchers have developed a biochip that measures the electrical activities of cells and is capable of obtaining 60 times more data in just one reading than is possible with current technology.

20 Oct 2006

Victhom files provisional sleep apnea patent application

Victhom Human Bionics announced that, after a series of pilot animal studies on potential medical indications of its Closed Loop System (the CLS Neuromodulator).

19 Oct 2006

Toxic chemical found in 3 more medicines in Panama

A toxic chemical found in contaminated cough syrup suspected to have caused the deaths of 22 people in Panama, has now been found in three more medications made by a government-run factory in Panama.

19 Oct 2006

Researchers identifiy how immune system contributes to nerve fiber damage caused by multiple sclerosis

Researchers have identified how the body's own immune system contributes to the nerve fiber damage caused by multiple sclerosis, a finding that can potentially aid earlier diagnosis and improved treatment for this chronic disease.

16 Oct 2006

Childhood cancer survivors more at risk of chronic health problems as adults

According to a new study adult survivors of childhood cancer can expect to suffer from one or more chronic health problems years after their cancer has been cured.

16 Oct 2006

Contaminated cough syrup kills 22 in Panama

The mysterious deaths of 22 people in Panama have now been linked to a contaminated cough syrup.

16 Oct 2006

Bayer forgot to tell risks of heart surgery drug

According to the German drug giant Bayer AG, the reason the company failed to inform U.S. regulators about a study on the risks of the heart-surgery drug Trasylol was a mistake.

2 Oct 2006

Acne drug leads to depression-related behavior in mice

A drug commonly used to treat severe acne can lead to depression-related behavior in mice, according to research published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology by scientists from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Bath.

21 Sep 2006

Nicotinamide may help people with multiple sclerosis

Researchers have found a possible way to protect people with multiple sclerosis (MS) from severe long-term disability: increase nervous-system levels of a vital compound, called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), by giving its chemical precursor - nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3.

19 Sep 2006

Acne drug Roaccutane linked to depression

A drug commonly used to treat severe acne can lead to depressive behaviour in mice, according to research published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

19 Sep 2006

NIH to map genomic changes of lung, brain, and ovarian cancers

It is estimated that 174,470 new cases of lung cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2006. Lung cancer is the major cause of cancer-related mortality in both men and women, with an estimated 162,460 deaths expected to occur in 2006.

13 Sep 2006

Protection for nerve cells - eating up defective proteins

Nerve cells in the Central Nervous System can defend against and recover from damage by proteinlike clusters which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's Chorea.

13 Sep 2006

Thyroid cancer among women in the U.S. has increased

The number of new cases of thyroid cancer among women in the U.S. has increased over the past decade despite a decline among women in mortality rates for most cancers, according to a report released Wednesday by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries, the National Cancer Institute, CDC and the American Cancer Society, Long Island Newsday reports.

7 Sep 2006

New avenue for the pursuit of therapies for Alzheimer's disease

The genes responsible for an inherited form of Alzheimer's disease play a direct role within cells that has largely been overlooked, according to a report in the September 8, 2006 issue of the journal Cell.

7 Sep 2006

Licensing arrangement reached for antiepileptic drug developed at Hebrew University

A worldwide licensing arrangement for development, production and marketing of an antiepileptic drug created at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem has been signed by Shire Pharmaceuticals with Yissum, the Hebrew University's technology transfer company.

5 Sep 2006