NASHVILLE, Tenn., – It was a warm summer night that Tuesday – a night not unlike many others he had spent working in the lab – when Richard Nass, Ph.D. walked down the empty hallway and entered a small, darkened room. Settling himself onto a stool, he placed a shallow dish on the stage of the microscope before him and peered through the eyepieces. What he saw there – or, rather, didn’t see – took him aback. Nass saw the host of wriggling, transparent worms that he expected, but missing was the distinctive green glow that should have lit up the bodies of the worms like neon. "I almost couldn’t believe it," he said, shaking his head. The loss of green fluorescence that Nass observed in his worms told him that their dopamine neurons, which had been genetically altered to fluoresce green, had been destroyed by exposure to a chemical, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). The results of the study, published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, suggest that this tiny roundworm, named C.elegans, can serve as a powerful model for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying degeneration of dopamine neurons in the brains of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Keyword: Parkinsons
Link ID: 1596 - Posted: 06.24.2010

May be target to prevent or treat obesity and diabetes For mice genetically altered to get fat, knocking out a particular gene keeps them both leaner and healthier, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine scientists report in the March 1 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. That "lean" gene is the blueprint for myostatin, a protein known to limit muscle growth, they report. Previous Hopkins studies found that mice without myostatin are muscle-bound "mighty mice." Now the scientists show that mice without the protein, even mice that usually become obese, gain much less fat as they age. "This tells me that myostatin might be a useful target for preventing or treating obesity and associated conditions, like diabetes," says Se Jin Lee, M.D., Ph.D., professor of molecular biology and genetics in the school's Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences. "However, we've been studying genetic knock-outs; we don't know yet whether we can block myostatin in adult animals and see similar effects. In fact, myostatin-blocking agents still need to be developed."

Keyword: Obesity; Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 1595 - Posted: 02.27.2002

Study finds experimental agent calms brain activity [Reuters] — An experimental drug that works to calm brain activity could help patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease just as they lose the ability to care for themselves, researchers said Tuesday. THE DRUG, called Memantine, slows over-excited brain cell signaling that is associated not only with Alzheimer’s but with other brain diseases, including Parkinson’s. In doing so, it slows the progression of the disease, which gradually robs patients of their ability to remember, to find their way around, and to bathe and dress themselves, researchers told a meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry in Orlando, Fla. • MSNBC Terms, Conditions and Privacy © 2002

Keyword: Alzheimers
Link ID: 1594 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Women who are obese before pregnancy are risking the health of themselves and their unborn child, according to a study. Obese women can develop gestational diabetes, high blood pressure and need to be hospitalised during pregnancy. Their babies can be born prematurely or suffer serious birth defects and other severe problems, says Dr Richard Deckelbaum, professor of nutrition at New York's Columbia University. This has special significance for the UK, where obesity among women of childbearing age is continuing to rise. (C) BBC

Keyword: Obesity; Development of the Brain
Link ID: 1591 - Posted: 02.25.2002

By JODI WILGOREN Senator Paul Wellstone, a Minnesota Democrat who is facing a fierce challenge in his bid for a third term this fall, announced yesterday morning that he has a mild form of multiple sclerosis. Senator Wellstone said he learned about a month ago that a limp in his right leg, which for 15 years he had attributed to an old wrestling injury, was actually caused by primary progressive multiple sclerosis, a form of the disease that affects about 60,000 Americans and for which there is no specific treatment. About 330,000 Americans have some form of multiple sclerosis. Copyright 2002 The New York Times Company

Keyword: Multiple Sclerosis
Link ID: 1590 - Posted: 02.25.2002

JOHN WHITFIELD Researchers have pinpointed the receptor that allows us to taste proteins' building blocks. The amino-acid receptor triggers the lip-smacking umami taste that flavour enhancers exploit. Its discovery might help the design of new additives. Mice's version of the receptor responds to nearly all of the 20 amino acids found in proteins, Charles Zuker of the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues have found1. The human version of the receptor is most sensitive to the chemical glutamate. Glutamate is one of the most common amino acids in our diets. It gives high-protein food its meaty, umami flavour. About 1.5 million tons of monosodium glutamate is used to make food tasty each year. * Nelson, G. et al. An amino-acid taste receptor. Nature advance online publication, DOI: 10.1038/nature726 (2002). * Chaudhari, N., Landin, A. M. & Roper, S. D. A metabotropic glutamate receptor variant functions as a taste receptor. Nature Neuroscience, 3, 113 - 119 , (2002). © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002

Keyword: Chemical Senses (Smell & Taste); Genes & Behavior
Link ID: 1589 - Posted: 06.24.2010

It is one of the most difficult diseases I deal with, without question, a neurologist says. By Kathleen O?Dell News-Leader The disease already had its deadly grip on respiratory therapist Jeff Taylor when the first symptom showed up: His right-hand grip was weak. Then his arm. Then his left hand; his left arm. Surgeon Mark Avery began slurring his speech; his tongue felt thick. By the time the Springfield men were diagnosed with ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it was already too late. The disease gradually took away their strength, then their movement and, finally, their lives. ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease, is a fatal disease that researchers are scrambling to understand even as the number of cases seem to be growing in Missouri and nationwide, said Kim Goble, with the Springfield ALS chapter. Part of that growth could stem from more accurate diagnoses, said Springfield neurologist Rodney Quinn. (There used to be something called 'creeping paralysis,' Goble observed.) Copyright © 2002, The Springfield News-Leader

Keyword: ALS-Lou Gehrig's Disease
Link ID: 1588 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Today patients with cerebral aneurysms face a difficult choice: brain surgery or a less proven alternative BY SANJAY GUPTA, M.D. Think of it as a blood vessel in the brain that weakens like an old inner tube, develops a blister and eventually pops, spilling large quantities of blood into the skull. That, in a nutshell, is what doctors call a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. What it feels like is the worst headache of your life. My patients have described it as a thunderclap in the head followed by blinding pain, nausea and vomiting. They cannot look at bright lights. Their necks get stiff. Confusion sets in. Half the people who suffer through one don't live to describe it. Until quite recently, not much had changed in the treatment of aneurysms, as Ardith Eastlund learned after her twin sister Arlene Erickson died of a ruptured one last fall in Reed City, Mich., at 64. The sisters were identical in so many ways that Eastlund naturally wondered whether she too might be carrying a time bomb in her brain. "I just want to put my mind--and my family--at ease," she told Dr. B. Gregory Thompson, chief of cerebrovascular surgery at the University of Michigan. Copyright © 2002 Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Keyword: Stroke
Link ID: 1587 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By John McKenzie [ABCNEWS.com] C A M B R I D G E, Mass., ? Once you have survived a stroke, the next challenge is to recover from the paralysis ? to regain control of a leg, an arm or a hand. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology thought a newly developed robotic arm could help. "It adds hope to those people who think they've done all that they can, and may be an opportunity to give them further improvements," said Neville Hogan, an MIT professor involved in the project. Copyright © 2002 ABCNEWS Internet Ventures.

Keyword: Stroke; Robotics
Link ID: 1586 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Humans can recognize five distinct tastes: bitter, salty, sour, sweet and umami. Of the five, however, umami is the most difficult to describe. It's the flavor associated with monosodium glutamate (MSG). Now, researchers have identified a taste receptor that responds to amino acids, including umami, and they hope to develop a more precise description of the molecular events that allow the brain to perceive the five different tastes. With the discovery of the new receptor, scientists have now identified taste receptors for amino acids, bitter and sweet tastes. Given that many amino acids are essential components of our diet, this work may also aid understanding of how animals, including humans, regulate nutritional intake to achieve a balanced diet. Better understanding of taste receptors may permit scientists in the food industry to formulate new products that have specific tastes. A©2002 Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Keyword: Chemical Senses (Smell & Taste)
Link ID: 1585 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Paralysed actor Christopher Reeve believes he will walk again, if stem cell research in the UK is allowed to continue. The star of the Superman films said he would be willing to travel to Britain for treatment to repair his spinal cord, which was damaged during a riding accident in 1995. Mr Reeve told BBC Radio 5 Live that the House of Lords Select Committee must decide in favour of embryonic stem cell research and therapeutic cloning when it votes on the issue later this week. He said: "I certainly hope that in revisiting the issues the Lords will really take the time to understand what the technology actually is and to recognise that it has nothing to do with destroying life." (C) BBC

Keyword: Stem Cells; Regeneration
Link ID: 1584 - Posted: 02.24.2002

By Suzanne Elston If you're feeling a little winter weary right about now, you're not alone. It turns out that getting enough sunlight, particularly during the winter months, can be critical to our mental health. This seasonal lack of sunlight can affect the balance of chemicals in our brain, including serotonin. That's the chemical that's responsible for regulating sleep patterns and it can also affect our moods and our appetite. For most of us, the next sunny day will be enough to brighten our spirits. But for some people, lack of sunlight can cause a serious condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. "Some of us don't do very well with the light that's available during the winter months." SAD sufferers can have symptoms that range from chronic fatigue and oversleeping, to overeating and subsequent weight gain. In severe cases, individuals are unable to function normally. SAD sufferers may also experience persistent physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that doesn't respond to treatment. In extreme cases, SAD patients may even become suicidal. Women are four times more likely than men to suffer from SAD, but it can affect anyone at any age. SAD symptoms in children include irritability, difficulty getting out of bed and school problems. This could help explain why your child has trouble making it out of the door in time to catch the school bus during the winter months. © Straight Goods, 2000-2002. All Rights Reserved.

Keyword: Depression; Biological Rhythms
Link ID: 1582 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Randy Dotinga, HealthScoutNews Ecstasy users claim the controversial club drug is like time-traveling to nirvana. But a growing number of young people are turning to a dangerous chaser — Prozac — in a misguided and potentially dangerous bid to make sure their brains will work properly upon their return, health experts say. "People are definitely doing it," says Dr. Julie Holland, author of a book on ecstasy and an assistant professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine. "I understand it's a pretty popular thing for those who have access to prescription medicines." © Copyright 2002 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Keyword: Drug Abuse; Depression
Link ID: 1581 - Posted: 06.24.2010

The Hollywood movie "A Beautiful Mind" starring Russell Crowe is tipped to win several Oscars next month. The film tells the story of brilliant mathematician John Nash who made a stunning breakthrough in the field of economic game theory while still a student at Princeton University, but who then developed schizophrenia. After a decades-long struggle with the condition, Nash finally manages to start teaching again, and more than 40 years after his breakthrough, he is awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economic Science. A powerful central theme of the film is that although schizophrenia is often a debilitating condition, it is possible for people to overcome it. BBC News Online's Richard Warry talked to Emma Harding, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia while at college. (C) BBC

Keyword: Schizophrenia
Link ID: 1580 - Posted: 02.23.2002

Land of nod is a learning experience SARA ABDULLA Cramming all night might help you to scrape through exams, but it won't make you clever in the long run. Human and animal experiments are lending new support to a common parental adage: that a good night's sleep is essential to learning. "Modern life's erosion of sleep time could be seriously short-changing our education potential," warned Robert Stickgold of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology at the meeting of American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston this week. Many pianists find that sleeping on a tune can help their performance. Similarly, in the lab, volunteers' skill at key-tapping and speed-spotting tasks improved by 20 per cent with one nights' sleep after training. Extra nights of slumber enhanced skills even more. © Nature News Service / Macmillan Magazines Ltd 2002

Keyword: Sleep; Learning & Memory
Link ID: 1578 - Posted: 06.24.2010

By Adam Feuerstein Staff Reporter Regeneron has run into a buzzsaw of rumors linking its experimental obesity drug, Axokine, with a potentially serious nervous system disorder. Two weeks ago, executives at the Tarrytown, N.Y.-based biotech firm acknowledged that a person taking Axokine as part of an ongoing, late-stage clinical trial developed Guillain-Barre syndrome -- a nerve disorder that causes temporary muscle weakening and paralysis. Regeneron was quick to deny any connection between its drug and the patient's illness, and its assertion was backed by the opinion of the patient's doctor. But that hasn't stopped concerns from being raised about Axokine's safety, because the drug has already shown some evidence of making a patient's nervous system susceptible to certain viruses. © 1996-2002 TheStreet.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Keyword: Obesity
Link ID: 1577 - Posted: 06.24.2010

12 Volunteers Said to Be Seriously Ill With Brain Inflammation By Rick Weiss Washington Post Staff Writer Twelve volunteers inoculated with a highly touted experimental vaccine designed to reverse the course of Alzheimer's disease have fallen seriously ill with brain inflammation, forcing the vaccine's manufacturer to stop giving the shots and raising doubts about the product's clinical potential, according to sources familiar with the study. The vaccine, made by the Irish pharmaceutical company Elan and known by its code name AN-1792, had generated unusually intense enthusiasm among scientists and patient advocates during the past two years, as experiments in mice suggested it could halt the progression of Alzheimer's and perhaps even cure the deadly disease. Alzheimer's gradually robs people of their minds. It affects 2 million to 4 million elderly Americans and is expected to affect 15 million by 2030. Even the best treatments today have a very modest impact. © 2002 The Washington Post Company

Keyword: Alzheimers
Link ID: 1576 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Is it human nature to be competitive? Aggressive? Violent? Popular and scientific literature says yes. An anthropologist at Washington University in St. Louis who studies primate behavior says no. Robert W. Sussman, Ph.D., professor of anthropology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and a colleague found that affiliated behavior -- or friendly behavior like grooming and playing -- is probably a hundred times more frequent than aggressive behavior in primates, and that aggressive behavior constitutes less than 1 percent of primates' activities. Sussman and Paul A. Garber, Ph.D., a former graduate student of Sussman's who is now chair and professor of anthropology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, did a survey of the literature and followed that up with real-life observations. They had two questions: How much time do primates in general spend in social behavior, and how much of this social behavior is spent in aggressive interaction? Copyright ©2002 Washington University in St. Louis. All rights reserved.

Keyword: Aggression; Evolution
Link ID: 1574 - Posted: 06.24.2010

Scientists at the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research have developed an experimental therapy which enables rats with a spinal cord lesion to partially recover from their paralysis. Up until now not even the slightest degree of recovery was possible. PhD student Bas Blits was part of this team. The method uses a combination of transplantation and gene therapy. For the transplantation, the researchers implanted nerve cells cultured in vitro. The cells originated from the nerves between the ribs where they could be missed. Following the transplantation gene therapy has to further stimulate the growth and recovery of the damaged nerve cells. This is done by means of growth stimulating molecules. These neurotrophic factors are naturally present during, for example, the recovery of nerves following a deep cut in the finger. Normally they are not present in large enough quantities in the spinal cord.

Keyword: Regeneration; Brain Injury/Concussion
Link ID: 1573 - Posted: 02.22.2002

University Park, Pa. --- In a small study conducted at Penn State, researchers have shown, for the first time, that heavy or moderate smokers who stop smoking have symptoms similar to those experienced by patients undergoing an inflammatory response – suggesting that anti-inflammatory medication might ease some nicotine withdrawal woes. Dr. Elizabeth Corwin, assistant professor in the school of nursing and the Intercollege Physiology Program, says, "Our research shows that nicotine withdrawal is a significant physical as well as psychological stressor that impacts multiple systems of the body, including the immune system. If we can relieve some negative symptoms – including depression – by reducing the inflammatory response, we may be able to increase the likelihood that heavy or moderate smokers can successfully quit."

Keyword: Drug Abuse
Link ID: 1572 - Posted: 06.24.2010