Monthly Archives: June 2012

BUSM researchers identify role of FOXO1 gene in Parkinson’s disease

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Public release date: 28-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jenny Eriksen Leary jenny.eriksen@bmc.org 617-638-6841 Boston University Medical Center

(Boston) A recent study led by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) revealed that the FOXO1 gene may play an important role in the pathological mechanisms of Parkinson's disease. These findings are published online in PLoS Genetics, a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science.

The study was led by Alexandra Dumitriu, PhD, a postdoctoral associate in the department of neurology at BUSM. Richard Myers, PhD, professor of neurology at BUSM, is the study's senior author.

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease each year and approximately one million Americans are currently living with the disease.

Parkinson's disease is a complex neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a buildup of proteins in nerve cells that lead to their inability to communicate with one another, causing motor function issues, including tremors and slowness in movement, as well as dementia. The substantia nigra is an area of the midbrain that helps control movement, and previous research has shown that this area of the brain loses neurons as Parkinson's disease progresses.

The researchers analyzed gene expression differences in brain tissue between 27 samples with known Parkinson's disease and 26 samples from neurologically healthy controls. This data set represents the largest number of brain samples used in a whole-genome expression study of Parkinson's disease to date. The novel aspect of this study is represented by the researchers' emphasis on removing possible sources of variation by minimizing the differences among samples. They used only male brain tissue samples that showed no significant marks of Alzheimer's disease pathology, one of the frequently co-occurring neurological diseases in Parkinson's disease patients. The samples also had similar tissue quality and were from the brain's prefrontal cortex, one of the less studied areas for the disease. The prefrontal cortex does not show neuronal death to the same extent as the substantia nigra, although it displays molecular and pathological modifications during the disease process, while also being responsible for the dementia present in a large proportion of Parkinson's disease patients.

Results of the expression experiment showed that the gene FOXO1 had increased expression in the brain tissue samples with known Parkinson's disease. FOXO1 is a transcriptional regulator that can modify the expression of other genes. Further examination of the FOXO1 gene showed that two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), or DNA sequence variations, were significantly associated with age at onset of Parkinson's disease.

"Our hypothesis is that FOXO1 acts in a protective manner by activating genes and pathways that fight the neurodegeneration processes," said Dumitriu. "If this is correct, there could be potential to explore FOXO1 as a therapeutic drug target for Parkinson's disease."

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BUSM researchers identify role of FOXO1 gene in Parkinson's disease

Research and Markets: Handbook of Parkinson's Disease – Blue-Ribbon Guide

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lb6wfj/handbook_of_parkin) has announced the addition of the "Handbook of Parkinson's Disease" book to their offering.

This blue-ribbon guide has long prevailed as one of the leading resources on Parkinson's Disease (PD). Fully updated with practical and engaging chapters on pathology, neurochemistry, etiology, and breakthrough research, this source spans every essential topic related to the identification, assessment, and treatment of PD. Reflecting the many advances that have taken place in the management of PD, this source promotes a multidisciplinary approach to care and supplies new sections on the latest pharmacologic, surgical, and rehabilitative therapies, as well as essential diagnostic, imaging, and nonmotor management strategies for PD.

Key Topics Covered:

Early Iconography of Parkinson's Disease

Epidemiology of Parkinsonism

Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonism

Pathophysiology and Clinical Assessment of Parkinsonian Symptoms and Signs

Autonomic Dysfunction and Management

Sleep Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

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Research and Markets: Handbook of Parkinson's Disease - Blue-Ribbon Guide

Research and Markets: Handbook of Parkinson’s Disease – Blue-Ribbon Guide

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lb6wfj/handbook_of_parkin) has announced the addition of the "Handbook of Parkinson's Disease" book to their offering.

This blue-ribbon guide has long prevailed as one of the leading resources on Parkinson's Disease (PD). Fully updated with practical and engaging chapters on pathology, neurochemistry, etiology, and breakthrough research, this source spans every essential topic related to the identification, assessment, and treatment of PD. Reflecting the many advances that have taken place in the management of PD, this source promotes a multidisciplinary approach to care and supplies new sections on the latest pharmacologic, surgical, and rehabilitative therapies, as well as essential diagnostic, imaging, and nonmotor management strategies for PD.

Key Topics Covered:

Early Iconography of Parkinson's Disease

Epidemiology of Parkinsonism

Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonism

Pathophysiology and Clinical Assessment of Parkinsonian Symptoms and Signs

Autonomic Dysfunction and Management

Sleep Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

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Research and Markets: Handbook of Parkinson's Disease - Blue-Ribbon Guide

Mayo Clinic Uses New Approach To Reverse Multiple Sclerosis In Mice Models

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Mayo Clinic researchers have successfully used smaller, folded DNA molecules to stimulate regeneration and repair of nerve coatings in mice that mimic multiple sclerosis (MS). They say the finding, published today in the journal PLoS ONE, suggests new possible therapies for MS patients.

"The problem has been to find a way to encourage the nervous system to regenerate its own myelin (the coating on the nerves) so nerve cells can recover from an MS attack," says L. James Maher III, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic biochemist and senior author on the paper. "We show here that these small molecules, called aptamers, can stimulate repair in the mice we are studying."

More than 200,000 people have multiple sclerosis. There is no cure and no effective therapy to stop progression or repair damage to the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects the nerves. Without that protection, nerve fibers will be damaged, leading to declining mobility and cognitive function, and other debilitating complications.

MS researchers, including Mayo neurologist Moses Rodriguez, M.D., a co-author on this paper, have focused on monoclonal antibodies in mice to stimulate myelin repair. The Rodriguez and Maher teams, working together, have determined that the aptamers are not only effective, but they are easy and cheap to synthesize an important point for drug developers. They also are stable and not likely to cause an immune response. This new approach must be validated in other mouse models to see if it might be a candidate for human clinical trials.

The monoclonal antibodies used in earlier research are large and complex, but were shown to promote both cell signaling and remyelination of central nervous system lesions in mice. The aptamers used in this study are less than one-tenth the size of antibodies and are single-strands of DNA containing only 40 nucleotide units.

The research was supported by Mayo Clinic and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Co-authors include Branislav Nastasijevic, Brent Wright, Ph.D., John Smestad, and Arthur Warrington, Ph.D., all of Mayo Clinic.

SOURCE: Mayo Clinic

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Mayo Clinic Uses New Approach To Reverse Multiple Sclerosis In Mice Models

New approach to reverse multiple sclerosis in mice models

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ScienceDaily (June 28, 2012) Mayo Clinic researchers have successfully used smaller, folded DNA molecules to stimulate regeneration and repair of nerve coatings in mice that mimic multiple sclerosis (MS). They say the finding, published June 28 in the journal PLoS ONE, suggests new possible therapies for MS patients.

"The problem has been to find a way to encourage the nervous system to regenerate its own myelin (the coating on the nerves) so nerve cells can recover from an MS attack," says L. James Maher III, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic biochemist and senior author on the paper. "We show here that these small molecules, called aptamers, can stimulate repair in the mice we are studying."

More than 200,000 people have multiple sclerosis. There is no cure and no effective therapy to stop progression or repair damage to the myelin sheath that surrounds and protects the nerves. Without that protection, nerve fibers will be damaged, leading to declining mobility and cognitive function, and other debilitating complications.

MS researchers, including Mayo neurologist Moses Rodriguez, M.D., a co-author on this paper, have focused on monoclonal antibodies in mice to stimulate myelin repair. The Rodriguez and Maher teams, working together, have determined that the aptamers are not only effective, but they are easy and cheap to synthesize -- an important point for drug developers. They also are stable and not likely to cause an immune response. This new approach must be validated in other mouse models to see if it might be a candidate for human clinical trials.

The monoclonal antibodies used in earlier research are large and complex, but were shown to promote both cell signaling and remyelination of central nervous system lesions in mice. The aptamers used in this study are less than one-tenth the size of antibodies and are single-strands of DNA containing only 40 nucleotide units.

The research was supported by Mayo Clinic and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Co-authors include Branislav Nastasijevic, Brent Wright, Ph.D., John Smestad, and Arthur Warrington, Ph.D., all of Mayo Clinic.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Mayo Clinic.

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New approach to reverse multiple sclerosis in mice models

Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Cancer / Oncology Also Included In: Colorectal Cancer;Multiple Sclerosis Article Date: 28 Jun 2012 - 9:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

3 (2 votes)

The study, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health, is published in the journal Brain.

Lead author of the study Elaine Kingwell, a postdoctoral fellow in the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Brain Research Center at UBC and VCH Research Institute, explained:

After comparing diagnoses of cancer in MS patients in British Columbia with those of the general public, the researchers discovered that MS patients were less likely to develop cancer. In particular MS patients had a lower risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, the team found that these patients had a slightly increased risk of developing brain and bladder cancer, although this increase was not significant. Furthermore, the risk for non-melanoma skin cancer was significantly higher among patients with relapsing-onset MS.

The researchers note that further studies are required in order to understand why MS patients have a reduced overall risk of developing cancer.

The researchers also found that MS patients who developed cancer usually had larger tumors at time of diagnosis. They state that more researcher is needed to find out why some tumors might be caught later in individuals with MS.

Helen Tremlett, associate professor in the UBC Faculty of Medicine, said: "Because the symptoms of MS can be broad and include feelings of fatigue, it's possible the symptoms of cancer are being masked or overlooked."

Tremlett states that MS patients and their physicians should continue to follow cancer screening guidelines, regardless of the study findings. A follow-up study is planned in order for the researchers to determine if cancer mortality rates are altered in MS patients.

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Cancer Risk Lower In Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Dementia: Not a normal part of aging

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By GARY LEBLANC | Common Sense Caregiving Published: June 28, 2012 Updated: June 28, 2012 - 12:00 AM

I recently had a conversation with a fellow caregiver that is caring for his elderly mother who is suffering from some type of dementia. He told me that her primary physician diagnosed her with "Old Brain." I almost fell out of my chair. What kind of medical diagnosis is that?

Dementia is not a normal part of aging. For example, my own mother is 93 years old and as sharp as a whip! I believe this is the way we are all meant to live out our golden years.

If our loved ones show signs of dementia, something is causing it and if their doctors aren't going to investigate it, I suggest we take them to a neurologist right away. In the case of Alzheimer's Disease, it's the disease that has brought on the symptoms of dementia. (Yes. Dementia is a symptom.)

A good analogy to use when explaining the term dementia is "fever." Fever refers to an elevated temperature, indicating that the person is sick, but it does not explain what is causing the sickness. So, simply stated, dementia is not a disease; it is one of the symptoms of a disease.

Lewy Body Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease I could go on and on, but in all cases it's the diseases themselves that have created the symptom of dementia.

The goal of any truly caring doctor is to discover what is causing it, and the sooner the better. There are even some cases such as Vascular Dementia which can be reversed if caught early enough.

Around the age of 60, everyone starts to develop a little brain shrinkage. This may cause some absent mindedness, but this should not necessarily be mistaken for dementia.

Here are a couple of scenarios to consider; we all misplace our keys once in a while, but when we're holding our car keys in our hand and forget what they are for . . . or if we forget something in our bedroom and we walk back in there and don't recognize the room we're standing in, that's concern for dementia!

If you or your loved one are experiencing this symptom, please see a doctor right away. Now, don't let the word "Alzheimer's" be the first thing to pop into your head. There are many probable causes including: vitamin B deficiency, medication side-effects, depression, just to name a few. All avenues should be explored right away.

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Dementia: Not a normal part of aging

Dementia has robbed me of my freedom, says Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson

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He said he did not even know his mental condition was deteriorating and described how the diagnosis came as a shock.

I dont think I realised at all, he told BBC Berkshire.

I don't think I realised at all. It was my wife Mary who began to notice that I would do something quite daft like putting the kettle in the sink and waiting for it to boil.

"Finally I was persuaded to go and see the doctor and eventually I was confronted with the traditional test - a piece of paper with drawings on it, taking a pencil and copying them.

"I thought 'Why are they doing this? A child could do this'.

"But when I started to copy the drawings, that wasn't the case.

"I started to get in a muddle. That's when I began to realise that there was something wrong."

He said not being able to drive anymore was the bitterest blow of all because he could not get to Pinewood from his home in Henley-on-Thames.

This depressed me enormously because my film work was my life.

Suddenly my life was cut off. Since I've had Alzheimer's I've realised how debilitating it is. It can affect your life in so many ways that you don't think about, he said.

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Dementia has robbed me of my freedom, says Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson

ABC News Profiles BalanceWear® and the Benefits for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Wow, Its like looking at a miracle, isnt it, said Cheryl Jennings, co-anchor of ABC 7 News. She was referring to reporter Carolyn Johnsons Health & Science segment on BalanceWear, a semi-custom made orthotic that has helped dramatically improve stability in patients with MS, Parkinsons disease, stroke, TBI, ataxia and other Sensory Based Motor Disorders (SBMD).

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For patients suffering from multiple sclerosis or other degenerative diseases, just controlling their own bodies can be a challenge. But now, a simple device invented in the Bay Area is helping a growing number of those patients move far more smoothly, Johnson says as she introduces viewers to Mary Spencer, a woman who suffers with balance issues caused by Multiple Sclerosis and to physical therapist Cindy Gibson-Horn, creator of BalanceWear.

"You can't tell what direction is what. Your body doesn't know what's up or down," says Mary.

Directional loss is a symptom of several Sensory Based Motor Disorders. As the patient walks, he or she becomes preoccupied with their movements, trying to compensate with every step in order to keep from falling. Gibson-Horn discovered that small, strategically placed weights applied to BalanceWear helps to adjust directional loss. Her research led to the discovery of Balance-Based Torso Weighting (BBTW), a breakthrough that has been noticed by doctors and researchers. Recently, a National Institutes of Health Recovery Grant of just under $400,000 was awarded to Samuel Merritt University (SMU) Physical Therapy Professor Dr. Gail Widener, PT, and Dr. Diane Allen at San Francisco State University to continue research into Balance-Based Torso Weighting (BBTW) and its effects on Multiple Sclerosis (MS) mobility challenges. The first phase of the study validates previous research funded by the National MS Society. The research is currently in its second phase and has led to documented evidence of the efficacy of prior clinical observations.

"If you think about balance, it's the foundation of movement. So you couldn't even sit, unless you had balance," Gibson-Horn tells Johnson. "If the patient has a balance problem, and we can identify the directional losses of balance, then we can treat those imbalances by strategically placing light weights in BalanceWear and immediately you'll know whether or not your patient is going to experience balance improvement."

Steve Cookston, CEO of Motion Therapeutics, the company that manufactures and markets BalanceWear, has spent years in the medical device field. BalanceWear has the remarkable ability to change a persons life by simply being fitted for the vest, says Cookston. It requires no downtime, drugs or special care. It is designed and manufactured to insure that the patients balance is dramatically improved immediately and that is what makes us all enthusiastically committed to this product.

Says Johnson, For Spencer, the results have already been life changing.

"I have the freedom to move without thinking, 'Where do I need to be? How do I need to stand?'" Spencer explains.

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ABC News Profiles BalanceWear® and the Benefits for Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Nighttime leg cramps hurt patient

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Dear Dr. DonohueI have leg cramps at night quite often. They wake me up, and I have to straighten my leg slowly. I do 15 bends, squats, modified push-ups and sit-ups every night. What causes these cramps? What can I do to stop them? I am physically fit and healthy at age 80. R.C.

AnswerNighttime leg cramps are the bane of a significant number of older people. What causes them is a question to which no one has come up with an answer. That hasn't stopped people from suggesting a number of possible causes: low magnesium, low potassium, too little calcium. None of these has been proved.

Some medicines have been implicated as possible causes. Water pills (diuretics) have been cited, as have long-acting beta-2 agonists used for asthma control.

Peripheral artery disease, a common malady of the elderly, is said to be common among people who suffer from nighttime cramps. That's the circulatory problem where there's obstruction to blood flow to the legs because of clogged arteries. The various kinds of arthritis also are said to contribute to nighttime cramping.

Ways to end cramps include doing exercises before going to bed. Leg exercise is particularly important. If you have a stationary bike, it might be one way to conquer cramps. Stretching exercises for the leg muscles also are important. If the calves are cramping, then stand on a stair with your heels projecting off the stair. Lower your heels, and hold that position for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times at bedtime, and do this exercise three times during the day.

Medicines sometimes can be helpful if nothing else is working. Examples are gabapentin (Neurontin), diltiazem (Cardizem) and a multivitamin containing a mix of B vitamins. Tonic water, because of its quinine content, often is offered as a preventive step.

The booklet on restless leg syndrome and nighttime cramps offers more tips. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue No. 306, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 with the recipient's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Dear Dr. DonohueMy husband was diagnosed with ataxia. What is it? R.A.

AnswerAtaxia is uncoordinated muscle movement. For most ataxia patients, it indicates a stumbling walk.

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Nighttime leg cramps hurt patient

Grover Beach boy will get service dog thanks to fundraiser; more that 400 attend event

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By Mike Hodgson/Associate Editor Email a friend Printer friendly

Lucas Appleton, right, plays with Tony Boy during a fundraiser Sunday at Mangos Saloon in Grover Beach. //Phil Klein/Contributor

A Grover Beach boy stricken with Friedreichs ataxia will get his service dog as a result of a fund-raiser that drew more than 400 people Sunday.

Nine-year-old Lucas Appleton, who suffers from the progressively crippling form of muscular dystrophy, managed to spend five hours at the event at Mongos Saloon, said his godmother, Linda McClure, who organized the barbecue that included a prize drawing, musical performances and a bake sale.

It was a huge success, McClure said. Lucas was so happy and so was his brother (William) and mother, Casandra.

We raised enough to get him a dog, with a small amount left over for a van, and were working on that now, she said.

A trained service dog, which costs $12,000 to $15,000, will help Lucas maintain his balance, turn on lights for him, pick up things hes dropped, help him through the familys narrow bathroom door and just be a companion.

McClure said about 450 people and a host of dogs attended the event that started at 10:30 a.m. and continued until Mongos closed that night.

She noted Lucas had asked to have a golden retriever or black Labrador retriever for a service dog, which might not be possible.

But a golden retriever club heard about his request and showed up with all their dogs.

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Grover Beach boy will get service dog thanks to fundraiser; more that 400 attend event

Boy will get service dog thanks to fundraiser

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By Mike Hodgson/Associate Editor Email this story Print this story

Lucas Appleton, right, plays with Tony Boy during a fundraiser Sunday at Mangos Saloon in Grover Beach. //Phil Klein/Contributor

A Grover Beach boy stricken with Friedreichs ataxia will get his service dog as a result of a fund-raiser that drew more than 400 people Sunday.

Nine-year-old Lucas Appleton, who suffers from the progressively crippling form of muscular dystrophy, managed to spend five hours at the event at Mongos Saloon, said his godmother, Linda McClure, who organized the barbecue that included a prize drawing, musical performances and a bake sale.

It was a huge success, McClure said. Lucas was so happy and so was his brother (William) and mother, Casandra.

We raised enough to get him a dog, with a small amount left over for a van, and were working on that now, she said.

A trained service dog, which costs $12,000 to $15,000, will help Lucas maintain his balance, turn on lights for him, pick up things hes dropped, help him through the familys narrow bathroom door and just be a companion.

McClure said about 450 people and a host of dogs attended the event that started at 10:30 a.m. and continued until Mongos closed that night.

She noted Lucas had asked to have a golden retriever or black Labrador retriever for a service dog, which might not be possible.

But a golden retriever club heard about his request and showed up with all their dogs.

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Boy will get service dog thanks to fundraiser

Brain scans may detect autism in babies and toddlers

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One study examines the brain's organization of white matter, while another measures its electrical activity -- in both cases, to detect autism.

Two separate studies published this month indicate that it may be possible to use brain imaging techniques to reliably detect autism in children as young as 6 months of age.

In the first study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers from across North America working on the larger and ongoing Infant Brain Imaging Study used a type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging to study 92 6-month-olds deemed high risk because their older siblings had been diagnosed with autism.

What they found is that the organization of white matter in the brain plays a key role. Specifically, they looked at fractional anisotropy (FA), which in this case measured white matter organization using the movement of water through tissue. They found that FA values were higher in 6-month-old infants who went on to develop autism, but then underwent a dramatic drop over the ensuing months and were ultimately lower than the values of those without autism when measured again at 2 years of age.

"Infancy is a time when the brain is being organized and connections are developing rapidly," Dr. Alan Evans, co-investigator out of McGill University in Montreal, said in a news release. "Our international research team was able to detect differences in the wiring by six months of age in those children who went on to develop autism."

Meanwhile, a larger study published in the journal BMC Medicine investigated patterns of electrical activity in the brains of almost 1,000 children between the ages of 2 and 12. Using electroencephalograms (EEGs) consisting of caps of 24 electrodes, researchers identified 33 patterns they say can reliably distinguish children who have autism from those who do not.

The majority of the 33 patterns revealed decreased brain activity -- particularly on the left side of the brain, which is responsible for communication -- but roughly a third of the patterns showed increased activity.

"They may be the brain's attempt to overcompensate for the regions that should be working together," Frank Duffy, a developmental neurophysiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, told WebMD. "There's also a high association of autism with seizure disorders. An over-connected brain may be more prone to seizures than an under-connected brain."

Researchers from both studies say they hope their methods and findings will pave the way to the very early detection of autism, as early intervention could in turn help improve children's outcomes later in life.

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Brain scans may detect autism in babies and toddlers

Autism Surge Due To Diagnostic Changes, Analysis Finds

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Autism Surge Due To Diagnostic Changes, Analysis Finds

Autism can be detected in the brain of infants as young as 6 months old.

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MONTREAL - The hope of early diagnosis for autism took a step forward on Thursday as a new study from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital showed that signs of autism may be detected in the brain of infants as young as 6 months old.

The finding, which was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, could lead to early intervention for children with autism.

Using specialized screening, the study found significant differences in the brain development of infants at high risk for autism starting as early as 6 months.

And the study illustrates how an emerging area of brain imaging research may lead to a much better understanding of how the brain is wired and connected.

This is not just about autism, it has ramifications across the board, said Alan Evans, a lead researcher on the study from the Neuro who is also director of the Montreal Consortium for Brain Imaging Research. We are standing on the threshold of a whole new approach to brain science.

After hearing about the human genome all these years, we now have the connectome. Evans says this is the next phase in neuroscience, that it offers a more complex and rewarding characterization of the brain.

Developing these new technologies offer us a noninvasive window into normal and abnormal brain development which was basically impossible 10 years ago, he said in an interview.

The study used a special type of MRI scan, known as diffusion tensor imaging, which allows for more sophisticated analysis and imaging. It showed abnormal brain development may be detected before the appearance of autism symptoms in an infants first year of life. Autism is typically diagnosed around the age of 2 or 3 years when symptoms appear, such as problems with communication, social interaction and behaviour.

But research shows that symptoms can improve with early intervention so early diagnosis is key.

Evans doesnt foresee this type of scanning to be used on every infant, as it would be very costly. But he does believe if the research is reproduced these types of scans will one day be routine for siblings of children with autism, who have about a 15-per-cent likelihood of developing the disorder.

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Autism can be detected in the brain of infants as young as 6 months old.

Coverage for Autism Treatment Starts July 1

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A behaviorally based treatment for autism that is widely considered one of the most effective ways to help children with the condition will come within reach of thousands of California families when a new law kicks in July 1.

Until now, insurance companies have classified the treatment, which can involve several hours per day of therapy and cost thousands of dollars each month, as educational rather than medical.

The new state law, however, will require most plans to cover it.

Its very important that insurance companies fund this because its medically necessary, said Dr. Susan Schmidt-Lackner, an autism specialist who is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at UCLA. Behavioral interventions are one of the mainstays of treatment for autism.

The treatment, called applied behavioral analysis, involves no medication and no special diets. Instead, therapists use a highly focused reward system to distill even the most complicated human interactions into a series of very simple steps that almost anyone can learn.

Monday, July 2: NBC4 Hosts Experts to Answer Your Questions About Behaviorally Based Treatment for Autism

These techniques are so effective that some children who receive the treatment are no longer considered autistic after theyve had it. Others make years of progress in a few months.

But behavioral interventions are expensive, because they require hours of one-on-one work with every child or adult who receives them. A team of behaviorists may spend 25 to 40 hours per week working with a single child.

We break down a complex skill into teachable units, said Paige Raetz, a behavior analyst and clinical director for Trumpet Behavioral Health.

An act as seemingly simple as learning to look another person in the eye, for example, may simply begin with a reward for a child who responds when a therapist calls his name. Another reward perhaps a small piece of candy might be proffered when the child comes to sit at a table where the therapist is waiting.

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Coverage for Autism Treatment Starts July 1

Test May Spot Autism in Young Children

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The Brains of Children With Autism Appear to Share a Distinct Electrical Signature

By Brenda Goodman, MA WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Hansa D. Bhargava, MD

June 26, 2012 -- A noninvasive test that measures and records the brain's electrical activity may reliably detect autism in children as young as age 2, a new study shows.

There is currently no objective test to help doctors diagnose autism, a developmental disorder that strikes about 1 in 100 children, typically before age 3. Children with autism struggle with language and communication, social interaction, and may exhibit repetitive movements like rocking or flicking a wrist.

The study, which is published in the journal BMC Medicine, used electroencephalograms (EEGs) to study patterns of electrical activity in the brains of nearly 1,000 children. About half of the children had been diagnosed with autism. The other half did not have autism and were used for comparison. All the kids were between the ages of 2 and 12.

The kids in the study wore a cap of 24 electrodes that recorded patterns of brain activity while they were awake and alert. A technologist kept a close eye on the recording to flag any spikes in activity that could have been caused by slight movements like blinking, yawning, or drowsiness.

Researchers discovered 33 specific patterns, or factors, that reliably distinguished children with autism from their normal peers.

Most of the patterns showed areas of decreased brain activity. That diminished activity was especially apparent on the left side of the brain, the area responsible for language and communication.

But about 30% of the patterns showed increased activity, leading researchers to guess that the brain may be working harder in certain regions to overcome the local areas of faulty communication.

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Test May Spot Autism in Young Children

Gladstone scientists use stem cell technology to tackle Huntington’s disease

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Public release date: 28-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Diane Schrick diane.schrick@gladstone.ucsf.edu 415-734-2538 Gladstone Institutes

SAN FRANCISCO, CAJune 28, 2012Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes and an international team of researchers have generated a human model of Huntington's diseasedirectly from the skin cells of patients with the disease.

For years, scientists have studied Huntington's disease primarily in post-mortem brain tissue or laboratory animals modified to mimic the disease. Today, in Cell Stem Cell, the international team shows how they developed a human model of Huntington's disease, which causes a diverse range of neurological impairments. The new model should help scientists better understand the development of Huntington'sand provide better ways to identify and screen potential therapeutics for this devastating disease.

This new model comes at a time of concentrated federal efforts to accelerate solutions for diseasesincluding a number of debilitating conditions that touch only small percentages of the population. Last year, the National Institutes of Health consolidated its efforts to attack rare diseases under the new National Center for Translational Sciences.

Huntington's is such a rare disease, although it is the most common inherited neurodegenerative disorder. It afflicts approximately 30,000 people in the United Stateswith another 75,000 people carrying the gene that will eventually lead to it. Caused by a mutation in the gene for a protein called huntingtin, the disease damages brain cells so that people with Huntington's progressively lose their ability to walk, talk, think and reason.

"An advantage of this human model is that we now have the ability to identify changes in brain cells over timeduring the degeneration process and at specific stages of brain-cell development," said Gladstone Senior Investigator Steve Finkbeiner, MD, PhD. "We hope this model will help us more readily uncover relevant factors that contribute to Huntington's disease and especially to find successful therapeutic approaches."

In this research, Dr. Finkbeiner and others took advantage of advanced "reprogramming" techniques pioneered by Gladstone Senior Investigator Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD. They reprogrammed skin cells from Huntington's disease patients into stem cells known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cellswhich can become virtually any cell type in the body. The researchers then instructed the iPS cells to develop into neurons, a key type of brain cell. Importantly, each cell line contained a complete set of the genes from each Huntington's disease patient. Because each patient has a different pattern of disease onset and duration, this model may replicate Huntington's more faithfully than animal models do. The model is likely to prove more useful in understanding the disease's progression.

"The iPS cells will provide insights into Huntington's disease, helping us to develop new therapies and test drug candidates," said Dr. Finkbeiner, who is also a professor of neurology and physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, with which Gladstone is affiliated. "We hope that drugs developed with this new human model will have greater success in clinical trials. The track record of animal models for predicting therapies that will work in people has been poor, making drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases very costlyand therefore less attractive to drug companies. We hope to change that."

###

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Gladstone scientists use stem cell technology to tackle Huntington's disease

Gladstone scientists use stem cell technology to tackle Huntington's disease

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Public release date: 28-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Diane Schrick diane.schrick@gladstone.ucsf.edu 415-734-2538 Gladstone Institutes

SAN FRANCISCO, CAJune 28, 2012Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes and an international team of researchers have generated a human model of Huntington's diseasedirectly from the skin cells of patients with the disease.

For years, scientists have studied Huntington's disease primarily in post-mortem brain tissue or laboratory animals modified to mimic the disease. Today, in Cell Stem Cell, the international team shows how they developed a human model of Huntington's disease, which causes a diverse range of neurological impairments. The new model should help scientists better understand the development of Huntington'sand provide better ways to identify and screen potential therapeutics for this devastating disease.

This new model comes at a time of concentrated federal efforts to accelerate solutions for diseasesincluding a number of debilitating conditions that touch only small percentages of the population. Last year, the National Institutes of Health consolidated its efforts to attack rare diseases under the new National Center for Translational Sciences.

Huntington's is such a rare disease, although it is the most common inherited neurodegenerative disorder. It afflicts approximately 30,000 people in the United Stateswith another 75,000 people carrying the gene that will eventually lead to it. Caused by a mutation in the gene for a protein called huntingtin, the disease damages brain cells so that people with Huntington's progressively lose their ability to walk, talk, think and reason.

"An advantage of this human model is that we now have the ability to identify changes in brain cells over timeduring the degeneration process and at specific stages of brain-cell development," said Gladstone Senior Investigator Steve Finkbeiner, MD, PhD. "We hope this model will help us more readily uncover relevant factors that contribute to Huntington's disease and especially to find successful therapeutic approaches."

In this research, Dr. Finkbeiner and others took advantage of advanced "reprogramming" techniques pioneered by Gladstone Senior Investigator Shinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD. They reprogrammed skin cells from Huntington's disease patients into stem cells known as induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPS cellswhich can become virtually any cell type in the body. The researchers then instructed the iPS cells to develop into neurons, a key type of brain cell. Importantly, each cell line contained a complete set of the genes from each Huntington's disease patient. Because each patient has a different pattern of disease onset and duration, this model may replicate Huntington's more faithfully than animal models do. The model is likely to prove more useful in understanding the disease's progression.

"The iPS cells will provide insights into Huntington's disease, helping us to develop new therapies and test drug candidates," said Dr. Finkbeiner, who is also a professor of neurology and physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, with which Gladstone is affiliated. "We hope that drugs developed with this new human model will have greater success in clinical trials. The track record of animal models for predicting therapies that will work in people has been poor, making drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases very costlyand therefore less attractive to drug companies. We hope to change that."

###

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Gladstone scientists use stem cell technology to tackle Huntington's disease

Osiris Bolsters its Stem Cell Intellectual Property Estate

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COLUMBIA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. (OSIR), announced today the expansion of its intellectual property protection around Prochymal (remestemcel-L). The United States Patent and Trademark Office recently granted Osiris two patents that cover multiple mechanisms of action related to cardiac tissue repair. Additionally, Osiris has enhanced its mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) patent estate with the issuance of patents across Europe and Australia covering stem cells expressing all therapeutically useful levels of cell surface receptors for TNF-alpha, a receptor essential to the cell's ability to counteract inflammation. These patents further support Osiris' considerable intellectual property position, which includes 48 issued U.S. patents around the production, composition, testing and use of the mesenchymal stem cell from both allogeneic and autologous sources.

"These recent additions to Osiris patent estate, combined with the existing broad coverage of our pioneering MSC platform technology, reinforce our industry leading IP portfolio and bolster our dominant position regarding the manufacture and use of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of a broad range of diseases, said Chris Alder, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel of Osiris. We have invested significant time and resources building our intellectual property estate, and with the commercialization of Prochymal, we are preparing to take the necessary action to enforce our considerable rights.

Prochymal is now approved in Canada and New Zealand, and is currently available in seven other countries including the United States under an Expanded Access Program. With Prochymal (remestemcel-L) entering commerce, Osiris has initiated the process of identifying entities that may be infringing upon its intellectual property rights and will take appropriate action as necessary.

About Prochymal (remestemcel-L)

Prochymal is the worlds first approved drug with a stem cell as its active ingredient. Developed by Osiris Therapeutics, Prochymal is an intravenous formulation of MSCs, which are derived from the bone marrow of healthy adult donors between the ages of 18 and 30 years. The MSCs are selected from the bone marrow and grown in culture so that up to 10,000 doses of Prochymal can be produced from a single donor. Prochymal is truly an off-the-shelf stem cell product that is stored frozen at the point-of-care and infused through a simple intravenous line without the need to type or immunosuppress the recipient. Prochymal is approved in Canada and New Zealand for the management of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in children and is available for adults and children in eight countries including the United States, under an Expanded Access Program. Prochymal is currently in a Phase 3 trial for refractory Crohns disease and is also being evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and type 1 diabetes.

About Osiris Therapeutics

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. is the leading stem cell company, having developed the worlds first approved stem cell drug, Prochymal. The company is focused on developing and marketing products to treat medical conditions in inflammatory, cardiovascular, orthopedic and wound healing markets. In Biosurgery, Osiris currently markets Grafix for burns and chronic wounds, and Ovation for orthopedic applications. Osiris is a fully integrated company with capabilities in research, development, manufacturing and distribution of stem cell products. Osiris has developed an extensive intellectual property portfolio to protect the company's technology, including 48 U.S. and 144 foreign patents.

Osiris, Prochymal, Grafix and Ovation are registered trademarks of Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. More information can be found on the company's website, http://www.Osiris.com. (OSIRG)

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Osiris Bolsters its Stem Cell Intellectual Property Estate