Small but distinct differences among species mark evolution of human brain

November 23, 2017

Human Brain

The most dramatic divergence between humans and other primates can be found in the brain, the primary organ that gives our species its identity.

However, all regions of the human brain have molecular signatures very similar to those of our primate relatives, yet some regions contain distinctly human patterns of gene activity that mark the brain's evolution and may contribute to our cognitive abilities, a new Yale-led study has found.

The massive analysis of human, chimpanzee, and monkey tissue published Nov. 23 in the journal Science shows that the human brain is not only a larger version of the ancestral primate brain but also one filled with distinct and surprising differences.

"Our brains are three times larger, have many more cells and therefore more processing power than chimpanzee or monkey," said Andre M.M. Sousa, a postdoctoral researcher in the lab of neuroscientist Nenad Sestan and co-lead author of the study. "Yet there are also distinct small differences between the species in how individual cells function and form connections."

Despite differences in brain size, the researchers found striking similarities between primate species of gene expression in 16 regions of the brain—even in the prefrontal cortex, the seat of higher order learning that most distinguishes humans from other apes. However, the study showed the one area of the brain with the most human-specific gene expression is the striatum, a region most commonly associated with movement.

Distinct differences were also found within regions of the brain, even in the cerebellum, one of the evolutionarily most ancient regions of the brain, and therefore most likely to share similarities across species. Researchers found one gene, ZP2, was active in only human cerebellum—a surprise, said the researchers, because the same gene had been linked to sperm selection by human ova.

"We have no idea what it is doing there," said Ying Zhu, a postdoctoral researcher in Sestan's lab and co-lead author of the paper.

Zhu and Sousa also focused on one gene, TH, which is involved in the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter crucial to higher-order function and depleted in people living with Parkinson's disease. They found that TH was highly expressed in human neocortex and striatum but absent from the neocortex of chimpanzees.

"The neocortical expression of this gene was most likely lost in a common ancestor and reappeared in the human lineage," Sousa said.

Researchers also found higher levels of expression of the gene MET, which is linked to autism spectrum disorder, in the human prefrontal cortex compared to the other primates tested.

More information: A.M.M. Sousa el al., "Molecular and cellular reorganization of neural circuits in the human lineage," Science (2017). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi … 1126/science.aan3456 

Journal reference: Science

Provided by: Yale University

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-11-small-distinct-differences-species-evolution.html

Interrupted sleep patterns may be precursor to Parkinson’s disease

November 22nd, 2017| by Stephen Gadd

When Hamlet said “To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub” he may have been unknowingly showing signs of a serious disease

Sweet dreams are good but interrupted sleep can be bad for your health, especially if you are an elderly man (photo: Pixabay: geralt)

Danish researchers believe they have found a link between people with

a particular sleep disorder during the rapid eye movement (REM) phase

and Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. Around 7,300 people in Denmark suffer from it. The disease occurs because groups of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine cease to function.

Although there is no cure, it is possible to treat the symptoms and the sooner the condition is diagnosed, the better chance there is of at least keeping it in check.

A dopamine shortage
Sleep disorders can be a sign of an infection in the brain. Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital and University Hospital Clínic de Barcelona have investigated the dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain that are part of the immune system of people who suffer from sleep disorders – particularly during the REM phase. Their brains were found to be lacking in dopamine.

Healthy people are relaxed and lie still during the dream phase of sleep but those with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, RBD, undergo a disturbed sleep and punch, kick or shout in their sleep.

“These patients have an infection in the brain where the dopamine-producing nerve cells are found,” explained one of the researchers, Morten Gersel Stokholm from Aarhus University and the PET centre at Aarhus University Hospital.

The missing link
This is ground-breaking research because nobody has previously proved that there is a connection between a brain infection and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The findings have just been published in The Lancet Neurology.

“The hope is that this knowledge can be used to determine which patients with sleep disorders might later develop Parkinson’s disease,” said Stokholm.

“At the same time, it is also knowledge that can be helpful when it comes to developing drugs that can prevent or arrest the development of diseases.”

Sleep disturbance often hits people between the ages of 50 and 70 and is more common among men than women – as is Parkinson’s disease, which also strikes the same age group and also shows the same gender bias.

http://cphpost.dk/news/interrupted-sleep-patterns-may-be-precursor-to-parkinsons-disease.html

David Cassidy had dementia: Why this disease is on the rise

Published: Nov 23, 2017 

ALESSANDRA  MALITO

There are about 10 million new cases of dementia every year

David Cassidy, a teen idol from the 1980s, died on Tuesday, after suffering from dementia for two years.

David Cassidy, a teen idol from the 1970s and one of the stars of the hit television show the “Partridge Family,” died Tuesday, after suffering from a disease expected to afflict over 100 million people in the next three decades: dementia. 

https://youtu.be/0Zoh_3lKOaY

The 67-year-old performer, who died from organ failure in a hospital surrounded by family and friends, first revealed he had dementia earlier this year after falling on stage and forgetting the lyrics mid-performance. Some critics incorrectly assumed he was intoxicated. Soon after, he retired. His mother and his grandfather had dementia, and he said during an interview with Dr. Phil earlier this year, “A part of me always knew this was coming.”

Dementia is a neurological illness that affects the mind and memory, and it can affect a person’s ability to perform everyday tasks. There are numerous types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. 

More than 47 million people worldwide have dementia, with about 10 million new cases every year. The number of people with dementia is expected to rise to 75 million in 2030 and 132 million by 2050, according to the World Health Organization. 

It’s also expensive — it costs $215 billion a year to care for dementia patients, according to the National Institute on Aging, more than double what it costs overall to care for patients with heart disease and almost three times as much for patients with cancer.

People normally don’t detect dementia until years after the disease has developed, but researchers are working on diagnosing it earlier, said Luigi Ferrucci, scientific director of the National Institute of Aging. Although it appears more prevalent in older people, there is a rise of early-onset dementia among those younger than 65, according to research by Bournemouth University.

Some theories behind the rise in dementia cases, aside from the more obvious knock-on effects of an ageing population, include air pollution and the growth of insecticides. Additionally, people who have dementia end up living longer now, Ferrucci said, and some form of dementia is more likely to show the longer people live.

Telltale early signs of dementia include forgetfulness, losing track of time and becoming lost in familiar places, according to the World Health Organization. As the disease progresses, the patient will also become forgetful of recent events and people’s names, and eventually need help with personal care. The late stage of dementia means the patient is completely unaware of the time and place, does not recognize relatives and friends and has trouble walking.

There’s good news: More than a third of dementia cases may be preventable, by controlling nine lifestyle factors, which include not smoking, lowering high blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight and managing midlife hearing loss, according to a report presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference last summer.

Brain exercises haven’t been proven as successful, but learning new skills has, as well as following a Mediterranean diet which could prevent or even slow down dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s disease, said Kim Gerecke, director of the neuroscience program at Rhodes College in Memphis. Practicing two and a half hours of moderate exercise per week also helps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/david-cassidy-had-dementia-why-this-disease-is-on-the-rise-2017-11-22

Lawsuit: State Ignoring Medical Marijuana Law

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS • NOV 22, 2017

A Florida nursery and a man who suffers from epilepsy filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Gov. Rick Scott's administration that contends that state officials are flouting the state's new medical marijuana law.

It's the latest legal challenge against the way Florida officials and state legislators have acted since voters approved medical marijuana a year ago. 

Bowen want a judge to order the Department of Health to hand out new licenses for treatment centers that were promised in a law passed by the Legislature this past summer. Treatment centers are the only businesses allowed to grow, process and sell medical marijuana. 

The state was supposed to hand out a total of 10 new licenses by October, but so far has only approved six. Officials have blamed the delay on a separate lawsuit challenging another provision of the new law. 

Bowen said the department is blocking patients from getting access to medical marijuana. 

"In cases like mine, medical marijuana is literally the only thing that can control my seizures and keep me alive," Bowen said in a statement. "But the Florida Department of Health's inexcusable foot-dragging is keeping patients like me from getting safe, reliable access to these lifesaving treatments." 

Mara Gambineri, a spokeswoman for the department, says that the state is working "diligently" to implement the new law. 

"We remain committed to moving this process forward, and will do so in an expedient and thoughtful manner," Gambineri said in an email. 

Patients who suffered from epilepsy, chronic muscle spasms, cancer and terminal conditions were allowed under laws Scott signed in 2014 and 2016 to receive either low-THC cannabis or full strength medical marijuana. The amendment passed by voters last year added people with HIV and AIDS, glaucoma, post-traumatic stress disorder, ALS, Crohn's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and similar conditions. 

But the implementation of the amendment — and the subsequent law legislators passed to carry it out — have come under fire from the backers of the initial amendment. John Morgan, the trial lawyer who led the charge for the amendment, sued in July because legislators banned smokable forms of the plant.

http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/lawsuit-state-ignoring-medical-marijuana-law

East Kilbride grandad 'Jimmy two-cans' awarded lifetime honour for Parkinson's charity work

November 23, 2017 - ByAndrea O'Neill

Jim Hilliard, 88, was instrumental in establishing a Parkinson's support group in East Kilbride following loss of his wife Betty who suffered from the neurological condition.

Jim proudly receives his lifetime award (Image: East Kilbride News)

An inspirational East Kilbride widower who dedicated his life to raising awareness of Parkinson’s after losing his wife to the illness has been given a lifetime honour. 

Calderwood grandad Jim Hilliard, 88, received an honorary life membership from Parkinson’s UK in recognition of his outstanding support for people affected by the neurological disorder across South Lanarkshire and the south side of Glasgow.

im was instrumental in establishing a Parkinson’s support group in East Kilbride and has been involved with the Lanarkshire and Glasgow South branch of Parkinson’s UK for more than 25 years.

And his achievements – which include the appointment of the first specialist parkinson’s nurse to NHS Lanarkshire in 2002 and establishing a drop-in centre in 2004 along with the late Maurice Pendry and Harry Hay, former branch chairmen – are also being celebrated in the Scottish Parliament.

Jim has led the Lanarkshire and Glasgow South Parkinson's Group in many initiatives over the years(Image: East Kilbride News)

Speaking about the honour this week, Jim said: “I would like to thank Parkinson’s UK for this honour which I was privileged to receive.

“It has been my pleasure to support the Lanarkshire and Glasgow South Parkinson’s Group and I was very pleased to have the whole community of members, carers and their family and friends at the ceremony, including my children Elizabeth and Robert.

“I would like to dedicate this award to my late wife Betty – who would have been 88 on the day I received it – all my work has been for her and people with parkinson’s. We are a family with one aim – to find a cure for parkinson’s.”

Catherine Grant, from the Lanarkshire and Glasgow South branch, said: “Jim has led the group in many new initiatives over the years.

“He is passionate that people living with Parkinson’s should have opportunities to get together and has set up and run really successful drop-in sessions and exercise classes across the group’s area.

Jim might be 88 but you’d never know it – he really knows how to get things done and his warm friendly manner inspires others to support the group too.

“The branch holds Jim in the greatest regard and with real fondness and it’s wonderful to see him being honoured in this way.”

Linda Fabiani MSP laid a motion before the Scottish Parliament that recognises Jim’s achievement. She said: “Jim Hilliard is such an inspiration. His lovely nature and sense of humour is an added bonus. I have known Jim for some years now, and he is such a worthy recipient of honorary life membership of Parkinson’s UK.”

Tanith Muller of Parkinson’s UK added: “Jim continues to be a brilliant volunteer who does so much to promote the charity. He has tirelessly pushed for better services for people living with Parkinson’s across Lanarkshire and Glasgow and his work was instrumental in getting a Parkinson’s nurse specialist appointed locally.”

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/east-kilbride-grandad-jimmy-two-11564379

Nicotine in Nightshade Vegetables Linked to a Lower Risk of Parkinson’s

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• 
  
• By: Dr. Michael Greger
• November 22, 2017

Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder striking 1 percent of our older population and is the 14th leading cause of death in the United States. While we don’t really know what causes it, we do know that people with a smoking history only appear to have about half the risk. Of course, “[s]moking is hugely damaging to health; any benefit derived from a reduction in risk of Parkinson’s disease is outweighed by the increased risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease,” as well as lung disease, but this shouldn’t stop us from “evaluating tobacco components for possible neuroprotective effects.”

Nicotine may fit the bill. If nicotine is the agent responsible for the neuroprotective effects, is there any way to get the benefit without the risks?

Well, where does nicotine come from? The tobacco plant. Any other plants have nicotine? Well, tobacco is a nightshade plant, so it’s in the same family as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers. And guess what? They all contain nicotine as wellThat’s why you can’t tell if someone’s a smoker just by looking for the presence of nicotine in their toenail clippings, because non-smokers grow out some nicotine into their nails, as well. Nicotine is in our daily diet—but how much? The amount we average in our diet is hundreds of times less than we get from a single cigarette.

So, though we’ve known for more than 15 years that there’s nicotine in ketchup, it was dismissed as insignificant. We then learned that even just one or two puffs of a cigarette could saturate half of our brain’s nicotine receptors, so it doesn’t take much. Then, we discovered that just exposure to second-hand smoke may lower the risk of Parkinson’s, and there’s not much nicotine in that. In fact, one would only be exposed to about three micrograms of nicotine working in a smoky restaurant, but that’s on the same order as what one might get eating food at a non-smoking restaurant. So, the contribution of dietary nicotine intake from simply eating some healthy vegetables may be significant.

Looking at nightshade consumption, in general, researchers may have found a lower risk compared to other vegetables, but different nightshades have different amounts of nicotine. They found none in eggplant, only a little in potatoes, some in tomatoes, but the most in bell peppers. When that was taken into account, a much stronger picture emerged. The researchers found that more peppers meant more protection. And, as we might expect, the effects of eating nicotine-containing foods were mainly evident in nonsmokers, as the nicotine from smoke would presumably blot out any dietary effect.

This could explain why protective associations have been found for Parkinson’s and the consumption of tomatoes, potatoes, and a tomato- and pepper-rich Mediterranean diet. Might nightshade vegetables also help with treating Parkinson’s? Well, results from trials of nicotine gum and patches have been patchy. Perhaps nicotine only helps prevent it in the first place, or could it be that it isn’t the nicotine at all, but, instead, is some other phytochemical in tobacco and the pepper family?

Researchers conclude that their findings will be need to be reproduced to help establish cause and effect before considering dietary interventions to prevent Parkinson’s disease, but when the dietary intervention is to eat more healthy dishes like stuffed peppers with tomato sauce, I don’t see the reason we have to wait.

In health,

Michael Greger, M.D.

https://youtu.be/Ha4eVtElOp0

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/nicotine-in-nightshade-vegetables-linked-to-a-lower-risk-of-parkinsons.html

Celebrate “The Last Jedi” on Opening Night and raise funds for Parkinson’s research

By Holly Quinn / REPORTER - November 22, 2017

See The Last Jedi on opening night and help raise funds for a good cause.

If you’re going to superfan out and see The Last Jedi on Dec. 14, why not do it for a good cause?

Team Fox Delaware, the Delaware fundraising organization of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, is throwing the biggest Star Wars party of the year at Penn Cinema on opening night, including a 7 p.m. screening of Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi in the comfy “Family & Friends” theater, followed by an afterparty at “The Rebel Base,” across the street from Penn Cinema at 555 Justison Street.

The Fox Force Afterparty includes snacks and an open bar from 9-11:30 p.m., a Costume Contest, a DJ and Captain Solo’s Silent Auction.

You can purchase a ticket to the screening only ($25), the party only ($25), or a single pass for both for $50. Tickets are limited.

To purchase tickets go to:

https://team-fox-de.ticketleap.com/fox-force-party/

https://technical.ly/delaware/2017/11/22/celebrate-last-jedi-opening-night-raise-funds-parkinsons-research/

Carson High School CTE graphic design student creates Carson City Parkinson’s Advocacy & Awareness logo

November 22, 2017  Special to the Nevada Appeal

Brian Reedy shares Alex Camp’s winning logo with the Carson City Parkinson’s Advocacy & Awareness support group and presents her with $100 prize.

Brian Reedy, Carson City Parkinson's Advocacy & Awareness co-director, said he knew exactly who to approach to design a logo for his support group. Having spent 20 years working at Carson High School, with the tail end of his career in the Career and Technical Education program, he knew Patricia Ababio's graphic design III and IV students would be the perfect choice.

"When I was diagnosed with Parkinson's I wanted to learn everything I could about the disease," Reedy said. "In my quest to gain knowledge and improve my health I realized that other people in Carson City with Parkinson's were seeking education and awareness too. In Oct. 2016 my wife, Lily, and I formed the educational support group. The more we know, the more we control. Knowledge is the key."

With the group growing by two or three participants per month, and in an effort to bring more recognition within the community, Reedy knew he had to create a logo to help identify the organization.

"While I answered questions, I didn't give the graphic design students guidelines, instead I wanted to give them a voice and allow them to use their imagination and skills to guide them in the process," Reedy said.

The students presented Reedy with 29 logos which he presented to his organization. The group voted to narrow the entries to five and then voted again, selecting Alex Camp's design.

"Working on the project was challenging," Camp, a junior in the CTE program, said. "I wouldn't have made it as far as I did without the help of my class. I thank the support group for even considering my design let alone picking it as the winner."

Besides bragging rights, Camp received $100 for her winning design, which was presented to her on Nov. 14 by Reedy, his wife and the support group. Reedy also plans to provide a pizza party for all the graphic arts students to say thank you for their hard work.

"Alex's logo embodies the relationship between the brain, the disease and the hope that this organization offers to those in need," Ababio said. "We are blessed as a class to be part of the endeavor to educate anyone impacted by Parkinson's."

Upon graduation in 2019, Camp plans to attend Western Nevada College for two years then transfer to The University of Nevada, Reno, to study graphic design.

Reedy's group meets every month at Sierra Place Senior Living, 1111 West College Parkway in Carson City.

For more information about Carson City Parkinson's Advocacy & Awareness support group, please contact Brian Reedy, co-director, at 287-7856.

For more information about Carson High School CTE, contact Michele Lewis, vice principal and CTE administrator, at mlewis@carson.k12.nv.us.

https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/local/carson-high-school-cte-graphic-design-student-creates-carson-city-parkinsons-advocacy-awareness-logo/

Breakthrough in brain repair for Parkinson’s Disease

November 22, 2017 - Damian Cullen

Research carried out by team at Galway Neuroscience Centre and CÚRAM

Neuroscientists at NUI Galway have claimed to have made a breakthrough in regenerative medicine approaches to Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s is a condition that primarily affects a person’s ability to control movement leading to a progressive deterioration in ability. The symptoms of the condition are caused by the degeneration and death of brain cells that regulate movement. Brain repair for Parkinson’s involves replacing the dead cells by transplanting healthy brain cells back into the brain, but the widespread roll-out of this therapy has been hindered by the poor survival of the implanted cells.

The research, carried out by a team at the Galway Neuroscience Centre and CÚRAM – the Science Foundation Ireland Centre for Research in Medical Devices – based at NUI Galway has shown that the survival of the transplanted cells is dramatically improved if they are implanted within a supportive matrix made from the natural material collagen.

Picture depicts brain repair in Parkinson’s: transplanted brain cells survive better when implanted in collagen. Photo: NUI Galway

US civil rights activist Rev Jesse Jackson announced last week that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“The collagen provides the cells with a nurturing, supportive environment in the brain and helps them to survive the aversive transplant process,” said lead author of the research paper, Dr Eilis Dowd.

The research was published on Wednesday in the Nature journal, Scientific Reports.

The work will be presented at the upcoming Network for European CNS Transplantation and Restoration (NECTAR) conference which is being hosted by Dr Dowd in Dublin from the December 6th-8th, 2017. The event will feature leading scientists from the US, Canada, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK, who will present their latest research on brain repair for Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s.

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/breakthrough-in-brain-repair-for-parkinson-s-disease-1.3301518