Category Research News (General)

The XPRIZE Foundation, a nonprofit organization that creates highly coveted prizes for advances in human endeavor, will award a total of $50 million – the biggest XPRIZE yet – to anyone who develops a new therapy for Alzheimer’s. Though details…

On 29 May, the Public Health Committee in the European Parliament endorsed draft EU rules for clinical trials of new medicines The new regulation is designed to encourage research while protecting patients’ rights and making simpler, more uniform rules. The…

Nature Neuroscience recently published 25 new candidate genes for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Researchers found the genes by sequencing the exomes of patient-parent trios. Variations within the genes must have arisen de novo in each offspring, according to the research, because…

A recent research study identified a previously unknown cellular process that causes selective motor neuron degeneration A recent research study identified a previously unknown cellular process that causes selective motor neuron degeneration, but it also appears to tie together several…

A major 18-month human drug trial gets under way this week to see whether a blood pressure medication can slow or halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms The study - NILVAD (nilvadipine in Alzheimer’s disease) involves nine countries and has…

A new study shows that the results could be used in future drug trials for people who are gene positive for HD but who are not yet showing overt symptoms. Scientists have identified a set of tests that could help…

European Month of the Brain kicks off At the start of its European Month of the Brain, the European Commission has announced funding of around 150 million euros for 20 new international brain research projects, bringing the total European Union…

Music effective for reducing anxiety and managing BPSD The authors of this study investigated the effects of music therapy on the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), cognitive function and activities of daily living in patients with dementia. Indications…

No firm evidence of benefit for any treatment or approach A systematic review has examined the best 32 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating treatments for cognitive decline, including drug treatments, hormone therapies, nutritional supplements, physical activity and cognitive exercises. The authors…

TED Talk by Neurosurgeon Andres Lozano In a recent TED talk, neurosurgeon Andres Lozano discusses recent developments in the potential uses of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for the alleviation of symptoms across many different neurological / neuropsychological conditions, including Parkinson’s…

A study of 20-year changes in dementia occurrence suggest decreasing incidence in central Stockholm, Sweden. A study – based on two cross-sectional surveys of people aged 75 years or over in Stockholm – explored whether the prevalence, survival, and incidence…

The Michael J. Fox Foundation has launched a new arm of their Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), studying at-risk populations in Parkinson’s Disease The PPMI has completed enrollment of its initial 600-member cohort of Parkinson’s patients and controls, and is now…

An integrated systems approach has identified genetic nodes and networks in late-onset Alzheimers Disease In the April 25 Cell, Valur Emilsson at the Icelandic Heart Association and Eric Schadt at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, report…

New compound that slows down the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease in mice Research groups led by Armin Giese of LMU Munich and Christian Griesinger at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen have developed a chemical…

The two-year Joint Action on Alzheimer Cooperative Valuation in Europe recently published its recommendations The aim of the ALCOVE, (ALzheimer COoperative Valuation in Europe) project was to improve knowledge on dementia and its consequences, as well as promote the exchange…

Science and Technology Options Assessment (STOA) Workshop on April 23rd, 2013 The STOA workshop entitled “What does it mean to live with a brain disorder?” is a prelude to the many events taking place in May as part of the…

The UK’s Alzheimer’s Society’s second annual report examines the quality of life for people with dementia This report concentrates on findings from a survey showing that over half of the general public believe people with dementia lead a poor quality…

Variation in the gene ABCA7 causes increased risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease African-Americans have a higher incidence of late-onset Alzheimer’s.  A large-scale GWAS study has identified that a variation in the gene ABCA7 causes the risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s disease…

A new laboratory study by scientists from Germany and the US shows that certain protein particles are indeed capable of multiplying and spreading from one cell to the next. In diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s endogenous proteins accumulate in the…

The flagship publication of the WHO Regional Office for Europe is issued every three years The 2013 report covers the overall improvements to health in the European Region, and analyses the health inequalities within and across countries. A road-map is…

New study from the USA aimed at modeling the course of Parkinson’s disease (PD) which describes the economic consequences of slower rates of progression Multiple studies describe progression, dementia rates, direct and indirect costs, and health utility by Hoehn and…

Study details how brain enzyme interacts with drug-like lead compound for Huntington’s Disease Researchers at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology have detailed how an enzyme in the brain interacts with an exciting drug-like lead compound for Huntington’s Disease to inhibit…

According to the latest US Alzheimer’s Association report, one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia in the United States. The new report shows that while deaths from other major diseases, such as heart disease, HIV/AIDS and stroke,…

Promoting a shift to open science It is generally accepted that outputs from publicly-funded research should be publicly available not only to researchers, but also to potential users in education, business, charitable and public sectors, and to the general public. …

A systems biology & comparative genomics approach for studying human brain ageing and/or most common age-related diseases A new European group of academic laboratories and industrial scientists from SMEs will combine an integrative systems biology & comparative genomics approach for…

A new study supports the concept that prolonged and intensive environmental stimulation may have beneficial effects in delaying one of the key negative factors in Alzheimer’s disease. It is well known that staying mentally active throughout life lowers the risk…

Diseases include ALS and a form of dementia called IBMPFD Single mutations in one gene rarely cause different diseases. New research, published in the journal Neuron, gives insight into how single mutations in the VCP gene cause a range of…

Genome-wide imaging study identifies a new gene called BCHE, found to be associated with Alzheimer’s plaques The is the first genome-wide association study of plaque deposits using a specialized PET scan tracer that binds to amyloid – florbetapir.  This imaging…

UK’s leading dementia research charity has launched a new research strategy dedicated to driving forward development of treatments. This strategic approach to research into dementia has four core components: Responsive and Targeted Funding New Drug Discovery Strategic Projects Partnerships More information…

Inappropriate long-term use of antipsychotic drugs is common among people with dementia living in specialized care units This study investigated use of antipsychotic drug therapy for the treatment of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) among 344 people with…

Deep brain stimulation may provide many additional years of good functioning for carefully chosen, highly functioning patients. Results from an international clinical trial, published in the February 14 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that deep-brain stimulation (DBS)…

“Brain Activity Map project” is expected to be part of the president’s budget proposal next month. The front page of the New York Times on February 18th, 2013 revealed the Obama Administration may soon seek billions of dollars from Congress…

Major advance in genetic study of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) The major genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) was identified by researchers in 2011.  A mutation known as a repeat expansion in…

After a two-year contest, the European Commission has selected two research proposals that it will fund to the tune of half-a-billion euros each. The Human Brain Project, led by Henry Markram, a neuroscientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology…

A 12 week consultation has been launched in the UK to establish a full set of quality standards and guidance for social care The Department of Health, UK is seeking ideas from care users, their families and carers, service commissioners, care…

NIH-supported Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study group will undertake four clinical trials over five years With new research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the USA’s leading Alzheimer’s disease study network will undertake four major studies aimed at finding new treatments…

A predicted cut to Europe’s research programme, Horizon 2020, occurred as the final budget figures were released by the European Council in Brussels on February 8th. The budget has been reduced by over 12% according to the meeting’s final conclusions.…

Mounting evidence has suggested that toxic proteins that cause Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurodegenerative diseases spread from neuron to neuron in a slow crawl through the brain. That news sparked some concern among the media and the general public: Could…

Parkinson’s Disease Itself Does Not Increase Risk of Gambling, Shopping Addiction, Study Finds These results provide further evidence that impulse control disorders that occur in people with Parkinson’s disease are related to the exposure to the dopamine-related drugs, not just…

Eli Lilly has been granted approval in the EU for Amyvid, a solution to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Amyvid (florbetapir [18F]) is used as an imaging agent during positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to detect the presence or absence of beta-amyloid…

Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 published in The Lancet Deaths due to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias have jumped more than threefold worldwide since 1990, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Published in December 2012 in…

Brain research in Europe needs a decisive and concerted effort with more investment and clearer and more innovative research and healthcare strategies. The European Commission decided in 2012 to make May 2013 the European Month of the Brain with the…

A recent study suggests that the combined risk factors for heart disease and stroke (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity) may also increase the risk of cognitive decline. For their analysis, the researchers used data from an…

Data extracted from existing publicly- and privately-conducted clinical trials to address amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) The largest collection of data from clinical trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), representing more than 8,500 individuals, is now live. The Pooled Resource Open-Access…

The Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) has launched its latest call for proposals, including a topic on neurodegenerative disorders entitled “Developing an aetiology-based taxonomy of human disease.” The topic aims to develop a new classification for neurodegenerative disorders, with a focus…

International B.R.A.I.N. Prize awarded to disruptive innovations in brain technology The Breakthrough Research And Innovation in Neurotechnology (B.R.A.I.N.) Prize is an international award granted in Israel to an individual, group or organization for a recent, practical breakthrough in the field…

A systematic review of qualitative studies on patient and carer experiences of dementia diagnosis and treatment Early diagnosis and intervention for people with dementia is increasingly considered a priority, but practitioners are concerned with the effects of earlier diagnosis and…

Evidence from a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies The number of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who have cognitive symptoms is difficult to pinpoint, mainly due to the use of various definitions of cognitive impairment and dementia.  Realistic estimates suggest that at…

A systematic review has assessed the efficacy of Vitamin E in the treatment of Alzheimer’s and for the prevention of progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to dementia. The authors found no evidence for Vitamin E being of benefit in…

The first European report has been published of the state of deinstitutionalization and community-based care in the mental health field. A joint initiative of the Open Society Foundations and Mental Health Europe, this report promotes a shift in the balance of care…