Psoriasis and stress: NPF grantee Theoharis Theoharides discusses his psoriasis research – Video

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Psoriasis and stress: NPF grantee Theoharis Theoharides discusses his psoriasis research
Learn more about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research at http://psoriasis.org/research. Theoharis Theoharides, M.D., Ph.D., received a two-year, $200,0...

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Psoriasis and stress: NPF grantee Theoharis Theoharides discusses his psoriasis research - Video

Research and Markets: Global Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule – 2013 Report Available now for Review

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/c8phkl/global_psoriasis) has announced the addition of the "Global Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013" report to their offering.

Fore Pharma's latest report Global Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013' provides up-to-date information on key Research and Development (R&D) activities in the global psoriasis market. It covers active psoriasis pipeline molecules in clinical trials, preclinical research, and drug discovery.

This report helps executives track competitor pipeline molecules. The pipeline data presented in this report can be used for identifying partners, evaluating opportunities, formulating business development strategies, and executing in-licensing and out-licensing deals.

The scope of the report includes information on psoriasis pipeline molecules by clinical trial stages, company, mechanism of action, and country (The US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan, and Rest of the World). Psoriasis pipeline molecules licensing activities are also covered in this report.

Key Features of the Report:

- Psoriasis Pipeline Overview

- Psoriasis Phase 3 Clinical Trial Pipeline

- Psoriasis Phase 2 Clinical Trial Pipeline

- Psoriasis Phase 1 Clinical Trial Pipeline

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Research and Markets: Global Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013 Report Available now for Review

Oolong tea helps eczema, may help with psoriasis

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Q: Your readers did it again! I've been drinking oolong tea for more than a month now, and the patches of psoriasis have disappeared, along with the flaking. I still have a couple of areas that need some ointment now and then, but overall I can wear shorts now without being embarrassed about my skin. (My skinny legs are another matter.) Thanks.

A: A study long ago in Japan found that oolong tea was effective in easing treatment-resistant eczema (Archives of Dermatology, January 2001), but we have found no studies of oolong tea for psoriasis.

Several visitors to our website have reported that drinking oolong tea eased their psoriasis. Others have noted that turmeric or cilantro also can be helpful.

Q: My husband has suffered with polyneuropathy for three years. After his doctors said there was no cure, we located a cure at our vitamin store and want to share it with others.

He takes 600 mg of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) daily. We are elated with the results. We have a neighbor who also began taking it, and he, too, is much-improved.

A: A randomized, placebo-controlled study in Russia and Israel showed that 600 mg of ALA daily can greatly ease the symptoms of neuropathy (nerve pain) such as stabbing or burning pain, numbness and "pins and needles" (Diabetes Care, November 2006).

A recent article points out that ALA is one of the few treatments that has shown promise for diabetic polyneuropathy and calls for more research (Diabetes/ Metabolism Research and Reviews online, Feb. 5, 2013).

Another nonprescription approach to this problem is benfotiamine, a synthetic form of the B vitamin thiamine. We learned about it from Dr. Charles Beauchamp several years ago, and recently heard this from a reader: "I appreciate the suggestion of benfotiamine for my foot pain. Within a month it has totally cleared up, and I am ready to move to a maintenance regimen."

Q: My daughter had head lice several times when she was very young and her hair was long. The lice shampoos did not work at all.

Finally, we used mayonnaise in her hair. We applied it from the scalp to the ends and then wrapped her head with plastic wrap. We left it on for at least two hours while she watched her favorite DVD. When we washed her hair, you could see the lice rinsing out. We did this every three days for two weeks to make sure that they were all gone.

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Oolong tea helps eczema, may help with psoriasis

Weight Loss Might Ease Psoriasis, Study Hints

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By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- People with psoriasis who lose weight could experience some relief from the symptoms of their chronic skin disease, according to a small new study.

A clinical trial based in Denmark found that obese patients with psoriasis who lost weight through a low-calorie diet experienced a significant improvement in their quality of life, compared to obese psoriasis patients who didn't lose weight.

The patients in the weight-loss group reported less stinging and burning, were less likely to be embarrassed by unsightly lesions, and found that their condition affected their everyday life less often, said Dr. Peter Jensen, of the Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, and colleagues.

"Our results emphasize the importance of weight loss as part of a multimodal treatment approach to effectively treat both the skin condition and its [related medical] conditions in overweight patients with psoriasis," the researchers said in the study, which was published online May 29 in the journal JAMA Dermatology.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that develops when a person's immune system malfunctions and causes skin cells to grow too quickly. The new skin cells form in days rather than weeks and pile up on the skin's surface, causing scaly, painful lesions.

In the randomized clinical trial, 27 patients were assigned to an intervention group that followed a low-calorie diet and 26 patients were assigned to a control group that continued to eat ordinary healthy foods. Researchers tracked psoriasis symptoms and quality of life using two questionnaires.

The patients on a low-calorie diet ended up losing nearly 34 pounds in 16 weeks, and reported improvements in both their psoriasis symptoms and their overall quality of life.

Dermatologists said the study's results are not surprising, but do reinforce the need for overweight or obese people with psoriasis to try to lose weight.

"Obesity is a huge issue for patients with psoriasis," said Dr. Joel Gelfand, an associate professor of dermatology and medical director of the clinical studies unit at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. "If you're obese with psoriasis, psoriasis is less likely to get clear."

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Weight Loss Might Ease Psoriasis, Study Hints

National Psoriasis Foundation awards $450,000 in research grants

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Public release date: 4-Jun-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Noe Baker media@psoriasis.org 503-546-8416 National Psoriasis Foundation

PORTLAND, Ore. (June 4, 2013)Six of the top scientists studying psoriasisthe most common autoimmune disease in the country, affecting 7.5 million Americansand psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory joint and tendon disease affecting up to 30 percent of people with psoriasis, received National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) research grants totaling $450,000 for projects that aim to discover new treatments and a cure for these chronic diseases.

"National Psoriasis Foundation is dedicated to increasing the number of scientists, dollars and projects dedicated to psoriatic diseases," said Randy Beranek, National Psoriasis Foundation president and CEO. "We are the only organization funding these types of promising research projects, each of which will move us faster toward finding a cure, which is our highest priority."

Learn about the NPF research grant program: http://www.psoriasis.org/research.

Theoharis Theoharides, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pharmacology at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, received a two-year, $200,000 Translational Research Grant to take laboratory findings and translate them into real-world applications to manage health. Dr. Theoharides will explore how stress contributes to psoriasis and how molecules derived from chamomile might interrupt this psoriasis-stress connection.

Additionally, five researchers each received a one-year, $50,000 Discovery Grant for early-stage research to advance basic understanding of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

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The National Psoriasis Foundation is the world's largest charitable funder of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis research worldwide. Learn more about the Foundation research priorities at http://www.psoriasis.org/research.

About the National Psoriasis Foundation

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National Psoriasis Foundation awards $450,000 in research grants

Research and Markets: Global Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule – 2013

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/55snsq/global_plaque) has announced the addition of the "Global Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013" report to their offering.

Fore Pharma's latest report Global Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013' provides up-to-date information on key Research and Development (R&D) activities in the global plaque psoriasis market. It covers active plaque psoriasis pipeline molecules in clinical trials, preclinical research, and drug discovery.

This report helps executives track competitor pipeline molecules. The pipeline data presented in this report can be used for identifying partners, evaluating opportunities, formulating business development strategies, and executing in-licensing and out-licensing deals.

The scope of the report includes information on plaque psoriasis pipeline molecules by clinical trial stages, company, mechanism of action, and country (The US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan, and Rest of the World). Plaque psoriasis pipeline molecules licensing activities are also covered in this report.

Key Topics Covered

1. Plaque Psoriasis - Disease Overview

2. Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline Overview

3. Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline by Geography

4. Plaque Psoriasis Phase 3 Clinical Trial Pipeline Insights

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Research and Markets: Global Plaque Psoriasis Pipeline Capsule - 2013

New Psoriasis Controlâ„¢ Shampoo Combines Salon Luxury with Fast Relief for Psoriasis, Dandruff and Dermatitis of the …

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Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) June 04, 2013

TriDerma, a maker of specialized skin care, announced the launch of its new Psoriasis Control Shampoo, a medical strength shampoo that helps provide fast relief for the itchy and scaly scalp that are symptoms of psoriasis, dandruff and dermatitis.

Psoriasis can affect any skin surface and is marked by a build-up of skin cells called scales. Patches of skin affected by psoriasis become itchy, dry, red, and sometimes painful. It is estimated that half of the 7.5 million Americans with psoriasis are affected by scalp psoriasis. It can appear as one or multiple patches on the scalp, affect the entire scalp, and spread beyond the scalp to the forehead, back of the neck, or behind the ears. It can be difficult to treat psoriasis of the scalp because of the difficulty applying topical psoriasis treatments to the affected area.

TriDerma Psoriasis Control Shampoo contains 3% salicylic acid. Salicylic Acid, approved by the FDA as a treatment for psoriasis, gently exfoliates flakes and scales, and helps relieve itching, redness and irritation due to psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis. Healing botanicals in the companys proprietary AP4 Genuine Virgin Aloe complex are naturally anti-inflammatory and moisturizing to help relieve and prevent flaking and scaling. Specialized itch-fighting ingredients help stop the urge to scratch. Nourishing botanicals, Pro Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E help promote healthy scalp and hair. TriDerma also added a botanical color protectant, so the shampoo is safe for color-treated hair.

TriDerma has over ten years of experience in the psoriasis segment with its Psoriasis Control Skin Healing Cream. Holly Ahearn, Director of Research and Development at TriDerma, says, Psoriasis Control Shampoo was created in response to customer demand for a shampoo that does not smell like medicine, targets psoriasis symptoms, and also makes hair look great. Psoriasis Control Shampoo is an exclusive salon formula. Ms. Ahearn says it is formulated like a luxurious salon treatment, leaving hair soft and manageable, looking beautiful and smelling fresh and clean.

TriDerma Psoriasis Control Shampoo can be ordered online at http://www.triderma.com.

About Triderma

Headquartered in Anaheim, California, TriDerma has provided fast healing without a prescription for 21 years. Founded upon the determination of one woman seeking a natural healing solution, TriDerma now manufactures over 50 products available online and in the First Aid, Skin Care and Baby section of drugstores and supercenters across the U.S. and the world. TriDerma formulas are purpose-driven to help heal specific skin conditions without the use of cortisone, steroids, parabens or other harmful ingredients. Proprietary formulations made in the USA ensure quality and efficacy are never compromised. TriDerma is a women-owned company. For more information and a store locator, go to http://www.Triderma.com. Follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TriDerma.

Contact: Angie Echele 636-633-6499

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New Psoriasis Controlâ„¢ Shampoo Combines Salon Luxury with Fast Relief for Psoriasis, Dandruff and Dermatitis of the ...

Ataxia Overview – Johns Hopkins Medicine

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Ataxia is typically defined as the presence of abnormal, uncoordinated movements. This usage describes signs & symptoms without reference to specific diseases. An unsteady, staggering gait is described as an ataxic gait because walking is uncoordinated and appears to be not ordered. Many motor activities may be described as ataxic if they appear to others, or are perceived by patients, as uncoordinated.

Ataxia can also refer to a group of neurological disorders in which motor behavior appears uncoordinated. Walking, speaking clearly, swallowing, writing, reading, and other activities that require fine motor control may be abnormal in patients with ataxia. Ataxia may result from abnormalities in different parts of the nervous system or different parts of the body, such as ataxic movements due to orthopedic injuries or pain from arthritis or muscle injury.

Ataxia may result from abnormalities in different parts of the nervous system, including the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (roots and nerves that connect the central nervous system to muscles, skin, and the outside world). When patients experience abnormal walking or uncoordinated use of their hands or arms, dysfunction of the cerebellum is often responsible. The cerebellum is a rounded structure attached to the brainstem with a central portion (vermis) and two lateral lobes (cerebellar hemispheres). It sits beneath the back of the cerebral hemispheres (occipital cortices). The outer surface of the cerebellum is a continuous layer of nerve cells called the cerebellar cortex. The cortex is a three-layered sheet of neurons that are extensively interconnected and have a highly regular geometric organization. The cerebellar cortex receives information from most parts of the body and from many other regions of the brain. The cerebellum integrates this information and sends signals back to the rest of the brain that enable accurate and well coordinated movements.

Although unsteady gait may result from problems in different parts of the nervous system or of the body, abnormal walking due to cerebellar dysfunction has distinct features that are usually recognizable. Persons with an ataxic gait due to cerebellar dysfunction keep their legs further apart than normal, referred to clinically as a broadened base. They often stagger and resemble persons who have ingested excessive alcohol. The resemblance of ataxia to inebriation is not a coincidence as alcohol is known to affect the main nerve cells in the cerebellum. Although brief alcohol-induced staggering is usually reversible, repeated exposure to high doses of alcohol may cause degeneration of neurons in the cerebellum and result in persistent ataxia. Purkinje neurons are unusually susceptible to different forms of injury, including other toxins, prolonged seizures, and lack of oxygen. Cerebellar ataxia differs from gait problems due to abnormalities in other parts of the nervous system, such as the abnormal gait seen in Parkinsons disease, normal pressure hydrocephalus, or different forms of spasticity in the legs. Cerebellar ataxia is also distinguishable from abnormal walking due to pain and/or muscle or orthopedic abnormalities in the hips, legs, or feet.

To request an appointment, please contact the Johns Hopkins Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders Center at 410-502-0133. Request an Appointment

Adult Neurology: 410-955-9441 Pediatric Neurology: 410-955-4259 Adult Neurosurgery: 410-955-6406 Pediatric Neurosurgery: 410-955-7337

Whether you're crossing the country or the globe, we make it easy to access world-class care at Johns Hopkins.

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Ataxia Overview - Johns Hopkins Medicine

Spinocerebellar ataxia – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) or also known as Spinocerebellar atrophy or Spinocerebellar degeneration, is a progressive, degenerative,[1]genetic disease with multiple types, each of which could be considered a disease in its own right. An estimated 150,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Spinocerebellar Ataxia. SCA's are the largest group of this hereditary, progressive, degenerative and often fatal neurodegenerative disorder. There is no known effective treatment or cure. Spinocerebellar Ataxia can affect anyone of any age. The disease is caused by either a recessive or dominant gene. In many cases people are not aware that they carry the ataxia gene until they have children who begin to show signs of having the disorder.[2]

Most of the 60 different types of SCA that have been identified are diagnosed via autopsy, as there is no definitive test that can tell what type of SCA a living individual or if they have it at all. In 2008, a genetic ataxia blood test developed to test for 12 types of SCA, Friedreich's ataxia, and several others. However, in the SCA group, with so many different types most go with a diagnosis of SCA unidentified or unknown. Usually the diagnosis comes after examination by a neurologist, which includes a physical exam, family history, MRI scanning of the brain and spine, and spinal tap.[3]

Many SCAs below fall under the category of polyglutamine diseases, which are caused when a disease-associated protein (i.e., ataxin-1, ataxin-3, etc.) contains a large number of repeats of glutamine residues, termed a polyQ sequence or a "CAG triplet repeat disease" for either the one-letter designation or codon for glutamine respectively. The threshold for symptoms in most forms of SCA is around 35, though for SCA3 it extends beyond 50. Most polyglutamine diseases are dominant due to the interactions of resulting polyQ tail.[citation needed]

The first ataxia gene was identified in 1993 and called Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1" (SCA1); later genes were called SCA2, SCA3, etc. Usually, the "type" number of "SCA" refers to the order in which the gene was found. At this time, there are at least 29 different gene mutations that have been found.[citation needed]

The following is a list of some of the many types of Spinocerebellar ataxia.

Others include SCA18, SCA20, SCA21, SCA23, SCA26, SCA28, and SCA29.

Four X-linked types have been described (302500, 302600, 301790, 301840), but only the first of these has so far been tied to a gene (SCAX1).

Spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) is one of a group of genetic disorders characterized by slowly progressive incoordination of gait and is often associated with poor coordination of hands, speech, and eye movements. A review of different clinical features among SCA subtypes was recently published describing frequent hand movements in patients, causing intentional tremor.[16] As with other forms of ataxia, SCA frequently results in atrophy of the cerebellum,[17] loss of fine coordination of muscle movements leading to unsteady and clumsy motion, and other symptoms.

The symptoms of an ataxia vary with the specific type and with the individual patient. In general, a person with ataxia retains full mental capacity but progressively loses physical control.

The hereditary ataxias are categorized by mode of inheritance and causative gene or chromosomal locus. The hereditary ataxias can be inherited in an autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked manner.

There is no known cure for spinocerebellar ataxia, which is considered to be a progressive and irreversible disease, although not all types cause equally severe disability. In general, treatments are directed towards alleviating symptoms, not the disease itself. Many patients with hereditary or idiopathic forms of ataxia have other symptoms in addition to ataxia. Medications or other therapies might be appropriate for some of these symptoms, which could include tremor, stiffness, depression, spasticity, and sleep disorders, among others. Both onset of initial symptoms and duration of disease are variable. If the disease is caused by a polyglutamine trinucleotide repeat CAG expansion, a longer expansion may lead to an earlier onset and a more radical progression of clinical symptoms. Typically, a person afflicted with this disease will eventually be unable to perform daily tasks (ADLs). However, rehabilitation therapists can help patients to maximize their ability of self-care and delay deterioration to certain extent. Stem cell research has been sought for a future treatment.[citation needed]

Physical therapists can assist patients in maintaining their level of independence through therapeutic exercise programs. In general, physical therapy emphasizes postural balance and gait training for ataxia patients.[18] General conditioning such as range-of-motion exercises and muscle strengthening would also be included in therapeutic exercise programs. Research showed that spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) patients [19] with a mild stage of the disease gained significant improvement in static balance and neurological indices after six months of a physical therapy exercise training program.[20]Occupational therapists may assist patients with incoordination or ataxia issues through the use of adaptive devices. Such devices may include a cane, crutches, walker, or wheelchair for those with impaired gait. Other devices are available to assist with writing, feeding, and self care if hand and arm coordination are impaired. A randomized clinical trial revealed that an intensive rehabilitation program with physical and occupational therapies for patients with degenerative cerebellar diseases can significantly improve functional gains in ataxia, gait, and activities of daily living. Some level of improvement was shown to be maintained 24 weeks post-treatment.[21] Speech language pathologists may use augmentative and alternative communication devices to help patients with impaired speech.

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Spinocerebellar ataxia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ataxia | Define Ataxia at Dictionary.com

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Historical Examples

Does not get on feet when turned on side; ataxia well marked.

His name was Sabathier, and for fifteen years he had been stricken with ataxia.

It seemed he was suffering from a form of ataxia, rapid in its progress and very painful.

Consequently it would be indicated under all circumstances where a nervous affection seemed to depend upon a state of ataxia.

She married a thirty-year-old active business man, in whom ataxia developed a year after marriage.

The usefulness of electricity in ataxia has been denied by some authors, while others praise it indiscriminately.

He had no ataxia or loss of sensibility in the upper half of the body.

Slight scoliosis of the vertebral column and a misshapen right foot recalled Friedreich's ataxia.

ataxia had declared itself; he was able to walk now only leaning on his servant's arm.

While I have used it with good effect in other conditions, it is in ataxia that I have found it of most value.

British Dictionary definitions for ataxia Expand

(pathol) lack of muscular coordination

Derived Forms

ataxic, atactic, adjective

Word Origin

C17: via New Latin from Greek: lack of coordination, from a-1 + -taxia, from tassein to put in order

Word Origin and History for ataxia Expand

also anglicized as ataxy, "irregularity of bodily functions," 1610s, "confusion, disorder," medical Latin, from Greek ataxia, from a-, privative prefix, + taxis "arrangement, order," from stem of tassein "to arrange" (see tactics). Pathological sense is attested from 1660s.

ataxia in Medicine Expand

ataxia ataxia (-tk's-) or ataxy (-tk's) n. Loss of the ability to coordinate muscular movement. Also called dyssynergia, incoordination.

ataxia in Science Expand

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Ataxia | Define Ataxia at Dictionary.com