May 16, 2024 News by Marisa Wexler, MS AI tool detects sex differences in microscopic brain structures: Study Microscopic connections between brain cells vary based on biological sex, according to a new study that used machine learning to analyze MRI data from hundreds of healthy volunteers. Researchers said the findings may help explain why neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS) frequently vary according to sex. “Our…
February 15, 2021 News by Forest Ray PhD Pipeline Raises $80M to Pursue Potential Myelin Restoring Therapy Pipeline TherapeuticsĀ announced that it has raised $80 million in investor financing to develop neuroregenerative therapies for neurological disorders, including those like multiple sclerosis (MS) that are marked by the loss of myelin. The money will support the research and development ofĀ several candidate therapies, with three aimed at promoting and…
October 30, 2020 News by Marta Figueiredo, PhD Adults With MS Wanted for 12-week Trial Assessing Health Benefits of Tele-exercise Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological disorders are being recruited to take part in a 12-week clinical trial that aims to assess the health benefits of home-based tele-exercise ā performed while seated ā led by the Burke Neurological Institute, in New York, according to an…
July 15, 2020 News by Forest Ray PhD Vital Neurological Care Missing During Pandemic, UK Survey Finds The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting vital care and support for those with neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent report from the Neurological AllianceĀ in the U.K. The report is based upon survey responses from over 1,600 people with neurological conditions in that…
June 4, 2020 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Gut Mucus May Help Ease MS, Other Neurological Diseases, Review Suggests Tweaking the protective properties of the gut mucus, a layer lining the inside of the gut, to boost the proliferation of good bacteria potentially could halt the development of neurological disorders, like multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a review of more than 100 studies. The review, ā…
June 12, 2019 News by Marisa Wexler, MS Biotech Startup Receives Funding to Pursue Cell-based Therapies for Neurological Disorders Startup company Oscine Therapeutics has received an investment from Sana Biotechnology to support the research and development of cell-based therapies for a variety of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). This venture is based on work done over the past several decades in the lab of Steve…
March 25, 2019 News by Mary Chapman Physiciansā Education Resource Holds 2-Day Conference on Neurological Disorders Like MS in September TheĀ Physiciansā Education Resource (PER) will host its first international conference on the future of neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS), including prospective therapies. Set for Sept. 27ā28 at the InterContinental New York Times Square, the continuing medical education (CME) conference will feature more than…
February 21, 2019 News by Joana Carvalho, PhD In Creating ‘Immune Cell Atlas of Brain,’ Scientists Find Microglia Highly Complex in Behavior and Role In mapping the immune system of the brain in mice and humans, scientists in Germany found that microgliaĀ ā a type of nerve cell located in the central nervous system and responsible for supporting and protecting neuronsĀ ā share the same core design, but behave differently depending on the specific function each…
January 24, 2019 News by Jonathan Grinstein New Products Intended to Stimulate Feet of MS Patients Naboso TechnologyĀ has expanded its product offerings with new insoles and training mats specifically designed to stimulate the nervous system through the skin on the bottom of the feet. The products were developed to help improve balance, posture, movement and restore motor function, as part of aĀ neurorehabilitation strategy…
December 6, 2018 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Fat Spheres Can Deliver DNA into Cells of Central Nervous System, Hold Therapeutic Potential Non-viral vehicles, called niosomes, can deliver DNA to glial cells in the central nervous system, a new study shows. The findings open new avenues for gene therapy and the treatment of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The study āNon-viral vectors based on cationic niosomes as efficient gene delivery…
June 14, 2018 News by Patricia Silva, PhD MyoPro Powered Arm Brace Now Available for Teens with MS or Injuries, Myomo Announces Myomo, a wearable medical robotics company, announced thatĀ MyoPro ā its myoelectric orthosis or powered brace ā is nowĀ available for use by teenagers with paralyzed or weakened arms due to injuries or neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS). MyoPro is a lightweight wearable device that helps restore functionality…
November 8, 2017 News by Iqra Mumal, MSc Blocking CXCR7 Receptor of Mature Monocytes Could Be New Therapeutic Strategy in MS The CXCR7 receptor present on mature monocytes ā a type of white blood cell ā may be a therapeutic target to alleviate the inflammation seen inĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and similar disorders, a new study shows. The study, āFrontline Science: CXCR7 mediates CD14+CD16+ monocyte transmigration across the blood…
October 6, 2017 News by Ashraf Malhas, PhD Evidence of Lymph Vessels in Human Brain May Offer New Insights into MS, Other Disorders Groundbreaking evidence of the existence of lymphatic vessels in the human brain could answer the question of how the brain gets rid of waste products, and holds clear implications for neuroinflammatory disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The lymphatic system is a network that helps the body to rid itself of toxins and waste products. Lymphatic vessels, which are similar to blood vessels, transport a clear fluid ā lymph ā which is filtered in lymph nodes. It has long been thought that the brain lacks lymphatic vessels. However, a team of researchers at theĀ National Institutes of Health (NIH), building on previous research in rodent brains, recently found evidence that the brain may actually drain waste through lymphatic vessels. The researchers injected healthy volunteers with a magnetic dye called gadobutrol, which is usually used as a contrast agent to image blood vessels. They then scanned the brains of these individuals using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) under specific settings. This allowed them to view the dye within the outer layer of the brain, known as the dura. The MRI revealed that the dye was visible both as dots and straight lines, which might indicate lymph vessels. This suggested that the dye leaked out of blood vessels into the dura and were later 'picked up' by lymphatic vessels. These vessels were not seen when the volunteers were injected with another dye that does not leak out of blood vessels.Ā Evidence of lymphatic vessels in the brain was also found in autopsied human brain tissue. Although a pair of 2015 studies had shown evidence of lymphatic vessels in the brains of mice, this is the first study that demonstrates that a similar system exists in human brains.Ā āFor years we knew how fluid entered the brain. Now we may finally see that, like other organs in the body, brain fluid can drain out through the lymphatic system,ā Reich saidĀ . In addition to changing the way we think about the lymphatic system and the brain, this study lays the foundations for future research to investigate whether the function of the lymphatic system is altered in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis or other disorders affecting the nervous system.
August 23, 2017 News by Rachita Narsaria, MD Nortis Awarded $688K Grant from NIH to Develop ‘Living’ Model of Blood-Brain Barrier for Research Nortis, a Seattle-based biotech company, has received a $688,000 grant by the National Institutes of Health to create a living, 3-D model of the human blood-brain barrier that will be used for laboratory testing to accelerate drug development and lessen the likelihood of failure in clinical trials. This grant provides funding for a third year of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award given to Nortis by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a branch of the NIH. SBIR provides grants to U.S.-based small businesses to do federal research and enable the commercialization of technology. The blood-brain barrier is a tissue barrier that only allows certain molecules to pass from blood vessels into the brain. It is a protective mechanism to prevent the entry of foreign bodies and infection-causing organisms in the brain. Researchers are trying to find ways of delivering medications across this barrier, to reach brain tissues to treat diseases that include multiple sclerosis. "Understanding how drugs are transported across the blood-brain barrier and interact with the brain presents a significant scientific challenge," Thomas Neumann, CEO of Nortis and principal investigator on the project, said in a press release. "More predictive preclinical models based on human tissue are urgently needed to reduce costs and minimize clinical trial failures," he added. "This grant will help us develop new in-vitro alternatives to traditional pharmaceutical drug development testing on laboratory animals."
May 24, 2017 News by Alice MelĆ£o, MSc N.Y. Stem Cell Foundation Grows Brain Immune Cells in a Dish, Offerings Clues into MS Research Researchers from the New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF)Ā have developed a method to produce brain immune cells, called microglia, from human stem cells. ThatĀ can help scientists uncover biological mechanisms involved in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological conditions. “NYSCF’s mission is to bring cures to patients faster,” Susan L.
December 2, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Fat Bubbles and Ultrasound May Offer Way of Getting MS Therapies Directly to Brain A new ways ofĀ delivering drug therapies directly to the brain, overcoming the limitation imposed by the blood-brain barrier (a permeable barrier that protects the brain), has been discovered. The technique ā which makes use of lipid bubbles and ultrasound ā may pave the way for new treatments against neurological disorders,…
November 30, 2016 News by Charles Moore Philips Unveils In-Progress Radiology Portal for Diagnosing, Treating Neurological Diseases Royal Philips recently announced the introduction of the IntelliSpace Portal 9.0, the latest edition of itsĀ advanced comprehensive visual analysis and quantification platform for neurological disorders. The platform was presentedĀ at the 2016 Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting (RSNA), taking placeĀ through Dec. 2 in Chicago. Currently a work in…
October 24, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Study of Myelin-producing Cells a Step Forward for MS, Other Neurological Disorders A study found that the cells responsible for the production of myelinĀ selectively introduce a myelin-insulating layer in a particular set of neuronal axons in the brainās white matter. This represents a step forward in the basic mechanisms that may underlie neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Also, aĀ newly developed method…
October 5, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Virus Linked to Respiratory Infections May Also Trigger Brain Diseases Like MS A virus known to cause respiratory infections in people ā the human coronavirus (HCoV) ā may also be the source of neurological diseases thatĀ strike patients, seemingly out of the blue,Ā a new study reported. Results obtained in the study, āHuman Coronavirus OC43 Associated with Fatal Encephalitis,āĀ support the idea that diseases…
September 28, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Treatment with Specific Enzyme May Keep Muscle Stiffness at Bay in MS, Other Movement Disorders A new study shows that an enzyme called hyaluronidase may be effective in reducing muscle spasticity resulting from neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The results were published in a study titled āHuman Recombinant Hyaluronidase Injections For Upper Limb Muscle Stiffness in Individuals With Cerebral Injury: A Case Series,ā…
August 3, 2016 News by InĆŖs Martins, PhD Cornell Scientists Tag and Track Lipid Signaling in Cells, a Possible Force in MS Development Understanding lipid signaling in multiple sclerosis (MS) may be the key to developing more effective therapies for the disease. New work by researchers atĀ Cornell UniversityĀ couldĀ bring us closer to unraveling the role of lipids in MSĀ development. Lipids are fat molecules that compose the cellular membranes and surround each organelle inside…
June 8, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Sexual Function for MS, Other Patients with Neurological Disorders Can Improve with Help Sexual dysfunction is common for patients affected by neurological disorders, but it does not have to signal the end of a satisfying sex life and intimate lovemaking, according to researchers. Appropriate measures can help patients overcome sexual dysfunction associated with disease. Scientists from around the world discussed the topicĀ at the…
June 7, 2016 News by Patricia Inacio, PhD Scientists Gather to Discuss Novel Connections Between Gut Microbiome and Brain Disorders Increasing evidence suggests that our gut microbiome is able to regulate brain processes and trigger neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Scientists from around the world discussed these themes at the recent Congress of the European Academy of Neurology in Copenhagen, Denmark. āThe gut microbiome can influence the central…