Parkinson disease (PD) is a debilitating and lethal neurodegenerative disease, for which there is currently no cure. It is caused by the progressive loss of nerve cells that produce the chemical dopamine and is characterized by the accumulation of abnormal aggregates of a protein called alpha-syn in these dopaminergic nerve cells. Several previous studies have suggested that the alpha-syn aggregates contribute to PD pathology, so it is possible that an agent that inhibits and/or, better yet, reverses alpha-syn aggregation could be eventually used as a therapy for PD. Evidence to suggest that agents that disrupt alpha-syn aggregation might have beneficial effects in individuals with PD has now been provided by a team of researchers, at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, who studied a rat model of the disease.

In the study, it was found that a protein that yeast uses to protect itself from protein aggregation (there is no similar protein in mammals), called Hsp104, dramatically reduced both the formation of alpha-syn aggregates and the degeneration of neurons in the brain in a rat mdoel of PD. In vitro studies showed that Hsp104 not only inhibited alpha-syn aggregate formation, but also interacted with mammalian proteins to disassemble them. The authors therefore suggest that Hsp104 should be considered as a potential strategy for the treatment of individuals with PD, after further studies on the safety of introducing Hsp104 into the brain.

Notes:

TITLE: Hsp104 antagonizes alpha-synuclein aggregation and reduces dopaminergic degeneration in a rat model of Parkinson disease

AUTHORS:

Patrick Aebischer
Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,
Lausanne, Switzerland.
http://www.epfl.ch/

James Shorter
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
http://www.med.upenn.edu

View the PDF of this article here.

Source:

Karen Honey
Journal of Clinical Investigation

The California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) at UCLA has announced that it will host an international forum featuring some of the world’s most innovative scientists and technology leaders at the vanguard of treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries and diseases.

The fifth annual World Congress of the International Brain Mapping and Intraoperative Surgical Planning Society (IBMISPS), to be held at the CNSI on the UCLA campus from Tuesday, Aug. 26, to Friday, Aug. 29, will highlight new treatments based on innovations in intraoperative surgical planning and brain-mapping. The advances that will be discussed underscore the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to bridging science and technology in order to accelerate medical breakthroughs.

“Many of the technologies that are influencing medicine as it relates to the brain and spinal cord involve nanotechnology, and hosting this conference at CNSI is an opportunity to stimulate discussion and fortify our relationship with a cutting-edge field,” said the CNSI’s interim director, Leonard H. Rome. “CNSI has been built entirely on the spirit of multidisciplinary cooperation among engineers, clinicians and basic scientists. We share this vision with IBMISPS and are delighted to host this event to spur a lively and thought-provoking discussion.”

During the four-day meeting, scientists and physicians will illustrate and debate how the fields of science and technology converge in medicine and ultimately serve to enhance the lives of people who suffer from trauma to the brain and spinal cord. The meeting will explore post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), two of the most prevalent injuries experienced by veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“PTSD and TBI are prescient topics, as more and more veterans return from war in need of effective treatments,” said Dr. Babak Kateb, founding executive director and chairman of the board of directors of the IBMISPS. “Officials from the Department of Defense, which has earmarked $300 million this summer for PTSD and TBI research, will be exchanging ideas and comparing notes with world-class scientists and surgeons to explore unconventional approaches to these significant health care issues.”

A guest appearance will be made by two-time Academy Award winner Dustin Hoffman, who co-starred in the 1988 film “Rain Man” about an autistic savant. Hoffman played Raymond Babbitt, who was based in part on Kim Peek, a savant whose eidetic, or photographic, memory and developmental disabilities were the possible result of congenital brain abnormalities. Hoffman will receive the 2008 IBMISPS Beacon Award for Raising Awareness about Neurological Disease.

One of the major challenges of the new millennium is translating the advances made in other fields of science and technology into medicine. The IBMISPS is committed to partnering with institutions, government agencies, policymakers and industry leaders to facilitate the translation of cutting-edge science and technology from other disciplines into medicine.

“Improved neurosurgical techniques and tools for neuroimaging and brain-mapping are required for treating medical challenges such as neurodegenerative diseases and inoperable brain cancer,” said Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, chairman and chief executive officer of Abraxis BioScience Inc., which is co-sponsoring the forum. “The discovery process toward breakthrough therapies will be significantly accelerated through multidisciplinary research and innovation. Thus, it is my sincere hope that the interaction of world-class scientists gathered at this congress will expand the realm of possibilities for each researcher and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration.”

Soon-Shiong, one of the keynote speakers at this year’s congress, is also a member of the CNSI Advisory and Oversight Board.

Other keynote speakers include Leonard H. Rome, interim director of the CNSI and senior associate dean of research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA; Dr. Ron Kikinis, founding director of the Surgical Planning Laboratory and director of the National Center for Image Guided Therapy at the Harvard University Medical School; Dr. Ron Von Jako, chief medical officer and surgical development leader at GE Healthcare Surgery; Dr. Christian Macedonia, chief of research operations at the U.S. Army’s Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center; California state Sen. Mark Ridley Thomas; and Herb Schultz, senior health policy advisor for the California Office of the Governor.

Notes:

The International Brain Mapping and Intraoperative Surgical Planning Society is a nonprofit association organized for the purpose of encouraging basic and clinical scientists who are interested or active in areas of brain-mapping and intraoperative surgical planning to share their findings with other physicians and scientists across the disciplines, including neurosurgery, radiology, neurology, biotechnology, anthropology and neuroscience. The association also promotes the public welfare through the advancement of intraoperative surgical planning and brain-mapping, a commitment to excellence in education, and a dedication to research and scientific discovery. The association’s mission will be achieved through multidisciplinary collaboration involving government agencies, patient advocacy groups, educational institutes and private sector industry brought together in order to address issues and problems related to brain-mapping and intraoperative surgical planning and to implement new technologies to benefit patient care. For additional information, visit http://www.ibmisps.org.

The California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA is an integrated research center operating jointly at UCLA and the University of California, Santa Barbara, whose mission is to foster interdisciplinary collaborations for discoveries in nanosystems and nanotechnology; train the next generation of scientists, educators and technology leaders; and facilitate partnerships with industry, fueling economic development and promoting the social well-being of California, the United States and the world. The CNSI was established in 2000 with $100 million from the state of California and an additional $250 million in federal research grants and industry funding. At the institute, scientists in the areas of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, mathematics, computational science and engineering are measuring, modifying and manipulating the building blocks of our world - atoms and molecules. These scientists benefit from an integrated laboratory culture enabling them to conduct dynamic research at the nanoscale, leading to significant breakthroughs in the areas of health, energy, the environment and information technology. For more information, visit http://www.cnsi.ucla.edu.

Source:
Jennifer Marcus
University of California - Los Angeles

The Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) is extremely pleased the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xenazine, or tetrabenazine, for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington’s disease.

“Chorea is a major cause of disability and death in patients with Huntington’s disease. Chorea is not just a mere inconvenience; it can prevent Huntington’s disease patients from walking, talking, working, watching television and almost every aspect of one’s life. We are ecstatic that, through the approval of Xenazine, patients and families will have the option to take the only drug developed specifically for treating the movements of Huntington’s disease,” said Nancy Wexler, Ph.D., Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology in the departments of neurology and psychiatry at Columbia University and president of the Hereditary Disease Foundation.

“While we are still hopeful we can some day find a cure, the approval of Xenazine is a breakthrough for the Huntington’s disease community,” said Dr. Wexler.

The approval of Xenazine marks the first and only FDA-approved treatment for any symptom of Huntington’s disease.

Hereditary Disease Foundation
http://www.hdfoundation.org

A panel of UK experts said using animals in pain research has limited value and they should be replaced by neuroimaging techniques based on fMRI, PET and other scanning technologies combined with new approaches such as genome-wide association and tissue research.

The panel members, who come from London, Manchester, Liverpool and Oxford, attended a workshop called “Focus on Alternatives”, which was arranged by organizations funding alternatives to animal experiments, such as the RSPCA and the UK Human Tissues Bank. The results, conclusions and recommendations of the workshop are reported in the 15 August issue of the journal Neuroimage.

UK scientists are required by law to consider non-animal approaches when designing new experiments. Animal experiments in pain research sometimes use animals while they are conscious, and sometimes while under anaesthesia.

Although there have been a lot of studies on human pain disorder, safe and effective treatments are still hard to find; yet animal models, some of which have limited value, because they don’t replicate the processes of human pain, still dominate research and they raise ethical questions.

This is despite the opportunities offered by new technologies, particularly in the field of neuroimaging. According to the authors, the workshop explored in a creative way, “the tools, strategies and challenges of replacing some animal experiments in pain research with ethically conducted studies of human patients and healthy volunteers, in combination with in vitro methods”.

The panel members looked at how new neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetoencephalography and positron emission tomography (PET), on their own or in combination, could be used to investigate human pain conditions.

They concluded there were lots of opportunities also to combine these methods with other techniques such as microdialysis (a small probe that detects chemicals in the spaces between cells in tissue), genome-wide association research (looking at genetic differences between people), studies on twins, and tissue research.

One of the co-authors, Professor Qasim Aziz, who is based at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry told the BBC that he used neuroimaging techniques to explore the brains of patients with a range of pain disorders such as irritable bowel and unexplained chest pain to work out how the brain uses pain signals.

Aziz said that “new and highly sophisticated brain-imaging technology is providing vital insights that animal research has failed to produce”. He wants to see more scientists using these methods, although he does still see a need for animals in a limited sense, for instance in drug dose experiments.

“Volunteer studies in pain research — Opportunities and challenges to replace animal experiments: The report and recommendations of a Focus on Alternatives workshop.”
C.K. Langley, Q. Aziz, C. Bountra, N. Gordon, P. Hawkins, A. Jones, G. Langley, T. Nurmikko, I. Tracey.
NeuroImage, Volume 42, Issue 2, 15 August 2008, Pages 467-473.
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.05.030.

Click here for Abstract.

Sources: Journal abstract, BBC.

Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Copyright: Medical News Today

The intelligence community often monitors global trends in scientific and technological research to identify advances that could affect national security.

Few intelligence analysts, however, have the scientific training needed to recognize significant advances in esoteric fields, such as cognitive neuroscience. A new report from the National Research Council, Emerging Cognitive Neuroscience And Related Technologies, identifies the areas of neuroscience research that analysts should focus on, and describes how advances in these areas could impact national security.

The report also presents a framework the intelligence community should use in the future when assessing which areas of neuroscience research warrant continued tracking.

National Academy of Sciences

A multidisciplinary team at the University of Reading has developed a robot which is controlled by a biological brain formed from cultured neurons. This cutting edge research is the first step to examine how memories manifest themselves in the brain, and how a brain stores specific pieces of data. The key aim is that eventually this will lead to a better understanding of development and of diseases and disorders which affect the brain such as Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, stoke and brain injury.

The robot’s biological brain is made up of cultured neurons which are placed onto a multi electrode array (MEA). The MEA is a dish with approximately 60 electrodes which pick up the electrical signals generated by the cells. This is then used to drive the movement of the robot. Every time the robot nears an object, signals are directed to stimulate the brain by means of the electrodes. In response, the brain’s output is used to drive the wheels of the robot, left and right, so that it moves around in an attempt to avoid hitting objects. The robot has no additional control from a human or a computer, its sole means of control is from its own brain.

The researchers are now working towards getting the robot to learn by applying different signals as it moves into predefined positions. It is hoped that as the learning progresses, it will be possible to witness how memories manifest themselves in the brain when the robot revisits familiar territory.

Professor Kevin Warwick from the School of Systems Engineering said “This new research is tremendously exciting as firstly the biological brain controls its own moving robot body, and secondly it will enable us to investigate how the brain learns and memorises its experiences. This research will move our understanding forward of how brains work, and could have a profound effect on many areas of science and medicine.”

Dr Ben Whalley from the School of Pharmacy said “One of the fundamental questions that scientists are facing today is how we link the activity of individual neurons with the complex behaviours that we see in whole organisms. This project gives us a really unique opportunity to look at something which may exhibit complex behaviours, but still remain closely tied to the activity of individual neurons. Hopefully we can use that to go some of the way to answer some of these very fundamental questions. “

READING UNIVERSITY
Whiteknights
PO Box 217
Reading
RG6 6AH
http://www.rdg.ac.uk

Nutra Pharma Corp. (OTCBB: NPHC), a biotechnology company that is developing drugs for HIV and Multiple Sclerosis, has announced that its wholly-owned drug discovery subsidiary, ReceptoPharm, has reported initial positive safety data from its Phase IIb/IIIa clinical study of RPI-78M for treating Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). RPI-78M is ReceptoPharm’s leading drug candidate for treating neurological and autoimmune disorders.

“Initial reports and feedback from physicians involved with this clinical study have reported that patients have experienced no adverse side effects from RPI-78M,” explained Paul Reid, CEO of ReceptoPharm. “This is an important indicator of the success of this clinical study, as it provides the medical and pharmacological communities with early evidence supporting the safety of our leading drug candidate, RPI-78M,” he concluded.

Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) is a rare inherited metabolic disorder that affects approximately 30,000 people worldwide. The disorder is characterized by the loss of the fatty covering (myelin sheath) on nerve fibers within the brain (cerebral demyelination) and the progressive degeneration of the adrenal gland (adrenal atrophy). Neurological disability in AMN is slowly progressive over several decades.

AMN interests the wider neurologic community because of its similarities to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). There is currently no approved treatment for AMN. Additionally, the disease’s rarity designates it as an orphan drug candidate both in Europe and in the U.S. The Company has applied for Orphan drug status in the U.S. and intends on doing so for the EU.

ReceptoPharm expects to present the complete clinical findings and data from this study by the end of September.

About Nutra Pharma Corp.

Nutra Pharma Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the acquisition, licensing and commercialization of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of neurological disorders, cancer, autoimmune and infectious diseases. Nutra Pharma Corp. through its subsidiaries carries out basic drug discovery research and clinical development and also seeks strategic licensing partnerships to reduce the risks associated with the drug development process. The Company’s subsidiary, ReceptoPharm, Inc., is developing these technologies for the production of drugs for HIV and Multiple Sclerosis (”MS”). The Company’s subsidiary, Designer Diagnostics, is engaged in the research and development of diagnostic test kits designed to be used for the rapid identification of infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB) and Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI). Nutra Pharma continues to identify and acquire intellectual property and companies in the biotechnology arena.

SEC Disclaimer

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The words or phrases “would be,” “will allow,” “intends to,” “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimate,” “project,” or similar expressions are intended to identify “forward-looking statements.” Actual results could differ materially from those projected in Nutra Pharma’s (”the Company”) business plan. The Company’s business is subject to various risks, which are discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (”SEC”).? The initial safety data from the clinical study in Adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) should not be construed as an indication in any way whatsoever of the value of the Company or its common stock.? The Company’s filings may be accessed at the SEC’s Edgar system at www.sec.gov.? Statements made herein are as of the date of this press release and should not be relied upon as of any subsequent date. The Company cautions readers not to place reliance on such statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, we do not undertake, and we specifically disclaim any obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect occurrences, developments, unanticipated events or circumstances after the date of such statement.

http://www.NutraPharma.com
http://www.ReceptoPharm.com

The DRX9000™ was created to provide relief of LBP (low back pain) caused by herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, and facet syndrome. A new case report underwritten with a grant from Axiom Worldwide is now featured in Volume 3, Issue 1 of the US Musculoskeletal Review 2008. The case study titled, Management of Discogenic Low-back Pain with a Non-surgical Decompression System (DRX9000™)- Case Report, reveals the pre- and post-MRI findings of a 31-year old male with a history of low back pain. Prior to treatment with the DRX9000, an MRI of the lumbar spine revealed a left paracentral disc extrusion at L5/S1 that was compressing and displacing the left S1 nerve root. In addition, degenerative disc disease was noted at L4/5 and L5/S1. The patient also reported an overall pain level of 9 on a 0-10 scale. The patient underwent 27 treatments on the DRX9000 over a seven-week period and at his final treatment he reported a pain level of 3 that occurred only 30% of the time. Follow-up MRI “demonstrated a dramatic decrease in the size of the disc lesion as well as the compression placed on the left S1 nerve root.” The authors conclude, “Clinical and imaging data continue to emerge providing further validation of the safe and effective treatment of disc-related LBP utilizing the DRX9000.”

This case study was underwritten by a grant from Axiom Worldwide. Axiom Worldwide’s referencing the presentation of the study should not be construed to mean that Axiom Worldwide represents that the study establishes any conclusive success rate or the efficacy of the device. The information is offered simply to demonstrate the exciting activity ongoing with the DRX9000. As always, individual patient’s experiences with the DRX9000 may vary and patients should always consult with their physician to determine whether treatment on the DRX9000 makes sense for them.

Axiom Worldwide manufactures and distributes its flagship products, the DRX9000 True Non-surgical Spinal Decompression System™, DRX9000C™, and DRX9500™ in medical markets around the globe. Axiom also manufactures a digital electroceutical device, the EPS8000™, for use in relieving pain and for use in muscular rehabilitation. Axiom prides itself on providing safe, non-surgical alternatives that patients should consider prior to undergoing surgery.

Axiom Worldwide

Technological advancements in specific fields of neuroscience have implications for U.S. national security and should therefore be monitored consistently by the intelligence community, according to a new report from the National Research Council. In order to do so effectively, intelligence organizations need analysts with advanced scientific training and resources for the collection and analysis of neuroscience research and its technological applications, said the committee that wrote the report.

The intelligence community has had a long-standing interest in monitoring global technology trends that could affect U.S. national security. However, in fields where technology is advancing rapidly, the pace and breadth of research can overwhelm analysts. In addition, few intelligence analysts have scientific skills specialized enough to allow them to recognize significant advances in highly complex and emergent fields.

A 2007 National Research Council report described a methodology for gauging the implications of new technologies and assessing whether they pose a threat to national security. In this new report, the committee applied the methodology to the neuroscience field and identified several research areas that could be of interest to the intelligence community: neurophysiological advances in detecting and measuring indicators of psychological states and intentions of individuals, the development of drugs or technologies that can alter human physical or cognitive abilities, advances in real-time brain imaging, and breakthroughs in high-performance computing and neuronal modeling that could allow researchers to develop systems which mimic functions of the human brain, particularly the ability to organize disparate forms of data.

Research in these areas is progressing rapidly both nationally and internationally within the private, government, and academic sectors. Technologies such as brain imaging and cognitive or physical enhancers are important to the health industry and desired by the public; such forces act as strong market incentives for development. As these fields continue to grow, said the committee, it will be imperative that the intelligence community be able to identify scientific advances relevant to national security when they occur. To do so will require adequate funding, intelligence analysts with advanced training in science and technology, and increased collaboration with the scientific community, particularly academia.

The study was sponsored by the Defense Intelligence Agency. The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, and National Research Council are private, nonprofit institutions that provide science, technology, and health policy advice under a congressional charter. The National Research Council is the principal operating agency of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.

The National Academies

New research by Aberdeen scientists suggests that Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) relates to an ancient timing mechanism in the brain dating back millions of years.

Discoveries by a University of Aberdeen-led team, involving collaborators in Edinburgh and Strasbourg, and published in the latest issue of Current Biology, shed new insights into the mechanisms by which seasonal rhythms are generated.

The researchers studied the primitive Soay breed of sheep, which relies on its strong seasonal biology to survive wild on the N. Atlantic islands of St Kilda.

They identified a new role for a chemical known as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which is secreted by cells in the pituitary gland and is already known to control the thyroid gland.

The new work reveals that a specialised group of pituitary TSH-secreting cells signal directly to the brain to control the sheep’s seasonal behaviour.

This surprising discovery reverses the “master - slave” relationship between the brain and the pituitary, found in all vertebrates including humans, in which brain signals control pituitary hormone secretion.

Dr Hazlerigg, Reader in Zoology at the University of Aberdeen said: “Our research points to an ancient seasonal timing mechanism that survives in modern vertebrates. Some humans may retain remnants of this ancient seasonal timing mechanism which would explain why they experience SAD.

It is now hoped that identifying this new role for TSH may lead to better understanding of seasonal or thyroid disorders in humans.

Dr Hazlerigg continues: “Our next target is to understand exactly what TSH does when it gets into the brain to cause changes in behaviour and hormone secretion. By defining these pathways we hope to increase our understanding not only of the control mechanisms in seasonal animals but also of SAD.”

University of Aberdeen