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Parkinson's disease may be diagnosed by studying colon, reports say

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Parkinson's disease is a disorder of the brain, but it may be possible to diagnose it at an early stage by examining the bowel, researchers said Tuesday. As new drugs to treatParkinson's are developed, they noted, earlier diagnosis should make it possible to intervene at an earlier stage when the disorder is more susceptible to drugs, thereby prolonging quality of life and lifespan. Parkinson'sis a common neurological disorder that is associated with aging. It is characterized by tremors or shaking, and difficulties with walking, movement and coordination. There is no cure, and it ultimately proves fatal. An estimated 0.4% of people in industrialized countries have it, with the proportion rising above 1% in people over 60 and 4% in those over age 80. The disorder affects almost 5 million people worldwide, a number that is expected to double by 2030. The disorder is characterized by the accumulation of a protein called alpha-synuclein in brain cells, killing the cells. The definitive diagnosis is provided at autopsy, when the brain can be examined to search for the protein. In living patients, however, the disease is diagnosed by the appearance of symptoms, and some estimates are that as many as 20% of patients … Continue reading →

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Wake Forest Baptist researches say new device helpful in treating brain injuries

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have determined that a new device for treating traumatic brain injury can reduce the size and extent of damaged tissue and prevent cell death. The research was the focus of a three-year, $1.5 million study funded by the U.S. Defense Department. A report has been published in the journal Neurosurgery. The technology, tested in rats, is called mechanical tissue resuscitation. It uses negative pressure to create an environment that fosters cell survival. Similar negative-pressure devices have been used to treat wounds and burns. "The Department of Defense has identified this as an area that is ripe for medical advancement," said study co-author Dr. Stephen Tatter, professor of neurosurgery at Wake Forest Baptist. "We believe it will soon be ready for a clinical trial." The Wake Forest Baptist research team was led by Dr. Louis Argenta and Michael Morykwas, professors in the department of plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery. The team used the device to remove fluid and other toxins that cause cell death from an injury site deep in the brain. When the brain is injured by blunt force, explosion or other trauma, the cells at the impact site are irreversibly damaged and … Continue reading →

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What you need to know about traumatic brain injuries

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force, such as a violent blow, damages the brain. Depending on the severity of the injury, this could end in serious long-term damage or even death. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about 1.7 million people will experience a TBI each year. Brain injury The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the special education law in the United States. It defines TBI as "an acquired injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment." Ricardo Jorge Komotar, neurological surgeon at the University of Miami School of Medicine, said that people should know about the chronic nature of the condition. "Most of the focus is on concussions but people need to understand that there are repercussions 10 to 15 years down the road, not just right now." Frank Toral, senior partner at Toral Garcia Battista (a brain and spinal cord injury law firm), explained that TBI the leading cause of death anddisabilityfor children 14 and under. Causes There are two basic forms of TBI: Closed head injuries (blows to the head) and penetrating injuries (penetration of brain by foreign … Continue reading →

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Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor Launches TryMunity, a Social Site for Accident Victims, Survivors and Supporters of …

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

MCKINNEY, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A local 27-year-old Dallas man, Mike Black, survives after being thrown from his car and landing 40-feet away on his head. Black was not expected to live after suffering the most severe brain injury possible in an accident. With a Glasgow coma scale of only three and a dim prognosis from doctors, his family had little hope. In search of answers, they turned to the internet to get information and peer support from others who have had a loved one experience a traumatic, life-changing tragedy or illness. The online search for information on their sons condition offered quite a bit of technical information related to Blacks injuries, but no place to discuss their tragedy with someone who had experienced the same and learned ways to live through it and give them hope. The family formed a page on Facebook, The Beans Recovery Group, where friends and family could follow Blacks (The Beans) progress from coma, to his first meal to his first words and first steps. Eventually, others who had experienced similar traumas found the Facebook page and began sharing their own positive stories of recovery, giving hope to Black and his family. After Blacks insurance ran … Continue reading →

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Study: Marijuana may help with MS symptoms

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

SAN DIEGO, May 14 (UPI) -- Smoking marijuana may be an effective treatment for spasticity -- a common and disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis, U.S. researchers suggest. Principal investigator Dr. Jody Corey-Bloom, professor of neurosciences and director of the Multiple Sclerosis Center at the University of California, San Diego, and colleagues randomly assigned 30 study participants to either the intervention group -- which smoked marijuana once daily for three days -- or the control group. After an 11-day interval, the participants crossed over to the other group. "We found that smoked cannabis was superior to placebo in reducing symptoms and pain in patients with treatment-resistant spasticity, or excessive muscle contractions," Corey-Bloom said in a statement. The researchers used a modified Ashford scale to grade the intensity of muscle tone by measuring such things as resistance in range of motion and rigidity. The researchers also looked at physical performance -- using a timed walk -- and cognitive function. Patients were also asked assess their feeling of "highness." The study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found the marijuana was generally well tolerated, but it has mild effects on attention and concentration. The researchers noted that larger, long-term studies were needed … Continue reading →

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FDA Warns MS Stent Treatment Unproven, Possibly Deadly

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) just issued a warning alert that a multiple sclerosis (MS) stent treatment is both unproven and potentially deadly. Health care professionals and patients are being warned about injuries and deaths linked to use of an experimental procedure, sometimes referred to as liberation therapy or liberation procedure, used in the treatment of chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). CCSVI is characterized by a narrowing (stenosis) of veins in the neck and chest; some experts believe that CCSVI is precursor or contributor to MS, impairing brain and upper spinal cord blood drainage. The experimental procedure uses balloon angioplasty devices or stents to widen narrowed chest and neck veins; however, the agency has been advised of incidents of death, stroke, stent detachment and migration, damage to the treated vein, blood clots, cranial nerve damage, and abdominal bleeding linked to the experimental procedure. Specifically, the FDA announced that at least two people died from the experimental procedure, said Reuters. Another patient is now permanently paralyzed, and others suffered bleeding in the brain, suffered strokes, blood clots, or other side effects. Stents are steel mesh coils that prop open arteries; balloon angioplasties utilize a balloon at the tip of … Continue reading →

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Health Canada Approves New Testosterone Topical Solution for Men

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Axironis the only approved testosterone replacement therapy with innovative application device TORONTO, May 14, 2012 /CNW/ - Axiron (testosterone topical solution, 2%) has been approved by Health Canada for testosterone replacement therapy in men for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone (hypogonadism). Axiron is a first-of-its-kind. It is a topical, alcohol-based testosterone solution applied to the underarm once daily using a metered dose applicator that avoids contact with the hands. The recommended starting dose is 60 mg once daily, preferably applied at the same time each morning.1 "The approval of Axiron signals valuable innovation in the treatment of male testosterone deficiency," says Dr. Serge Carrier, Urologist, McGill University. "With its novel applicator and odorless solution that dries in around two minutes, Axiron offers a treatment regimen that fits more naturally with a man's daily routine." Clinical trial data indicated that Axiron can restore blood concentration of testosterone within the normal range in most men.2 Axiron is expected to be available in Canada in the first quarter of 2013 and will provide a new option for healthcare professionals helping to treat the signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency. The product expands Eli Lilly Canada's focus in men's … Continue reading →

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Scientists Discover Clues to Muscle Stem Cell Functions

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Study reveals a potential key to new treatment strategies for Muscular Dystrophy Newswise May 14, 2012 - Oakland, Calif. A study conducted by Childrens Hospital & Research Center Oakland scientists identifies how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury and may be stimulated to improve muscle repair in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe inherited disease of muscle that causes weakness, disability and, ultimately, heart and respiratory failure. The study, led by Julie D. Saba, MD, PhD, senior scientist at Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI), shows that a lipid signaling molecule called sphingosine-1-phosphate or S1P can trigger an inflammatory response that stimulates the muscle stem cells to proliferate and assist in muscle repair. It further shows that mdx mice, which have a disease similar to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, exhibit a deficiency of S1P, and that boosting their S1P levels improves muscle regeneration in these mice. A research report describing the study findings will be published online (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi %2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0037218) on May 14, 2012 in the journal Public Library of Science ONE (PLoS ONE). Skeletal muscle is the biggest organ system of the human body. It is important for all human activity. Muscles can be injured by trauma, inactivity, aging and … Continue reading →

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New York Stem Cell Foundation scientist grows bone from human embryonic stem cells

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

Public release date: 14-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: David McKeon dmckeon@nyscf.org 212-365-7440 New York Stem Cell Foundation NEW YORK, NY (May 14, 2012) -- Dr. Darja Marolt, an Investigator at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Laboratory, is lead author on a study showing that human embryonic stem cells can be used to grow bone tissue grafts for use in research and potential therapeutic application. Dr. Marolt conducted this research as a post-doctoral NYSCF Druckenmiller Fellow at Columbia University in the laboratory of Dr. Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic. The study is the first example of using bone cell progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells to grow compact bone tissue in quantities large enough to repair centimeter-sized defects. When implanted in mice and studied over time, the implanted bone tissue supported blood vessel ingrowth, and continued development of normal bone structure, without demonstrating any incidence of tumor growth. Dr. Marolt's work is a significant step forward in using pluripotent stem cells to repair and replace bone tissue in patients. Bone replacement therapies are relevant in treating patients with a variety of conditions, including wounded military personnel, patients with birth defects, or patients who have suffered other traumatic injury. … Continue reading →

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Regenerative Sciences Receives $2M Investment for Orthopedic Stem Cell Initiatives

Posted: Published on May 15th, 2012

DENVER, May 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Regenerative Sciences, Inc., a company dedicated to advancing orthopedic care through non-surgical adult stem cell procedures, today announced that it has secured a $2M investment from philanthropist, visionary and businessman John C. Malone, PhD, chairman of Liberty Media Corporation. In addition to advancing Regenerative Sciences' clinical and lab-based stem cell research, the investment will help support the national expansion of their Regenexx Physician Network. Regenerative Sciences' Regenexx procedures utilize a patient's own stem cells to help repair a broad range of common injuries and degenerative conditions, including cartilage lesions, torn ligaments and tendons, osteoarthritis and bulging spinal discs. For many, the procedures offer a viable alternative to arthroscopic surgery, open-joint surgery, or joint replacement surgery. Regenexx patients experience little or no downtime from the procedures and avoid the lengthy rehabilitation period associated with most surgical procedures. "We are proud of our accomplishments in the field of regenerative interventional orthopedics and it's exciting that our work has drawn the attention of such a noted entrepreneur and philanthropist," said Christopher J. Centeno, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Regenerative Sciences. "Dr. Malone shares our vision for forging the next generation of minimally invasive regenerative treatments. This investment … Continue reading →

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