Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

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Exploring cell and gene based therapies for Parkinson’s disease

After several decades of pre-clinical development, cell- and gene-based therapies for Parkinson's disease (PD) are now actively being explored. In this special supplement to the Journal of Parkinson's Disease on "Repairing the Parkinsonian Brain," experts highlight some of the current strategies being pursued to restore lost function and replace what is lost in the PD brain, with special emphasis on the challenges associated with translating advanced therapeutic approaches into pioneering clinical trials.

24 Sep 2021

Microglial cells join together to break down toxic proteins more quickly

To break down toxic proteins more quickly, immune cells in the brain can join together to form networks when needed. This is shown by a joint study of the University of Bonn, the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, and the Institut François Jacob in France.

23 Sep 2021

Study identifies vital factor involved in the evolution of the human brain

Humans have a huge and intricately folded neocortex, the reason for various intellectual abilities, setting apart humans from all other species.

17 Sep 2021

Bacteria-derived curli amyloid fibril promotes neurodegeneration in the host

Increasing evidence points to the fact that gut microbiota performs a vital role in regulating the advancement of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

9 Sep 2021

Experts decode the genetic mechanism governing the speed of mRNA translation

The genetic material of all eukaryotic organisms is stored in the cell nucleus in the form of DNA. The DNA is first transcribed into messenger RNA in the cell cytoplasm and later translated into protein using ribosomes for it to be used, where ribosomes are small machines capable of decoding messenger RNA to synthesize the relevant proteins.

1 Sep 2021

NYU Tandon professors show broad therapeutic potential of novel peptide to combat multiple diseases

NYU Tandon professors Mary Cowman and Jin Ryoun Kim recently published a paper describing a novel peptide with broad therapeutic potential to combat chronic inflammation in multiple diseases.

From New York University (NYU) 31 Aug 2021

Study unravels new aspects of prions causing untreatable neurodegenerative conditions

A new study achieved the highest-ever resolution imaging of an infectious prion, offering atomic-level data of how these abnormal proteins assemble.

25 Aug 2021

Study identifies C9orf72 repeat expansion using novel genetic marker

Research offers a new genetic tool to pinpoint C9orf72 repeat expansion-carrying frontotemporal lobar degeneration from huge population-based cohorts.

25 Aug 2021

New mouse line reveals the state of proteostasis in mammalian brain for the first time

Proteins are the "tools" of our cells – they are essential to all vital tasks. However, they are only able to do their jobs if they fold correctly and adopt their respective, very specific 3D structure.

20 Aug 2021

Novel genome-editing technology to mitigate Alzheimer’s disease

Around 500,000 patients in China alone are considered to be living with a hereditary form of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

19 Aug 2021

Novel technique quantifies protein droplets involved in neurodegenerative diseases

Some proteins in cells can separate into small droplets like oil droplets in water, but faults in this process may underlie neurodegenerative diseases in the brains of older people. Now, Rutgers researchers have developed a new method to quantify protein droplets involved in these diseases.

16 Aug 2021

Restoring cholesterol levels could be a new therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases

Scientists have found that the brain lacks the ability to maintain the cholesterol-rich myelin sheath that insulates neurons when a protein is absent.

From National University of Singapore (NUS) 10 Aug 2021

Muscle protein tied to physical fitness in youth and age-associated diseases

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have added to evidence that a protein called CaMKII improves strength, endurance, muscle health and fitness in young animals.

9 Aug 2021

New study could help develop novel treatments for neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers have introduced a novel gene therapy program that could set the stage for new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

2 Aug 2021

Study identifies the role of lysosomes in the spread of Parkinson’s disease

In the past few decades, neurodegenerative diseases have turned into one of the top 10 worldwide causes of death.

26 Jul 2021

Study reveals the basis of oxygenation fluctuations in brain

The brain is supplied with sufficient nutrients and oxygen due to the blood flow; however, the oxygenation is likely to fluctuate distinctly and uniformly.

From Penn State University 19 Jul 2021

Novel gene therapy offers hope to children with genetic, neurodegenerative diseases

Newly devised gene therapy can help children born with AADC, a rare genetic disorder that causes developmental and physical disabilities.

13 Jul 2021

Study reveals the relationship between gut microbiome and neurodegenerative disorders

Eran Blacher bagged the NOSTER & Science Microbiome Prize 2021 for his work in highlighting the relationship between the microbiome and neurodegenerative diseases.

12 Jul 2021

Experimental model reveals the protective role of antioxidants in neurodegenerative disorders

Researchers used a model to replicate the blood-brain barrier and successfully demonstrated how antibody guards the brain against inflammation.

2 Jul 2021

Genetic treatment may provide a new approach to addressing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

For the first time, scientists have linked distinct patterns of genetic mutations with OCD in humans using genome-wide analysis.

29 Jun 2021