Monthly Archives: September 2012

Intern – European Multiple Sclerosis Platform

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European Multiple Sclerosis Platform is looking for an intern

The Brussels-based European Multiple Sclerosis Platform (EMSP) is looking for a full-time, paid internship to support the organisation from September 2012 onwards in its Public Affairs and Communications efforts. The envisaged duration of the internship is 6 months, with a possible 3-month extension. The intern will provide support on flagship projects of the EMSP (e.g. further development of our YOUTH project) and contribute to the EMSP's website / web alert as key external communication tools.

Profilea background in communication or EU studies outstanding communication skills and excellent English excellent drafting skills; track-record in contributing to print and online publications a good understanding of European policies and the workings of the EU institutions

Interpersonal skills flexible, can-do attitude well-organised team player yet autonomous

Qualified candidates should submit their CV and cover letter in English to the attention of Christoph Thalheim, Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs at christoph.thalheim@emsp.org. by the 25th September at the latest. Please note that only short listed candidates will be contacted.

About EMSP The EMSP is representing the interests of 38 national MS societies /patient organisations at the European level, working towards equitable treatment and support for persons with MS throughout Europe. Multiple Sclerosis is the most common debilitating neurological disease of young and middle aged people in Europe. More than 600,000 Europeans are affected.

2012 European voice. All rights reserved.

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Intern - European Multiple Sclerosis Platform

Pill shows promise in suppressing multiple sclerosis relapses

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A new oral medication to treat patients in the early stages of multiple sclerosis has shown considerable promise in two clinical trials, researchers announced Wednesday.

The medication is on track to become just the third oral drug available to MS patients, and potentially the safest and most effective, experts said. The second oral drug, called Aubagio, was approved just last week.

MS was virtually untreatable only two decades ago, but today nine "disease modifying" drugs are available for early-stage patients; a half-dozen more are in the late stages of development. Most patients in the early stage of the disease, a form called relapsing-remitting MS, take drugs intravenously.

The two new studies, published online in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the drug BG-12, developed by Biogen Idec, reduced relapse rates in patients with relapsing MS by about 50 percent.

The drug also significantly reduced the frequency of new brain lesions often associated with these attacks, and slowed the progression of disease compared with a placebo.

The studies were Phase 3 trials, a last step on the road to drug approval. The Food and Drug Administration is required to make a decision about the drug's approval before the end of this year.

"This drug is clearly quite effective in managing disease and reducing disability, and the safety profile looks quite good," said Timothy Coetzee, the chief research officer at the

Multiple sclerosis is often a progressive disease in which the immune system damages neurons in the brain and spinal cord.

A majority of people with MS have relapsing-remitting MS, characterized by flare-ups that cause lesions in the brain to develop and neurological symptoms to emerge or worsen. Eventually, more than half of patients develop a progressive form of MS, leading to permanent disabilities.

Interferons, the drugs most commonly used in relapsing MS, reduce relapses by about 30 percent, and have not been shown to slow the progression of the disease and disability. The newly approved Aubagio also reduces relapses by about 30 percent, and it has the advantage of being an oral drug.

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Pill shows promise in suppressing multiple sclerosis relapses

Remembering dementia’s toll in Warranwood

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FOR Christmas in 2005, Diana Fayle's mother Jan Riley drove herself to Warranwood to celebrate with her family.

"But by 2006, she didn't even know what the telephone was or how to use it,'' Ms Fayle said.

Mrs Riley, 69, had dementia - and the illness progressed quickly.

"Mum first started showing signs of memory loss in 2004, but by 2006 we knew there was something wrong,'' she said.

A piano teacher for more than 40 years, Mrs Riley's students began calling Ms Fayle about strange things that were happening during lessons.

The family first put in programs such as home help to keep Mrs Riley at home, but it was soon apparent she needed more care.

"She got to the point where she didn't know the difference between day and night,'' Ms Fayle said.

With a new baby herself, Ms Fayle said it was difficult finding the right home for her mother.

"We wanted to do what was right and best for her, and that meant making difficult decisions,'' she said.

"Finding the right nursing home was paramount.''

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Remembering dementia's toll in Warranwood

Remembering dementia's toll in Warranwood

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FOR Christmas in 2005, Diana Fayle's mother Jan Riley drove herself to Warranwood to celebrate with her family.

"But by 2006, she didn't even know what the telephone was or how to use it,'' Ms Fayle said.

Mrs Riley, 69, had dementia - and the illness progressed quickly.

"Mum first started showing signs of memory loss in 2004, but by 2006 we knew there was something wrong,'' she said.

A piano teacher for more than 40 years, Mrs Riley's students began calling Ms Fayle about strange things that were happening during lessons.

The family first put in programs such as home help to keep Mrs Riley at home, but it was soon apparent she needed more care.

"She got to the point where she didn't know the difference between day and night,'' Ms Fayle said.

With a new baby herself, Ms Fayle said it was difficult finding the right home for her mother.

"We wanted to do what was right and best for her, and that meant making difficult decisions,'' she said.

"Finding the right nursing home was paramount.''

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Remembering dementia's toll in Warranwood

Dementia care ‘needs overhaul’

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Sep 18 2012

Care services for people with dementia need a radical overhaul, Alzheimer Scotland has said.

Many of Scotland's estimated 84,000 sufferers do not receive the co-ordinated health and social support that is vital to help them live in the community, the charity said.

Carers, partners and families of sufferers are also lacking essential support as a result of the current "fragmented" care system.

Alzheimer Scotland wants to see a co-ordinator appointed to oversee the treatment and care of dementia patients. This may include access to psychological services and regular reviews of patients' wellbeing.

It is one of a number of recommendations outlined in its new report, Delivering Integrated Dementia Care: The Eight Pillars Model of Community Support. The charity hopes the document will act as a blueprint for local authorities and NHS boards.

Dementia includes a range of brain diseases of which Alzheimer's is the most common. It predominantly affects older people.

An ageing population means that, based on current estimates, the number of people with dementia will double within the next 25 years.

Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: "We wish to work alongside the Scottish Government, NHS Boards, local authorities and other bodies to ensure they use the Eight Pillars as a portal to deliver equal access to the best possible treatments and support for every person with dementia.

"Only through doing this can we be sure that we are using resources to the best possible effect to enable people to live in their own homes, in their own communities and with their families for as long as they choose.

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Dementia care 'needs overhaul'

Dementia care 'needs overhaul'

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Sep 18 2012

Care services for people with dementia need a radical overhaul, Alzheimer Scotland has said.

Many of Scotland's estimated 84,000 sufferers do not receive the co-ordinated health and social support that is vital to help them live in the community, the charity said.

Carers, partners and families of sufferers are also lacking essential support as a result of the current "fragmented" care system.

Alzheimer Scotland wants to see a co-ordinator appointed to oversee the treatment and care of dementia patients. This may include access to psychological services and regular reviews of patients' wellbeing.

It is one of a number of recommendations outlined in its new report, Delivering Integrated Dementia Care: The Eight Pillars Model of Community Support. The charity hopes the document will act as a blueprint for local authorities and NHS boards.

Dementia includes a range of brain diseases of which Alzheimer's is the most common. It predominantly affects older people.

An ageing population means that, based on current estimates, the number of people with dementia will double within the next 25 years.

Henry Simmons, chief executive of Alzheimer Scotland, said: "We wish to work alongside the Scottish Government, NHS Boards, local authorities and other bodies to ensure they use the Eight Pillars as a portal to deliver equal access to the best possible treatments and support for every person with dementia.

"Only through doing this can we be sure that we are using resources to the best possible effect to enable people to live in their own homes, in their own communities and with their families for as long as they choose.

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Dementia care 'needs overhaul'

Dementia expert says prevention is best

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Prevention is the most powerful medicine in the fight against dementia and Alzheimer's disease, a leading international researcher says.

'Prevention is very important, more than any drugs we have or plan to develop,' said Serge Gauthier, director of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit at McGill University in Canada.

Dr Gauthier, who is in Australia for a series of seminars to coincide with Dementia Awareness Week, said the majority of dementia cases in those aged over 85 were preventable.

Small strokes were key contributors to dementia in this group, he said.

Making lifestyle changes such as losing weight, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption could reduce the risk of strokes, Dr Gauthier said.

'This is where we can have an impact right now,' he told AAP.

'If you can prevent small strokes, you probably delay dementia by 10 years.'

However, another component of dementia and Alzheimer's is the build-up of naturally occurring ameloid proteins in the brain.

Dr Gauthier said the role of ameloids is still unknown but it is thought the proteins may help protect against infection.

But in larger quantities the proteins can become problematic.

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Dementia expert says prevention is best

‘Conspiracy of silence’ over dementia in the doctor’s surgery

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She said: These responses provide an intriguing insight into the reality of the UKs poor levels of diagnosis for Alzheimers Disease.

"The findings suggest an unwillingness to engage on both sides of the consulting room table, leading to a conspiracy of silence around this devastating disease.

"While companies like Lilly search for new medicines to help treat Alzheimers, we must all work together to reduce the stigma that is holding early and accurate diagnosis back.

Almost three-quarters of the doctors surveyed cited the lack of a definitive dementia test as a reason for their reluctance to raise the matter with patients. Telling early dementia from normal ageing can be difficult.

In the past GPs have sometimes refrainedgiving patients the bad news - even those with clear signs - because little could be done for them.

However, now drugs are available on the NHS that can slow the advance of Alzheimers, the most common form of dementia. The earlier they are given, the better.

Dementia is thought to affect around 800,000 people in Britain, but only four in 10 have received a formal diagnosis, according to The Alzheimers Society.

The survey results were released ahead of World Alzheimers Day, which is tomorrow (Friday).

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'Conspiracy of silence' over dementia in the doctor's surgery

'Conspiracy of silence' over dementia in the doctor's surgery

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She said: These responses provide an intriguing insight into the reality of the UKs poor levels of diagnosis for Alzheimers Disease.

"The findings suggest an unwillingness to engage on both sides of the consulting room table, leading to a conspiracy of silence around this devastating disease.

"While companies like Lilly search for new medicines to help treat Alzheimers, we must all work together to reduce the stigma that is holding early and accurate diagnosis back.

Almost three-quarters of the doctors surveyed cited the lack of a definitive dementia test as a reason for their reluctance to raise the matter with patients. Telling early dementia from normal ageing can be difficult.

In the past GPs have sometimes refrainedgiving patients the bad news - even those with clear signs - because little could be done for them.

However, now drugs are available on the NHS that can slow the advance of Alzheimers, the most common form of dementia. The earlier they are given, the better.

Dementia is thought to affect around 800,000 people in Britain, but only four in 10 have received a formal diagnosis, according to The Alzheimers Society.

The survey results were released ahead of World Alzheimers Day, which is tomorrow (Friday).

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'Conspiracy of silence' over dementia in the doctor's surgery

Godfrey Dementia Care Facility Recognized as Distinguished Provider

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MILWAUKEE, WI--(Marketwire - Sep 18, 2012) - Dementia Care Specialists (DCS) has recognized Provision Living at Godfrey, in Godfrey, IL as the third facility nationally to achieve the status of Distinguished Provider -- the highest credential in dementia care.

DCS is a specialized offering of CPI, the worldwide leader in crisis prevention and intervention training. Launched in 2011, the Distinguished Provider program signifies a commitment to the DCS training philosophy and abilities-based approach, which helps improve function, safety, and quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's/dementia.

"When people look for a long-term care facility, they want to select a place that they trust will offer the best and most attentive care for themselves or their loved ones. That trust is exactly what the Distinguished Provider status communicates. It is a seal of approval from industry leaders," said Kim Warchol, OTR/L, Dementia Care Specialists president and founder.

A Distinguished Provider demonstrates a commitment to high-quality, person-centered dementia care. This includes compliance with training standards and the implementation of CPI's Dementia Capable Care training and principles. For individuals at all stages of Alzheimer's/dementia, these principles promote the highest possible level of function, maximize health and safety, and help maintain dignity and quality of life.

With more than 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer's/dementia, and many more projected over the coming years, the level of care provided by Provision Living at Godfrey can serve as an example and help elevate the standard of dementia care in the US.

In addition to recognizing facilities, DCS also recognizes therapists and care partners who demonstrate the passion, heart, and skill to deliver Dementia Capable Care. DCS welcomes both facilities and individual practitioners to apply for the Distinguished Provider program. The application and additional information are available at crisisprevention.com/dcs.

CPI is an international training organization committed to best practices and safe behavior management methods that focus on prevention. Through a variety of specialized offerings and innovative resources, CPI educates and empowers professionals to create safe and respectful work environments and enrich the lives of the individuals they serve.

For more information about CPI and DCS, visit crisisprevention.com.

For more information about Provision Living at Godfrey, visit http://www.provisionliving.com/godfrey-illinois-independent-assisted-living-Provision-Living/

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Godfrey Dementia Care Facility Recognized as Distinguished Provider

Dementia research ‘is in danger’

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19 September 2012 Last updated at 13:13 ET By Adam Brimelow Health Correspondent, BBC News

A leading health research charity says drugs companies may "retreat" from dementia research without more support.

Alzheimer's Research UK says more government hep is needed to ensure the industry does not "retreat" from the challenge of finding new drugs.

The warning follows disappointing results in recent clinical trials.

The pharmaceutical industry body, the ABPI, says there are over 200 medicines under development for Alzheimer's.

It is estimated that more than 800,00 people in the UK have dementia. The majority have Alzheimer's Disease.

The numbers affected are growing fast, and the search for new treatments ever-more urgent.

But this summer two big trials have reported disappointing results. The drugs - bapineuzumab and solanezumab - failed to show benefits that researchers had hoped to see.

Alzheimer's Research UK fears companies may decide that putting resources into dementia is too risky. The charity's science director, Dr Eric Karran, said the trial setbacks were "very disappointing". He warned that companies may be deterred from investing in dementia.

"If you're running a business and you have options to find important new medicines in cancer, in diabetes or in neuroscience inevitably I think you have to place your bets where ultimately you will get a better chance of a return on your investment."

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Dementia research 'is in danger'

Dementia research 'is in danger'

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19 September 2012 Last updated at 13:13 ET By Adam Brimelow Health Correspondent, BBC News

A leading health research charity says drugs companies may "retreat" from dementia research without more support.

Alzheimer's Research UK says more government hep is needed to ensure the industry does not "retreat" from the challenge of finding new drugs.

The warning follows disappointing results in recent clinical trials.

The pharmaceutical industry body, the ABPI, says there are over 200 medicines under development for Alzheimer's.

It is estimated that more than 800,00 people in the UK have dementia. The majority have Alzheimer's Disease.

The numbers affected are growing fast, and the search for new treatments ever-more urgent.

But this summer two big trials have reported disappointing results. The drugs - bapineuzumab and solanezumab - failed to show benefits that researchers had hoped to see.

Alzheimer's Research UK fears companies may decide that putting resources into dementia is too risky. The charity's science director, Dr Eric Karran, said the trial setbacks were "very disappointing". He warned that companies may be deterred from investing in dementia.

"If you're running a business and you have options to find important new medicines in cancer, in diabetes or in neuroscience inevitably I think you have to place your bets where ultimately you will get a better chance of a return on your investment."

Originally posted here:
Dementia research 'is in danger'

Indianapolis Dementia Care Facility Recognized as Distinguished Provider

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MILWAUKEE, WI--(Marketwire - Sep 19, 2012) - Dementia Care Specialists (DCS) has recognized GreenTree at Post Road, in Indianapolis, IN as the first facility in Indiana to achieve the status of Distinguished Provider -- the highest credential in dementia care.

DCS is a specialized offering of CPI, the worldwide leader in crisis prevention and intervention training. Launched in 2011, the Distinguished Provider program signifies a commitment to the DCS training philosophy and abilities-based approach, which helps improve function, safety, and quality of life for individuals with Alzheimer's/dementia.

"When people look for a long-term care facility, they want to select a place that they trust will offer the best and most attentive care for themselves or their loved ones. That trust is exactly what the Distinguished Provider status communicates. It is a seal of approval from industry leaders," said Kim Warchol, OTR/L, Dementia Care Specialists president and founder.

A Distinguished Provider demonstrates a commitment to high-quality, person-centered dementia care. This includes compliance with training standards and the implementation of CPI's Dementia Capable Care training and principles. For individuals at all stages of Alzheimer's/dementia, these principles promote the highest possible level of function, maximize health and safety, and help maintain dignity and quality of life.

With more than 5.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer's/dementia, and many more projected over the coming years, the level of care provided by GreenTree at Post Road can serve as an example and help elevate the standard of dementia care in the US.

In addition to recognizing facilities, DCS also recognizes therapists and care partners who demonstrate the passion, heart, and skill to deliver Dementia Capable Care. DCS welcomes both facilities and individual practitioners to apply for the Distinguished Provider program. The application and additional information are available at crisisprevention.com/dcs.

CPI is an international training organization committed to best practices and safe behavior management methods that focus on prevention. Through a variety of specialized offerings and innovative resources, CPI educates and empowers professionals to create safe and respectful work environments and enrich the lives of the individuals they serve.

For more information about CPI and DCS, visit crisisprevention.com.

For more information about Provision Living at Godfrey, visit http://www.provisionliving.com/indianapolis-assisted-living--memory-care-GreenTree-Assisted-Living/

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Indianapolis Dementia Care Facility Recognized as Distinguished Provider

Golf for a Cure for Ataxia raises awareness, money

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CICERO, N.Y. -- Golfers hit the links in Cicero to help raise money and awareness of a deadly, but not widely known condition. The 9th annual Golf for a Cure for Ataxia was held at Northern Pines Country Club on Sunday.

Ataxia refers to a set of symptoms that affects a person's ability to coordinate movement. It currently affects at least 150,000 Americans. All of the money raised through the event benefits the Bob Allison Ataxia Research Center.

"All their efforts are put to finding a cure, but right now, their efforts are to find something to slow this thing down, because at the present time, there's nothing to help the people with this disease," said Jim Ciecierski, Golf for a Cure for Ataxia Director.

The tournament has raised more than $200,000 since it began. If you'd like to learn more about Ataxia, or make a donation, visit joanneciercierski.net.

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New Drug Could Help Autism Patients

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Researchers have found a drug that can help patients with Fragile X syndrome, the most common cause of inherited intellectual impairment (formerly known as mental retardation), stay calm in social situations by treating their anxiety.

Dr. Elizabeth Berry-Kravis and her team found that a drug called Arbaclofen reduced social avoidance and repetitive behavior in Fragile X patients, especially those with autism, by treating their anxiety. The drug increases GABA, a chemical in the brain that regulates the excitatory system in Fragile X patients, who have been known to have too little GABA to do the job otherwise, causing their excitatory systems to "signal out of control" and make them anxious.

Such patients have been known to cover their ears or run away at their own birthdays because they are overwhelmed by the attention, but one trial participant said he was able to enjoy his birthday party for the first time in his life while he was on Arbaclofen, she said.

"I feel like it's kind of the beginning of chemotherapy when people first realized you could use chemotherapy to treat cancer patients instead of just letting them die," said Berry-Kravis, a professor of neurology and biochemistry at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago who has studied Fragile X for more than 20 years.

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She said people used to think Fragile X patients couldn't be helped either, but she and her team have proven that by using knowledge from existing brain mechanism studies, doctors can select medications to target specific problems in Fragile X patients' brains.

Fragile X syndrome is a change in the FMRI gene, which makes a protein necessary for brain growth, and studies indicate it causes autism in up to one-third of patients diagnosed with it. Unlike Fragile X syndrome, which is genetic, autism is a behavioral diagnosis characterized by an inability to relate to other people or read social cues. Autism and Fragile X are linked, but not mutually exclusive. A core symptom of both is social withdrawal.

Sixty-three patients with Fragile X participated in Berry-Kravis's placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial from December 2008 through March 2010. Of those, the patients with autism showed the biggest improvements in social behavior, Berry-Kravis said.

To psychologist Lori Warner, who directs the HOPE Center at Beaumont Children's Hospital, the study is exciting because when her autistic patients are anxious, they often have a harder time learning the social cues they can't read on their own.

"Reducing anxiety opens up your brain to be able to take in what's happening in an environment and be able to learn from and understand social cues because you're no longer frightened of the situation," Warner said.

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New Drug Could Help Autism Patients

Faculty from UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment receive multiple NIH awards

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Public release date: 18-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mark Wheeler mwheeler@mednet.ucla.edu 310-794-2265 University of California - Los Angeles

The National Institutes of Health, recognizing UCLA's preeminence in both research and clinical care for children with autism, has announced multiple awards to the university as part of the agency's Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) research program.

The UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment (CART) was the only NIH ACE Center in the nation to be awarded renewed funding for the next five years. The funding will support ongoing research focused on examining genes' link to behavior, developing clinical interventions for those severely affected by the disorder, and explaining why autism affects more boys than girls.

The goal of this work is to understand the full range of autism spectrum disorders, the brain condition that causes a continuum of social deficits, communication difficulties and cognitive delays.

Genes and behavior

UCLA's CART will receive $10 million for research aimed at advancing treatments, understanding the disorder's genetics and biology, and improving diagnostics. New research will link genetic mutations to distinct patterns of brain development, structure and function in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. This research effort is led by Susan Bookheimer, the Joaquin Fuster Professor of Cognitive Neurosciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA.

CART is unique in its breadth of expertise, which spans treatment, research, genetics, brain imaging and early-detection methods.

"We are very pleased to receive this additional funding to continue our investigation into the relationship between aberrant brain development and core deficits in autism," Bookheimer said. "With this award, we will now begin to track children, from infants to adolescents, who have multiple risks for autism and follow them over time in order to understand the trajectory of this disorder."

Autism in boys and girls

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Faculty from UCLA Center for Autism Research and Treatment receive multiple NIH awards

Autism symptoms could arise from unreliable neural responses

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Public release date: 19-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Elisabeth (Lisa) Lyons elyons@cell.com 617-386-2121 Cell Press

Diverse symptoms associated with autism could be explained by unreliable activity of neurons in the brain in response to basic, nonsocial sensory information, according to a study published by Cell Press on September 19th in the journal Neuron. The new findings suggest that autism is a disorder of general neural processing and could potentially provide an explanation for the origins of a range of psychiatric and neurological disorders.

"Within the autism research community, most researchers are looking for either a dysfunctional brain region or inadequate connections between brain regions," says lead study author Ilan Dinstein of Carnegie Mellon University. "We're taking a different approach and thinking about how a general characteristic of the brain could be different in autismand how that might lead to behavioral changes."

Autism is a developmental disorder marked by social deficits, communication problems, and repetitive behaviors. Two previous studies suggested that the neural responses of individuals with autism are more variable than those of control subjects during visual and motor tasks. Building on this past evidence, Dinstein and his collaborators have now shown that multiple sensory systems within these individuals show noisy responses, suggesting that widespread behavioral abnormalities could arise from a basic dysfunction in neural processing that emerges during development.

In the study, adults with autism participated in functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments in which their brain activity was measured under three different conditions: while they watched moving dots on a screen, listened to tone beeps, and felt air puffs on their hands. The neural responses to all three types of sensory information were less reliable across trials in individuals with autism than in control subjects.

The findings suggest that autism could result from fundamental defects in general neural processing rather than a collection of independent problems that affect different brain regions. "Unreliable neural activity is a general property that could have a profound impact on the function of many brain systems and could underlie a range of cognitive and social abnormalities," says study author Marlene Behrmann of Carnegie Mellon University. "So we think that this problem could play a role not only in autism, but also potentially in other disorders such as epilepsy and schizophrenia."

###

Dinstein et al.: "Unreliable evoked responses in autism."

Video: Marlene Behrmann, Professor of Psychology, and IIan Dinstein, Postdoctoral Researcher, from Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Psychology discuss their study "Autistic Adults have Unreliable Neural Sensory Responses" publishing in Neuron.

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Autism symptoms could arise from unreliable neural responses

Experimental drug may help some autism cases, researchers say

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An experimental drug can improve sociability in patients with fragile X syndrome and may be helpful as a treatment for autism, according to the authors of a new study.

Fragile X is a rare genetic disorder that affects about 1 in 4,000 boys and 1 in 8,000 girls, according to the National Institutes of Health. It usually results in mental retardation and in about half of cases some form of autism.

In fragile X, which accounts for 2% of autism cases, a mutation in a gene on the X chromosome turns off production of a regulatory protein known as FMRP. That leads to out-of-control activation of the brain chemical glutamate, which plays a key role in learning and memory, potentially explaining social anxiety and other symptoms of the disorder.

A group of researchers tested a drug known as STX209 in mice that were genetically engineered to have an animal version of fragile X. The researchers found that it helped correct the biochemical abnormalities associated with the mutation and reduced seizures and repetitive behaviors in the mice, they reported Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

In a related study published in the same journal, 46 children and 17 adults with fragile X were assigned to take the drug for four weeks and a placebo for four weeks. Patients made bigger improvements on a "social avoidance" scale while they were taking the drug compared with when they were taking the placebo.

"This study nails a core feature in autism," said Dr. Randi Hagerman, an expert in neurodevelopmental disorders at the UC Davis MIND Institute and coauthor of the human study. "We think this is a great drug."

But scientists who were not involved in the study said the improvements were modest at best and that their applicability to autism a highly variable disorder that may have many distinct causes was unclear.

"The data have to be viewed with extreme caution," said Dr. Christopher McDougle, a psychiatrist and autism expert at Harvard University. "They're interesting. That's about all you can say."

An explosion in autism diagnosis over the last two decades makes the disorder an obvious target for drug developers. But with little understanding of its biological underpinnings, researchers have not known which chemical pathways to focus on.

Two drugs, both antipsychotic medications designed for schizophrenia, are currently approved to treat autism. But they target irritability and not its hallmark symptoms of social dysfunction, communication problems and repetitive behaviors.

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Experimental drug may help some autism cases, researchers say

RBCC Expands Cell Culturing Focus to Include Adult Stem Cells

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NOKOMIS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Rainbow Biosciences, the biotechnology subsidiary of Rainbow Coral Corp. (RBCC), announced today that it will expand its focus on technology capable of culturing 3D cell clusters to include adult stem cells, as well.

According to a report published last year by analysts as GIA, global investments in adult stem-cell research are forecast to reach $2.4 billion by 2015. That growth is being driven by technological advancements, the rising number of research groups engaged in stem cell research activities, broadening research activities and substantial investments from governments in leading global markets.

A rising incidence of life-threatening diseases, un-met needs in the area of medicine, and costs associated with drug development also contribute to the market expansion.

RBCC aims to help develop and market advanced new technologies capable of growing adult stem cells for research that more closely resemble those found in the body, said RBCC CEO Patrick Brown. Demand from the worlds growing elderly population is making continued stem-cell research a necessity, and we intend to position our company and our shareholders to capitalize on that need by providing the best stem-cell technology in the world.

RBCC plans to develop technology to compete in the stem-cell research industry alongside Amgen, Inc. (AMGN), Celgene Corporation (CELG), Genzyme Corp. (NASDAQ:GENZ) and Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD).

For more information on Rainbow BioSciences, please visit http://www.rainbowbiosciences.com/investors.html.

About Rainbow BioSciences

Rainbow BioSciences, LLC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rainbow Coral Corp. (OTCBB:RBCC). The company continually seeks out new partnerships with biotechnology developers to deliver profitable new medical technologies and innovations. For more information on our growth-oriented business initiatives, please visit our website at [www.RainbowBioSciences.com]. For investment information and performance data on the company, please visit http://www.RainbowBioSciences.com/investors.html.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

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RBCC Expands Cell Culturing Focus to Include Adult Stem Cells

ChanTest Awarded $1 Million Grant for Predictive Assays using Stem Cell-Derived Human Cardiomyocytes

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CLEVELAND , Sept. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - ChanTest, the leading CRO expert in ion channels and nonclinical cardiac safety testing, announces funding of a Phase II SBIR grant. ChanTest will use the grant from the National Heart Lung & Blood Institute to optimize drug safety and discovery assays using stem cell-derived human cardiomyocytes.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120817/CL58977LOGO )

"This grant will allow us to optimize our industry-leading cardiomyocyte assays," said ChanTest's Principal Investigator Andrew Bruening-Wright, Ph.D. "With our collaborators at FDA, DSEC, and Leadscope, Inc., we have improved predictivity models based on currently available ChanTest services. Our nonclinical models will only get better as we fully integrate cardiomyocyte-based assays."

These cardiomyocyte assays are critical for improving the predictivity of nonclinical testing and reducing the use of animals as proposed in the NIH roadmap for drug discovery and the FDA's critical path initiative. The grant will also fund development of automated instrument-based services to increase throughput and drive down costs to meet the needs of ChanTest customers.

Dr. Arthur "Buzz" Brown, founder and CEO of ChanTest and co-PI on the grant, added "ChanTest has assembled an expert team to ensure success of this grant. We'll build on this success to improve drug discovery for other diseases in which ion channels play a critical role."

About ChanTest The Ion Channel Expert

ChanTest's mission is to serve the drug discovery and development needs of customers worldwide with high-value solutions for ion channel and GPCR biology. Since its inception in 1998, the company has tested compounds for more than 500 global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and partners with them to speed the drug development process for the release of better, safer drugs. ChanTest offers integrated ion channel and GPCR services (GLP and non-GLP) and reagents; the company's library of validated ion channel cell lines and pre-clinical cardiac risk assessment service portfolio are the most comprehensive commercially available today. Because of ChanTest's seminal role in the nonclinical cardiac safety field, along with the company's uncompromising commitment to quality, ChanTest has been named the "most trusted and most used fee-for-service provider" for ion channel screening in an independent survey for the past three years. ChanTest is based in Cleveland , Ohio. For more information, e-mail info@chantest.com.

CONTACT: Chris Mathes , +1-732-586-1073

SOURCE: ChanTest

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ChanTest Awarded $1 Million Grant for Predictive Assays using Stem Cell-Derived Human Cardiomyocytes