neurological disorders

New algorithm to map neurological disease
09/05/2012 - 11:18

Disorders such as schizophrenia can originate in certain regions of the brain and then spread out to affect connected areas. Identifying these regions of the brain, and how they affect the other areas they communicate with, would allow drug companies to develop better treatments and could ultimately help doctors make a diagnosis. But interpreting the vast amounts of data produced by brain scans to identify these connecting regions has so far proved impossible.

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Protein-Based Coating Could Help Rehabilitate Long-Term Brain Function
07/31/2012 - 14:46

Brain-computer interfaces are at the cutting edge for treatment of neurological and psychological disorder, including Parkinson's, epilepsy, and depression. Among the most promising advance is deep brain stimulation (DBS) — a method in which a silicon chip implanted under the skin ejects high frequency currents that are transferred to the brain through implanted electrodes that transmit and receive the signals. These technologies require a seamless interaction between the brain and the hardware.

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Device implanted in brain has therapeutic potential for Huntington's disease
06/18/2012 - 11:01

Studies suggest that neurotrophic factors, which play a role in the development and survival of neurons, have significant therapeutic and restorative potential for neurologic diseases such as Huntington's disease. However, clinical applications are limited because these proteins cannot easily cross the blood brain barrier, have a short half-life, and cause serious side effects. Now, a group of scientists has successfully treated neurological symptoms in laboratory rats by implanting a device to deliver a genetically engineered neurotrophic factor directly to the brain.

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Researchers discover a new family of key mitochondrial proteins for the function and viability of the brain
05/09/2012 - 08:09

A new family of six genes that regulate the movement and position of mitochondria in neurons described by University of Barcelona scientists. It is a cluster of six genes that may be altered in neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which are caused by alterations of genes that control mitochondrial transport, a process that provides the energy required for cell function.

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Scientists measure communication between stem cell-derived motor neurons, muscle cells
05/04/2012 - 17:09

In an effort to identify the underlying causes of neurological disorders that impair motor functions such as walking and breathing, UCLA researchers have developed a novel system to measure communication between stem cell–derived motor neurons and muscle cells in a Petri dish.

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Stem cell study aids quest for MND therapies
03/28/2012 - 08:32

A breakthrough using cutting-edge stem cell research could speed up the discovery of new treatments for motor neurone disease (MND). Researchers have discovered that key pathological events can be detected in motor neurones derived from MND patient skins cells that had been reprogrammed to become stem cells.

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