Author Archives: Fredricko

Looking At Dipraglurant For Parkinson's Disease

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By Jason Napodano, CFA

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinsons disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that results from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra region of the midbrain. PD is also characterized by the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein into inclusions called Lewy bodies in neurons. The cause of PD is generally idiopathic, although some atypical cases have a genetic origin. The disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.

PD patients often exhibit marked reduction in motor control and an increase in parkinsonism (tremors, hypokinesia, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability). However, as the disease progresses, patients often exhibit non-motor symptoms that include autonomic dysfunction, neuropsychiatric problems (mood, cognition, behavior or thought alterations, psychosis), and sensory and sleep difficulties. Parkinsons disease psychosis (PDP) is common in nearly 50% of PD patients a decade after initial diagnosis. Anxiety and depression are common co-morbidities. Initial signs of PD include shaking, loss of smell, difficulty writing, trouble sleeping, constipation, and poor posture. Diagnosis of a typical case is mainly based on symptoms, with tests such as neuroimaging used for confirmation.

There is no cure for PD. Instead, physicians attempt to manage the symptoms of the disease through a multidisciplinary approach that may include pharmacological, social, and surgical options. The most common pharmaceutical treatment options are those which look to increase the level of dopamine in the brain. These include dopamine replacement therapies (DRT) combined with dopa decarboxylase inhibitors, dopamine agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors. The treatment option is often tailored specifically for the patient based on the stage and severity of the disease and the balance between good symptom control and side-effects resulting from enhancement of dopaminergic function.

Despite these co-formulations, Levodopa carries significant risk of side-effects, including dyskinesia. As a result, despite its effectiveness in reducing motor symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease, physicians often attempt to delay Levodopa therapy until the disease progresses to a more moderate-to-severe stage. Most early-stage PD patients start out on MAO-B inhibitors and / or dopamine agonists, or low-dose Levodopa. However, PD is a progressive and degenerative disease, and patients typically progress to the point where starting Levodopa or increasing the Levodopa dose is necessary in five years after initial diagnosis. After a decade on therapy, almost all PD patients require high doses of Levodopa, as well as surgical options including deep brain stimulation (DBS). As the dose and use of Levodopa increases, the incidence of dyskinesia also increases.

Levodopa also has a relatively short half-life, requiring dosing averaging three to four times a day. Peak plasma concentrations of Levodopa occur 60 to 90 minutes after dosing. Unfortunately, this is also when peak side effects such as dyskinesia occur. The hefty dosing requirement of Levodopa creates compliance issues, especially at night when patients may sleep through their dose schedule dosing every six hours. The peaks and troughs associated with Levodopa create significant on and off treatment times for PD patients.

Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia (LID) is a major side-effect of Levodopa use. LID is characterized by hyperkinetic movements, including chorea (abnormal involuntary movement), dystonia (sustained muscle contraction, abnormal posture), and athetosis (involuntary convoluted movements). It is most common at times of peak L-DOPA plasma concentrations (peak-dose dyskinesia), although it may also occur when plasma concentrations of L-DOPA rise and fall (diphasic dyskinesia) or during off-time (off-period dystonia).

In the U.S., there are an estimated 500,000 to 1 million patients suffering from Parkinsons disease. There are no approved treatment options for PD-LID. Approximately 50% of PD patients will experience LID after 4 to 6 years on L-DOPA therapy. The number rises to 90% after 10 to 15 years on L-DOPA therapy.

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Looking At Dipraglurant For Parkinson's Disease

Looking At Dipraglurant For Parkinson’s Disease

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By Jason Napodano, CFA

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinsons disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that results from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra region of the midbrain. PD is also characterized by the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein into inclusions called Lewy bodies in neurons. The cause of PD is generally idiopathic, although some atypical cases have a genetic origin. The disease is named after the English doctor James Parkinson, who published the first detailed description in An Essay on the Shaking Palsy in 1817.

PD patients often exhibit marked reduction in motor control and an increase in parkinsonism (tremors, hypokinesia, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability). However, as the disease progresses, patients often exhibit non-motor symptoms that include autonomic dysfunction, neuropsychiatric problems (mood, cognition, behavior or thought alterations, psychosis), and sensory and sleep difficulties. Parkinsons disease psychosis (PDP) is common in nearly 50% of PD patients a decade after initial diagnosis. Anxiety and depression are common co-morbidities. Initial signs of PD include shaking, loss of smell, difficulty writing, trouble sleeping, constipation, and poor posture. Diagnosis of a typical case is mainly based on symptoms, with tests such as neuroimaging used for confirmation.

There is no cure for PD. Instead, physicians attempt to manage the symptoms of the disease through a multidisciplinary approach that may include pharmacological, social, and surgical options. The most common pharmaceutical treatment options are those which look to increase the level of dopamine in the brain. These include dopamine replacement therapies (DRT) combined with dopa decarboxylase inhibitors, dopamine agonists, and MAO-B inhibitors. The treatment option is often tailored specifically for the patient based on the stage and severity of the disease and the balance between good symptom control and side-effects resulting from enhancement of dopaminergic function.

Despite these co-formulations, Levodopa carries significant risk of side-effects, including dyskinesia. As a result, despite its effectiveness in reducing motor symptoms associated with Parkinsons disease, physicians often attempt to delay Levodopa therapy until the disease progresses to a more moderate-to-severe stage. Most early-stage PD patients start out on MAO-B inhibitors and / or dopamine agonists, or low-dose Levodopa. However, PD is a progressive and degenerative disease, and patients typically progress to the point where starting Levodopa or increasing the Levodopa dose is necessary in five years after initial diagnosis. After a decade on therapy, almost all PD patients require high doses of Levodopa, as well as surgical options including deep brain stimulation (DBS). As the dose and use of Levodopa increases, the incidence of dyskinesia also increases.

Levodopa also has a relatively short half-life, requiring dosing averaging three to four times a day. Peak plasma concentrations of Levodopa occur 60 to 90 minutes after dosing. Unfortunately, this is also when peak side effects such as dyskinesia occur. The hefty dosing requirement of Levodopa creates compliance issues, especially at night when patients may sleep through their dose schedule dosing every six hours. The peaks and troughs associated with Levodopa create significant on and off treatment times for PD patients.

Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia

Levodopa-Induced Dyskinesia (LID) is a major side-effect of Levodopa use. LID is characterized by hyperkinetic movements, including chorea (abnormal involuntary movement), dystonia (sustained muscle contraction, abnormal posture), and athetosis (involuntary convoluted movements). It is most common at times of peak L-DOPA plasma concentrations (peak-dose dyskinesia), although it may also occur when plasma concentrations of L-DOPA rise and fall (diphasic dyskinesia) or during off-time (off-period dystonia).

In the U.S., there are an estimated 500,000 to 1 million patients suffering from Parkinsons disease. There are no approved treatment options for PD-LID. Approximately 50% of PD patients will experience LID after 4 to 6 years on L-DOPA therapy. The number rises to 90% after 10 to 15 years on L-DOPA therapy.

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Looking At Dipraglurant For Parkinson's Disease

Multiple sclerosis breakthrough raises hope for improved therapies

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Multiple sclerosis is a prevalent disease that affects about 250,000 to 350,000 Americans, according to the National Institute of Health. This disease afflicts the brain and spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system, and causes the inflammation of the meninges, a lining of cells that cover the surface of the brain.

Though this is, as yet, an incurable disease, MS has many treatment and therapeutic options for patients. A group of Wayne State researchers, along with colleagues in Canada, have found a possible pathway that leads to disease progression which could lead to new therapies for patients.

WSU School of Medicine neurology associate chair and professor Joyce A. Benjamins, neurology professor Robert P. Lisak, neurology and immunology & microbiology assistant professor Samia Ragheba, neurology research assistants Liljana Nedelkoskaa and Jennifer Barger all contributed to the study.

The main idea behind the study was to see if B cells from patients with MS make substances that could be secreted that could damage CNS cells, Lisak said.

B cells are a type of lymphocytes, or white blood cells, that produce antibodies, which help the body in immune responses. In patients with multiple sclerosis, however, the B cells produce molecules that damage oligodendrocytes, which make myelin, Lisak said.

Myelin is a type of insulation for the axons of the nerve cells, neurons, in the CNS. If these protective coats are damaged and degraded, chemical communication between the brain and the rest of the body will be halted. Therefore, body movements such as walking, talking or bladder and bowel control are greatly hindered.

Benjamins said damage is not only done to the myelin sheath, but also to the neurons in a region of the brain called gray matter due to the dense population of neurons. Areas of gray matter are also called the cerebral cortex, and it is seen that damage in this area occurs early in the progression of the disease. The experiment to investigate B cells was conducted with the help of Canadian counterparts, Lisak said.

Our collaborators in Montreal isolated and cultured B cells from the blood of seven patients with MS and four healthy individuals, Lisak said.

The liquid from the cultures was sent to WSU where it was put in CNS culture. By analyzing the results, researchers found that the liquid from the B cells of MS patients killed oligodendrocytes, but not from the liquid of normal individuals.

This lead to the researchers conclusion that MS patients B cells secrete some sort of molecules or substances that directly attack CNS cells. These results are quite relevant and important for the study of progression. Lisak said these results show a new way through which B cells can damage neurons in MS; this novel pathway can lead the direction of how future therapies and treatment target the disease.

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Multiple sclerosis breakthrough raises hope for improved therapies

/R E P E A T — A&W Rendez-vous to end MS: On Thursday, August 23, join Patricia Paquin and the Multiple Sclerosis …

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For each Teen BurgerTM sold in Canada , $1 will be given to the MS Society

MONTREAL , Aug. 20, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - For a fourth consecutive year, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada invites Quebecers to join the fight against MS as part of its annual fundraising and awareness event, in collaboration with A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (AW-UN.TO).

How can I contribute?

Exclusively on Thursday, August 23 , for each Teen Burger sold across the country, one dollar will be donated to help fight MS. The A&W Rendez-vous event will also feature several fundraising activities in participating restaurants, including games, raffles, prizes and even personal appearances by the Great Root Bear himself! Well-known personality Patricia Paquin will be at the Plateau-Mont-Royal A&W restaurant, located at 4501 St-Denis Street, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Furthermore, until August 23:

"The A&W Rendez-vous to end MS campaign greatly contributes to financing ongoing MS cause and treatment research, as well as services offered to Canadians suffering from this illness, which is diagnosed in three Canadians per day, explains Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MS Society of Canada . We are very grateful toward all donors, as well as A&W guests and employees, for the active role they play year after year to ensure that this important fundraising event is a resounding success."

Canada posts one of the world's highest multiple sclerosis incidence rates. Indeed, an estimated one out of every two Canadians knows someone suffering from MS, and approximately 50,000 to 75,000 Canadians are currently fighting this disease. Of this figure, nearly 20,000 live in Qubec. While the cause of this often debilitating illness remains unknown, researchers are getting closer to a solution. The MS Society of Canada , the foremost organization in MS research, funds services to those suffering from MS and their families.

"In three years, A&W guests, employees and franchisees have raised over two million dollars to help fight MS, said Paul Hollands , President and CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. We're thrilled by this success and invite everyone to help make this incredible feat a reality by participating in the A&W Rendez-vous to end MS on August 23."

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada . Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1800 268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

A&W Food Service of Canada Inc. is a purely Canadian company and one of the most recognized brands within the Canadian food service industry. A&W is the country's second largest hamburger restaurant chains, operating 730 locations across Canada . A&W restaurants offer their famous menu, which includes the Burger FamilyTM, Chubby ChickenTM and A&W Root BeerTM. For more information, please visit http://www.aw.ca.

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/R E P E A T -- A&W Rendez-vous to end MS: On Thursday, August 23, join Patricia Paquin and the Multiple Sclerosis ...

/R E P E A T — A&W Rendez-vous to end MS: On Thursday, August 23, join Patricia Paquin and the Multiple Sclerosis …

Posted on by

For each Teen BurgerTM sold in Canada , $1 will be given to the MS Society

MONTREAL , Aug. 20, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - For a fourth consecutive year, the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada invites Quebecers to join the fight against MS as part of its annual fundraising and awareness event, in collaboration with A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. (AW-UN.TO).

How can I contribute?

Exclusively on Thursday, August 23 , for each Teen Burger sold across the country, one dollar will be donated to help fight MS. The A&W Rendez-vous event will also feature several fundraising activities in participating restaurants, including games, raffles, prizes and even personal appearances by the Great Root Bear himself! Well-known personality Patricia Paquin will be at the Plateau-Mont-Royal A&W restaurant, located at 4501 St-Denis Street, between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Furthermore, until August 23:

"The A&W Rendez-vous to end MS campaign greatly contributes to financing ongoing MS cause and treatment research, as well as services offered to Canadians suffering from this illness, which is diagnosed in three Canadians per day, explains Yves Savoie, President and CEO, MS Society of Canada . We are very grateful toward all donors, as well as A&W guests and employees, for the active role they play year after year to ensure that this important fundraising event is a resounding success."

Canada posts one of the world's highest multiple sclerosis incidence rates. Indeed, an estimated one out of every two Canadians knows someone suffering from MS, and approximately 50,000 to 75,000 Canadians are currently fighting this disease. Of this figure, nearly 20,000 live in Qubec. While the cause of this often debilitating illness remains unknown, researchers are getting closer to a solution. The MS Society of Canada , the foremost organization in MS research, funds services to those suffering from MS and their families.

"In three years, A&W guests, employees and franchisees have raised over two million dollars to help fight MS, said Paul Hollands , President and CEO, A&W Food Services of Canada Inc. We're thrilled by this success and invite everyone to help make this incredible feat a reality by participating in the A&W Rendez-vous to end MS on August 23."

About multiple sclerosis and the MS Society of Canada Multiple sclerosis is a chronic, often disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord. It is the most common neurological disease of young adults in Canada . Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1800 268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

A&W Food Service of Canada Inc. is a purely Canadian company and one of the most recognized brands within the Canadian food service industry. A&W is the country's second largest hamburger restaurant chains, operating 730 locations across Canada . A&W restaurants offer their famous menu, which includes the Burger FamilyTM, Chubby ChickenTM and A&W Root BeerTM. For more information, please visit http://www.aw.ca.

Follow this link:
/R E P E A T -- A&W Rendez-vous to end MS: On Thursday, August 23, join Patricia Paquin and the Multiple Sclerosis ...

Health: Dental health linked to dementia risk

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Health

Posted on 06:40 PM, August 23, 2012

PEOPLE who keep their teeth and gums healthy with regular brushing may have a lower risk of developing dementia later in life, according to a US study.

Researchers at the University of California who followed nearly 5,500 elderly people over an 18-year-period found that those who reported brushing their teeth less than once a day were up to 65% more likely to develop dementia than those who brushed daily.

Not only does the state of your mind predict what kind of oral health habits you practice, it may be that your oral health habits influence whether or not you get dementia, said Annlia Paganini-Hill, who led the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Inflammation stoked by gum disease-related bacteria is implicated in a host of conditions including heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Some studies have also found that people with Alzheimers disease, the most common form of dementia, have more gum disease-related bacteria in their brains than a person without Alzheimers, Paganini-Hill said.

Its thought that gum disease bacteria might get into the brain, causing inflammation and brain damage, she said.

Paganini-Hill and her team followed 5,468 residents of a Californian retirement community from 1992 to 2010. Most people in the study were white, well-educated and relatively affluent. When the study began, participants ranged in age from 52 to 105, with an average age of 81. All were free of dementia at the outset, when they answered questions about their dental health habits, the condition of their teeth and whether they wore dentures.

When the researchers followed up 18 years later, they used interviews, medical records and in some cases death certificates to determine that 1,145 of the original group had been diagnosed with dementia.

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Health: Dental health linked to dementia risk

Scottish News: Many 'in the dark' about dementia

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Aug 24 2012

People in Scotland are "in the dark" when it comes to caring for those with dementia, according to a private healthcare firm.

A poll by Ipsos MORI for Bupa Care Homes suggests that 29% of people in Scotland do not know the best way to support someone with dementia and that 31% do not know what to expect as the symptoms get worse.

Around 800,000 people across the UK have dementia and this is expected to rise to at least one million by 2021, according to Bupa.

Family members are usually the first to identify symptoms of the condition and often try to care for their loved ones for as long as possible.

Bupa said many people struggle to find basic information and guidance to help them.

In response, Bupa has launched a series of films offering advice to people who find themselves caring for someone with dementia. Bupa Care Homes, which provides specialist dementia care, has teamed up with choreographer Arlene Phillips to make the films for the company's Understand Dementia campaign.

Ms Phillips, whose father had dementia, said: "I know from my own experience how frightening it can be when someone you loved lived with dementia. I wanted to make these films to help others.

"Had I known what I do now, my relationship with my father needn't have been so fraught and difficult."

Professor Graham Stokes, Bupa Care Homes's director of dementia care, said: "When families bring a loved one to our care homes, they often tell us how they struggled for many years caring for them, sometimes on their own with little support.

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Scottish News: Many 'in the dark' about dementia

Scottish News: Many ‘in the dark’ about dementia

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Aug 24 2012

People in Scotland are "in the dark" when it comes to caring for those with dementia, according to a private healthcare firm.

A poll by Ipsos MORI for Bupa Care Homes suggests that 29% of people in Scotland do not know the best way to support someone with dementia and that 31% do not know what to expect as the symptoms get worse.

Around 800,000 people across the UK have dementia and this is expected to rise to at least one million by 2021, according to Bupa.

Family members are usually the first to identify symptoms of the condition and often try to care for their loved ones for as long as possible.

Bupa said many people struggle to find basic information and guidance to help them.

In response, Bupa has launched a series of films offering advice to people who find themselves caring for someone with dementia. Bupa Care Homes, which provides specialist dementia care, has teamed up with choreographer Arlene Phillips to make the films for the company's Understand Dementia campaign.

Ms Phillips, whose father had dementia, said: "I know from my own experience how frightening it can be when someone you loved lived with dementia. I wanted to make these films to help others.

"Had I known what I do now, my relationship with my father needn't have been so fraught and difficult."

Professor Graham Stokes, Bupa Care Homes's director of dementia care, said: "When families bring a loved one to our care homes, they often tell us how they struggled for many years caring for them, sometimes on their own with little support.

Read more:
Scottish News: Many 'in the dark' about dementia

Grant's dad has dementia

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Singer Amy Grant's father has been diagnosed with dementia.

RELATED: Celebs Gone Country

Dr. Burton Grant, 80, began showing signs of a faltering memory in late 2008, and the Grammy winner and her sisters finally forced him to seek help from doctors who determined he was dealing with a loss of overall brain function.

She tells People magazine, "Watching his brilliant mind go away was tough."

RELATED: Country Crooners: Who Said It?

The news prompted the singer to retire her dad's medical license and hire around-the-clock caregivers, and the 51-year-old admits the disease has presented a new set of challenges for her family.

Grant says, "He might not know my name, but I sense familiarity. ... It's a new reality. He doesn't make sense, but it's the comfort of hearing him talk and talking back to him. I wouldn't have guessed this is the way my dad's life played out. But I wouldn't change it. The unexpected and hard aspects of life draw us together."

RELATED: Carrie Underwood: 'Country Music Is for Real People'

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Grant's dad has dementia

Grant’s dad has dementia

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Singer Amy Grant's father has been diagnosed with dementia.

RELATED: Celebs Gone Country

Dr. Burton Grant, 80, began showing signs of a faltering memory in late 2008, and the Grammy winner and her sisters finally forced him to seek help from doctors who determined he was dealing with a loss of overall brain function.

She tells People magazine, "Watching his brilliant mind go away was tough."

RELATED: Country Crooners: Who Said It?

The news prompted the singer to retire her dad's medical license and hire around-the-clock caregivers, and the 51-year-old admits the disease has presented a new set of challenges for her family.

Grant says, "He might not know my name, but I sense familiarity. ... It's a new reality. He doesn't make sense, but it's the comfort of hearing him talk and talking back to him. I wouldn't have guessed this is the way my dad's life played out. But I wouldn't change it. The unexpected and hard aspects of life draw us together."

RELATED: Carrie Underwood: 'Country Music Is for Real People'

See the article here:
Grant's dad has dementia

In Autism Suit Against Cigna Insurance for Denying ABA Therapy, Court Certifies National Class Action for all CIGNA …

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PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --A federal court in Philadelphia yesterday granted class action status to a lawsuit brought by the parents of an autistic child against CIGNA Corporation and related CIGNA entities for their policy of denying insurance coverage for an autism treatment known as Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy. In their lawsuit, the plaintiff, Kristopher Churchill and Luis Rolando, allege that the CIGNA companies have a nationwide policy of classifying ABA as experimental, and therefore they do not provide insurance coverage for this therapy. The plaintiffs claim that the classification of ABA as experimental and the denial of insurance coverage for ABA violates federal laws governing insurance plans. The court's order today means that the case will proceed as a nationwide class action on behalf of all families having children with autism who were denied coverage by CIGNA for ABA therapy.

According to the lawsuit, ABA is a well recognized and scientifically valid form of autism treatment for children. Numerous authorities and organizations have supported using ABA to treat autism. For example, the use of ABA for treating autism has been endorsed by the U.S. Surgeon General and the National Institute of Mental Health. The American Academy of Pediatrics has said that the effectiveness of ABA "has been well documented through 5 decades of research." Currently, 31 states mandate insurance coverage for ABA-type autism treatments.

In the Court's Order entered yesterday, Judge Juan R. Sanchez held that the following subclass shall be certified pursuant to FRCP 23(b)(3):

All individuals who, on or after November 24, 2006, (1) were enrolled in a plan administered by a CIGNA Defendant, or insured under health insurance coverage offered by CIGNA Defendant in connection with a plan, and (2) are currently enrolled in a CIGNA-affiliated plan, and (3) who, on or after November 24, 2006, made a claim or make a claim for Applied Behavior Analysis and/or Early Intensive behavioral Treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder which was denied on the grounds that such treatment is deemed by a CIGNA Defendant to be investigative or experimental.

Churchill and Rolando are represented by Gerard Mantese, Brian Saxe, and John J. Conway of Michigan. Mantese and Conway are counsel in several cases seeking insurance coverage for ABA therapy. In 2010, Mantese and Conway obtained final approval of a class action against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan requiring payment of $1 million in claims for ABA. They are also currently counsel for several military beneficiaries seeking coverage of ABA from the military's Tricare insurer. On July 26, 2012, a federal court in Washington D.C. granted summary judgment ordering that ABA Therapy be provided to military beneficiaries in that case.

Contact information for Churchill's attorneys follows:

Gerard Mantese, Esq. Brian Saxe, Esq. Mantese Honigman Rossman and Williamson, P.C. 1361 E. Big Beaver Road Troy, Michigan 48083 248-457-9200 Office 248-515-6419 Cell

John J. Conway, Esq. John J. Conway, P.C. 26622 Woodward Avenue, Suite 225 Royal Oak, MI 48067 313-961-6525 Office 313-574-2148 Cell

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In Autism Suit Against Cigna Insurance for Denying ABA Therapy, Court Certifies National Class Action for all CIGNA ...

Older fathers linked to autism and schizophrenia in children

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The Irish Times - Thursday, August 23, 2012

BENEDICT CAREY

OLDER MEN are more likely than young men to father a child who develops autism or schizophrenia, because of random mutations that become more numerous with advancing paternal age, scientists reported yesterday, in the first study to quantify the effect as it builds each year. The age of mothers had no bearing on the risk for these disorders, the study found.

Experts said the finding was hardly reason to forgo fatherhood later in life, though it may have some influence on reproductive decisions. The overall risk to a man in his 40s or older is in the range of 2 per cent at most, and there are other contributing biological factors that are unknown.

But the study, published online in the journal Nature, provides support for the argument that the surging rate of autism diagnoses over recent decades is attributable in part to the increasing average age of fathers, which could account for as many as 30 per cent of cases.

The findings also counter the long-standing assumption that the age of the mother is the most important factor in determining the odds of a child having developmental difficulties. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome increases for older mothers but when it comes to some complex developmental and psychiatric problems the lions share of the genetic risk originates in the sperm, not the egg, the study found.

Previous studies had strongly suggested as much but the new report quantifies that risk for the first time, calculating how much it accumulates each year.

The research team found the average child born to a 20-year-old father had 25 random mutations that could be traced to paternal genetic material. The number increased steadily by two mutations a year, reaching 65 mutations for offspring of 40-year-old men. The average number of mutations coming from the mothers side was 15, no matter her age, the study found.

This study provides some of the first solid scientific evidence for a true increase in the condition of autism, said Dr Fred Volkmar, director of the Child Study Centre at the Yale School of Medicine, who was not involved in the research. It is extremely well done and the sample meticulously characterised.

The new investigation, led by the Icelandic firm Decode Genetics, analysed genetic material taken from blood samples of 78 parent-child trios, focusing on families in which parents with no signs of a mental disorder gave birth to a child who developed autism or schizophrenia.

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Older fathers linked to autism and schizophrenia in children

Restaurant's T-shirt design contest to raise money for autism research

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Its almost time to design a T-shirt for autism research and dine at a Culvers restaurant in the East Valley.

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, the Culvers restaurant at 3155 W. Ray Road in Chandler, is hosting its inaugural Eat, Dine and T-shirt Design Contest for the 8th Annual ZooWalk for Autism Research. The restaurant will be donate 10 percent of its proceeds from

The ZooWalk for Autism and Aspergers Research, which partners with Arizona State Universitys Autism and Aspergers Research Program, is scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park. But Culvers is encouraging artists both adults and children to come into the eatery now with ideas for their artwork. Two categories of the artwork (child and adult), which usually is animal-themed, will be chosen to be placed on the back of a T-shirt for the walk, in which about 5,000 people participate.

This years ZooWalk, which raises nearly $300,000 annually from private and corporate donations, is dedicated to a one-year multi-treatment study at ASU for children and adults with autism. The study will involve a combination of special vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, carnitine (to boost energy metabolism) and special diet that could help individuals who suffer from the disorder.

Autism, which affects one in 88 children, is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication and by restricted and repetitive behavior with symptoms becoming apparent before a child is 3 years old. Similar to Aspergers syndrome, autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize.

The number of children and adults who are affected by autism has greatly increased in Arizona and the Valley during the last 20 years which has risen from 600 to more than 6,000 people who receive services from the Arizona Department of Developmental Disabilities, according to Jim Adams, an engineering professor at Arizona State University. About 90 percent of people who suffer from autism cannot work and about 80 percent cannot live on their own.

Since Adams daughter was diagnosed with autism 18 years ago when she was 2 and a half years old, Adams now mostly researches and studies autism and is the director for ASUs Aspergers and Autism Research Program. Adams attributed the increase in part to better diagnosis methods and possibly increased exposure to toxic metals, changes in diet or nutritional intake.

Adams said that it is hard to gauge how many people will show up at Culvers to design a T-shirt, but so far, they have 30 applications to enter the contest, and thats from just one school Gateway Academy in Scottsdale.

The winning shirt designs will later be selected by a committee and produced on the T-shirts in time for the walk, Adams said.

The walk plays an important role in the fundraising efforts for autism and Aspergers research, Adams said. For those who have showed up and designed the T-shirts in the past, it is a great amount of fun for the kids and the families.

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Restaurant's T-shirt design contest to raise money for autism research

Restaurant’s T-shirt design contest to raise money for autism research

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Its almost time to design a T-shirt for autism research and dine at a Culvers restaurant in the East Valley.

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, the Culvers restaurant at 3155 W. Ray Road in Chandler, is hosting its inaugural Eat, Dine and T-shirt Design Contest for the 8th Annual ZooWalk for Autism Research. The restaurant will be donate 10 percent of its proceeds from

The ZooWalk for Autism and Aspergers Research, which partners with Arizona State Universitys Autism and Aspergers Research Program, is scheduled for Oct. 6 at the Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park. But Culvers is encouraging artists both adults and children to come into the eatery now with ideas for their artwork. Two categories of the artwork (child and adult), which usually is animal-themed, will be chosen to be placed on the back of a T-shirt for the walk, in which about 5,000 people participate.

This years ZooWalk, which raises nearly $300,000 annually from private and corporate donations, is dedicated to a one-year multi-treatment study at ASU for children and adults with autism. The study will involve a combination of special vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, carnitine (to boost energy metabolism) and special diet that could help individuals who suffer from the disorder.

Autism, which affects one in 88 children, is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication and by restricted and repetitive behavior with symptoms becoming apparent before a child is 3 years old. Similar to Aspergers syndrome, autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize.

The number of children and adults who are affected by autism has greatly increased in Arizona and the Valley during the last 20 years which has risen from 600 to more than 6,000 people who receive services from the Arizona Department of Developmental Disabilities, according to Jim Adams, an engineering professor at Arizona State University. About 90 percent of people who suffer from autism cannot work and about 80 percent cannot live on their own.

Since Adams daughter was diagnosed with autism 18 years ago when she was 2 and a half years old, Adams now mostly researches and studies autism and is the director for ASUs Aspergers and Autism Research Program. Adams attributed the increase in part to better diagnosis methods and possibly increased exposure to toxic metals, changes in diet or nutritional intake.

Adams said that it is hard to gauge how many people will show up at Culvers to design a T-shirt, but so far, they have 30 applications to enter the contest, and thats from just one school Gateway Academy in Scottsdale.

The winning shirt designs will later be selected by a committee and produced on the T-shirts in time for the walk, Adams said.

The walk plays an important role in the fundraising efforts for autism and Aspergers research, Adams said. For those who have showed up and designed the T-shirts in the past, it is a great amount of fun for the kids and the families.

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Restaurant's T-shirt design contest to raise money for autism research

Autism link to aging dads won't change vaccine debate

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By Art Caplan, Ph.D.

A new study in the prestigious scientific journal Nature has shown a link between the risk of having a child with autism or schizophrenia and the age of the father. The older the dad, the greater the risk that changes in the genes of his sperm will produce the behavioral disorder.

The older a man gets, the greater the chance for random changes or mutations in his sperm. A similar problem was well understood for women, who at age 35 and older are more likely to have a child with Down syndrome or other hereditary disorders.

Its long been known that autism is in part a genetic disease. This newest study adding to that evidence is important, somewhat frustrating and heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, this study is unlikely to convince the noisy and influential few who would still link vaccines with autism.

There have been far too many Congressional hearings inspired by fringe science that have ended in pressure on the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study vaccines as the culprit behind autism.

How many celebrities have gone on TV or led demonstrations demanding money for more studies of the alleged vaccine-autism link even though the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, has twice dismissed any connection to vaccination. Why has it taken so long to discover the link to older dads and their genes as one possible contributor to rising autism rates?Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Rob Schneider, Donald Trump turn out to be about as reliable guides to medical facts as Missouri Rep. Todd Akin and his distortions about how womens bodies respond to rape.

The discovery of the role paternal age plays is frustrating because there are too many factors leading to decisions to delay having children. Women get the frequent message in the media that they can have children whenever they want that technology makes parenting possible at any age. Young men and women find too little support from government or business for child-rearing.

The study is heartbreaking because it does not bode well for finding a cure for those already impacting by autism, schizophrenia and other age-related genetic disorders. The impact of genetic mutations is huge and it is systemic. These genes are going to interact with the environment is complex ways that are not likely to be easily reversed by a drug or any other quick fix.

Its not news that sperm can carry genetic mutations with serious consequences. Just last month a study showed little changes in the DNA of sperm can make men more likely to be infertile. Other studies have linked age-related sperm mutations to diseases such as Apert syndrome, a rare disease that causes webbed fingers and deformities of the skull, and achondoplasia, which is a type of dwarfism.

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Autism link to aging dads won't change vaccine debate

Autism link to aging dads won’t change vaccine debate

Posted on by

By Art Caplan, Ph.D.

A new study in the prestigious scientific journal Nature has shown a link between the risk of having a child with autism or schizophrenia and the age of the father. The older the dad, the greater the risk that changes in the genes of his sperm will produce the behavioral disorder.

The older a man gets, the greater the chance for random changes or mutations in his sperm. A similar problem was well understood for women, who at age 35 and older are more likely to have a child with Down syndrome or other hereditary disorders.

Its long been known that autism is in part a genetic disease. This newest study adding to that evidence is important, somewhat frustrating and heartbreaking.

Unfortunately, this study is unlikely to convince the noisy and influential few who would still link vaccines with autism.

There have been far too many Congressional hearings inspired by fringe science that have ended in pressure on the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study vaccines as the culprit behind autism.

How many celebrities have gone on TV or led demonstrations demanding money for more studies of the alleged vaccine-autism link even though the Institute of Medicine, part of the National Academy of Sciences, has twice dismissed any connection to vaccination. Why has it taken so long to discover the link to older dads and their genes as one possible contributor to rising autism rates?Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Rob Schneider, Donald Trump turn out to be about as reliable guides to medical facts as Missouri Rep. Todd Akin and his distortions about how womens bodies respond to rape.

The discovery of the role paternal age plays is frustrating because there are too many factors leading to decisions to delay having children. Women get the frequent message in the media that they can have children whenever they want that technology makes parenting possible at any age. Young men and women find too little support from government or business for child-rearing.

The study is heartbreaking because it does not bode well for finding a cure for those already impacting by autism, schizophrenia and other age-related genetic disorders. The impact of genetic mutations is huge and it is systemic. These genes are going to interact with the environment is complex ways that are not likely to be easily reversed by a drug or any other quick fix.

Its not news that sperm can carry genetic mutations with serious consequences. Just last month a study showed little changes in the DNA of sperm can make men more likely to be infertile. Other studies have linked age-related sperm mutations to diseases such as Apert syndrome, a rare disease that causes webbed fingers and deformities of the skull, and achondoplasia, which is a type of dwarfism.

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Autism link to aging dads won't change vaccine debate

Do men have biological clocks as new autism finding suggests?

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By Deborah Kotz, Globe Staff

After reading news reports linking a babys risk of having autism with the fathers -- not mothers -- biological age, Im guessing women felt a little vindicated; finally, researchers have acknowledged that were not the only ones with a biological clock thats ticking away.

The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, found that the number of DNA changes or mutations increase with age making it more likely for older fathers to pass along mutations involved in autism or schizophrenia. While a young 25-year-old father passes along an average of 25 new mutations to his child via his sperm, a 40-year-old transmits 65 mutations. Moms, on the other hand, transmit an average of 15 new mutations regardless of their age, the Icelandic researchers found.

And the solution seems so simple: Collecting the sperm of young adult men and cold-storing it for later use could be a wise individual decision, Alexey Kondrashov, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, wrote in an editorial that accompanied the study.

So, are moms really off the hook when it comes to determining autism risk, and should young men really think about banking their sperm just as women have been told to consider egg freezing to preserve their fertility?

Banking sperm doesnt sound like the worst idea, said Dr. Martha Herbert, a pediatric neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and author of The Autism Revolution. But theres also no reason to panic since these types of mutations probably play a minority role in the development of autism.

Age certainly can increase genetic mutations, but so can a variety of lifestyle factors including smoking and having a poor diet thats lacking in nutrient dense foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and whole grains. A diet high in sugar, fast food, and packaged goods increases harmful inflammation, said Herbert. This same process thats thought to be involved in obesity, she added, also can damage a cells DNA.

Previous research has shown that any sort of stress on the body -- from a strenuous job to lack of sleep -- can also increase genetic damage, and they, too, could play a role in determining autism risk.

Intense exercise might be another good thing to avoid, said Herbert, since it can overtax the body leading to DNA damage that might also increase autism risk in babies conceived by strenuous fitness buffs. Men, in particular, have been drawn to extreme workout videos and boot-camp classes that extol the benefits of getting the heart to pump at or near its maximum rate for an extended period of time.

Researchers are starting to explore whether this extreme form of exercise causes more harm than benefits, according to Herbert, especially following the sudden death in May of 58-year-old ultramarathon runner Micah True from heart failure.

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Do men have biological clocks as new autism finding suggests?

Study: Father's age a likely factor in autism

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(CBS News) The cause of autism is one of the great mysteries of medicine, but we found out something new and important Wednesday.

A report in the medical journal "Nature" says it is the age of the father at the time of conception, not the age of the mother that can raise the risk of autism in a child.

With more men becoming fathers later in life, it could help explain the rise in autism.

The study's senior author - a scientist in Iceland - writes: "Conventional wisdom has been to blame the developmental disorders of children on the age of mothers"... but "it is the age of fathers that appears to be the real culprit."

Dr. Delores Maldespina, a psychiatrist at New York University, said she finds the research eye opening.

"This study shows that new mutations are frequent enough as men age that fathers aging alone can explain the increase for the risk of autism," Maldespina said.

The study says a father's age could account for 15 to 30 percent of cases of autism, and perhaps other disorders like schizophrenia as well.

"This study shows that when these diseases present without a family history, the origin is in the sperm of the man and that the risk goes up as the man ages," Maldespina said.

The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control indicate the rate of autism has doubled in the last six years from 1 in 162, to 1 in 88.

The number of men 40 and older who father a child has increased by more than 30 percent since 1980. The study is the first to quantify the consequence of a father's age: For every 1-year of age, two genetic mutations were discovered in offspring that could be traced to the father, and up to 65 mutations in the offspring of 40-year-old men. The average number of mutations traced to the mother was 15, no matter what her age.

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Study: Father's age a likely factor in autism

Study: Father’s age a likely factor in autism

Posted on by

(CBS News) The cause of autism is one of the great mysteries of medicine, but we found out something new and important Wednesday.

A report in the medical journal "Nature" says it is the age of the father at the time of conception, not the age of the mother that can raise the risk of autism in a child.

With more men becoming fathers later in life, it could help explain the rise in autism.

The study's senior author - a scientist in Iceland - writes: "Conventional wisdom has been to blame the developmental disorders of children on the age of mothers"... but "it is the age of fathers that appears to be the real culprit."

Dr. Delores Maldespina, a psychiatrist at New York University, said she finds the research eye opening.

"This study shows that new mutations are frequent enough as men age that fathers aging alone can explain the increase for the risk of autism," Maldespina said.

The study says a father's age could account for 15 to 30 percent of cases of autism, and perhaps other disorders like schizophrenia as well.

"This study shows that when these diseases present without a family history, the origin is in the sperm of the man and that the risk goes up as the man ages," Maldespina said.

The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control indicate the rate of autism has doubled in the last six years from 1 in 162, to 1 in 88.

The number of men 40 and older who father a child has increased by more than 30 percent since 1980. The study is the first to quantify the consequence of a father's age: For every 1-year of age, two genetic mutations were discovered in offspring that could be traced to the father, and up to 65 mutations in the offspring of 40-year-old men. The average number of mutations traced to the mother was 15, no matter what her age.

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Study: Father's age a likely factor in autism

Controversial auditory therapy may be beneficial for kids with autism

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Any parent or teacher of a child with autism will tell you the heartbreak they feel when they call a child's name and he or she doesn't respond. This most basic social interaction is often a challenge for children on the autism spectrum and in turn, more complex social exchanges seem insurmountable.

"I'm less worried about his academic skills. I want him to be able to be in a room with people and like being there," said one parent of a child with autism that I know. "I want people to like having him there."

Related: Doctors announce FDA-approved trial to cure autism with cord blood

This desire for engagement is common for families raising children with autism, whose social and attention deficits often account for a significant amount of their challenges.

Parents have been seeking therapies to increase attention and interaction for years. One treatment continues to remain a part of the conversation today.

Auditory integration training, or AIT, was developed in the 1950s by Dr. Guy Berard, an otolaryngologist, in Annecy, France. Originally designed to improve hearing loss or other hearing impairments, Berard considered hearing imbalances and poor auditory processing skills a contributing factor to academic, social, and behavioral challenges such as learning disabilities, autism and attention deficit disorder. He felt the disorders could be improved using AIT.

Other models of AIT exist, but the Berard method remains the most popular. Berard developed the AudioKinetron and the Earducator, devices that deliver music at specific frequencies through headphones. The regimen includes two, 30-minute sessions, three hours apart each day over the course of 10 days. A one- or two-day break may be taken after the first five days. Candidates must be at least 3 years of age and may have a diagnosis of autism, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), ADHD, central auditory processing disorder, or other learning disabilities or processing disorders.

Audio tests are administered before, during and after the treatment to monitor and assess progress and make necessary adjustments as needed.

The goal of AIT in individuals with autism is to improve auditory distortions, delays or sensitivities. The theory is if processing functions better, an individual will be able to sustain increased attention, which in turn allows greater opportunity for awareness, comprehension and engagement.

Like many treatments for autism, there are both supporters and critics of AIT. A 1994 study by Bernard Rimland and Stephen Edelson assessed the affect of AIT on 445 adults and children with autism. Though the researchers noted no difference in the results of auditory tests between subjects, many parents reported a decrease in problem behaviors after AIT intervention.

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Controversial auditory therapy may be beneficial for kids with autism