A child?s susceptibility to autism is increased with a single gene mutation according to research conducted by, a Vanderbilt-led research team. This discovery has far-reaching implications because this gene, a variant form of a gene called MET, is not just specifically a brain gene but rather a gene which has its effect on multiple systems in the body such as immune function and gut repair.
Researchers at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development (J&JPRD) announced on 15 October 2006 that they have discovered a new molecular mechanism that may underlie neuropathic pain. The clearer understanding of the root-cause of chronic neuropathic pain, and the preclinical validation of new targets for pharmaceutical therapies shown in this research, together present an opportunity for the development of new ways to treat the severe pain associated with such common conditions or diseases as sciatica, diabetic neuropathy and shingles.
The newly established Berkeley Cancer Genome Center, led by members of the Life Sciences Division in the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, is one of seven Cancer Genome Characterization Centers to receive awards from the National Cancer Institute and the National Human Genome Research Institute. Earlier today the two institutes, both part of the National Institutes of Health, announced a three-year, $35 million project which will seek to identify important genetic changes involved in lung, brain, and ovarian cancers through genome analysis.
On Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 1:00 p.m. EDT, neurosurgeons at Children’s Hospital Boston will remove a brain tumor employing functional mapping of the cortex on a 13-year-old pediatric patient during a live Webcast. Children’s hosts three to four Webcasts annually to showcase its pioneering care and technology to specialists and referring physicians around the world, and to educate consumers on the latest and most innovative medical treatments available.
TorreyPines Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TPTX) today announced the initiation of a Phase IIb clinical trial for its lead product candidate, tezampanel, a novel pain compound in development for the treatment of acute migraine. An AMPA/kainate (AK) receptor antagonist, tezampanel offers a non-narcotic, non-vascular approach to the management of headache pain and represents a potentially promising alternative to current migraine treatments.
Case Western Reserve University’s Technology Transfer Office has entered a worldwide exclusive licensing agreement with TRACON Pharmaceuticals of San Diego, Calif., to develop Methoxyamine, a new cancer therapeutic that reverses cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy. Methoxyamine is a “first in class” drug that targets a specific DNA repair pathway.
A new article reviews the literature of quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) that documents abnormal brain wave patterns accompanying several medical conditions. The research implies that neurofeedback training may partially or fully normalize these brain wave patterns, and improve the physical and mental functioning of people with these conditions. The article is in the latest issue of Biofeedback.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Aricept (donepezil hydrochloride) for the treatment of severe dementia in patients with Alzheimer’s Disease.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a long range plan that will help to guide research in type 1 diabetes for the next decade. Advances and Emerging Opportunities in Type 1 Diabetes Research: A Strategic Plan identifies goals and objectives to exploit recent scientific advances in combating this autoimmune form of diabetes.
Scientists have identified a misfolded, or incorrectly formed, protein common to two devastating neurological diseases, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig?s disease), according to a report in the Oct. 6, 2006, issue of Science. The findings suggest that certain forms of FTD, ALS and possibly other neurological diseases might share a common pathological process.