Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Autophagy may even provide a clue to the mythical fountain of youth

The cells of higher organisms have an internal mechanism for chewing up and recycling parts of themselves, particularly in times of stress, like starvation and disease. But nobody is quite sure yet whether this recently discovered process protects cells, or causes damage.

5 Nov 2004

Trial of new type of drug that attacks amyloid

Neuroscientists at the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia will begin a clinical trial testing a new type of drug that attacks amyloid, the protein substance that accumulates in the brains of Alzheimer’s disease patients.

4 Nov 2004

Improved risk classification for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia offers hope for eliminating irradiation

Improved risk classification for patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), coupled with more intensive intrathecal chemotherapy for high risk patients and the use of a drug called dexamethasone, could one day permit physicians to omit irradiation as a part of routine treatment.

1 Nov 2004

First home-testing device for phenylketonuria (PKU) patients

Home-testing kits have made it easier for diabetics and hypertension patients to track their conditions, but such self-monitoring hasn’t been possible for people with phenylketonuria (PKU).

1 Nov 2004

Discovery affirms potential of stem cells for the development of possible therapies for spinal cord injury and nervous system disorders

Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids) have shown that stem cells found in adult skin retain their embryonic capability of making many types of cells.

1 Nov 2004

Discovery of new method for visual impairment treatment

The patients suffering from visual impairment can be helped if a healthy donor’s cerebrospinal fluid is introduced to the parent’s vertebral canal – this method is called liquortransfusion.

1 Nov 2004

Interaction of nervous system proteins help researchers better understand age-related memory and hearing loss

In a finding that may one day help researchers better understand age-related memory and hearing loss, scientists have shown that two key nervous system proteins interact in a manner that helps regulate the transmission of signals in the nervous system.

29 Oct 2004

Biomedical engineers and physicians have brought the day when artificial limbs will be controlled directly by the brain considerably closer

Biomedical engineers and physicians at Vanderbilt University have brought the day when artificial limbs will be controlled directly by the brain considerably closer by discovering a method that uses laser light, rather than electricity, to stimulate and control nerve cells.

28 Oct 2004

New direction for spinal cord research

A piece of the puzzle of how nerves find their way across the midline of the brain and spinal cord in a developing embryo has been found by Medical College of Georgia researchers.

28 Oct 2004

Lead exposure can hinder recovery from a brain injury

Lead exposure at a young age can hurt the brain's development and cause learning and behavioral problems. It may also interfere with recovery from a brain injury.

25 Oct 2004

Evidence links cellular iron deficiency to restless legs syndrome

Iron-deficient cells in the brain are mixing up central nervous system signals to the legs and arms causing the irresistible urges to move and creepy-crawly sensations that characterize restless legs syndrome (RLS), a Penn State College of Medicine study reports.

25 Oct 2004

Fish oil reverses age-related ailments

University of Bradford student Samantha Little has been awarded a Young Investigators Award at an international congress for her work on the effect of fish oil on the ageing brain.

25 Oct 2004

New oral vaccine treatment is effective in reducing Alzheimer's disease pathology

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by progressive loss of cognitive function due to amyloid-beta (Aß) deposits in the central nervous system. If these deposits could be stopped or slowed, Alzheimer's disease might become more manageable.

25 Oct 2004

Excessive sweating now has less invasive treatment

For about one percent of Americans, excessive sweating isn’t just embarrassing; it’s a condition that warrants medical treatment. Now, a minimally invasive, endoscopic approach available at Georgetown University Hospital allows patients to receive this treatment and go home the same day.

25 Oct 2004

Two hearts are better than one for toddler

Camila Gonzalez now has two hearts beating separate rhythms inside her tiny chest. At 22 months of age, she became the youngest child in the United States to receive a donor’s heart while also retaining her original one.

25 Oct 2004

BMA report hopes to raise awareness about the threat of biological weapons

A new report released today (25 October 2004) by the BMA paints a bleak picture of the global community's ability to cope with advances in biological and genetic weapons technology.

25 Oct 2004

Calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain

Severe calorie restriction prevents certain aging-related changes in the brain, including the accumulation of free radicals and impairments in coordination and strength, according to a mouse study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

24 Oct 2004