Neural Stem Cells Control Their Own Fate

NEUROSCIENCE NEWSAUGUST 19, 2016

Summary: A new study reports hippocampal neural stem cells regulate their own cell fate via the protein Drosha.

Source: University of Basel.

These are neural stem cells in the adult mouse hippocampus. Green: the stem cells and their progeny express protein. Magenta: the hippocampal stem cells generate newborn neurons. Blue: mature granule neurons. NeuroscienceNews.com image is credited to Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel.

To date, it has been assumed that the differentiation of stem cells depends on the environment they are embedded in. A research group at the University of Basel now describes for the first time a mechanism by which hippocampal neural stem cells regulate their own cell fate via the protein Drosha. The journal Cell Stem Cell has published their results.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that have the potential to differentiate into many cell types. However, the cell types that somatic stem cells produce are usually restricted to those of the organ in which they sit. The current view proposes that stem cell differentiation is controlled by their local environment, the so-called niche. Thus, stem cells receive and interpret specific factors present in their niche that guide their differentiation into specific and restricted cell types.

In the adult brain, the hippocampus is responsible for specific forms of memory – a brain region that is also affected in diseases such as dementia, depression and epilepsy. The functions of the hippocampus are based on different cell types, some of which are generated throughout life by neural stem cells. Neural stem cells are generally accepted to produce three different cell types: neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. However, the adult hippocampus does not produce oligodendrocytes – the reason for this was so far not known.

Intrinsic cell mechanism

Researchers from the Department of Biomedicine at the University of Basel have now found that the fate of adult hippocampal stem cells is not only controlled by their local niche, but also by a cell-intrinsic mechanism. Their study describes the central role of the enzyme Drosha in this mechanism. Drosha degrades the messenger RNA for NFIB in the adult hippocampal stem cells and prevents the expression of this transcription factor which is necessary for the differentiation of oligodendrocytes and thus blocks their development and therefore biases differentiation towards neurons.

The team lead by Prof. Verdon Taylor was able to demonstrate for the first time a cell-intrinsic mechanism regulating stem cell fate. «Our research results about the function of Drosha challenge the way we used to think about how stem cell fate is controlled», says cell biologist Taylor. His research group now wants to study if and how stem cells are able to modulate the activity of Drosha in order to satisfy demand.

ABOUT THIS NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH ARTICLE

Source: Olivia Poisson – University of Basel

Image Source: This NeuroscienceNews.com image is credited to Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel.

Original Research: Abstract for “Multipotency of Adult Hippocampal NSCs In Vivo Is Restricted by Drosha/NFIB” by Chiara Rolando, Andrea Erni, Alice Grison, Robert Beattie, Anna Engler, Paul J. Gokhale, Marta Milo, Thomas Wegleiter, Sebastian Jessberger, and Verdon Taylor in Cell Stem Cell. Published online August 18 2016 doi:10.1016/j.stem.2016.07.003

http://neurosciencenews.com/neural-stem-cells-genetics-4869/

Local boxers to raise funds for charity

Aug. 20, 2016

Local boxers to raise funds for Parkinson's Society Singapore 

It’s great to use boxing as a platform to create positive awareness for Parkinson’s. I could never imagine what Parkinson’s sufferers have to go through, but this is a small way for me to give back." - Ridhwan Ahmad (above, left) and two other top local boxers -Rafi Majid (above, right) and Nurshahidah Roslie will take on fighters from the Philippines at the SFC event

Boxing for a good cause.

That's what Ridhwan Ahmad and fellow local professional boxers intend to do at a Singapore Fighting Championship (SFC) event at the Ground Theatre at *Scape in Orchard this evening.

Dubbed "Singapore versus Philippines", the event will pit 28-year-old Ridhwan and two other top local boxers - Rafi Majid and Nurshahidah Roslie - against fighters from the Philippines.

Each ticket to the event, which begins at 6.30pm, costs $25, with $5 going to Parkinson's Society Singapore (PSS).

Ridhwan, a three-time South-east Asia (SEA) Games bronze medallist, will take on Jonel Borbon. 

Late bloomer Rafi, who made his professional debut only this year at the age of 36, will take on Arnold Garcia.

Shahidah, who is Singapore's first female pro boxer and won the Universal Boxing Organisation (UBO) Female Intercontinental super-featherweight title two months ago, will take on Krisna Limbaga.

SFC promoter Arvind Lalwani said: "What we want people to know is that people with Parkinson's can try out boxing or kickboxing to help them regain their motor skills.

"As for the money going to PSS, at the end of the day, we're not out to make money.

"My goal from this event is still the same as with all SFC events - to promote local boxing, and in this case, WAKO (World Association of Kickboxing Organisations) kickboxing."

Added Ridhwan: "It's great to use boxing as a platform to create positive awareness for Parkinson's.

"I could never imagine what Parkinson's sufferers have to go through, but this is a small way for me to give back.

"Fights always become more meaningful when we fight for something bigger than just ourselves."

In addition to the three local pro boxers, former Ultimate Fighting Championship figher Will "The Kill" Chope will make his pro boxing debut.

The American, who is based in Singapore, will face Filipino Gilbert Donasales, who has 16 fights under his belt.

The card will also feature two K1 kickboxing fights, with Terrence Teo and Tiffany Teo featuring.

With no titles on the line, Lalwani says this event is a good tune-up for Terrence, who will represent Singapore at the Asian Kickboxing Championships in South Korea next month.

He added that if all three local pro boxers can continue to keep their good momentum - each undefeated in three pro bouts - they might find themselves in the mix for a regional World Boxing Organisation (WBO) or World Boxing Association (WBA) titles within six months.

Ridhwan, however, has one eye on a specific opponent in the near future.

"I heard Nor Rizan wants to make a comeback," he said, referring to the 35-year-old, who boxed six times professionally with the last bout at Marina Bay Sands in 2012.

"It will be great for local boxing fans if we fight each other.

"He has a huge following so hopefully, a fight between us can give local boxing the attention it needs.

"There have been talks between our promoters and I feel the best should fight the best.

"On social media, he calls himself 'world champ' and his fans call him 'world champ', so I want to fight this 'world champ'."

http://www.tnp.sg/sports/all-other-sports/local-boxers-raise-funds-charity#sthash.HGJltujB.dpuf

http://www.tnp.sg/sports/all-other-sports/local-boxers-raise-funds-charity

Michael J. Fox used ‘Good Wife’ character to show ‘disabled people can be a--holes too’

August 20, 2016

Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1991, has used the disease to assist in his role on “The Good Wife.”

  (CHARLES SYKES/CHARLES SYKES/INVISION/AP)

Michael J. Fox wants people to think he’s an “a--hole” — on TV.

The actor — who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 — wanted his on-screen character in "The Good Wife" to also have a disability and prove that disabled people can also be "d--ks."

"It's funny because whenever a show or any representation of characters with disabilities on television tend to be sentimental with soft piano music playing in the background and I wanted to prove that disabled people can be a--holes too," Fox, 55, told The Hollywood Reporter.

"And you want to feel sorry for him, but he's such a d--k whether intentionally or not," he added.

Michael J. Fox says he used his role as Louis Canning on “The Good Wife” to show “disabled people can be a--holes, too”

  (DAVID M. RUSSELL)

Fox plays manipulative defense attorney Louis Canning on the hit CBS series, which ended with a seventh season back in May.

The "Back to the Future" star said he incorporated much of his own experience battling Parkinson's into his portrayal of the character, in an attempt to show that being disabled can be used as an advantage.

"I just knew this was a perfect opportunity to funnel a lot of my life experience into a character and be coy with it," he said.

"And kind of let it out in dribs and drabs and see if I can make it an effective tool for him to do his job, as opposed to something that prevented him from doing his job."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/michael-fox-disabled-people-a-holes-article-1.2759075

Foxdale Village to Host Workshops for Local Therapists Working with Parkinson's Patients

StateCollege.com staff
Aug. 20, 2016

Foxdale Village will host two two-day workshops for Parkinson's Wellness Recovery certification for area therapists and exercise specialists who work with Parkinson's patients.

Approximately 60,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the United States each year. More than 1 million Americans face the progressive, often debilitating condition, which typically affects a person's general motor skills, balance and ability to walk.

Since 2012, Foxdale Village's health and wellness team has been researching and implementing a new approach to treating and helping individuals with Parkinson's through the Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR) program. Based on  the principles of neuroplasticity, which utilizes the brain's ability to make lasting changes in how it handles new demands, the nationally-recognized PWR program has become an effective treatment option for thousands of Parkinson's patients.

"[PWR] teaches the functional training of big movements as a foundation," said Danielle Duvall, supervisor of Foxdale Village's wellness programs. "The vision is to use the side-effects of exercise to slow the progression of the disease, restore motor function and increase quality of life. It combines circuits of high intensity aerobic effort with skill acquisition exercises that help maintain daily function and independence."

The two-day workshops will be held in Foxdale's Wellness Center, 500 E. Marylyn Ave. in State College. The first is scheduled for Aug. 24-25 and is designed to provide PWR certification for physical and occupational therapists. The second workshop will be held on Aug. 27- 28 and will provide certification for kinesiologists and fitness professionals seeking to teach the PWR program.

"A significant part of our mission at Foxdale Village is to provide for the social, nutritional, wellness and healthcare needs of older people," said Meg Clouser, Foxdale's Director of Health Services. "We believe that all individuals are to be treated with dignity and loving respect, and we want to help ensure all people with Parkinson's have access to treatment options we have found to be beneficial. While we're extremely pleased to be able to provide PWR programs to our own residents through our own on-site exercise and therapy services and facilities, we also wanted to bring awareness and education opportunities to the wider community."

To register, go to www.pwr4life.org, or contact Vanessa at 520-591-5346.

A community discussion about PWR will be held at 3 p.m. on Aug. 26 in the Foxdale Village Auditorium. Anyone interested in learning more about the program is invited to attend. Visit the Foxdale Village website for more information on the discussion.

http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/foxdale-village-to-host-workshops-for-local-therapists-working-with-parkinsons-patients,1468840/

Researchers using new approach for early detection of brain disorders

Aug. 19, 2016

For patients with brain disorders like Parkinson's disease, early diagnosis can mean earlier intervention and treatment. Right now, most patients are not diagnosed until they are showing symptoms of the disease.

71-year-old Timothy "Ted" McCarthy is retired from the NYPD, but prides himself on staying sound in mind and body.

Ted said, "I see other people and they are around the same age as me. I don't think they are as spry or mentally alert." 

With a family history of dementia, Ted is determined to stay healthy as long as he can.

Researchers studying the link between mobility and cognition are using a new approach: a real-time imaging system called fNIRS, functional near-infrared spectroscopy. fNIRS uses light to monitor changes in blood oxygenation in a person's pre-frontal cortex. 

"Which is involved in many important higher order functionings, like task switching, organization, planning, everything we need on a daily basis," said Dr. Jeannette R. Mahoney, an assistant professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

During tests, researchers ask participants to walk and talk at the same time. 

Dr. Joe Verghese, the chief of geriatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said, "Dividing this attention is sometimes a problem when you get old or when you have early signs of disease of the brain, like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, or stroke." 

With fNIRS, patients are able to move around freely, unlike an MRI. Researchers say those who have mild Parkinsonian symptoms don't look like they are having a tough time.

Dr. Verghese said, "Until you examine the brain using fNIR and you discover it is actually straining the brain to do a simple task." 

Researchers say by identifying problems early on, they can intervene right away.

"For 71, I think I'm doing okay," said Ted.

Ted McCarthy has been part of the research for five years and is showing no indication of dementia or Parkinson's. 

The fNIRS system was developed by Drexel University in Philadelphia and is also being used by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City.

MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS

RESEARCH SUMMARY

TOPIC: Testing for Parkinson’s Before it Strikes

REPORT: MB #4141 

BACKGROUND: Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly. As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson’s, and approximately 60,000 are diagnosed each year. Many cases go undetected. Symptoms may take years to develop, and people live for years with the disease. Parkinson’s occurs when a person’s brain stops producing a neurotransmitter called dopamine. The shortage of dopamine leads to less ability to regulate movements, body, and emotions. The disease itself is not fatal; however, complications from the disease are serious. Complications due to Parkinson’s disease are the 14th cause of death in the United States. The four main motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are shaking or tremor, slowness of movement, stiffness or rigidity of the arms, legs or trunk, and trouble with balance. Non-motor symptoms are widely varied and may include mood disorders, cognitive changes, hypotension, vision changes, sleep disorders, and speech and swallowing problems. A neurologist may diagnose Parkinson’s during a bedside examination and using PET and DAT scans. Parkinson’s disease progresses in five different stages of severity. During the stages four and five, an individual is unable to live alone.

(Source: http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons)

TREATMENT: Currently, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but therapies are available to treat its symptoms. The treatment for each person with Parkinson’s disease is individualized and based on his or her symptoms. Treatments may include medication, surgical therapy, or lifestyle modifications. Since most symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are caused by a lack of dopamine, many medications temporarily replenish dopamine or mimic dopamine. These are called dopaminergic medications. These medications tend to improve the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s. Medication is usually only a part of an overall treatment plan. Surgical treatment options include deep brain stimulation, thalamotomy, pallidotomy, and subthalamotomy. Exercise is always recommended as a part of treatment since it helps maintain patient’s balance, mobility, and the ability to perform normal daily activities.

(Source: http://www.parkinson.org/understanding-parkinsons/treatment)

NEW TECHNOLOGY: With a goal of being able to intervene with Parkinsonian symptoms early, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have identified differences in brain activation patterns associated with postural stability in people with Parkinson’s and healthy adults using a portable fNIR, or functional near-infrared, device. This device allows scientists to better understand the role of the brain’s prefrontal cortex while performing activities for the first time. Unlike other imaging systems, the fNIR system is portable, allowing for the monitoring of the cognitive component of staying balanced while walking. This could lead to better treatment options, and the ability to detect Parkinson’s disease much earlier than before. 

(Source: http://drexel.edu/now/archive/2015/December/Parkinsonian-Syndrome-Fnir/) 

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT:
Deirdre Branley
718-430-2923
Deirdre.branley@einstein.yu.edu

Video:

http://www.wndu.com/content/news/Researchers-using-new-approach-for-early-detection-of-brain-disorders-390728781.html

http://www.wndu.com/content/news/Researchers-using-new-approach-for-early-detection-of-brain-disorders-390728781.html

Zika Virus May Affect Adult Brain Cells

NEUROSCIENCE NEWSAUGUST 19, 2016

Summary: A new study reports adult brain cells in areas associated with memory and learning may be vulnerable to the Zika virus.

Source: Rockefeller University.

Illumination of the fluorescent biomarker in green revealed that the adult mouse brain could be infected by Zika in a region called the subgranular zone of the hippocampus. Full of neural progenitor cells, this part of the brain is important in learning and memory. NeuroscienceNews.com image is credited to Laboratory of Pediatric Brain Disease at The Rockefeller University/Cell Stem Cell.

New findings suggest risk may not be limited to fetuses of pregnant women.

Concerns over the Zika virus have focused on pregnant women due to mounting evidence that it causes brain abnormalities in developing fetuses. However, new research in mice from scientists at The Rockefeller University and La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology suggests that certain adult brain cells may be vulnerable to infection as well. Among these are populations of cells that serve to replace lost or damaged neurons throughout adulthood, and are also thought to be critical to learning and memory.

“This is the first study looking at the effect of Zika infection on the adult brain,” says Joseph Gleeson, adjunct professor at Rockefeller, head of the Laboratory of Pediatric Brain Disease, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator. “Based on our findings, getting infected with Zika as an adult may not be as innocuous as people think.”

Although more research is needed to determine if this damage has long-term biological implications or the potential to affect behavior, the findings suggest the possibility that the Zika virus, which has become widespread in Central and South America over the past eight months, may be more harmful than previously believed. The new findings were published in Cell Stem Cell on August 18.

“Zika can clearly enter the brain of adults and can wreak havoc,” says Sujan Shresta, a professor at the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology. “But it’s a complex disease–it’s catastrophic for early brain development, yet the majority of adults who are infected with Zika rarely show detectable symptoms. Its effect on the adult brain may be more subtle, and now we know what to look for.”

Neuronal progenitors

Early in gestation, before our brains have developed into a complex organ with specialized zones, they are comprised entirely of neural progenitor cells. With the capability to replenish the brain’s neurons throughout its lifetime, these are the stem cells of the brain. In healthy individuals, neural progenitor cells eventually become fully formed neurons, and it is thought that at some point along this progression they become resistant to Zika, explaining why adults appear less susceptible to the disease.

But current evidence suggests that Zika targets neural progenitor cells, leading to loss of these cells and to reduced brain volume. This closely mirrors what is seen in microcephaly, a developmental condition linked to Zika infection in developing fetuses that results in a smaller-than-normal head and a wide variety of developmental disabilities.

The mature brain retains niches of these neural progenitor cells that appear to be especially impacted by Zika. These niches–in mice they exist primarily in two regions, the subventricular zone of the anterior forebrain and the subgranular zone of the hippocampus–are vital for learning and memory.

Gleeson and his colleagues suspected that if Zika can infect fetal neural progenitor cells, it wouldn’t be a far stretch for them to also be able to infect these cells in adults. In a mouse model engineered by Shresta and her team to mimic Zika infection in humans, fluorescent biomarkers illuminated to reveal that adult neural progenitor cells could indeed be hijacked by the virus.

“Our results are pretty dramatic–in the parts of the brain that lit up, it was like a Christmas tree,” says Gleeson. “It was very clear that the virus wasn’t affecting the whole brain evenly, like people are seeing in the fetus. In the adult, it’s only these two populations that are very specific to the stem cells that are affected by virus. These cells are special, and somehow very susceptible to the infection.”

Beyond fetal brain infection

The researchers found that infection correlated with evidence of cell death and reduced generation of new neurons in these regions. Integration of new neurons into learning and memory circuits is crucial for neuroplasticity, which allows the brain to change over time. Deficits in this process are associated with cognitive decline and neuropathological conditions, such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

Gleeson and colleagues recognize that healthy humans may be able to mount an effective immune response and prevent the virus from attacking. However, they suggest that some people, such as those weakened immune systems, may be vulnerable to the virus is a way that has not yet been recognized.

“In more subtle cases, the virus could theoretically impact long-term memory or risk of depression,” says Gleeson, “but tools do not exist to test the long-term effects of Zika on adult stem cell populations.”

n addition to microcephaly, Zika has been linked to Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition in which the immune system attacks parts of the nervous system, leading to muscle weakness or even paralysis. “The connection has been hard to trace since Guillain-Barré usually develops after the infection has cleared,” says Shresta. “We propose that infection of adult neural progenitor cells could be the mechanism behind this.”

There are still many unanswered questions, including exactly how translatable findings in this mouse model are to humans. Gleeson’s findings in particular raise questions such as: Does the damage inflicted on progenitor cells by the virus have lasting biological consequences, and can this in turn affect learning and memory? Or, do these cells have the capability to recover? Nonetheless, these findings raise the possibility that Zika is not simply a transient infection in adult humans, and that exposure in the adult brain could have long-term effects.

“The virus seems to be traveling quite a bit as people move around the world,” says Gleeson. “Given this study, I think the public health enterprise should consider monitoring for Zika infections in all groups, not just pregnant women.”

ABOUT THIS NEUROLOGY RESEARCH ARTICLE

Joseph Gleeson also holds appointments at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego.

Funding: The study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, New York Stem Cell Foundation.

Source: Katherine Fenz – Rockefeller University

Image Source: This NeuroscienceNews.com image is credited to Laboratory of Pediatric Brain Disease at The Rockefeller University/Cell Stem Cell.

Original Research: Full open access research for “Zika Virus Infects Neural Progenitors in the Adult Mouse Brain and Alters Proliferation” by Hongda Li, Laura Saucedo-Cuevas, Jose A. Regla-Nava, Guoliang Chai, Nicholas Sheets, William Tang, Alexey V. Terskikh, Sujan Shresta, and Joseph G. Gleeson in Cell Stem Cell. Published online August 18 2016 doi:10.1016/j.stem.2016.08.005

http://neurosciencenews.com/zika-adult-brain-cells-4870/

CU Researchers win National Science Foundation grant to study brain

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO ANSCHUTZ MEDICAL CAMPUS
August 18, 2016

CU Anschutz and CU Boulder scientists to use unique microscope for high risk brain research

AURORA, Colo. (August 18, 2016) - Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Colorado Boulder have won a $800,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to try and reconnect neural communication between parts of the brain where it has been severed. 

If successful, this could have major implications for those suffering brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease and other neurological problems.

The team of neuroscientists and engineers will use a special lightweight microscope, which they designed, to peer into and control the living brain of a mouse as they try to reconnect parts of the brain that no longer communicate with each other.

The miniature microscope, using a unique electrowetting lens, is mounted on the head of a mouse and with its high-powered, fiber-optic light can actually view and control neural activity as it happens. 

"Adaptive optical devices that are included in a miniature microscope are a game changer," said grant co-investigators Juliet Gopinath, assistant professor in electrical, computer and energy engineering and Victor Bright, professor of mechanical engineering, both at CU Boulder. "They enable truly miniature 3D imaging devices without mechanically moving parts."

According to Gopinath and Bright, the electrowetting lens is compact, low power and has good optical quality making it ideal for this kind of research. The liquid lens can change shape when voltage is applied.

The team will use an optic fiber to disrupt the signals between the olfactory bulb of a mouse, which receives information on odors, and the olfactory cortex, the part of the brain that allows it to smell. In essence, they will shut down its ability to smell and then try to restore it by activating the olfactory cortex using the miniature microscope. 

The mouse will be awake and behaving normally throughout this while the team views and controls what is happening in the brain with the electrowetting fiber-coupled microscope. They can stimulate the animal's brain activity using powerful laser light that flows through the microscope's fiber-optic bundle.

"One major problem with the brain is that with certain diseases or injuries, one part of the brain stops talking to another," said co-investigator Diego Restrepo, professor of cell and developmental biology and director of the Center for NeuroScience at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "If someone has a stroke they may no longer be able to speak."

Once connections between brain areas are lost, it is difficult to get them communicating again.

Restrepo said if researchers are successful reestablishing brain connections in a mouse, they may be able do the same in humans with brain injury or disease.

"For example, if there is loss of connection between the retina that detects the image in the eyes and the visual cortex, in the back of the brain the patient has a problem detecting images that in the worst case leads to blindness," Restrepo said. "That loss of connection between the retina and visual cortex can be due to neural problems such as stroke, neuro-immune disease or traumatic brain injury."

If this experiment is successful, he said, this microscope could eventually be modified to activate neurons in the visual cortex based on the visual input. In other words, creating a bridge between two parts of the brain where communication has stopped.

"This is an interdisciplinary grant which combines bioengineering with neurological applications," said Emily Gibson, assistant professor of bioengineering at CU Anschutz. "The idea is to use this device which can image individual neurons and stimulate those individual neurons in that 3D volume."

She also noted that two of the principal investigators on the grant are women, a rarity in the field of engineering.

"This particular grant is for high risk, high payoff approaches," she said. "And this is a very high risk project. We are pushing the technology farther and seeing if we can use these optical tools to ultimately make an impact on humans."

The grant is funded under a program from the National Science Foundation known as the "Integrative Strategies for Understanding Neural and Cognitive Systems (NSF-NCS)."

It is one element of NSF's broader effort directed at Understanding the Brain, a multi-year activity that includes NSF's participation in the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.

The team also won a second NSF grant of $200,000 to be used in the dissemination and commercialization of its microscope. 

Video:  http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-08/uoca-crw081816.php#.V7dlLPro6iU.mailto

Video Caption

Researchers from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and the University of Colorado Boulder have won a $800,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to try and reconnect neural communication between parts of the brain where it has been severed. If successful, this could have major implications for those suffering brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's disease and other neurological problems.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-08/uoca-crw081816.php

Calcium supplements linked to dementia risk in women with certain health conditions

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY
17-AUG-2016

Used just as a sample image

MINNEAPOLIS - According to a new study, calcium supplements may be associated with an increased risk of dementia in older women who have had a stroke or other signs of cerebrovascular disease. The research is published in the August 17, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Cerebrovascular disease is a group of disorders that affect blood flow in the brain. These diseases, including stroke, are the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and increase the risk of developing dementia. 

"Osteoporosis is a common problem in the elderly. Because calcium deficiency contributes to osteoporosis, daily calcium intake of 1000 to 1200 mg is recommended. Getting this recommended amount through diet alone can be difficult, so calcium supplements are widely used," said study author Silke Kern, MD, PhD with the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. "Recently, however, the use of supplements and their effect on health has been questioned."

The study involved 700 dementia-free women between the ages of 70 and 92 who were followed for five years. Participants took a variety of tests at the beginning and end of the study, including tests of memory and thinking skills. A CT brain scan was performed in 447 participants at the start of the study. 

Scientists also looked at the use of calcium supplements in the participants and whether they were diagnosed with dementia over the course of the study. A total of 98 women were taking calcium supplements at the start of the study and 54 women had already experienced a stroke. During the study, 54 more women had strokes, and 59 women developed dementia. Among the women who had CT scans, 71 percent had lesions on their brains' white matter, which is a marker for cerebrovascular disease.

The study found that the women who were treated with calcium supplements were twice as likely to develop dementia than women who did not take supplements. But when the researchers further analyzed the data, they found that the increased risk was only among women with cerebrovascular disease. Women with a history of stroke who took supplements had a nearly seven times increased risk of developing dementia than women with a history of stroke who did not take calcium supplements. Women with white matter lesions who took supplements were three times as likely to develop dementia as women who had white matter lesions and did not take supplements. Women without a history of stroke or women without white matter lesions had no increased risk when taking calcium supplements. 

Overall, 14 out of 98 women who took supplements developed dementia, or 14 percent, compared to 45 out of 602 women who did not take supplements, or 8 percent. A total of six out of 15 women with a history of stroke who took supplements developed dementia, compared to 12 out of 93 women with a history of stroke who did not take supplements. Among the women with no history of stroke, 18 out of 83 who took supplements developed dementia, compared to 33 out of the 509 who did not take supplements. 

"It is important to note that our study is observational, so we cannot assume that calcium supplements cause dementia," said Kern. The author also noted that the study was small and results cannot be generalized to the overall population, and additional studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Kern noted that calcium from food affects the body differently than calcium from supplements and appears to be safe or even protective against vascular problems. 

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-08/aaon-csl081116.php

How Land Rover Exerience helped three people with Parkinson's disease get to see the view from the Malverns

August 19, 2016

John Redmond and his wife Carol

THREE people with Parkinson's disease were given a trip to the top of the Worcestershire Beacon thanks to a new access partnership.

John Redmond, Harry Cutler and Graham Bruce are members of the Parkinson’s Disease Communication Group at Malvern-based charity ARCOS and because of their condition, have not been able to climb the hills for some time.

Harry Cutler and his wife Barbara

But thanks to the Malvern Hills Access Partnership, created earlier this year, the trio, along with their wives, were able to once again to enjoy the views from the summit, stretching from the Cotswolds to the Welsh mountains

Graham Bruce and Clare Grennan

The partnership was formed by the Rotary Club of Malvern, Malvern Hills Conservators, the Land Rover Experience, Eastnor, and Cafe H2O at the Wyche Innovation Centre.

They were driven up to the top of the Beacon by Simon Millest, a senior instructor at the Land Rover Experience, where they were greeted by Bruce Bannister-Harding, former president of Malvern Rotary.

Therapist Clare Grennan, who accompanied them on the ascent, said: “The access partnership makes it possible for disabled people to enjoy the Malvern Hills, something that most of us take for granted.

"It is an excellent illustration of the way that industry, local government and charities can work together to great effect. Parkinson’s disease, like other long-term neurological conditions isolates individuals and often their families too. This is why working together is so important and rewarding."

John Redmond

Mr Redmond said: "I have not been up there in years and I thought I’d never get up there again to enjoy the view.”

http://www.malverngazette.co.uk/news/14693549.How_three_people_with_Parkinson_s_disease_got_to_see_the_view_from_the_Malverns/

New Science, Improved Treatments in Movement Disorders

Rachel M. Dolhun, MD; Maggie McGuire Kuhl
August 19, 2016

Searching all over the world for Improved Treatments

Introduction 

In late June of this year, scientists and physicians from around the world gathered at the annual International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in Berlin, Germany, to discuss emerging trends in care and research. This meeting's focus: precision, or personalized, medicine.

As we learn more about Parkinson disease, can specific treatments be targeted to those individuals who are most likely to respond? The ability to do so would improve clinical care and accelerate research.

Designing Trials for Personalized Medicine

At the international congress, Susan Fox, PhD, of the University of Toronto, noted^[1] that clinicians already individualize treatment: choosing medication or another intervention on the basis of a person's age and other medical conditions, and which symptoms are most bothersome. Knowing more about the subtypes of disease—such as those based on clusters of symptoms or genetics—can help us target treatments to be more precise, said Dr Fox.

She reported that this precision approach is possible, but the field needs to focus on a few aspects of clinical trial design to learn more:

• Pharmacogenomics: how one's genes dictate their response to medication;
• Trial exclusivity: larger trials including a broad population vs smaller trials targeting a specific group; and
• Revisiting failed therapies: testing drugs in a population that may be more likely to respond.

Finding Tools to Help Potential Therapies Succeed

Unfortunately, several therapies for Parkinson disease have failed to show efficacy in clinical trials. Reviewing the drug development pipeline,^[2] David Standaert, MD, PhD, of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and a member of the Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) Scientific Advisory Board, said at the congress, "It looks like a linear process—you follow the steps and get to a therapy—but that's just not true. It's a pretty leaky pipeline."

"It's often efficacy, not safety, that's been our problem in Parkinson disease. Drugs in testing didn't really have a big safety liability; they just didn't work," he said.

How will we do better? The field is creating preclinical models that more closely mimic human disease, especially genetic forms of Parkinson disease, which will help medications enter clinical testing with more confidence in their potential neuroprotective effects.

We are also getting closer to Parkinson disease biomarkers (biological measures associated with disease risk, onset, or progression). Researchers are pursuing such markers as protein levels in imaging scans and fluids/tissues, although Dr Standaert admitted the latter has been "a tougher nut to crack than any of us thought."

Still, he is hopeful that with these tools we can cross the chasm between identifying a potential drug and proving that it is effective for people with Parkinson disease. "Can we build a better bridge over the valley of death? I think the models and the biomarkers are likely the critical factors there," he said.

Embracing Wearables and New Data 

Another means toward a better understanding of Parkinson disease and more effective testing of new therapies is wearable devices. On the congress' "Tech Tuesday," more than 30 posters covered the many ways researchers are developing this area of technology to objectively measure symptoms of disease. Some are used to remotely monitor patients outside the doctor's office for input on clinical care, whereas others help people manage their disease or are integrated into trials to measure the impact of therapies in testing.

Lauren Bataille, MJFF associate director of research partnerships, presented three posters^[3] on the Fox Insight Wearables study and mobile application, developed in partnership with Intel. She reported that the wearables study has enrolled 650 people with Parkinson disease and compliance is high, demonstrating people's willingness and commitment to enrolling in long-term mobile device studies. Another poster reviewed the Fox Insight application features, and the third touched on the ongoing work to develop algorithms to measure levodopa response with a mobile device.

Presenting Data on MJFF-Funded Projects

Companies also provided updates on their therapeutic trials at the congress. Neuroderm presented on the design of its phase 2 study^[4] of a pump/patch delivering levodopa and carbidopa continuously to control motor symptoms. The MJFF funded an earlier trial of the therapy. The company also presented data that continuous carbidopa delivery under the skin improves availability of levodopa, giving rationale for development of its liquid levodopa/carbidopa formulation.

Biotech Voyager Therapeutics presented interim surgical and safety data^[5] on its phase 1b study of 10 patients who have received a gene therapy (VY-AADC01) designed to help the brain convert levodopa into dopamine. Top-line results are expected later this year. The MJFF funded work in this area at the University of California, San Francisco, which entered into an agreement with Voyager to advance its study.

"Of note, the use of real-time, intraoperative MRI-guided delivery allowed the surgical teams to visualize the delivery of VY-AADC01; administer higher infusion volumes; and achieve greater coverage of the putamen, the brain region that we are targeting with our gene therapy program," said Bernard Ravina, MD, MS, vice president of clinical development at Voyager Therapeutics. "Obtaining sufficient coverage of the putamen with VY-AADC01 is a key step toward potentially improving patients' response to levodopa, the standard of care treatment for Parkinson disease, and will allow us to begin to more fully assess the impact of VY-AADC01 on patients' motor symptoms."

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/867450

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