Researchers have shown that people with Parkinson’s disease performed markedly better on a test of working memory after a night’s sleep, and sleep disorders can interfere with that benefit.

While the classic symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors and slow movements, Parkinson’s can also affect someone’s memory, including “working memory.”

Working memory is defined as the ability to temporarily store and manipulate information, rather than simply repeat it. The use of working memory is important in planning, problem solving and independent living.

The findings underline the importance of addressing sleep disorders in the care of patients with Parkinson’s, and indicate that working memory capacity in patients with Parkinson’s potentially can be improved with training. The results also have implications for the biology of sleep and memory.

“It was known already that sleep is beneficial for memory, but here, we’ve been able to analyze what aspects of sleep are required for the improvements in working memory performance,” said postdoctoral fellow Michael Scullin, who is the first author of the paper.

The performance boost from sleep was linked with the amount of slow wave sleep, or the deepest stage of sleep. Several research groups have reported that slow wave sleep is important for synaptic plasticity, the ability of brain cells to reorganize and make new connections.

Sleep apnea, the disruption of sleep caused by obstruction of the airway, interfered with sleep’s effects on memory. Study participants who showed signs of sleep apnea, if it was severe enough to lower their blood oxygen levels for more than five minutes, did not see a working memory test boost.

54 study participants had Parkinson’s disease, and 10 had dementia with Lewy bodies: a more advanced condition, where patients may have hallucinations or fluctuating cognition as well as motor symptoms. Those who had dementia with Lewy bodies saw no working memory boost from the night’s rest. As expected, their baseline level of performance was lower than the Parkinson’s group.

Participants with Parkinson’s who were taking dopamine-enhancing medications saw their performance on the digit span test jump up between the fourth and fifth test. On average, they could remember one more number backwards. The ability to repeat numbers backward improved, even though the ability to repeat numbers forward did not.

Patients needed to be taking dopamine-enhancing medications to see the most performance benefit from sleep. Patients not taking dopamine medications, even though they had generally had Parkinson’s for less time, did not experience as much of a performance benefit. This may reflect a role for dopamine, an important neurotransmitter, in memory.

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Ed McCaskey has lived with Parkinsons disease for six years, and now hes trying to help others like him mitigate some of their symptoms through exercise.

McCaskey, 59, was diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2006. He lives in Roscoe, Ill., and he joined the Stateline Family YMCA Roscoe Branch the same year, and he typically works out five days a week.

Exercise has been found to help reduce some of the symptoms like shaking and tremors associated with Parkinsons. That is why the YMCA of Greater Cleveland in Ohio developed a program called Pedaling for Parkinsons with the help of Cleveland Clinic physician Dr. Jay L. Alberts, a staff member with the Biomedical Engineering Center for Neurological Restoration.

The program in which participants exercise on indoor spin/cycling bikes and tandem bikes launched earlier this year, and McCaskey read about it in a Parkinsons newsletter and pitched it to his local YMCA. Research by Cleveland Clinic showed a 35 percent reduction in symptoms with the act of pedaling a bicycle at a rapid pace optimally 80 to 90 revolutions per minute.

The YMCA staff in Roscoe, Ill., agreed, and the one-hour class will meet three days a week starting Sept. 24 through Nov. 16. Its free to YMCA members and nonmembers alike.

Some class participants may need a relative or friend to drive them to the class, and McCaskey said YMCA officials will let those people use the Y facilities free of charge while they wait during the class.

More than 1 million people nationally are living with Parkinsons disease, and nearly 60,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, according to the National Parkinson Foundation. Parkinsons is a chronic degenerative disease that occurs when nerve cells in parts of the brain stem die or degenerate.

McCaskey recently traveled to Washington state and tried the Pedaling for Parkinsons class there. It was pretty easy for the marathon runner and regular spin-class participant, but he said its a great opportunity for Parkinsons patients to get moving and realize the benefits of exercise.

Im still pretty lucky because my symptoms are minimal, McCaskey said. After a good workout, a lot of those symptoms dissipate for a good part of the day. The exercise recommendation came from my doctor, but following up on it really reinforces what he says. Im experiencing the positive benefits.

Melissa Westphal: 815-987-1341; at mwestpha@rrstar.com

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ScienceDaily (Aug. 23, 2012) Scientists at the University of Houston (UH) have discovered what may possibly be a key ingredient in the fight against Parkinson’s disease.

Affecting more than 500,000 people in the U.S., Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system marked by a loss of certain nerve cells in the brain, causing a lack of dopamine. These dopamine-producing neurons are in a section of the midbrain that regulates body control and movement. In a study recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers from the UH Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling (CNRCS) demonstrated that the nuclear receptor liver X receptor beta (LXRbeta) may play a role in the prevention and treatment of this progressive neurodegenerative disease.

“LXRbeta performs an important function in the development of the central nervous system, and our work indicates that the presence of LXRbeta promotes the survival of dopaminergic neurons, which are the main source of dopamine in the central nervous system,” said CNRCS director and professor Jan-ke Gustafsson, whose lab discovered LXRbeta in 1995. “The receptor continues to show promise as a potential therapeutic target for this disease, as well as other neurological disorders.”

To better understand the relationship between LXRbeta and Parkinson’s disease, the team worked with a potent neurotoxin, called MPTP, a contaminant found in street drugs that caused Parkinson’s in people who consumed these drugs. In lab settings, MPTP is used in murine models to simulate the disease and to study its pathology and possible treatments.

The researchers found that the absence of LXRbeta increased the harmful effects of MPTP on dopamine-producing neurons. Additionally, they found that using a drug that activates LXRbeta receptors prevented the destructive effects of MPTP and, therefore, may offer protection against the neurodegeneration of the midbrain.

“LXRbeta is not expressed in the dopamine-producing neurons, but instead in the microglia surrounding the neurons,” Gustafsson said. “Microglia are the police of the brain, keeping things in order. In Parkinson’s disease the microglia are overactive and begin to destroy the healthy neurons in the neighborhood of those neurons damaged by MPTP. LXRbeta calms down the microglia and prevents collateral damage. Thus, we have discovered a novel therapeutic target for treatment of Parkinson’s disease.”

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Editor’s Choice Main Category: Alzheimer’s / Dementia Also Included In: Parkinson’s Disease;Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia Article Date: 13 Aug 2012 – 14:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Rejected Drug Could Protect Against Parkinson’s And Alzheimer’s

4.75 (4 votes)

Over 5 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, an incurable, progressive neurodegenerative disease that is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly, whilst around 1 million people in the U.S. suffer from Parkinson’s disease, a progressive disorder that leads to muscle stiffness, tremors and slowed movements and gait.

Latrepirdine was approved in Russia in 1983 as an antihistamine. However, in the 90s, researchers discovered that the drug seemed to be effective in the earliest animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. A high- profile Phase II clinical trial in Russia demonstrated that latrepirdine showed a considerable and sustained improvement in cognitive behavior in Alzheimer’s patients with minimal side effects. A panel of U.S. clinical experts oversaw the trial. The panel included Mary Sano, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. However, later tests of latripirdine in a U.S. Phase III trial failed to show any improvement in those affected by Alzheimer’s, which prompted the sponsors to stop further clinical trials of the drug for Alzheimer’s disease.

Prior to the failed trials Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, and Psychiatry, and Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health and his team started investigating the way in which latrepirdine functions. Dr. Gandy declares:

Their new study entailed administering the drug to three different systems, including yeast, mice and mammal cells that all showed a build-up of alpha-synuclein, i.e. a protein that is known to cause neurodegeneration.

They discovered determined that latrepiridine activated autophagy in all three systems, the “self-eating” process of cells that protects the brain from neurodegeneration, which targeted synuclein and protected against its toxicity. They discovered that the drug decreased the amount of synuclein accumulated in the brain of mice through autophagy.

This is the second study published in Molecular Psychiatry by Dr. Gandy’s team. Their first study, which appeared in the July 31 issue, revealed that a mice study showed that latrepiridine stopped the toxicity of amyloid-beta protein accumulation by inducing autophagy in animals with Alzheimer’s disease. The study entailed randomly administrating latrepirdine or placebo to mice with early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, revealed that the drug improved memory through autophagy.

To his surprise, Dr. Petsko, an expert in protein structure, Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College, observed that latrepirdine protects yeast cells from the toxicity of alpha-synuclein and leaves the cells vulnerable so that they can be killed by either the Huntington’s disease protein or by either of the two key proteins responsible for ALS-FTD. ALS-FTD is a range of diseases, including Lou Gehrig’s disease and frontotemporal dementia.

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Public release date: 13-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mount Sinai Press Office newsmedia@mssm.edu 212-241-9200 The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine

The second of two studies on latrepirdine, recently published in Molecular Psychiatry, demonstrates new potential for the compound in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, sleep disorders, and other neurodegenerative conditions. An international team led by Mount Sinai School of Medicine scientists found that latrepiridine, known commercially as Dimebon, reduced the level of at least two neurodegeneration-related proteins in mice.

Latrepirdine was initially sold as an antihistamine in Russia, following its approval for use there in 1983. In the 1990s, the compound appeared effective in treating some of the earliest animal models of Alzheimer’s disease. In a high profile Phase II clinical trial in Russia, overseen by a panel of top U.S. clinical trial experts, including Mount Sinai’s Mary Sano, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Director of the Mount Sinai Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, latrepirdine showed significant and sustained improvement in cognitive behavior in Alzheimer’s patients with minimal side effects. However, when the drug was tested in the U.S. in a Phase III trial, it did not demonstrate any improvement in people with the disease, causing the sponsors to halt further clinical study of the drug in Alzheimer’s disease.

Before the failed trials however, Mount Sinai researchers led by Sam Gandy, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology, and Psychiatry, and Director of the Mount Sinai Center for Cognitive Health, began studying how latrepirdine worked.

“Despite the failure to replicate the positive Russian trial results in U.S. patients, we found unexpected evidence that latrepirdine had potential as a treatment for a number of neurodegenerative disorders,” said Dr. Gandy. “Our study shows that the compound prevents neurodegeneration in multiple ways and should remain a contender for battling these devastating diseases. The anti-amyloid approach most recently exemplified by reports that a second bapineuzumab trial has failed might only help patients if begun before the brain pathology begins to build up.”

In the new study, the researchers administered the drug to three different systems: yeast, mice and mammal cells all showing build-up of alpha-synuclein, a protein known to cause neurodegeneration. In all three systems, they determined that latrepiridine activated autophagy, the so-called “self-eating” process of cells that protects the brain from neurodegeneration, which targeted synuclein and protected against its toxicity. In mice, the drug reduced the amount of synuclein accumulated in the brain through autophagy.

John Steele, PhD, a Mount Sinai neuroscience graduate student, devoted his PhD thesis to these studies. Lenard Lachenmayer, MD, a postdoctoral fellow working under the supervision of Zhenyu Yue, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology at Mount Sinai, shares first authorship of the new paper with Steele and with Shulin Ju, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow at Brandeis University working under the direction of Greg Petsko, PhD, and Dagmar Ringe, PhD, both professors of biochemistry, chemistry and neuroscience at Brandeis.

This study is the second of two published by Dr. Gandy’s team in Molecular Psychiatry. The first, published July 31, 2012, determined that latrepiridine stopped the toxicity of amyloid-beta protein accumulation in mice present with Alzheimer’s disease by inducing autophagy. In that study, they randomly administered either latrepirdine or placebo to mice engineered to have the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and found that, through autophagy, the drug improved memory.

Dr. Petsko, an expert in protein structure who is now Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medical College, noted that, surprisingly, latrepirdine protects yeast cells from the toxicity of alpha-synuclein while leaving the cells vulnerable to killing by either the Huntington’s disease protein or by either of the two key proteins responsible for ALS-FTD, a spectrum of diseases that includes both Lou Gehrig’s disease and frontotemporal dementia.

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Rejected drug may protect against toxic substance common to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases

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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

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MOBILE, Alabama — A community lecture on treatments for Parkinsons Disease, tremors and other movement disorders is planned for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center in Mobile.

Dr. Daniel Dees, who specializes in movement disorders, will talk about Parkinsons Disease, a disorder of the brain that leads to shaking and difficulty with walking, movement, eating and coordination. He is expected to discuss the causes and symptoms and offer up-to-date treatment options, organizers said.

The Via! Health, Fitness & Enrichment Center is located at 1717 Dauphin St. in Mobile.

Lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. The presentation begins at noon.

The Med School Caf lecture and lunch are provided free of charge, though reservations are required. To make reservations, call Kim Partridge at 251-460-7770 or e-mail kepartridge@usouthal.edu.

For more details about the event, check out the USA Med School Water cooler.

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Parkinson's Disease treatment options topic of Wednesday lecture

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TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire -08/14/12)- This year more furry friends will join the 14,000 Canadians who champion Parkinson SuperWalk. Pets are demonstrating their support for Parkinson SuperWalk through a new online contest, Pets for Parkinson’s, launched this week by Parkinson Society Canada.

A first for Parkinson SuperWalk, Pets for Parkinson’s challenges Canadians to show support for the walk by submitting photos of their pets demonstrating their enthusiasm for the cause to help raise awareness of Parkinson’s disease. Winners will be selected weekly between now and September 10th and awarded a $100.00 PetSmart gift card. Friends and family will also have the chance to participate and vote online for their favourite Parkinson’s Pet who will be awarded the grand prize of a $250.00 gift card to PetSmart.

“For many people, pets are an integral member of the family, and every year we have a large number of canine companions who attend Parkinson SuperWalk to show their support. We think this is a great way to have some fun and get more pets (and their families) involved in the cause,” says Joyce Gordon, Parkinson Society Canada President and CEO.

Visit http://bit.ly/NvtDnM to see some of Canada’s pets with personality gearing up for Parkinson’s SuperWalk and to enter the weekly prize draw online. Please see contest terms and conditions for more information.

About Parkinson SuperWalk

Parkinson Society Canada’s 22nd annual Parkinson SuperWalk is less than a month away! On September 8th-9th, 14,000 volunteers and participants in 95 communities across Canada will walk together with a goal to raise $3 million nation-wide. Parkinson SuperWalk is Parkinson Society Canada’s largest fundraising event and since its inaugural walk in 1990 led by a small group of committed volunteers, the nation-wide event has raised more than $25 million for education, support services, research, and advocacy on behalf of Canadians living with Parkinson’s. Register online at http://www.parkinsonsuperwalk.ca.

About Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure. It is estimated that there are more than 100,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease across the country(i). Canadians are encouraged to get involved in their community.

To register, donate, or find a walk, visit http://www.parkinsonsuperwalk.ca. Follow Parkinson SuperWalk on Facebook or on Twitter.

For more about Parkinson’s disease and Parkinson Society Canada, and where to find support in your community, visit http://www.parkinson.ca or call 1-800-565-3000.

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Does Your Dog have What it Takes to Be Parkinson's Top Dog?

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DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pgsg7h/spinocerebellar_at) has announced the addition of Global Markets Direct’s new report “Spinocerebellar Ataxias – Pipeline Review, H1 2012″ to their offering.

Global Markets Direct’s, ‘Spinocerebellar Ataxias – Pipeline Review, H1 2012′, provides an overview of the Spinocerebellar Ataxias therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Spinocerebellar Ataxias, complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Spinocerebellar Ataxias. ‘Spinocerebellar Ataxias – Pipeline Review, H1 2012′ is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct’s proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct’s team.

Scope

– A snapshot of the global therapeutic scenario for Spinocerebellar Ataxias.

– A review of the Spinocerebellar Ataxias products under development by companies and universities/research institutes based on information derived from company and industry-specific sources.

– Coverage of products based on various stages of development ranging from discovery till registration stages.

– A feature on pipeline projects on the basis of monotherapy and combined therapeutics.

– Coverage of the Spinocerebellar Ataxias pipeline on the basis of route of administration and molecule type.

– Profiles of late-stage pipeline products featuring sections on product description, mechanism of action and research & development progress.

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Research and Markets: Spinocerebellar Ataxias – Pipeline Review, H1 2012

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THE Alzheimers Society Dementia Community Roadshow will visit the Isle of Wight this week, offering advice and information about the condition.

It will be at the Tesco store, Ryde, today (Tuesday) and tomorrow, from 10am to 4pm.

People living with dementia and those worried about a friend or relative are encouraged to drop by with any questions.

Carol Elliott, services manager at the Alzheimers Society, said: “The roadshow is pioneering as it helps us reach out to communities, tackle stigma by raising awareness of the condition and encourage people who are worried about their memory to visit their GP.”

MP Andrew Turner, who will be visiting the roadshow today morning, said: “It is estimated there are more than 2,500 Islanders suffering from dementia but less than 40 per cent of them have received a formal diagnosis.

“The onset of dementia can be confusing and frightening, both for the person affected and for those around them so I welcome this free drop-in service coming to the Island so people can easily find out information about the condition.

“They can also get information about what help and support is available, such as the excellent Alzheimers Cafes, which are now held regularly in four Island towns.”

Reporter: emilyp@iwcpmail.co.uk

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Dementia information roadshow on the Isle of Wight

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Harmons Grocery Stores has given $244,287 to the Utah-Southern Idaho Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society as part of the food chains 80th anniversary celebration.

The West Valley City-based chain raised money in May and June for the local non-profit by collecting donations at check stands, selling bratwursts and hot dogs on the weekends, hosting a charity golf tournament and sponsoring a bike team. All proceeds will go directly to the local National MS Society chapter.

“We are incredibly grateful to Harmons for getting behind Bike MS and going over the top every year in raising funds for our programs,” said Royle-Mitchell, MS chapter president “Utah has one of the highest incidence rates of multiple sclerosis in the nation and the funds raised by Harmons will support critical research, information and referral programs, professional and community education, financial assistance, scholarships, wellness programs, advocacy, support groups and a lending library.”

The National MS Society seeks a world free of multiple sclerosis. Every hour someone is newly diagnosed with MS, a chronic, unpredictable often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It is estimated that one in 300 Utahns has MS.

Harmons is one of Utahs few remaining locally-owned and operated grocery chains. It supports local charities throughout the year and is one of the largest contributors in the state to Special Olympics Utah, the National MS Society and the Utah Food Bank.

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Harmons Donates nearly $245,000 to National MS Society

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By Jill Foster

PUBLISHED: 21:29 EST, 13 August 2012 | UPDATED: 21:29 EST, 13 August 2012

Nigel Kilvington was on holiday in Lanzarote with his wife Hazel when he realised something was not quite right with his balance.

I noticed I was wobbling while going up and down stairs, he says.

My balance felt off and then my speech was slurring a little.

Ataxia is Greek for ‘lack of balance or order’. There are at least 50 types – many of which are rare

It was worrying, but as Hazel is a nurse we knew it wasnt an emergency because the symptoms had not happened suddenly.

‘We wondered if it was the heat.

I felt fine in other respects, so I didnt seek medical attention in Lanzarote I waited until I got home a few days later, says the 44-year-old, who works for U.S. bank Citigroup in London.

At home in Brentwood, Essex, Nigel visited his GP.

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The dizzy spells that mean you need to see the doctor

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