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NIH Researchers Identify Key Factor that Stimulates Brain Cancer Cells to Spread
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009
Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found that the activity of a protein in brain cells helps stimulate
the spread of an aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In a move toward therapy, the researchers showed
that a small designer protein can block this activity and reduce the spreading of GBM cells grown in the laboratory.
Thursday, Aug 6, 2009
Sprouting. Branching. Pruning. Neuroscientists have borrowed heavily from botanists to describe the way that neurons grow,
but analogies between the growth of neurons and plants may be more than superficial. A new study from the National Institutes
of Health and Harvard Medical School suggests that neurons and plant root cells may grow using a similar mechanism.
Dr. William Matthew Tapped to Lead NINDS Office of Translational ResearchThursday, Jul 30, 2009
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health, has named
William D. Matthew, Ph.D., as director of its Office of Translational Research (OTR).
Monday, Jul 27, 2009
Recent studies have used brain imaging to identify the parts of our brains that underlie emotions from love to disgust, and
behaviors from solving math problems to solving moral problems. Now, NIH scientists are probing the very basis of conscious
thought by examining differences in brain activity between wakefulness and sleep.
NIH Launches the Human Connectome Project to Unravel the Brain’s ConnectionsWednesday, Jul 15, 2009
The National Institutes of Health Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is launching a $30 million project that will use cutting-edge
brain imaging technologies to map the circuitry of the healthy adult human brain. By systematically collecting brain imaging
data from hundreds of subjects, the Human Connectome Project (HCP) will yield insight into how brain connections underlie
brain function, and will open up new lines of inquiry for human neuroscience.
Monday, Jul 13, 2009
Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have turned simple baker’s yeast into a virtual army of medicinal
chemists capable of rapidly searching for drugs to treat Parkinson’s disease. The researchers rescued yeast cells from toxic
levels of a protein implicated in Parkinson’s disease by stimulating the cells to make very small proteins called cyclic peptides.
Family with Alzheimer's Disease may Carry Clues to TreatmentWednesday, Jun 17, 2009
In the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), a toxic protein fragment called beta-amyloid accumulates in clumps
that leave a path of damaged brain tissue. Although age is the most powerful risk factor for AD, a small fraction of people
develop the disease because of genetic mutations that trigger beta-amyloid accumulation. In a recent study published in Science*,
researchers described a family with a mutation that causes beta-amyloid accumulation and AD in some individuals, but could
protect against the disease in others.
Spinal Cord Stimulation may be Alternative to Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson’s DiseaseWednesday, Jun 17, 2009
Electrical stimulation of the spinal cord relieves symptoms of Parkinson's disease in rodents, according to a new study published
in Science*. The procedure might provide a safe, effective alternative to deep brain stimulation (DBS), a relatively invasive
treatment for Parkinson's disease that is used when medication fails.
New Route Identified for Clearing Away the Toxic Protein that Causes Huntington’s DiseaseWednesday, Jun 17, 2009
In Huntington’s disease (HD), a toxic protein accumulates inside brain cells, leading to symptoms such as uncontrolled movements,
impaired thinking and personality changes. Researchers have now identified a chemical tag that attaches to this protein,
sends it through a cellular waste handling system and prevents its harmful effects. Efforts are underway to identify drugs
that could stimulate tagging of the protein and thus slow the course of HD.
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2009
Researchers funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified a gene that
affects how long people survive with the fatal neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The finding could
lead to much needed drugs to slow the course of the disease.
Thursday, Jun 11, 2009
Researchers funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have found that an organ transplant
drug might one day be used to treat meningioma, a type of brain tumor. The drug also could be used to treat neurofibromatosis
type 2, a rare disease associated with meningiomas and other benign tumors of the nervous system.
Genetic Study Confirms the Immune System’s Role in NarcolepsySunday, May 3, 2009
Scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health have identified a gene associated with narcolepsy, a disorder that
causes disabling daytime sleepiness, sleep attacks, irresistible bouts of sleep that can strike at any time, and disturbed
sleep at night. The gene has a known role in the immune system, which strongly suggests that autoimmunity, in which the immune
system turns against the body's own tissues, plays an important role in the disorder.
Risk of Autism Tied to Genes that Influence Brain Cell ConnectionsTuesday, Apr 28, 2009
In three studies, including the most comprehensive study of autism genetics to date, investigators funded in part by the National
Institutes of Health have identified common and rare genetic factors that affect the risk of autism spectrum disorders. The
results point to the importance of genes that are involved in forming and maintaining the connections between brain cells.
Researchers Discover New Genetic Variants Associated with Increased Risk of StrokeWednesday, Apr 15, 2009
Scientists have identified a previously unknown connection between two genetic variants and an increased risk of stroke, providing
strong evidence for the existence of specific genes that help explain the genetic component of stroke. The research was funded
by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health and by several other NIH institutes
and centers.
New Gene Discoveries Hint at Therapies for GlioblastomaTuesday, Mar 3, 2009
Scientists have long known that cancer results from an accumulation of genetic damage. But despite decades of research, the
list of known cancer related genes is surprisingly short.
In Parkinson's Disease, the Brain Stops Playing by the 'Rules'Tuesday, Feb 24, 2009
Parkinson's disease (PD) slowly robs people of their ability to control movement. Purposeful movements become slow and rigid,
while periods of rest become interrupted by shakes and tremors. In a study reported in Science, researchers say they are
closer to understanding how these symptoms arise, and possibly how to treat them.
Support Cells, Not Neurons, Lull the Brain to SleepWednesday, Jan 28, 2009
Brain cells called astrocytes help to cause the urge to sleep that comes with prolonged wakefulness, according to a study
in mice, funded by the National Institutes of Health. The cells release adenosine, a chemical known to have sleep-inducing
effects that are inhibited by caffeine.
Motor Skill Learning May be Enhanced by Mild Brain StimulationMonday, Jan 19, 2009
People who received a mild electrical current to a motor control area of the brain were significantly better able to learn
and perform a complex motor task than those in control groups.
Deep Brain Stimulation More Effective than Best Medical Therapy Even in Older Parkinson’s PatientsWednesday, Jan 7, 2009
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was more effective than best medical therapy (BMT) in improving “on” time-- periods of unimpeded
motor function--and quality of life in a large comparison study of more than 200 advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients.
Patients in the DBS group, even those over 70 years old, gained as much as four and a half hours of on time compared to the
BMT group, who gained none.
Researchers Identify Mechanism, Possible Drug Treatment for Tumors in NeurofibromatosisThursday, Oct 30, 2008
Researchers studying neurofibromatosis type 1 – a rare disease in which tumors grow within nerves – have found that the tumors
are triggered by crosstalk between cells in the nerves and cells in the blood. They also found that a drug on the market
for treating certain kinds of blood cancer curbs tumor growth in a mouse model of neurofibromatosis type 1.
Tuberous Sclerosis Moves toward Drug Therapy, Offers Clues to Epilepsy and AutismFriday, Oct 24, 2008
Three recent studies show that the drug rapamycin reduces neurological symptoms in mouse models of tuberous sclerosis complex
(TSC), a rare genetic disorder associated with epilepsy and autism. Scientists say those results could pave the way for effective
treatment – and not just for TSC.
Scientists Restore Movement to Paralyzed Limbs through Artificial Brain-Muscle ConnectionsWednesday, Oct 15, 2008
Researchers in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have demonstrated for the first time that a direct
artificial connection from the brain to muscles can restore voluntary movement in monkeys whose arms have been temporarily
anesthetized.
Dr. Roscoe Brady Receives Presidential Honor for Scientific AchievementMonday, Oct 6, 2008
NINDS Scientist Emeritus Dr. Roscoe O. Brady has been selected to receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation—the
highest honor for achievement in science and technology bestowed by the President of the United States.
Four New Members Named to National Neurology Advisory CouncilThursday, Sep 18, 2008
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has appointed four new members to its major advisory panel,
the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), is the nation's primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system. NINDS
Director Story Landis, Ph.D., formally introduced the new members, who will serve through July 2012, at the Council's September
18, meeting.
Common Treatment to Delay Labor Decreases Preterm Infants' Risk for Cerebral PalsyThursday, Aug 28, 2008
Preterm infants born to mothers receiving intravenous magnesium sulfate — a common treatment to delay labor — are less likely
to develop cerebral palsy than are preterm infants whose mothers do not receive it, report researchers in a large National
Institutes of Health research network.
NIH Symposium Explores Promise of Stem Cell TherapiesMonday, Jul 14, 2008
Stem cells have been hailed as a toolkit to treat a host of diseases, but at an NIH symposium on May 6, researchers said they
are still deciphering the toolkit’s instruction manual.
Study Suggests Improved Treatments for Neuropathic PainThursday, Jun 26, 2008
Two chemicals associated with neurodegeneration and inflammation play important and distinct roles in development of neuropathic
pain, a new study shows. The findings may lead to new treatments that can stop neuropathic pain from developing and alleviate
it after it begins.
Huntington’s Disease Protein Affects Nerve Signaling; Study Suggests New TreatmentsThursday, Jun 26, 2008
The abnormal protein found in Huntington’s disease (HD) leads to an unusually large amount of nerve signaling early in the
disease process, before other problems appear, a new study shows. Partially blocking these nerve signals prevents neuron
death and loss of motor function in fruit flies models of HD. The findings suggest possible new ways of delaying the onset
or slowing the progression of the disease.
NIH Researchers Find That Rett Syndrome Gene is Full of SurprisesThursday, May 29, 2008
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has transformed scientists' understanding of Rett syndrome, a genetic
disorder that causes autistic behavior and other disabling symptoms. Until now, scientists thought that the gene behind Rett
syndrome was an "off" switch, or repressor, for other genes. But the new study, published today in Science1, shows that it
is an "on" switch for a startlingly large number of genes.
Researchers Develop First Transgenic Monkey Model of Huntington’s DiseaseFriday, May 23, 2008
Scientists have developed the first genetically altered monkey model that replicates some symptoms observed in patients with
Huntington's disease. This advance, reported in Nature, could lead to major breakthroughs in the effort to develop new treatments
for a range of neurological diseases.
Nanotech Treatment Shows Promise against Spinal Cord Injury in MiceMonday, May 19, 2008
In experiments on mice, scientists have shown that an injectable nanotech-based polymer stimulates axons to regrow all the
way across a spinal injury.
Combining MRI and PET Could Yield Dynamic Pictures of the BrainFriday, Apr 25, 2008
In experiments on mice, scientists report that they have successfully combined two brain imaging techniques – magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).
New Mouse Model for Neurofibromatosis Yields Insights into Disease Process and TreatmentMonday, Apr 21, 2008
In a move expected to enhance the development of therapies for neurofibromatosis type 1, scientists have created an improved
mouse model for the disease.
NIH to Host Research Symposium on Clinical Applications of Stem Cell TherapiesTuesday, Apr 1, 2008
"Challenges and Promise of Cell-Based Therapies" is a one-day symposium to explore promising research in regenerative medicine
using stem cells.
Early Treatment Prevents Full-Blown Epilepsy in AnimalsFriday, Mar 14, 2008
For the first time, researchers have shown that treating epilepsy-prone animals with an anticonvulsant drug prior to the development
of chronic epilepsy can significantly reduce the number of seizures the animals experience, even after the treatment stops.
The study provides hope that researchers may eventually be able to prevent epilepsy in people who are at risk of the disorder
because of genetic mutations or other factors.
Reactions to Protein Stress in Neurodegenerative Disease – Sometimes Good, Sometimes Bad and Always UglyFriday, Mar 14, 2008
Research has shown that cells have a cleanup system for handling protein "stress," and some studies suggest the possibility
of developing therapeutic drugs that would work by giving the system a boost. But a new study published in Neuron suggests
that during prolonged stress, the cleanup system can suppress vital cell functions or even actively kill the cell.
Leptin Inhibits Seizures; Study May Lead to New Treatments for EpilepsyThursday, Mar 13, 2008
A new study shows that leptin, a hormone normally associated with eating and metabolism, can inhibit seizures in animal models
of epilepsy. The finding may lead to new ways of treating epilepsy. It also may help explain how the ketogenic diet, which
is sometimes used to treat epilepsy, reduces seizures.
An Over-Worked, Under-Appreciated Brain Cell Finally Gets its DueTuesday, Mar 11, 2008
As the cells that generate the brain's electrical signals, neurons tend to grab the limelight when it comes to studies of
brain function. Until recently, brain cells called glia have been mostly ignored, and their roles remain poorly understood,
despite the fact that they outnumber neurons by about 10 to 1.
Study Identifies Possible Trigger for Parkinson's DiseaseMonday, Feb 25, 2008
A chemical interaction that blocks cells' ability to break down damaged proteins may trigger development of Parkinson's disease
(PD), a new study shows. Finding ways to overcome the blockage could lead to strategies for preventing the disease or stopping
its progression.
NIH Announces New Initiative in Epigenomics Tuesday, Jan 22, 2008
NIH Announces New Initiative in Epigenomics
Study Suggests Some Brain Injuries Reduce the Likelihood of Post-Traumatic Stress DisorderSunday, Dec 23, 2007
A new study of combat-exposed Vietnam War veterans shows that those with injuries to certain parts of the brain were less
likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The findings, from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the
National Naval Medical Center, suggest that drugs or pacemaker-like devices aimed at dampening activity in these brain regions
might be effective treatments for PTSD.
NINDS Announces New Spanish-Language WebsiteFriday, Dec 7, 2007
Free, accurate information on many neurological disorders is now available on a new Spanish-language website from the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The website is available
at espanol.ninds.nih.gov.
El NINDS Anuncia una Nueva Página Web en EspañolFriday, Dec 7, 2007
Información precisa y gratuita sobre muchos desordenes neurológicos esta ahora disponible en una nueva página web en español
del National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) el cual es parte de los National Institutes of Health
(NIH). La página web se encuentra disponible en espanol.ninds.nih.gov.
The Structure of an Important Drug Target Made Crystal ClearWednesday, Dec 5, 2007
Scientists have produced detailed 3-dimensional images of a common type of neurotransmitter receptor, the class of proteins
on the receiving end of chemical signals in the nervous system. The work, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
is expected to speed the development of drugs for a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
New Technique Removes Toxic Protein and Prevents Memory Impairment in Alzheimer's Disease ModelWednesday, Dec 5, 2007
Increasing the activity of a key protein in the bloodstream slows the buildup of a toxic substance in the brains of mice with
the gene mutation for Alzheimer's disease (AD). It also prevents some memory problems, a new study shows. If the approach
works in humans, it may eventually lead to a way of preventing or halting AD.
Study Suggests Idebenone May Improve Neurological Function in Friedreich's AtaxiaWednesday, Dec 5, 2007
Results of a placebo-controlled, double-blind phase II study of the antioxidant idebenone in children with Friedreich's ataxia
(FA) suggest that the treatment may lead to improvements in neurological function. It is the first placebo-controlled study
to suggest that the neurological deterioration associated with this disease can be slowed or reversed.
Embryonic Stem Cell Milestone Achieved in PrimatesMonday, Dec 3, 2007
Researchers have achieved a major milestone in embryonic stem cell research: they isolated embryonic stem cells for the first
time from a cloned primate embryo. The technique, if developed in humans, could potentially be used to make personalized stem
cells to treat diseases without worry of rejection by the patient’s immune system.
A Rollercoaster of Seizure-Like Activity May Damage the Alzheimer's BrainTuesday, Nov 27, 2007
Although seizures are not a common symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the brains of people with AD could be humming with
seizure-like activity, interrupted by quiet rebound periods that do more harm than good.
Cilia Malfunction Disrupts Brain Development: Study Helps Explain Joubert Syndrome, Other DisordersFriday, Nov 16, 2007
What goes wrong in developmental brain disorders? Recent genetic studies have suggested a surprising culprit in some of these
disorders: abnormalities in hairlike structures called cilia on the surfaces of cells. A new study shows that proteins associated
with cilia are essential for normal development of the brain’s cerebellum. The finding helps to explain a diverse and puzzling
group of developmental disorders.
Is It Just a Headache? Study Links Migraine to Brain Damage in MiceFriday, Nov 16, 2007
Migraine headaches are a source of disabling pain for millions of people. Now, a study in mice suggests that these headaches
may be linked to tiny areas of stroke-like brain damage. The findings suggest that treatment to prevent migraines may also
prevent longer-term cognitive problems.
Scientists Zero in on the Cellular Machinery that Enables Neurons to FireWednesday, Nov 14, 2007
If you ever had a set of Micronauts – toy robots with removable body parts – you probably had fun swapping their heads, imagining
how it would affect their behavior. Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health have been performing similar
experiments on ion channels – pores in our nerve cells – to sort out the channels' key functional parts.
Imaging Neural Progenitor Cells in the Living Human BrainThursday, Nov 8, 2007
For the first time, investigators have identified a way to detect neural progenitor cells (NPCs), which can develop into neurons
and other nervous system cells, in the living human brain using a type of imaging called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).
The finding, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for depression,
Parkinson's disease, brain tumors, and a host of other disorders.
A Brain of Many ColorsThursday, Nov 1, 2007
Using a clever genetic trick to generate dozens of different colors, researchers have for the first time visualized hundreds
of cells and their connections to each other in the brain. Over the past few years, researchers have developed variations
of proteins called fluorescent proteins that can appear in many different colors. Researchers reasoned that they might be
able to use these proteins to generate a range of different colors in cells in the same way that a television or computer
monitor can create almost unlimited colors by mixing red, green and blue.
NIH National Neurology Advisory Council Gains Five New MembersFriday, Oct 12, 2007
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) welcomes five new members to its National Advisory Neurological
Disorders and Stroke Council. The Council serves as the principal advisory body to the NINDS, a component of the National
Institutes of Health and the nation's primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous
system.
Treatment Blocks Pain Without Disrupting Other FunctionsWednesday, Oct 3, 2007
A combination of two drugs can selectively block pain-sensing neurons in rats without impairing movement or other sensations
such as touch, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported investigators. The finding suggests
an improved way to treat pain from childbirth and surgical procedures. It may also lead to new treatments to help the millions
of Americans who suffer from chronic pain.
Arthritis Drug Shows Promise for Reducing Brain Hemorrhage in Premature BabiesMonday, Aug 27, 2007
A drug that is commonly used to reduce the pain of arthritis may eventually be used in pregnant women with preterm labor to
lessen the risk of brain damage in very low birthweight babies, a new study suggests.
Gene Triggers Obsessive Compulsive Disorder-Like Syndrome in Mice: Study Suggests New Treatment TargetsWednesday, Aug 22, 2007
Using genetic engineering, researchers have created an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) - like set of behaviors in mice
and reversed them with antidepressants and genetic targeting of a key brain circuit. The study, by National Institutes of
Health (NIH) -funded researchers, suggests new strategies for treating the disorder.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Announces Effort to Promote Stroke Awareness in the Hispanic Community
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
announced the launch of a new community education program, which broadens the Institute’s national stroke education campaign
"Know Stroke. Know the Signs. Act in Time." to promote stroke awareness among Hispanics in the United States.
Blood Pressure Drug May Slow Parkinson's DiseaseFriday, Aug 3, 2007
For decades, scientists have tried to learn what causes the death of a select group of nerve cells in the brains of people
with Parkinson's disease (PD). New research identifies an unusual mode of activity in these cells that makes them exceptionally
vulnerable to toxins and stress and shows that a common drug can protect these neurons in animal models of PD. This work
suggests a possible new way to slow or prevent the disease.
Support Cells Trigger Neuron Death in ALSThursday, Aug 2, 2007
Star-shaped support cells in the brain secrete a toxin that kills motor neurons in a model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), two new studies show. The studies may lead to new ways of diagnosing and treating the disorder.
Lithium May Offer Relief from Rare but Devastating Neurological DisordersThursday, Aug 2, 2007
Lithium carbonate, a compound commonly used to treat depression, might also provide symptomatic relief for a group of inherited
movement disorders that includes the fatal disease spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1).
After a Decades-Long Search, Scientists Identify New Genetic Risk Factors for Multiple SclerosisSunday, Jul 29, 2007
A pair of large-scale genetic studies supported by the National Institutes of Health has revealed two genes that influence
the risk of getting multiple sclerosis (MS) – data sought since the discovery of the only other known MS susceptibility gene
decades ago. The findings could shed new light on what causes MS – a puzzling mix of genes, environment and immunity – and
on potential treatments for at least 350,000 Americans who have the disease.
A Basic Recipe for PrionsMonday, Jul 2, 2007
Prions have been among the most controversial of infectious disease agents. These misshapen proteins have no DNA or RNA, so
many researchers have been skeptical of the idea that they alone can be responsible for disease. Now, infectious prions have
successfully been created in the laboratory for the first time, providing insight into how these deadly proteins form.
Scientists Identify a Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell More Like Our OwnThursday, Jun 28, 2007
Scientists have discovered a new type of mouse embryonic stem cell that is the closest counterpart yet to human embryonic
stem (ES) cells, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today. The cells are expected to serve as an improved
model for human ES cells in studies of regeneration, disease pathology and basic stem cell biology.
Therapeutics for Huntington's and Related Diseases Could Pack a One-Two PunchTuesday, Jun 5, 2007
Added to its devastating neurological symptoms, Huntington's disease (HD) carries with it a lesser-known horror. The genetic
mutation that causes the disease can grow larger, causing its symptoms – involuntary movements, dementia, and dramatic personality
changes – to grow worse across generations and even during a single lifetime. New research sheds light on how the mutation
grows and offers hope for locking it down.
NIH Study Tracks Brain Development in Some 500 Children across U.S.Friday, May 18, 2007
Children appear to approach adult levels of performance on many basic cognitive and motor skills by age 11 or 12, according
to a new study coordinated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Blood-Clotting Protein Could be a Target for Therapy against MSMonday, May 14, 2007
In multiple sclerosis (MS), the immune cells that patrol our blood for pathogens venture out of the bloodstream and attack
the brain. Researchers have found that leakage of a blood-clotting protein into the brain, once considered merely a sign
of damage in the MS brain, helps stimulate this attack.
Morality and the Brain: Is Choosing the Greater Good Rational or Just Cold?Thursday, May 10, 2007
You are adrift at sea in a lifeboat weighed down with too many people, including a wounded man who is near death. Do you
throw him overboard? Throughout history, philosophers have debated these kinds of moral dilemmas. Now, neuroscientists are
joining the discussion, but instead of asking how we should make moral choices, they're asking how our brains actually make
such choices.
Immune Cells Protect Against Alzheimer’s DiseaseWednesday, May 9, 2007
Immune cells in the brain help slow the accumulation of beta-amyloid that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a new
study shows. The researchers also found that a specific immune system protein strongly affects mortality in a mouse model
of AD.
Disease May Push Nerve Cells to Their Breaking Point, LiterallyTuesday, May 8, 2007
In some neurological diseases, neurons might die in a surprising, yet relatively simple way: by breaking under mechanical
strain.
'Gateway' Gene Allows Brain Stem Cells to Grow into TumorsFriday, Apr 6, 2007
According to a new study, a gene that supports normal brain development also supports the growth of a brain tumor called glioblastoma.
Inner Workings of the Magnanimous MindWednesday, Apr 4, 2007
It’s an enduring mystery that taunts neuroscientists and evolutionary biologists. If the human brain evolved to maximize
its owner’s survival, why are we motivated to help others, even when it incurs some personal cost?
Large-Scale Gene Study Identifies Clues about Sporadic ALSTuesday, Apr 3, 2007
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have completed the first large-scale study of the role of common genetic
variation in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which occurs in people without any family history of the disease.
The results provide interesting hints about the causes of the disorder and can serve as a starting point for future studies.
‘Gene Chip’ Study Could Lead to Blood Test for Parkinson’s Monday, Apr 2, 2007
A new study has revealed 30 genes whose activity levels are altered in the blood of people with Parkinson’s disease (PD),
paving the way for a blood test and a better understanding of what causes the disease.
NIH Announces Phase III Clinical Trial of Creatine for Parkinson's DiseaseThursday, Mar 22, 2007
The NIH National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is launching a large-scale clinical trial to learn
if the nutritional supplement creatine can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). While creatine is not an approved
therapy for PD or any other condition, it is widely thought to improve exercise performance. The potential benefit of creatine
for PD was identified by Parkinson’s researchers through a new rapid method for screening potential compounds.
Better Prediction Could Mean Better Control over Epileptic SeizuresTuesday, Mar 13, 2007
Despite conventional wisdom that epileptic seizures are random and unforeseeable, a new study shows that people can sometimes
anticipate them, hinting at the possibility of treatments that could quell an oncoming seizure.
Sure You're Awake? Spit into this CupFriday, Mar 9, 2007
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences identifies a chemical in saliva whose levels go up
when people are sleep-deprived and down when they are rested.
Trigger for Adult Brain Disease May Be Set During Brain DevelopmentMonday, Mar 5, 2007
A new study suggests that spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) – a genetic brain disease that manifests during adulthood –
begins with subtle problems in brain development that occur during infancy.
Stem Cells Make Neurons, and Tumors, in Rat Model of Parkinson's DiseaseThursday, Mar 1, 2007
In a new study that illustrates the promise and perils of stem cell therapy, scientists found that implanting human embryonic
stem cells led to dramatic functional improvement – but also to brain tumors – in a rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Brain Implant Teaches Neurons New TricksMonday, Feb 26, 2007
Using an electronic implant, researchers have altered the connections between cells in the motor control region of the monkey
brain, subtly altering the cells’ influence over movement. Similar devices might one day be used to “rewire” damaged parts
of the human brain and restore movement to people paralyzed by traumatic injury or neurological disease.
New Targets Found for Drug Development in Neuropathic PainThursday, Feb 22, 2007
New studies reveal that two proteins in the body play a role in neuropathic pain – pain and sensitivity from a nerve injury
that persist long after the nerve has healed. By zeroing in on these proteins, scientists hope to develop better drugs for
the condition.
Treatment Extends Survival in Mouse Model of Spinal Muscular AtrophyThursday, Feb 22, 2007
Drug therapy can extend survival and improve movement in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), new research shows.
The study, carried out at the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), suggests that similar
drugs might one day be useful for treating human SMA.
In Brain, One Gene is Worth a Thousand WordsTuesday, Feb 20, 2007
Using microarray technology, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have shown that people with
one variant of a gene that’s active in the brain have better episodic memory – the ability to remember events and facts –
than do people without that variant. The researchers are using the same technology to identify genetic risk factors associated
with neurological diseases.
Variation in HIV Protein Yields Clues to AIDS-Related DementiaThursday, Feb 8, 2007
In a move that could lead to better treatments for neurological complications of AIDS, researchers have identified a protein
variant in HIV that is associated with brain infection and dementia in people with the disease.
Low Serum Vitamin D Linked to Multiple SclerosisWednesday, Jan 31, 2007
A new study shows that multiple sclerosis (MS) is linked to low levels of vitamin D in the blood, but it’s unclear whether
vitamin D deficiency is a causal factor in the disease or whether vitamin D supplements would protect against it.
Aggressive Brain Cancer Is Tied to Stem Cells ‘Gone Bad’Monday, Jan 29, 2007
The existence of rogue stem cells that refuse to die explains why an aggressive brain tumor known as glioblastoma typically
isn’t extinguished by radiation therapy. A study in the December 7, 2006 issue of Nature* shows that the therapy fails to
kill a small but potent fraction of cancerous cells – about 5 percent of those in the tumor.
NIH Study Finds MRI More Sensitive Than CT in Diagnosing Most Common Form of Acute StrokeFriday, Jan 26, 2007
Results from the most comprehensive study to compare two imaging techniques for the emergency diagnosis of suspected acute
stroke show that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide a more sensitive diagnosis than computed tomography (CT) for
acute ischemic stroke. The difference between MRI and CT was attributable to MRI’s superiority for detection of acute ischemic
stroke—the most common form of stroke, caused by a blood clot. The study was conducted by physicians at the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Findings appear in the January
27, 2007 edition of The Lancet.
NINDS Names Dr. Walter Koroshetz as Deputy DirectorWednesday, Jan 3, 2007
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has
named Walter J. Koroshetz, M.D., as its Deputy Director. Effective January 2, 2007, he will work with the NINDS Director
in program planning and budgeting, as well as oversee Institute scientific and administrative functions.
Developing Tools to Detect Cognitive Impairment from Silent StrokesMonday, Nov 6, 2006
Scientists from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the Canadian Stroke Network recently
wrapped up a workshop – the first of its kind – aimed at harmonizing clinical and research tools for assessing vascular cognitive
impairment (VCI), a common disability linked to stroke.
Gene Variants Linked to Risk of Stroke in Young WomenMonday, Nov 6, 2006
Specific variants of a gene called phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) significantly increase the risk of stroke in women aged 15-49,
a new study shows. The risk is magnified in women who smoke cigarettes. The study is the first to identify a possible interaction
between this gene and an environmental factor in triggering stroke. The results help to show how the gene contributes to
stroke risk and may lead to new ways of preventing stroke.
Enzyme Reverses Memory Loss in Alzheimer’s Mouse ModelMonday, Nov 6, 2006
Increasing the amount of a specific enzyme in the brain partially restores memory in a mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease
(AD), researchers say. The results could eventually lead to new treatments for AD or other neurodegenerative disorders.
In Most Comprehensive Study Yet, Two-Week Regimen Helps Stroke Survivors Regain Arm ControlTuesday, Oct 31, 2006
In the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind to date, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
showed clinical improvements out to one year when stroke survivors who had lost function in one arm were given a unique, two-week
rehabilitation regimen.
Vitamin B3 Points Toward New Strategy For Treating MSFriday, Oct 27, 2006
Researchers have shown that a form of vitamin B3 is beneficial in mice with an MS-like disease. Although standard doses of
the vitamin would not be potent enough for long-term treatment of MS, the findings could be a step toward developing effective
drugs against the disease.
Gene Variation Affects Pain Sensitivity and Risk of Chronic Pain: Finding May Lead to New TreatmentsSunday, Oct 22, 2006
A new NIH-funded study shows that a specific gene variant in humans affects both sensitivity to short-term (acute) pain in
healthy volunteers and the risk of developing chronic pain after one kind of back surgery. Blocking increased activity of
this gene after nerve injury or inflammation in animals prevented development of chronic pain.
Six New Members Named to National Neurology Advisory CouncilThursday, Oct 5, 2006
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has appointed six new members to its major advisory panel,
the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), is the nation’s primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system.
NINDS Director Story Landis, Ph.D., formally introduced the new members, who will serve through July 2010, at the Council’s
September 14, 2006 meeting.
NINDS Names New Scientific Director: Dr. Alan Koretsky to Lead Institute’s Intramural Research ProgramFriday, Sep 29, 2006
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announces
the appointment of Alan P. Koretsky, Ph.D., as Scientific Director. Beginning October 1, 2006, he will direct the NINDS Division
of Intramural Research, which conducts studies on the biomedical processes involved in the more than 600 disorders and conditions
that affect the nervous system.
Researchers Announce Results of Study on Genetic Variation in Parkinson's DiseaseWednesday, Sep 27, 2006
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have completed one of the first large-scale studies of the role of
common genetic variation in Parkinson’s disease (PD). While the results fill in some missing pieces of the genetic puzzle,
they are primarily of benefit as a starting point for more detailed studies. The information generated by the study is now
publicly available in a database that will serve as a valuable research tool for the future.
Researchers Identify Role of Protein Important for Stem Cell Growth; Study Leads to Recovery in Animal Model of StrokeWednesday, Aug 30, 2006
For the first time, researchers have found that a protein signal important in embryonic development promotes survival and
proliferation of stem cells. Stimulating receptors for this protein, called Notch, led to functional recovery in rats with
brain damage from stroke. The results suggest potential new ways of treating stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Organized Protein Network Discovered in the AtaxiasMonday, Aug 14, 2006
Scientists have recently announced discovery of a sophisticated network of interacting proteins that forms the basis for inherited
neurodegenerative diseases such as the ataxias. This network gives scientists new insight into the normal function of disease-related
genes. It also provides possible candidate sites for targeted therapies aimed at the ataxias and other progressive neurological
disorders.
Mutant Mice Exhibit Abnormal Social Interactions and Brain Changes; Possible Animal Model for Autism Spectrum Disorders Monday, Aug 14, 2006
A new study shows that inactivating a gene called Pten in a mouse model produces disturbances in social interaction and brain
organization that closely mirror human autism and related disorders. This is the first time scientists have developed an
animal model with both behavioral and cellular abnormalities similar to autism. These animals could provide important insights
into understanding the brain regions and neurochemical interactions that underlie in this mysterious disease.
Double-Agent MMP-9: Timing is Everything in Stroke TreatmentThursday, Aug 3, 2006
In a surprise twist, researchers have learned that a type of enzyme that contributes to brain damage immediately after a stroke
also plays a role in brain remodeling and movement of neurons days after stroke. Understanding the secondary role for this
enzyme in healing stroke damage may lead to new treatments for stroke and offer a longer window of time for treatment.
New Neurons are Born: Animal Model of Premature Babies Shows Evidence of Neuronal Recovery After Brain InjuryWednesday, Jul 12, 2006
Research funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) shows that mice with a brain
injury similar to that of many premature babies can generate new neurons that help to repair the damage. The study is the
first to show that substantial recovery from neonatal injury can occur in the developing brain. The finding helps to explain
why many children born prematurely with very low birth weight are able to overcome their early difficulties.
Javits Neuroscience Award Presented to Six Leading ScientistsWednesday, Jul 12, 2006
Six outstanding scientists who target neurological disorders at the cellular and molecular level were recently awarded the
prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences. The award provides for up to seven years of research funding
from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the nation’s leading agency for research on the
brain and nervous system and a component of the National Institutes of Health.
Dopamine Drug Leads to New Neurons and Recovery of Function in Rat Model of Parkinson's DiseaseTuesday, Jul 4, 2006
In preliminary results, researchers have shown that a drug which mimics the effects of the nerve-signaling chemical dopamine
causes new neurons to develop in the part of the brain where cells are lost in Parkinson's disease (PD). The drug also led
to long-lasting recovery of function in an animal model of PD. The findings may lead to new ways of treating PD and other
neurodegenerative diseases.
Neurons Grown From Embryonic Stem Cells Restore Function In Paralyzed RatsTuesday, Jun 20, 2006
For the first time, researchers have enticed transplants of embryonic stem cell-derived motor neurons in the spinal cord to
connect with muscles and partially restore function in paralyzed animals. The study suggests that similar techniques may
be useful for treating such disorders as spinal cord injury, transverse myelitis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and
spinal muscular atrophy. The study was funded in part by the NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS).
Drug Prevents Brain Swelling After StrokeWednesday, Jun 14, 2006
A drug long used to treat diabetes significantly reduces brain swelling, neuron loss, and death after stroke in rats, researchers
have found. The finding may lead to improved ways of treating stroke and other disorders in humans.
Study Finds Loss of Small Nerve Fibers in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)Friday, May 19, 2006
A new study shows that a reduction in small-diameter nerve fibers is evident in the devastating chronic pain syndrome known
as complex regional pain syndrome-type I (CRPS-I), which was formerly known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy. This finding
of nerve damage could provide a biomarker, or a specific physical trait, that clinicians could use in the future to help diagnose
and measure the natural history of CRPS.
Study Identifies Protein that Impairs Memory in Model for Alzheimer's DiseaseThursday, May 11, 2006
For the first time, researchers have identified a specific form of amyloid beta protein that causes memory impairment long
before amyloid plaques and neurodegeneration appear in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The finding may lead to
new ways of diagnosing and possibly even preventing the disease.
Economic Benefit of NINDS-Supported Clinical Trials Estimated at More Than $15 Billion Over Ten YearsThursday, Apr 20, 2006
A comprehensive review of all phase III clinical trials supported by one Federal agency finds that, estimated conservatively,
the economic benefit in the United States from just eight of these trials exceeded $15 billion over the course of 10 years.
The study also found that new discoveries from the trials were responsible for an estimated additional 470,000 healthy years
of life. The clinical trials were sponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke (NINDS).
New Orthostatic Hypotension Treatment Reduces Symptoms Without Causing High Blood PressureTuesday, Apr 11, 2006
A drug traditionally used to treat myasthenia gravis shows potential benefit for reducing symptoms of orthostatic hypotension
without raising blood pressure when people lie down, according to results of a double-blind, controlled clinical trial.
Opening the Window of Opportunity: Neuregulin-1 Protects Neurons from Stroke Hours after the EventWednesday, Mar 8, 2006
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in adults in the United States. Currently, the only approved drug treatment for
acute stroke must be given within 3 hours from stroke onset. A recent study shows that a naturally occurring growth factor,
called neuregulin-1, can protect nerve cells and decrease inflammation in an animal model of stroke when administered as long
as 13 hours after the brain attack. This is the first study to show that neuregulin-1 can have a positive effect on the outcome
after stroke in animals and could lead to new drug treatments for people.
Evaluation of Patients Treated With Natalizumab Finds No New Cases of Progressive Multifocal LeukoencephalopathyWednesday, Mar 1, 2006
An independent clinical and laboratory study of more than 3000 people treated with the drug natalizumab (Tysabri®) for multiple
sclerosis (MS), Crohn’s disease, and rheumatoid arthritis has found no evidence of new cases of the often-fatal disorder called
progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The laboratory component of the study was coordinated by the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), working in conjunction with the NIH
Clinical Center.
DCDC2: Demystifying and Decoding DyslexiaTuesday, Feb 28, 2006
A recent study shows that variations in a gene called DCDC2 may disrupt the normal formation of brain circuits that are necessary
for fluent reading, leading to dyslexia. After further research, genetic screening for these variations could identify affected
children early in their lives and possibly prevent the misdiagnosis of other learning disabilities that resemble dyslexia.
Genetics and Epidemiology Point to Future Treatment and Cure for Parkinson’s DiseaseMonday, Feb 27, 2006
Recent advances in scientists’ understanding of the genetics and epidemiology of Parkinson’s may point to ways to prevent
and, eventually, find a cure for the disease, according to scientists presenting at the World Parkinson Congress.
Study Implicates Potassium Channel Mutations in Neurodegeneration and Mental RetardationSunday, Feb 26, 2006
For the first time, researchers have linked mutations in a gene that regulates how potassium enters cells to a neurodegenerative
disease and to another disorder that causes mental retardation and coordination problems. The findings may lead to new ways
of treating a broad range of disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. The study was funded in part by the
National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Preliminary Results Shows Creatine and Minocycline May Warrant Further Study in Parkinson’s DiseaseThursday, Feb 23, 2006
A National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial with 200 Parkinson's disease patients has shown that creatine and
minocycline may warrant further consideration for study in a large trial.
Advancements in Symptomatic and Neuroprotective Treatments Highlighted at First World Parkinson CongressThursday, Feb 23, 2006
At today’s World Parkinson Congress, the first international gathering of Parkinson’s researchers, health professionals, patients,
and caregivers, some of the world’s leading neuroscientists from the United States, Canada, and Sweden presented on innovative
therapies that show promise in controlling the symptoms of Parkinson’s, restoring lost function, and even altering the progression
of the disease.
Living with Parkinson’s: A Jekyll and Hyde ExistenceThursday, Feb 23, 2006
"I live a strange double life," said 37-year-old Tom Isaacs, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) ten years ago
and is a co-founder of the Cure Parkinson's Trust in the United Kingdom. "I am both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
Expectations of Pain: I Think, Therefore I AmWednesday, Feb 15, 2006
While the theory that “mind over matter” exists is an ancient belief, the scientific studies to support this idea have remained
elusive. A new study provides brain imaging evidence that positive thinking interacts with and shapes the sensory experience
of pain. This study suggests that decreasing the expectation of pain can reduce both the pain-related brain activity and
perception of pain intensity. This knowledge may lead to new and effective ways to manage chronic pain.
Study Finds Biochemical Defect in Juvenile Batten DiseaseWednesday, Jan 25, 2006
For the first time, scientists studying a fatal childhood neurodegenerative disorder, juvenile Batten disease, have identified
a defect in transport of the amino acid arginine in cells from affected children. The finding helps researchers understand
how the disease develops and may lead to new ways of treating it.
Study Links Alzheimer's Disease to Abnormal Cell DivisionTuesday, Jan 17, 2006
A new study in mice suggests that Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be triggered when adult neurons try to divide. The finding
helps researchers understand what goes wrong in the disease and may lead to new ways of treating it.
EvoPrinter: New Tool for Finding Evolutionary Conserved DNA SequencesThursday, Dec 15, 2005
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have developed a computer search tool that
rapidly compares DNA sequences among animal species to identify those sequences that have not changed during evolution. Studies
shows that these identified DNA fragments are often essential to gene function.
Scientists Discover First Gene for Tourette SyndromeThursday, Dec 15, 2005
A team of scientists has discovered the first gene mutation that may cause some cases of Tourette syndrome (TS), an inherited
neuropsychiatric disorder known for involuntary muscle and vocal tics.
Epilepsy Can Be Triggered by Support Cells in the BrainThursday, Dec 15, 2005
For decades, researchers have tried to understand what triggers clusters of neurons to begin signaling excessively in epilepsy.
A new study shows that, in many cases, the answer resides in star-shaped support cells called astrocytes. The finding may
lead to new ways of treating epilepsy.
Study Links Progressive Aphasia Syndrome to Prion GeneMonday, Nov 28, 2005
Most people with a rare type of dementia called primary progressive aphasia (PPA) have a specific combination of prion gene
variants, a new study shows. The study is the first to link the prion protein gene to this disorder. The researchers also
looked at the prion protein gene in people with Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's
disease) and did not find any association with specific gene variants in those disorders.
Genetic Analysis of Glioblastoma Brain Tumors Can Aid in Treatment Decisions, Study ShowsWednesday, Nov 9, 2005
Screening glioblastoma brain tumors for two gene variations can reliably predict which tumors will respond to a specific class
of drugs, a new study shows. The findings may lead to improved treatment for this devastating disease.
Chemical Messenger Inactivates Cellular "Police" in Multiple SclerosisFriday, Oct 28, 2005
One of the fundamental mysteries of autoimmune diseases is how normally protective immune responses go bad. A new study sheds
some light on this issue by showing that a chemical messenger called interleukin 12, or IL-12, allows some white blood cells
to proliferate and damage healthy tissues. This finding may lead to new drug treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) and other
autoimmune diseases.
Study Identifies New Mode of Action for Ataxia GeneWednesday, Oct 19, 2005
For the first time, researchers have identified how the gene for a hereditary neurodegenerative disease called spinocerebellar
ataxia type 1 (SCA1) disables an important group of neurons in the brain. The findings improve understanding of how SCA1
and related diseases develop and may lead to new ways of treating them.
Toxic Interactions from Neighboring Cells May Be Necessary for Huntington’s diseaseTuesday, Sep 27, 2005
A new study suggests that interactions between different cells are critical for the development of Huntington’s disease (HD)
and perhaps other neurodegenerative diseases. This study provides the first genetic evidence that cell-cell interactions
may be a necessary step in the onset of HD symptoms in a mouse model. This knowledge may lead to new therapeutic strategies
to treat HD.
Drug Screening Study Suggests New Treatments for Alzheimer'sMonday, Sep 26, 2005
While several treatments are currently available for Alzheimer's disease (AD), none of them can slow or halt the course of
this devastating disorder. In a new study, researchers have now identified three compounds that inhibit an enzyme believed
to be involved in the process that leads to AD. This discovery may lead to new treatments that can stop the disease process
in its tracks.
New Members Appointed to National Neurology Advisory CouncilWednesday, Sep 14, 2005
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt announces three new appointments and one reappointment
to the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council, the major advisory panel of the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The NINDS, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the nation’s
primary supporter of basic, translational, and clinical research on the brain and nervous system. NINDS Director Story Landis,
Ph.D., will introduce the new members, who will serve through July 2009, at the Council’s September 15, 2005 meeting.
NINDS Javits Award Goes to Six Inventive NeuroscientistsWednesday, Sep 7, 2005
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, has named
six scientists to receive its prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences. The award is given to individual
investigators who have demonstrated exceptional scientific excellence and productivity in research supported by the NINDS
and who are expected to conduct innovative research over the next 7 years.
NINDS Launches Stroke Awareness Video for HispanicsTuesday, Aug 30, 2005
Each year, more than 700,000 Americans have a stroke. Stroke is the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of
long-term disability in the U.S. The disease also disproportionately affects Hispanics. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, Hispanics 35-64 years old are 1.3 times more likely to have a stroke than whites in the same age group.
Today, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) released a Spanish video designed to educate Hispanic
communities nationwide about stroke prevention and treatment.
Stroke Information for Seniors Added to the NIHSeniorHealth Web SiteTuesday, Aug 23, 2005
To help older adults learn more about the signs and symptoms of stroke and the need to act quickly, the National Institutes
of Health is adding four new topics on stroke to its NIHSeniorHealth web site: Act Quickly, Warnings Signs and Risk Factors,
What Happens during a Stroke, and Treatments and Research. The site features easy-to-read stroke information, developed by
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and may be found at www.nihseniorhealth.gov.
Combination Therapy Leads to Partial Recovery from Spinal Cord Injury in RatsTuesday, Jul 26, 2005
Combining partially differentiated stem cells with gene therapy can promote the growth of new "insulation" around nerve fibers
in the damaged spinal cords of rats, a new study shows. The treatment, which mimics the activity of two nerve growth factors,
also improves the animals' motor function and electrical conduction from the brain to the leg muscles. The finding may eventually
lead to new ways of treating spinal cord injury in humans.
Gene Therapy Relieves Neuropathic Pain in RatsTuesday, Jun 28, 2005
Using a weakened herpes virus to deliver a neurotransmitter-related gene to sensory neurons alleviates pain for up to 6 weeks
in rats with chronic pain caused by nerve damage, a new study shows. The findings may lead to the first effective treatment
for people affected by this type of "neuropathic" pain.
Silencing Gene Activity Prevents Disease in Model for Huntington'sTuesday, Jun 7, 2005
Silencing the activity of a mutant gene prevents disease symptoms in a mouse model for Huntington's disease (HD), a new study
shows. The study is the first to directly target the underlying problem that causes HD, and it may lead to a new way of treating
this disorder.
TorsinA Protein Protects Against Neuron Loss in Model for Parkinson's DiseaseWednesday, Jun 1, 2005
A protein found naturally in the brain may protect against Parkinson's disease (PD), a new study shows. The findings also
may lead to an improved understanding of a disorder called early-onset torsion dystonia.
First Genetic Screen Reveals Possible Gene Loci for Neural Tube DefectsMonday, May 9, 2005
Dozens of investigators studying nearly 300 individuals from 44 families nationwide have narrowed down the hunt for genes
that may cause such birth defects as spina bifida and anencephaly.
Learning New Rules about the "Primitive" BrainWednesday, May 4, 2005
A new study sheds light on how people quickly learn associations such as “stop at red” or “go at green”. This study challenges
the current view of how specific brain areas help us learn rules and behave accordingly. The findings help to reveal how
the brain organizes and orders its functions and processes, systems that may be disrupted in disorders such as schizophrenia
and autism.
NINDS Announces New Javits Neuroscience Investigator AwardeesWednesday, May 4, 2005
Four prominent investigators were recently awarded the prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences, which
provides for up to seven years of research funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
New Gene Therapy Vector May Lead to Treatment for Muscular DystrophyMonday, Apr 18, 2005
One of the biggest challenges in developing useful gene therapy is finding a way to get the beneficial gene into enough cells
of the body to effectively treat the disease. Now, researchers have shown in rodents that a virus called adeno-associated
virus 8 (AAV8) can effectively deliver a gene to all the skeletal muscles of the body. If it works the same way in humans,
this virus-based approach may allow the first effective gene therapy for muscular dystrophy (MD) and similar diseases.
Aspirin is Safer than Warfarin and Just as Effective for Treating Blocked Arteries in the BrainWednesday, Mar 30, 2005
To reduce the risk of stroke, partial blockage of arteries in the brain (intracranial stenosis) has for decades been treated
with drugs such as aspirin and warfarin that reduce blood clotting. However, doctors have never had good evidence for choosing
one therapy over the other. Now, results of a double-blind, randomized clinical trial show for the first time that aspirin
works as well as warfarin with fewer side effects.
Statins Prevent a "Sticky" Situation in the Formation of PlaquesWednesday, Mar 9, 2005
Studies have suggested that statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, may also lower the risk for Alzheimer’s disease
(AD). A new study now suggests that some of the beneficial effects of the drug may be derived from a cholesterol-independent
activity. This research, performed in mouse cells carrying an AD-causing gene mutation, may help scientists understand the
clinical benefits of statins in AD.
TROY: A Newly Identified Stop Signal in the Pathway for Nerve RegenerationWednesday, Mar 9, 2005
One of the major puzzles in neuroscience is how to get nerves in the brain and spinal cord to regrow after injury. A new
study has identified a protein, TROY, that inhibits nerve cell repair and plays a role in preventing nerve regeneration.
This finding is an important step in developing new methods for treatment of spinal cord injury, stroke, and degenerative
nerve disorders such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
Pain Reliever May Provide Clues for Treating Spinal Muscular AtrophyThursday, Mar 3, 2005
New research suggests that an off-the-market pain reliever called indoprofen may be a starting point for finding a new drug
to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a devastating childhood neurological disorder.
Test Could Improve Detection of Prion Disease in HumansMonday, Feb 14, 2005
A highly sensitive post-mortem test could help scientists more accurately determine if a person died of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease (CJD), a human neurological disorder caused by the same class of infectious proteins that trigger mad cow disease,
according to a new study supported in part by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The finding opens the possibility that
such testing might be refined in the future so it can be used to detect prion disease in living people and animals before
the onset of symptoms.
What's Old is New Again - Antibiotic Protects Nerves By Removing Excess GlutamateMonday, Feb 7, 2005
A new study shows that a common antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections increases survival rates and delays nerve damage
in a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The antibiotic works by activating or "turning on" the gene encoding
the glutamate transporter in neurons. This finding may lead to new drug treatments for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers Identify Joubert Syndrome GenesMonday, Feb 7, 2005
Researchers have identified the genes for two different forms of Joubert syndrome, a rare developmental disorder that causes
coordination and movement problems and mental retardation in children. The findings allow genetic testing for some forms
of the disorder and provide valuable insights about how the human brain develops.
Serotonin Receptor Lets JC Virus Enter Brain CellsFriday, Jan 14, 2005
Researchers funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified the cellular
receptor for the JC virus, which causes the fatal neurological disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML).
Generic medicines currently available may be useful in preventing the infection.
Anti-Cholesterol Drug May Block Amyloid Pathology in Alzheimer’s DiseaseFriday, Jan 14, 2005
A drug designed to inhibit cholesterol production may also block the production of amyloid, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease
(AD). In a mouse model of the disease, the drug reduced amyloid buildup by up to 99 percent and worked for up to 2 months
without any evidence of toxicity.
Maestro Leon Fleisher Uses “Two Hands” to Thank NIH Wednesday, Dec 8, 2004
“There is always hope,” said internationally renowned classical pianist Maestro Leon Fleisher during a recent visit to the
National Institutes of Health (NIH) to give thanks—in performance—for the innovative treatment he received at NIH and to the
NINDS physicians and scientists who helped to reverse his condition. Fleisher performed selections from his critically acclaimed
new CD, titled "Two Hands."
Ultrasound-aided Therapy Better Than Stroke Drug Alone, Trial FindsWednesday, Nov 17, 2004
Using ultrasound in combination with the drug t-PA can improve response to an ischemic stroke, according to a study involving
126 patients. This first-of-its-kind human trial compared the safety and efficacy of ultrasound and t-PA versus use of t-PA
alone. The trial was funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of
the National Institutes of Health. The finding appears in the November 18, 2004, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Internationally Acclaimed Pianist Gives Thanks to the National Institutes of Health for Innovative Treatment That Enabled
His ComebackFriday, Nov 12, 2004
Maestro Leon Fleisher, one of the world's most renowned classical pianists and three-time Grammy-nominee, will perform selections
from his critically acclaimed new CD "Two Hands" at a pre-Thanksgiving event at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). More
than 40 years ago, at the height of his career, Mr. Fleisher lost the use of his right hand to dystonia, the third most common
neurological movement disorder after Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. He could no longer play the piano with both
hands and the frequently misdiagnosed disorder severely impeded his performance of everyday tasks. About 10 years ago, physicians
at the NIH were able to diagnose the problem as a focal dystonia and start him on a therapy which helped to reverse the condition.
Javits Neuroscience Investigator Award Recognizes Eight Exemplary ScientistsWednesday, Nov 10, 2004
Eight noted investigators have been awarded the prestigious Senator Jacob Javits Award in the Neurosciences, which provides
for up to seven years of research funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The award,
which honors the late U.S. Senator Jacob Javits, is presented to investigators who have demonstrated exceptional scientific
excellence and productivity in research areas supported by the NINDS and who are expected to conduct cutting-edge research
over the next seven years.
NIH Neuroscience Blueprint to Shape Intra-Agency Research CooperationSunday, Oct 24, 2004
National Institutes of Health Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., today announced a new intra-agency partnership to accelerate
neuroscience research. Dubbed the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, the agreement reinforces ongoing NIH efforts to
increase collaborative research and information-sharing among 14 NIH Institutes and Centers that conduct or support research
on the brain and nervous system.
Study Using Robotic Microscope Shows How Mutant Huntington's Disease Protein Affects NeuronsWednesday, Oct 13, 2004
Using a specially designed robotic microscope to study cultured cells, researchers have found evidence that abnormal protein
clumps called inclusion bodies in neurons from people with Huntington's disease (HD) prevent cell death. The finding helps
to resolve a longstanding debate about the role of these inclusion bodies in HD and other disorders and may help investigators
find effective treatments for these diseases.
Fact Sheet
Brain Imaging May Identify High Risk Stroke PatientsFact Sheet
Thursday, Oct 7, 2004
By using sophisticated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology, researchers have been able to study early changes in the
blood-brain barrier (BBB), a semi-permeable membrane that surrounds and protects the brain, to predict a stroke patient's
outcome. This study showed that the patients who had disruption in the BBB were more likely to experience bleeding in the
brain and have a poor clinical outcome. The researchers say this technique could help identify patients who are most likely
to do the best with thrombolytic therapy, and to help clinicians offer additional therapies to those who might suffer complications.
Fact Sheet
Reorganization of the Brain Allows Blind Individuals to Process Speech More EffectivelyFact Sheet
Monday, Oct 4, 2004
The portion of the brain devoted to vision may play a prominent role in processing the spoken word in blind people. Research
conducted by the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) shows that the "sight" region of the
brain is essentially reorganized in blind individuals to help them process spoken words more effectively. The findings yield
important information about the brain's ability to compensate for lost function.
Gene Silencing Prevents Brain Disease in MiceThursday, Sep 23, 2004
Scientists studying a mouse model of spinocerebellar ataxia 1 (SCA1) have found an effective way to "silence" the mutant gene
allele or variant that causes the disorder while leaving the normal gene allele unaffected.
Fact Sheet
Study in Dogs Shows that Histamine is Key to WakefulnessFact Sheet
Thursday, Sep 23, 2004
Scientists studying an animal model of narcolepsy have found that histamine-activated brain cells are key to wakefulness.
The findings help to show why antihistamines, commonly used to treat colds and allergies, cause drowsiness and impair alertness.
Fact Sheet
Gene for Rapid-Onset Dystonia Parkinsonism FoundFact Sheet
Thursday, Sep 23, 2004
Investigators funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified the gene
responsible for a rare form of dystonia known as rapid-onset dystonia parkinsonism (RDP).
Fact Sheet
Electrical Activity Alters Neurotransmitter Production in Frogs During DevelopmentFact Sheet
Tuesday, Aug 10, 2004
Scientists studying how the nervous system develops in frogs have found that altering the pattern of electrical signaling
in individual neurons changes the kinds of neurotransmitters they produce. While preliminary, the finding may lead to a new
understanding of how epilepsy and other neurological disorders develop and may even point to new ways of preventing or treating
these disorders.
Vaccine Reduces Parkinson's Disease Neurodegeneration in MiceWednesday, Jul 28, 2004
For the first time, researchers have shown that an experimental vaccine can reduce the amount of neurodegeneration in a mouse
model for Parkinson's disease. The finding suggests that a similar therapy might eventually be able to slow the devastating
course of Parkinson's disease in humans.
Fact Sheet
Study in Mice Links Growth Factor to Hereditary Motor Neuron DiseaseFact Sheet
Wednesday, Jul 7, 2004
Production of a growth factor in the spinal cord drops just before the onset of symptoms in an animal model of a rare, hereditary
motor neuron disease, scientists have found. The findings point to a potential new way of treating this disease, and possibly
other neurodegenerative disorders as well.
Fact Sheet
Senataxin Gene Linked to Juvenile-Onset ALSFact Sheet
Wednesday, Jun 23, 2004
Researchers funded in part by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified the gene
that causes a rare juvenile-onset form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The discovery of the Senataxin gene, on chromosome
9q34, may provide clues to the mechanisms of related brain disorders.
Fact Sheet
Small Trial Shows Daclizumab Add-On Therapy Improves Multiple Sclerosis OutcomeFact Sheet
Monday, May 24, 2004
A small clinical trial of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who did not respond to interferon alone found that adding
the human antibody daclizumab improved patient outcome. Patients who received the combined therapy had a 78 percent reduction
in new brain lesions and a 70 percent reduction in total lesions, along with other significant clinical improvements.
Fact Sheet
Combination Therapy Dramatically Improves Function After Spinal Cord Injury in RatsFact Sheet
Sunday, May 23, 2004
A combination therapy using transplanted cells plus two experimental drugs significantly improves function in paralyzed rats,
a new study shows. The results suggest that a similar therapy may be useful in humans with spinal cord injury.
Fact Sheet
Study in Flies Allows Researchers to Visualize Formation of a MemoryFact Sheet
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
For the first time, researchers have used a technique called optical imaging to visualize changes in nerve connections when
flies learn. These changes may be the beginning of a complex chain of events that leads to formation of lasting memories.
Early Treatment Confirmed as Key to Stroke RecoveryThursday, Mar 4, 2004
A study in the March 6, 2004, issue of The Lancet confirms the benefits of getting stroke patients to the hospital quickly
for rapid thrombolytic treatment. The study provides the results of an extensive analysis of more than 2,700 stroke patients
in six controlled clinical trials who were randomized for treatment with thrombolytic t-PA or a placebo.
Fact Sheet
Valproic Acid Shows Promise for Treating Spinal Muscular AtrophyFact Sheet
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004
One of the first studies of valproic acid as a potential therapy for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) shows that, in cultured
cells, the drug increases production of a protein that is reduced or missing in people with the disorder. While preliminary,
the study suggests that valproic acid or related drugs may be able to halt or even reverse the course of this devastating
childhood disease.
Fact Sheet
Preconditioning the brain may protect against strokeFact Sheet
Tuesday, Jan 13, 2004
A December 2003 news article on genetic changes to protect the brain against a second larger stroke, prepared by the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Fact Sheet
Yeast Model Yields Insight into Parkinson's DiseaseFact Sheet
Thursday, Dec 4, 2003
Scientists who developed the first yeast model of Parkinson's disease (PD) have been able to describe the mechanisms of an
important gene's role in the disease. Tiago Fleming Outeiro, Ph.D., and Susan Lindquist, Ph.D., of the Whitehead Institute
for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, studied the gene's actions under normal conditions and under abnormal
conditions to learn how and when the gene's product, alpha-synuclein, becomes harmful to surrounding cells. The scientists
created a yeast model that expresses the alpha-synuclein gene, which has been implicated in PD. Yeast models are often used
in the study of genetic diseases because they offer researchers a simple system that allows them to clarify how genes work.
Fact Sheet
Promising Gene Therapy Tool May Suppress Epileptic SeizuresFact Sheet
Friday, Nov 14, 2003
A new gene therapy approach may one day stop seizures in people with common forms of epilepsy, according to a new study.
Researchers found that the new therapy suppressed focal seizures and seizure induced brain damage in rats.
Fact Sheet
Major New Finding on Genetics of Parkinson's Disease Zeroes In on Activity of Alpha SynucleinFact Sheet
Thursday, Oct 30, 2003
Scientists investigating a rare familial form of early-onset Parkinson's disease have discovered that too much of a normal
form of the alpha-synuclein gene may cause Parkinson's disease. The finding, reported in the October 31, 2003, issue of Science,
shows that abnormal multiplication of the alpha-synuclein gene can cause the disease.
Fact Sheet
Study Reveals Patterns of Gene Activity in the Mouse Nervous SystemFact Sheet
Wednesday, Oct 29, 2003
The first published data from a government-funded project provide remarkable new insights into where specific genes are active
in the mouse nervous system during development and adulthood. Information from this project will advance researchers' understanding
of how particular genes function in the brain and spinal cord, leading to insights about how the nervous system works. It
also may lead to new ways of preventing or treating disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, psychiatric disorders,
and drug addiction.
Investigators Explore Selective Silencing of Disease GenesWednesday, Oct 15, 2003
A new strategy to shut down mutant gene expression in the brain may someday be useful to treat a wide range of hereditary
neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s diseases.
Fact Sheet
Study Links Restless Legs Syndrome to Poor Iron Uptake in the BrainFact Sheet
Monday, Aug 11, 2003
Results of the first-ever autopsy study of brains from people with restless legs syndrome (RLS) suggest that the disorder
may result from inefficient processing of iron in certain brain cells. The findings provide a possible explanation for this
disorder and may lead to new ways of treating the disease.
Fact Sheet
Story C. Landis, Ph.D., Named New Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and StrokeFact Sheet
Wednesday, Aug 6, 2003
Elias Zerhouni, M.D., director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the appointment of Story C. Landis,
Ph.D., as director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Dr. Landis, who is currently the
Scientific Director of the NINDS intramural program, will begin her appointment on September 1, 2003.
Study Provides New Information About Unruptured Brain AneurysmsMonday, Jul 14, 2003
Results of the largest-ever international study of unruptured brain aneurysms provide a more comprehensive look at these vascular
defects and offer guidance to patients and physicians facing the difficult decision about whether or not to treat an aneurysm
surgically. The findings also suggest that the risk of rupture for most unrepaired small aneurysms (less than 7 millimeters
in size) is small.
Fact Sheet
Molecular Fingerprint Predicts HIV-Associated DementiaFact Sheet
Monday, Jun 23, 2003
A new study using a cutting edge research technique called "proteomics protein fingerprinting" shows that HIV patients with
dementia have distinct protein patterns in their blood, setting them apart from patients with no symptoms of dementia. The
study suggests a possible way to screen HIV patients for the first signs of cognitive impairment.
Fact Sheet
Aspirin as Effective as Ticlopidine in African American Antiplatelet Stroke Prevention StudyFact Sheet
Tuesday, Jun 10, 2003
Results from the African American Antiplatelet Stroke Prevention Study (AAASPS), a large multicenter trial of 1,809 African
American stroke patients from over 60 sites in the United States, show that aspirin is as effective as ticlopidine for prevention
of a second stroke in this population. Originally scheduled to run until October 2003, the AAASPS was stopped in July 2002,
after analyses suggested that there was less than a 1% chance that ticlopidine would be shown to be superior to aspirin if
the study were carried to completion.
Fact Sheet
Faulty Muscle Repair Implicated in Muscular DystrophiesFact Sheet
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Researchers have revealed what may be a totally new cause for muscular dystrophy (MD). A recent study shows that a protein
defective in two types of late-onset MD plays a critical role in the normal repair of muscles.
Fact Sheet
Misbehaving Molecules: 3-Dimensional Pictures of ALS Mutant Proteins Support Two Major Theories About How the Disease is
CausedFact Sheet
Sunday, May 18, 2003
A new study reveals for the first time how gene mutations lead to the inherited form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),
or Lou Gehrig's disease. The study suggests that the two most prominent theories of how familial ALS (FALS) and other related
diseases develop are both right in part.
Fact Sheet
Amid Ongoing Controversy, Researchers Find Opiates Relieve Chronic Pain From Nervous System DamageFact Sheet
Monday, May 12, 2003
A new study shows that opioid drugs taken orally could provide relief for some of the more than 2 million Americans suffering
with chronic pain resulting from damage to the nervous system.
Fact Sheet
Stroke Recovery Rates Slower for African Americans: New Research Examines Reasons for Racial DisparitiesFact Sheet
Thursday, May 8, 2003
African Americans are more likely to suffer strokes and recover from them at a slower rate than whites, and these differences
are not simply the result of greater stroke severity. According to Ronnie D. Horner, Ph.D., program director at the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and leader of a recently published study, research has found that
African Americans who delay their post-stroke rehabilitation recover at a significantly slower rate than whites who experience
the same rehabilitation delay. Recovery rates are even lower among low-income African Americans.
Fact Sheet
Pressure Combined with Heat Reduces Prion Infectivity in Processed MeatsFact Sheet
Monday, May 5, 2003
The combination of high temperature and very high pressure in the preparation of processed meats such as hot dogs and salami
may effectively reduce the presence of infective prions while retaining the taste, texture, and look of these meats, according
to a new study.
Fact Sheet
What's in a Connection? A Look at Protein Patterns Within SynapsesFact Sheet
Monday, May 5, 2003
A new study has begun to unravel the mysteries of protein interactions that govern the strength of nerve cell connections,
or synapses, in the brain. The findings give researchers a better understanding of how synapses function during learning
and memory, and they may lead to new insights about such neurological disorders as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.
Transport Problems Cause Motor Neuron DegenerationThursday, May 1, 2003
A new study shows for the first time in humans that nerve cell transport problems could play a key role in the degeneration
of motor neurons, the nerve cells that control movement. The finding is an important step toward understanding the biology
of motor neuron diseases and could lead to the development of effective treatments.
Fact Sheet
Accurate and Affordable Diagnosis of Duchenne Muscular DystrophyFact Sheet
Friday, Apr 18, 2003
Researchers have developed a simple and affordable blood test that detects the most common form of muscular dystrophy (MD)
in more than 95 percent of cases.
Fact Sheet
New Findings About Parkinson's Disease: Coffee and Hormones Don't MixFact Sheet
Thursday, Apr 17, 2003
Several large studies have shown that caffeine intake is associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease
(PD) in men, but studies in women have been inconclusive. A new study shows that hormone therapy is a possible explanation
for the different effects of caffeine on PD risk in men and women.
Fact Sheet
A New Test for Myotonic Dystrophy: Exposing an Enemy That’s Too Big to SeeFact Sheet
Wednesday, Mar 26, 2003
Researchers have developed a genetic test that detects a common form of muscular dystrophy with 99 percent accuracy. The
accurate diagnosis of myotonic muscular dystrophy type 2 (DM2) allows researchers to fully describe its clinical features
for the first time.
Fact Sheet
Dystonia Protein Linked to Problem Common in Other Neurological DisordersFact Sheet
Monday, Mar 24, 2003
A new study links the protein that is impaired in the movement disorder torsion dystonia to a problem that is common to many
neurological diseases. The finding may point to new treatments for dystonia, Parkinson's disease, and other disorders.
Fact Sheet
Cognitive Abilities Increase Significantly With Time in Most Prematurely Born ChildrenFact Sheet
Tuesday, Feb 11, 2003
Many studies have found that children born prematurely with very low birthweight have an increased risk of neurological problems,
including cognitive handicaps. New research shows that most of these children improve significantly on tests of cognitive
function during early childhood and score within the normal range on tests of verbal comprehension and intelligence by age
8.
Doubling Up: Researchers Combine a Common Dietary Supplement with an Antibiotic to Treat Lou Gehrig's DiseaseFriday, Jan 31, 2003
A new study shows that combining the supplement creatine and the antibiotic minocycline significantly slows disease progression
and prolongs survival in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease.
Fact Sheet
Drug-Resistant Seizures Often Take Years to DevelopFact Sheet
Monday, Jan 27, 2003
While about 80 percent of people with epilepsy gain significant relief from drug therapy, the remaining 20 percent have seizures
that cannot be controlled by medications. Many of these people have a particular type of epilepsy called partial epilepsy.
A new study shows that people with partial epilepsy often have seizures controlled by medications for years before their seizures
become drug-resistant. The study also found that periods when seizures stopped for a year or more are common in these patients.
Fact Sheet
Bone Marrow Generates New Neurons in Human BrainsFact Sheet
Monday, Jan 20, 2003
A new study strongly suggests that some cells from bone marrow can enter the human brain and generate new neurons and other
types of brain cells. If researchers can find a way to control these cells and direct them to damaged areas of the brain,
this finding may lead to new treatments for stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders.
Study Links Chronic Pain to Signals in the BrainTuesday, Jan 7, 2003
For centuries, doctors have tried to find effective ways to treat chronic pain, a devastating neurological disorder that affects
almost 90 million Americans. A new study shows that two proteins in the brain trigger the neuronal changes that amplify and
sustain this type of pain. The finding may lead to new ways of treating chronic pain.
Fact Sheet
Old Drug, New Use: New Research Shows Common Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Reduces Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms in MiceFact Sheet
Monday, Jan 6, 2003
A new study shows that a widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drug dramatically reduces symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS)
in mice. Results of the study suggest that statins, which are commonly used to prevent heart attack and stroke, could be
a possible new treatment for MS and other autoimmune disorders.
Fact Sheet
Tumor-Tracking Missiles: Researchers Develop a Possible New Treatment Strategy for Deadly Brain TumorsFact Sheet
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002
In spite of advances in neurosurgery and radiation techniques, the prognosis for patients with intracranial glioma remains
devastating. Now, researchers have identified a possible new treatment strategy for this common type of malignant brain tumor.
Fact Sheet
Study Identifies Gene That Prevents Nerve Cell DeathFact Sheet
Friday, Oct 25, 2002
Many neurological diseases occur when specific groups of neurons die because of nerve damage, toxins, inflammation, or other
factors. A new study suggests that activity of a single gene can stop neurons from dying regardless of what triggers this
process. The findings could lead to new ways of treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Fact Sheet
Study Suggests Coenzyme Q10 Slows Functional Decline in Parkinson's DiseaseFact Sheet
Monday, Oct 14, 2002
Results of the first placebo-controlled, multicenter clinical trial of the compound coenzyme Q10 suggest that it can slow
disease progression in patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease (PD). While the results must be confirmed in a larger
study, they provide hope that this compound may ultimately provide a new way of treating PD.
Fact Sheet
Researchers Successfully Deliver Drugs to the Primate BrainstemFact Sheet
Thursday, Oct 3, 2002
Current drug treatments of brainstem tumors are largely unsuccessful, because the drugs often fail to bypass the blood vessel
lining protecting the brainstem. Now, an NIH study shows that researchers can effectively deliver drugs to the primate brainstem
and monitor how the drugs spread inside the brain. The study provides hope for improving treatment of brainstem tumors and
other brain diseases.
Fact Sheet
Study Finds Psychiatric Disorders are Common in People with Cerebellar DegenerationFact Sheet
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2002
A new study shows that most patients with movement disorders caused by damage to the cerebellum also have psychiatric symptoms.
The study suggests that patients with cerebellar diseases may benefit from screening and treatment of psychiatric symptoms.
New Device Detects Fetal Brain Response to Light: May Help Prevent Brain DamageThursday, Sep 5, 2002
For years, doctors who work in maternal and fetal medicine have had no way to detect brain activity in unborn children. Now,
for the first time, researchers using a unique scanning device have shown that they can detect fetal brain activity in response
to flashes of light transmitted through the mother's abdomen. With refinement, this technique may help physicians detect
and prevent fetal brain damage resulting from maternal hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions.
Vaccine Prevents Stroke in RatsThursday, Sep 5, 2002
A vaccine that interferes with inflammation inside blood vessels greatly reduces the frequency and severity of strokes in
spontaneously hypertensive, genetically stroke-prone rats, according to a new study from the NIH's National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). If the vaccine works in humans, it could prevent many of the strokes that occur each year.
Fact Sheet
Signaling Molecule Improves Nerve Cell Regeneration in RatsFact Sheet
Thursday, Aug 29, 2002
Scientists have made a key discovery that could lead to a new treatment for spinal cord injuries. Two research teams have
found that a dose of a signaling molecule called cyclic AMP (cAMP) given before an induced injury causes damaged nerve cells
to grow new fibers. This finding takes researchers a step closer to understanding and possibly treating paralysis in humans.
Fact Sheet
Another Reason to Avoid a Sugar High: Study Links High Blood Sugar to Mortality After StrokeFact Sheet
Friday, Aug 23, 2002
Stroke has long been regarded as an untreatable condition with potentially devastating consequences. But in recent years,
new treatments have markedly improved patients' ability to recover from stroke, and researchers now have a new clue about
how to further improve stroke treatment.
Fact Sheet
Rewiring the Brain: A Natural Chemical Improves Motor Skills After StrokeFact Sheet
Monday, Aug 12, 2002
A new study shows that a chemical naturally produced by the body helps improve motor skills after a stroke by stimulating
undamaged nerve fibers to grow new connections in the brain and spinal cord. Researchers say that infusions of this chemical,
called inosine, substantially improves brain function following strokes in rats. The study suggests a new potential for stroke
treatment amid ongoing research efforts.
Fact Sheet
Scientists Identify a New Kind of Genetic Problem in Muscular DystrophyFact Sheet
Thursday, Aug 8, 2002
A newly identified genetic problem underlies a common neuromuscular disorder called facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
(FSHD), scientists say. In a new study, they show that deletion of repetitive DNA sequences in people with this disorder
allows nearby genes to go into overdrive. The finding solves a decade-old riddle about the cause of this disorder and may
ultimately lead to the first effective treatments.
Fact Sheet
Study Finds a Mouse Model for Episodic Neurological DisordersFact Sheet
Monday, Aug 5, 2002
For years, physicians have noticed surprising similarities in the factors that seem to trigger attacks in such episodic neurological
disorders as migraine and dyskinesia. Common triggers include psychological stress, caffeine or alcohol ingestion, fatigue,
hormonal fluctuations and exercise. A new study shows that a mouse model can be used to investigate how these substances
and environmental factors trigger symptomatic attacks. The researchers also identified two drugs that can prevent attacks
of such disorders in mice.
Embryonic Mouse Stem Cells Reduce Symptoms in Model for Parkinson's DiseaseThursday, Jun 20, 2002
Embryonic mouse stem cells transformed into neurons in a lab dish and then transplanted into a rat model for Parkinson's disease
(PD) form functional connections and reduce disease symptoms, a new study shows. The finding suggests that embryonic stem
(ES) cells may ultimately be useful for treating PD and other brain diseases.
Fact Sheet
Study Finds Autoimmune Link In Juvenile Batten DiseaseFact Sheet
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
For years, researchers have tried to determine how the defective gene in juvenile Batten disease leads to the seizures, mental
impairment, and other symptoms of this devastating childhood disorder. A new study shows that mice lacking the gene that
is altered, or mutated, in this disorder have an immune reaction that disables an important enzyme in the brain. The study
also found signs of this reaction in children with Batten disease. The finding provides a new clue about how Batten disease
may damage the nervous system and could lead to treatments for the disorder.
Fact Sheet
Gene Therapy Repairs Neurological Damage in Animal Model for Rare Metabolic DiseaseFact Sheet
Tuesday, May 14, 2002
Using a disabled virus, researchers have delivered corrective genes directly to the brain cells of mice affected by a rare
lysosomal storage disease that causes mental impairment. The treatment not only halted progression of the disease but also
restored spatial learning and memory in the mice. The study is the first to suggest that cognitive problems associated with
a neurodegenerative disease might be reversed after the disease has begun.
Fact Sheet
Minocycline Delays Onset and Slows Progression of ALS in MiceFact Sheet
Thursday, May 2, 2002
The antibiotic minocycline delays onset and slows progression of symptoms in a mouse model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
(ALS), a new study shows. The study also revealed that the drug may work by blocking release of a molecule that triggers
cell death. The findings may lead to new ways of treating ALS or other neurodegenerative disorders.
Fact Sheet
Study Finds Widespread Sympathetic Nerve Damage in Parkinson's DiseaseFact Sheet
Monday, Apr 22, 2002
Parkinson's disease is known to cause damage to a specific region of the brain. A new study led by NINDS scientist David
S. Goldstein, M.D., Ph.D., shows that the disease also causes widespread damage to the sympathetic nervous system, which controls
blood pressure, pulse rate, and many other automatic responses to stress. The study also shows that this damage is unrelated
to treatment with the most commonly used Parkinson's drug, levodopa, and may lead to new approaches to identifying the cause
of the disease. The study appears in the April 23, 2002, issue of Neurology.
Fact Sheet
Methylphenidate and Clonidine Help Children With ADHD and TicsFact Sheet
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2002
For decades, doctors who have treated children with both attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and tics have been
warned not to prescribe methylphenidate (Ritalin), the most common drug for ADHD, because of a concern that it would make
the tics worse. Now, the first randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of methylphenidate and another drug, clonidine
(Catapres), has found that in fact these drugs do not adversely affect tics. The researchers also found that a combination
of the drugs is more effective than either drug alone.
Fact Sheet
Genetic Analysis of Childhood Brain Tumors Improves Diagnosis And Predicts SurvivalFact Sheet
Friday, Mar 8, 2002
Doctors who treat brain tumors and other kinds of cancer have long struggled to understand why some patients respond well
to therapy while others do not. In recent years, it has become clear that the answer lies at least partially in the genes.
Two studies now show that identifying the "genetic fingerprints" of some childhood brain tumors can greatly improve diagnosis
and predict patients' long-term survival. The findings help researchers understand how the tumors develop and may lead to
improved ways of treating them.
Fact Sheet
Scientists Identify Potential New Treatment for Huntington's DiseaseFact Sheet
Wednesday, Feb 27, 2002
A drug called cystamine alleviates tremors and prolongs life in mice with the gene mutation for Huntington's disease (HD),
a new study shows. The drug appears to work by increasing the activity of proteins that protect nerve cells, or neurons,
from degeneration. The study suggests that a similar treatment may one day be useful in humans with HD and related disorders.
Fact Sheet
Brain Produces New Cells in Multiple SclerosisFact Sheet
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2002
The brain produces new cells to repair the damage from multiple sclerosis (MS) for years after symptoms of the disorder appear,
according to a recent study. However, in most cases the cells are unable to complete the repairs. These findings suggest
that an unknown factor limits the repair process and may lead to new ways of treating this disorder.
Fact Sheet
Gene Linked to Epilepsy With Auditory FeaturesFact Sheet
Thursday, Feb 7, 2002
A new gene involved in a rare form of epilepsy, in which affected individuals may hear sounds that aren't there, has been
identified by researchers supported by the NINDS.
Fact Sheet
Researchers Identify Potential Treatment for Learning Disability in NeurofibromatosisFact Sheet
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2002
Researchers studying learning disabilities associated with neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, have traced the problem to excessive
activity of a crucial signaling molecule and have successfully reversed the disabilities in mice by giving them an experimental
drug. The findings provide hope that these learning problems may one day be treatable in humans.
Fact Sheet
Parkinsonian Symptoms Decrease in Rats Given Stem Cell TransplantsFact Sheet
Wednesday, Jan 9, 2002
A new study shows that mouse embryonic stem cells transplanted into rats with brain damage resembling Parkinson's disease
spontaneously acquire many of the features of dopamine-producing neurons. Animals that received the transplants showed a
gradual reduction in their parkinsonian symptoms, and brain scans revealed evidence that the transplanted cells integrated
with the surrounding area and began to produce dopamine. The findings raise the possibility that embryonic stem cell transplants
may one day be useful in treating Parkinson's disease and other brain disorders.
Fact Sheet
Immunotherapy Treatment Shows Dramatic Results for Rare Neurological DisorderFact Sheet
Wednesday, Dec 26, 2001
An immunologic therapy, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), administered to patients suffering from stiff person syndrome
(SPS), provides dramatic relief from disabling symptoms, according to a study appearing in the December 27, 2001, issue of
The New England Journal of Medicine.* The study's principal author, Marinos C. Dalakas, M.D., chief of the Neuromuscular
Diseases Section of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, says that the success of the treatment supports
the theory that SPS is the result of an autoimmune response gone awry in the brain and spinal cord.
Researchers Find Genetic Links for Late-Onset Parkinson's DiseaseWednesday, Dec 19, 2001
Recent studies provide strong evidence that genetic factors influence susceptibility to the common, late-onset form of Parkinson's
disease (PD). The findings improve scientists' understanding of how PD develops and may lead to new treatments or even ways
of preventing the disease.
Fact Sheet
Delayed Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury May Improve RecoveryFact Sheet
Saturday, Dec 1, 2001
Rats given an experimental therapy several weeks after their spinal cords were severed showed dramatically greater regrowth
of nerve fibers and recovery of function than rats treated immediately after injury, a new study shows. The report suggests
that the window of opportunity for treating spinal cord injury may be wider than previously anticipated.
Fact Sheet
Study Shows That Aspirin and Warfarin Are Equally Effective for Stroke PreventionFact Sheet
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2001
A study appearing in the November 15, 2001, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine shows that aspirin works as well
as warfarin in helping to prevent recurrent strokes in most patients. The Warfarin versus Aspirin Recurrent Stroke Study
(WARSS) was a 7-year double-blind, randomized clinical trial involving 2,206 patients at 48 participating centers—the largest
trial to date comparing aspirin to warfarin for recurrent stroke prevention. The study was sponsored by the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Fact Sheet
Estrogen Doesn't Prevent Second Strokes: Protective Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy ChallengedFact Sheet
Thursday, Oct 25, 2001
Estrogen hormone replacement therapy does not reduce the risk of stroke or death in postmenopausal women who have already
had a stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA), according to a report from the first randomized, controlled clinical trial
of estrogen therapy for secondary prevention of cerebrovascular disease.
Fact Sheet
Safe Effective Treatment to Stop Seizures Can Be Delivered Outside of the HospitalFact Sheet
Wednesday, Aug 29, 2001
A new study shows that paramedics can safely and effectively treat patients who are suffering from acute and prolonged seizures
with injections of benzodiazepines, a mild form of tranquilizers. In 59 percent of patients who received lorazepam, and in
43 percent of patients treated with diazepam, the seizures stopped before they arrived at the emergency department. Conversely,
only 21 percent of patients in the placebo group arrived at the hospital seizure free.
Fact Sheet
Trial Drugs for Huntington's Disease Inconclusive in Slowing DiseaseFact Sheet
Monday, Aug 13, 2001
A large-scale clinical trial that tested the ability of the investigational drugs remacemide and Coenzyme Q10 to slow the
progression of Huntington's disease showed that neither drug resulted in any significant improvement for the patients. Although
after one year of treatment, the disease seemed to progress more slowly in patients treated with Coenzyme Q10, the investigators
say that overall the results are inconclusive as to whether there is real benefit from this drug.
Fact Sheet
Manipulating A Single Gene Dramatically Improves Regeneration in Adult Neurons: Finding May Lead to New Approaches for Treating
Brain and Spinal Cord DamageFact Sheet
Sunday, Jul 1, 2001
Increasing the expression of a single gene that is important during development dramatically improves the ability of adult
neurons to regenerate, a new study shows. The finding suggests that intrinsic properties of neurons play an important role
in controlling neuronal regeneration and may lead to new approaches for treating damage from stroke, spinal cord injury, and
other neurological conditions.
New Tool Allows Early Prediction of Patient's Stroke OutcomeThursday, Jun 28, 2001
Scientists have developed a new tool that may help physicians predict, during the first several hours a stroke patient is
in the hospital, the degree of recovery the patient will eventually experience. The tool uses three factors for the accurate
prediction of stroke outcome: measurement of brain injury using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the patient's score on
the NIH stroke scale; and the time in hours from the onset of symptoms until the MRI brain scan is performed.
Fact Sheet
Enzyme Therapy Shown Effective and Safe for Fabry DiseaseFact Sheet
Tuesday, Jun 5, 2001
Enzyme replacement therapy effectively and safely reduces neuropathic pain in patients with Fabry disease, results of a double-blind
placebo-controlled clinical trial show. The therapy also corrects the underlying metabolic defect in patients' cells and
improves their heart and kidney functions. This is the first published report to show significant clinical benefits from
a controlled study of enzyme replacement therapy for Fabry disease.
Fact Sheet
Increased Awareness of Stroke Symptoms Could Dramatically Reduce Stroke Disability - New NIH Public Education Campaign Says
Bystanders Can Play Key RoleFact Sheet
Tuesday, May 8, 2001
Only a fraction of stroke patients each year are getting to the hospital in time to receive a treatment that makes the difference
between disability and full recovery. Thousands more people could benefit from the treatment—a drug called tissue plasminogen
activator (t-PA)—but do not, often because they do not know the symptoms of stroke or do not get to the hospital within the
drug's 3-hour window of effectiveness. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is launching a
national public education campaign, 'Know Stroke: Know the Signs. Act in Time,' to help people overcome these barriers and
to get medical help in time.
Fact Sheet
Drugs and Stress Management Together Best Manage Chronic Tension Headache: Clinical Trial Proves Benefit of Combined TherapiesFact Sheet
Tuesday, May 1, 2001
Stress management techniques such as relaxation and biofeedback can help treat chronic tension headaches, especially in combination
with medicine, according to research funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Results
of the first placebo-controlled trial comparing medicines alone vs. medicine plus stress management appear in the May 2, 2001,
issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Fact Sheet
Blood Markers Associated with Autism and Mental RetardationFact Sheet
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2001
A new study shows that elevated concentrations of proteins present at birth in the blood may be associated with the development
of autism and mental retardation later in childhood. The identification of a biological marker early in life and before the
onset of symptoms could lead to earlier and more definitive diagnoses, better clinical definitions, and the discovery of interventional
therapies for the disorders.
Fact Sheet
Popular Pain Analgesics Found to Affect Central Nervous System: Study Identifies Both Peripheral and CNS Mechanisms of Action
of NSAID UseFact Sheet
Wednesday, Mar 21, 2001
Widely prescribed pain killers that provide relief with minimal side effects may have more pain-relieving properties than
previously identified. A new study funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) shows that
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, not only relieve pain at the local (peripheral) site of inflammation but
in fact affect the entire central nervous system.
Federal Health Agencies Team Up with the American Heart Association to Advance War on Heart Disease and StrokeThursday, Feb 1, 2001
The Federal government and the American Heart Association—including its division the American Stroke Association—are joining
forces in the fight against heart disease and stroke, America's number one and number three killers, respectively.
Breaking Down Barriers: NIH Celebrates New National Neuroscience Research CenterTuesday, Jan 23, 2001
At a special event held at the National Institutes of Health on January 4, more than 150 principal investigators from nine
institutes--the first gathering of its type--heard NINDS Director Gerald D. Fischbach, M.D., and Steven Hyman, M.D., director
of NIMH, describe their vision of a new intellectual framework for joint efforts in neuroscience research. The new National
Neuroscience Research Center, which will be built on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, will support that vision through
shared, flexible space, easy traffic flow, and ample areas for interaction among scientists and with the public.
Turning Blood into Brain: New Studies Suggest Bone Marrow Stem Cells Can Develop into Neurons in Living AnimalsThursday, Nov 30, 2000
For years, researchers studying stem cells have been intrigued by the possibility that these cells might be used to treat
brain diseases. Recent studies have suggested that neural stem cells transplanted into the brain can migrate throughout the
brain and develop into other types of cells. Now, two new studies show that bone marrow cells transplanted into mice can
migrate into the brain and develop into cells that appear to be neurons. The studies suggest that bone marrow may be a readily
available source of neural cells with potential for treating such neurological disorders as Parkinson's disease and traumatic
brain injury.
NINDS Funds Three New Specialized Neuroscience Research Programs at Minority Academic InstitutionsTuesday, Oct 31, 2000
As part of its initiative to promote and enhance neuroscience research at minority institutions, the National Institute of
Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), in collaboration with the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), has funded
three new Specialized Neuroscience Research Programs (SNRPs). The programs at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Meharry
Medical College and Hunter College seek to encourage neuroscience graduate education among minority students and to stimulate
new research on brain and nervous system disorders affecting minorities.
NINDS Sponsors Stroke Sunday to Call Attention to Stroke Rate in African AmericansTuesday, Oct 31, 2000
NINDS Deputy Director Audrey Penn and researchers from NINDS' Stroke Branch recently joined U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher
at a Rockville, Maryland, Baptist church for Stroke Sunday, a health education and stroke event co-sponsored by the American
Stroke Association (ASA) and the Black Commissioned Officers' Advisory Group of the U.S. Public Health Service (BCOAG). The
event brought attention to the major impact of stroke in the African American community and helped to inform church congregants
about reducing their stroke risks.
Fact Sheet
NIH Grantees Awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for Brain ResearchFact Sheet
Monday, Oct 9, 2000
Long-time National Institutes of Health grantees Dr. Eric R. Kandel and Dr. Paul Greengard were awarded the 2000 Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries in signal transduction in the nervous system. Together their work has improved
treatments for Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and depression and holds promise for the improvement of memory in various
types of dementia.
MS Clinical Trials Confirm Approach, Demonstrate Need to Refine Targeted Peptide TherapySunday, Oct 1, 2000
Two clinical trials of a targeted peptide therapy in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) have been halted
due to adverse effects in some study participants. Despite these adverse effects, the findings confirm that the targeted
peptide plays a role in the disease and provide valuable information that may help refine this type of therapy for MS as well
as other autoimmune diseases.
Fact Sheet
Cellular Membrane Changes Associated With Acclimation to ColdFact Sheet
Wednesday, Sep 20, 2000
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have discovered a cellular mechanism in hibernating ground squirrels
that may protect the nervous system from being damaged during extreme cold and lowered body temperatures, called hypothermia.
This discovery could lead to a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms of hibernation and the cellular effects of
hypothermia in non-hibernating animals.
Parkinson's Disease Is More Than a Brain DisorderMonday, Sep 4, 2000
For many years, researchers have known that the movement problems associated with Parkinson's disease result from a loss of
neurons that produce a nerve-signaling chemical called dopamine in one part of the brain. A new study suggests that Parkinson's
disease (PD) also affects nerve endings that produce a related chemical, norepinephrine, in the heart. The finding improves
understanding about how Parkinson's disease develops and may lead to a way of predicting the disorder and possibly even preventing
it.
Fact Sheet
Scientists Pinpoint Possible Cause for Debilitating Sleep Disorder NarcolepsyFact Sheet
Tuesday, Aug 29, 2000
Scientists believe they may have identified the cause of the debilitating sleep disorder narcolepsy in humans. A new study
shows a dramatic reduction — up to 95 percent — in the number of neurons containing a substance called hypocretins in the
brains of people with narcolepsy compared to control brains. Hypocretin peptides are neurotransmitters that play an important
role in regulating sleep and appetite. The researchers hypothesize that the pronounced loss of these neurons could be caused
either by a neurodegenerative process or an autoimmune response.
Fact Sheet
NINDS Hosts First Parkinson's Disease Implementation Committee Meeting to Establish Priorities for Parkinson's ResearchFact Sheet
Monday, Jul 31, 2000
The first meeting of the NINDS Parkinson's Disease Implementation Committee (PDIC) was held July 31, 2000 at the National
Institutes of Health, Neuroscience Center in Rockville, Maryland. The Committee identified several areas of Parkinson's disease
research that will receive the highest priority in the coming weeks, including clinical trials and gene research.
Establishing Stroke Centers in Hospitals Would Reduce Deaths and Disabilities, Say Stroke Experts. First-Ever Recommendations
Published in June 21 Issue of JAMATuesday, Jun 20, 2000
BETHESDA, MD - A national stroke coalition today announced it is advocating for all hospitals to establish stroke centers
or other programs to reduce deaths and disabilities from stroke. The June 21, 2000, issue of the Journal of the American Medical
Association (JAMA) features the first-ever recommendations for hospital stroke centers, authored by members of the Brain Attack
Coalition, a group of professional, volunteer and government organizations dedicated to improving stroke treatment and prevention.
Fact Sheet
Clinical Expert Dr. Guy McKhann Joins NINDS Research Planning Effort: Will Coordinate InstitutE'Ss Clinical Research ProgramsFact Sheet
Thursday, May 25, 2000
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) director Gerald D. Fischbach, M.D., today announced that Guy
McKhann, M.D., will serve as Associate Director for Clinical Research for the Institute. Dr. McKhann is former chairman of
The Johns Hopkins University Department of Neurology and founding director of the university's Mind/Brain Institute.
NIH Experts Say Few Eligible Stroke Patients Receive Treatments That Save Lives And Reduce DisabilityMonday, May 15, 2000
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a component of the National Institutes of Health, said today
that few eligible stroke patients receive treatments that can significantly reduce disability and save lives.
NINDS Funds Five Specialized Neuroscience Programs at Minority InstitutionsTuesday, Jan 18, 2000
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), in collaboration with the National Center for Research
Resources (NCRR) and the Office for Research on Minority Health (ORMH), recently awarded grants to five minority institutions
under a new funding mechanism called Specialized Neuroscience Research Programs at Minority Institutions (SNRP).
New Target Identified for Chronic Pain TherapyThursday, Nov 18, 1999
Scientists funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) may soon be able to reduce sensitivity
to stimuli that are associated with chronic neuropathic and inflammatory pain by disabling certain nerve cells that send pain
signals to the brain.
NINDS to Support Eight New Parkinson's Disease Research Centers of ExcellenceTuesday, Sep 28, 1999
As part of its efforts to defeat Parkinson's disease, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
today announced plans to award new grants to eight top universities. The new awards will raise to eleven the number of Parkinson's
Disease Research Centers of Excellence the Institute funds and represent a total commitment of $49 million to be spent over
the next 5 years. Added to the $24 million committed to three such centers in September of 1998, this brings total Institute
funding for the Parkinson's Disease Research Centers of Excellence program to $73 million.
Stanford Researchers Nab Gene For Sleep DisorderThursday, Aug 5, 1999
After a decade-long search, a Stanford-led team has identified a gene that causes the sleep disorder narcolepsy -- a breakthrough
that brings a cure for this disabling condition within reach, the scientists say.
Low Doses of Aspirin and Surgery Better for Stroke PreventionThursday, Jun 24, 1999
A new study shows that lower doses of aspirin given at the time of surgery work better than higher doses to prevent strokes.
The Aspirin and Carotid Endarterectomy (ACE) trial, sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
(NINDS), found that patients given 81 or 325 mg of aspirin a day for three days before and 3 months after carotid endarterectomy
(CE) surgery had less risk of stroke, heart attack, or death 30 days and 3 months following the surgery than did patients
given 650 or 1300 mg a day.
Researchers Develop Better Means to Diagnose Adrenal Gland TumorsWednesday, Jun 16, 1999
A newly developed blood test to detect potentially deadly tumors that form in the adrenal glands has been shown to be significantly
more sensitive than traditional diagnostic tests. The new test provides earlier and more accurate diagnoses of these tumors
in patients with an inherited predisposition to develop them, possibly preventing complications or death. The study, led
by researchers at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI),
will appear in the June 17, 1999, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Transplanted Neural Stem Cells Migrate Throughout the Abnormal Brain, Reduce Disease SymptomsMonday, Jun 7, 1999
For years, researchers have probed the mysteries of neural stem cells -- immature cells that can differentiate into all the
cell types that make up the brain -- with the idea that they might be useful for treating brain disorders such as Parkinson's
disease. Important new animal research now suggests that these cells may be effective in treating a much broader array of
brain diseases than previously anticipated, including Alzheimer's disease and many childhood brain disorders.
Multitasking Behaviors Mapped to the Prefrontal CortexWednesday, May 12, 1999
Investigators have mapped a region of the brain responsible for a certain kind of multitasking behavior, the uniquely human
ability to perform several separate tasks consecutively while keeping the goals of each task in mind.
Fetal Cell Therapy Benefits Some Parkinson's Patients: First Controlled Clinical Trial Shows Mixed ResultsWednesday, Apr 21, 1999
Results from the first randomized, controlled clinical trial of fetal dopamine cell implants for Parkinson's disease show
that the surgery helped a small number of Parkinson's patients, but not all who underwent the experimental therapy. These
results raise important questions in the search for improved treatments for Parkinson's disease.
New NINDS Office of Special Programs in NeuroscienceMonday, Apr 5, 1999
In an effort to further recruit and train the next generation of minority neuroscience research professionals, the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) has created the Office of Special Programs in Neuroscience. The new
office is headed by Alfred W. Gordon, Ph.D., an 11-year veteran of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), who has extensive
experience in developing innovative neuroscience research programs at minority institutions.
Genetics Not Significant to Developing Typical Parkinson's DiseaseTuesday, Jan 26, 1999
Genetic factors do not play a significant role in causing the most common form of Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a
study to be published in the January 27, 1999 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. This epidemiological
study, the largest of its kind to investigate the role of genetic or environmental causes of PD, examined 19,842 white male
twins enrolled in a large registry of World War II veteran twins.
Study Provides Guidance for Treating Patients with Brain AneurysmsWednesday, Dec 9, 1998
A new study will help physicians decide how to treat individuals with unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs). The study,
reported in the December 10, 1998, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, found that the size and location of the aneurysm
in the brain, as well as the patient's medical history, are the best predictors of future rupture.
NINDS Awards Almost $24 Million to Support Parkinson's Disease Research Centers of ExcellenceFriday, Dec 4, 1998
Three top university hospitals will receive a total of almost $24 million from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke (NINDS) to advance understanding of Parkinson's disease and related movement disorders. Investigators at Emory
University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine will spend the next five years
unraveling the cause or causes of Parkinson's disease and seeking new ways to diagnose and treat it. They will also provide
state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary training for young scientists preparing for research careers investigating Parkinson's
disease and related neurodegenerative disorders.
Study Ties Cerebral Palsy to Inflammation and Blood-Clotting AbnormalitiesThursday, Oct 1, 1998
Groundbreaking new research provides strong evidence that inflammation and clotting abnormalities may be important causes
of cerebral palsy (CP) in full-term babies, who account for about half of all children with this disorder. The study may lead
to ways of identifying babies at risk for CP and ultimately to new therapies that might prevent brain damage in some children.
Scientists Find New Clues About Fatal Childhood Disease, Ataxia Telangiectasia: Finding May Explain Tumor DevelopmentThursday, Sep 10, 1998
For the first time, scientists have shown conclusively how the protein that is missing or altered in the fatal childhood disease
ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) acts as a key regulator of cell division after DNA damage. The finding helps researchers understand
how cells in A-T patients form tumors and may lead to new understanding of other neurological and immune disorders.
Cultured Neural Stem Cells Reduce Symptoms in Model of Parkinson's DiseaseMonday, Jul 20, 1998
For decades, researchers have imagined treating human diseases by replacing damaged cells with stem cells - embryonic cells
from which all other kinds of cells develop. While the potential benefits are enormous, such strategies have been limited
by an uncertain supply of stem cells. Now, scientists have shown that neural stem cells can be multiplied and raised to maturity
in the laboratory and that these cells can greatly reduce symptoms in an animal model of Parkinson's disease.
Safe and Effective Treatment for Acute Repetitive Seizures Available for At-Home UseWednesday, Jun 24, 1998
A unique gel formulation of diazepam safely reduces the severity of acute repetitive seizure episodes in both children and
adults, according to a study published in the June 25, 1998, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine and funded by the
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Dr. Gerald D. Fischbach Appointed New NINDS DirectorWednesday, Jun 3, 1998
Harold Varmus, M.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the appointment of Gerald D. Fischbach,
M.D., as Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the leading federal agency supporting
research on the brain and nervous system.
New Stroke Treatment Likely to Decrease Health Care Costs and Increase Quality of LifeWednesday, Apr 22, 1998
BETHESDA, MD - Results from a new study show a greater than 90 percent probability that treating acute ischemic stroke patients
with the clot-busting drug t-PA could result in a substantial net cost savings to the health care system.
Widely Used Therapy May Not Be Effective in Treatment of Acute StrokeTuesday, Apr 21, 1998
General use of anticlotting drugs, like low-molecular-weight (LMW) heparinoids, immediately after a stroke has little effect
in producing a good outcome or in preventing a second stroke in most patients, according to the results of a large clinical
trial published in the April 22, 1998, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.
Most People Can't Identify Stroke SymptomsTuesday, Apr 21, 1998
A new study shows that most people can't identify even one symptom of stroke -- the number one cause of disability and the
third leading cause of death in this country. And the people most likely to suffer a stroke -- those over 75 years old --
are the least likely to know the symptoms of stroke and whether they're at risk for having a stroke.
Preventing Stroke: The Choice Between Aspirin and WarfarinTuesday, Apr 21, 1998
A new study outlines the criteria for identifying hundreds of thousands of Americans who have the most or least to gain from
the use of anticoagulants such as warfarin to prevent stroke. The study identifies certain patients with a common type of
irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, and a low-risk for stroke who fare well by taking aspirin instead of warfarin
to prevent stroke.
Peptides Implicated in Body's Response to PainWednesday, Mar 25, 1998
Pain is an extremely disabling condition leading to an annual cost of $65 billion lost in work productivity and 4 billion
work days. It also accounts for 40 million visits per year to physicians for "new" pain and $3 billion in sales each year
of over-the-counter analgesics. Scientists studying animal models with support from the National Institutes of Health have
found that a chemical, called neurokinin A, may be responsible for the body's response to moderate-to-intense pain. This finding,
reported in the March 26, 1998, issue of Nature, may eventually lead to new treatments for pain.
More Strokes May Be Prevented With Surgery, Study ShowsThursday, Feb 5, 1998
Investigators at more than 100 sites throughout the world have confirmed that surgery to remove fatty deposits from the arteries
that carry blood to the brain can significantly cut the risk of stroke in patients with moderate as well as severe blockage.
Fact Sheet
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Enhances Short-Term Brain Plasticity: Finding Suggests Ways to Improve Recovery from Neurological
DisordersFact Sheet
Thursday, Jan 29, 1998
For the first time, scientists studying how the brain reorganizes itself have shown that they can modify this process using
a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). The finding suggests new ways to help people recover normal function
after stroke, amputation, and other injuries.
Targeted Protein Toxin Effective Against Persistent Brain TumorsMonday, Nov 24, 1997
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have developed a new drug that can reduce the size of some persistent brain
tumors without causing severe side effects. A report of the first clinical trial of this drug, called transferrin-CRM107,
will appear in the December 1997 issue of Nature Medicine.
Herpes Virus Strain Identified as a Trigger in Multiple SclerosisMonday, Nov 24, 1997
A strain of reactivated herpes virus may be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder in which the body
attacks its own tissues. This is the first published large-scale study suggesting an association of a human herpes virus
in the disease process of MS.
Gene Locus Found for Essential Tremor DisorderFriday, Nov 7, 1997
Researchers from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have located a gene locus responsible for the
most common human movement disorder, essential tremor (ET). In an article in the November 1997 issue of Movement Disorders,
Joseph J. Higgins, M.D., Lana T. Pho, and Linda E. Nee, M.S.W., report how they traced the gene to the short arm of chromosome
2.
Novel Treatment "Knocks Out" Persistent PainThursday, Oct 9, 1997
Investigators have isolated a tiny population of neurons, located in the spinal cord, that together form a major portion of
the pathway responsible for carrying persistent pain signals to the brain. When given injections of a lethal chemical cocktail,
the cells, whose sole function is communication of this type of pain, are killed off.
Long-Time NIH Grantee Stanley B. Prusiner Wins Nobel PrizeMonday, Oct 6, 1997
Stanley B. Prusiner, M.D., a long-time grantee of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the recipient of the 1997 Nobel
Prize in physiology or medicine for his discovery of an unusual class of infectious particles called prions. Prions are believed
to be responsible for a group of diseases that include "mad cow" disease. Prusiner, who is professor of neurology, virology,
and biochemistry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), has received more than 56 million dollars in research
grant support from NIH during the last three decades.
Gene for Last Major Form of Batten Disease DiscoveredFriday, Sep 19, 1997
Just two years ago, the origins of the fatal childhood neurological disorders called Batten disease were shrouded in mystery,
and there were few prospects for effective treatment. Now, for the first time, researchers can describe the genetic underpinnings
of all major childhood forms of the disease.
Gene Sequenced for Disabling Childhood Movement Disorder: Early-Onset Torsion Dystonia Protein FoundWednesday, Sep 3, 1997
Scientists have sequenced the gene responsible for early-onset torsion dystonia and have found a new class of proteins that
may provide insight into all of the dystonia disorders. The discovery of the gene will make diagnosis of early-onset torsion
dystonia easier and allow scientists to investigate other factors that might contribute to the disease.
Second Gene Responsible for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex Identified; TSC1 Finding on Chromosome 9 Follows 1993 Discovery of
TSC2 GeneThursday, Aug 7, 1997
Scientists have identified the second of two genes that cause tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a relatively common developmental
disorder characterized by a number of abnormalities, including seizures, benign tumors in several organs, and variable emotional
and cognitive disabilities. The discovery, to be reported in the August 8, 1997, issue of Science by David Kwiatkowski, M.D.,
Ph.D., and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), both components of the National Institutes of
Health.
NIH Scientists Identify Gene for Fatal Childhood Disorder, Niemann-Pick Type C: Finding Points to Critical New Steps in Cholesterol
ProcessingThursday, Jul 10, 1997
Bethesda, MD -- After decades of work, scientists at the National Institutes of Health have identified a gene alteration associated
with the fatal childhood cholesterol disorder Niemann-Pick type C (NPC). Learning how the gene functions may lead to the
first effective treatment for the disease and to a fundamental new understanding of how cholesterol is processed in the body.
Study May Reveal Clues To Friedreich's AtaxiaFriday, Jun 13, 1997
For years neurologists witnessed the slow decline of their Friedreich's ataxia patients, helpless to prevent damage to the
spinal cord, heart and pancreas. The cause of the damage always eluded researchers until now. A new study in the June 13,
1997, issue of Science may offer an explanation for this neurodegenerative disease and eventually lead to the development
of treatments.
Prolonged Treatment with Methylprednisolone Improves Recovery in Spinal Cord Injured PatientsTuesday, May 27, 1997
Since 1990, thousands of spinal cord injured patients have received the first effective treatment for acute injury. Now,
a new study shows that giving the drug for a longer period of time can significantly improve recovery over the standard treatment.
Scientists Gain New Understanding of CNS Stem Cells: Findings May Lead to Improved Treatments for Parkinson's Disease, Other
DisordersThursday, Apr 3, 1997
For decades, scientists believed that the adult central nervous system could not repair itself, in part because it lacked
fundamental 'stem cells', mother cells that can divide to form other kinds of cells. A series of findings has now shown that
stem cells are present in the adult brain and spinal cord, and that they can be grown in culture and directed to act in much
the same way as fetal stem cells. These findings provide new hope for people with Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury,
and a host of other disorders.
Topiramate Available For Treatment Of EpilepsyMonday, Dec 30, 1996
A new drug for epilepsy, topiramate, with particular effectiveness for partial seizures, developed in part by scientists at
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), is now available to the public. The drug received approval
by the Food and Drug Administration on December 24.
NINDS Symposium Produces National Plan for Rapid Stroke TreatmentFriday, Dec 13, 1996
For many of the 500,000 people who suffer a stroke each year, today will mark the beginning of a significant change in the
way they receive medical care.
Scientists Locate Parkinson's GeneThursday, Nov 14, 1996
For the first time, scientists have pinpointed the location of a gene they believe is responsible for some cases of Parkinson's
disease. Their discovery provides strong evidence that a genetic alteration is capable of causing the disease. The study,
published in the November 15 issue of Science,1 sheds light on the mysterious origins of this devastating neurological disease
that affects about 500,000 Americans.
Scientists Identify Gene for Spinocerebellar Ataxia 2Thursday, Oct 31, 1996
Scientists have identified the gene altered in one of the most common hereditary ataxias, spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2).
The discovery allows improved genetic testing and provides new clues about how genetic mutations cause several neurological
disorders, including Huntington's disease. The findings are reported by three different groups in the November issue of Nature
Genetics.
Protein Marker Found in Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies: Finding May Lead to Diagnostic Test for Human, Cattle
DisordersWednesday, Sep 25, 1996
A protein widely distributed in tissues throughout the body, with the highest concentration in the brain, has been shown to
be a specific marker in the spinal fluid of humans and animals infected with transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, scientists
say. This discovery paves the way for the development of an improved test for the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
in humans and encephalopathies in animals. The test could enable precise identification of disease in British cattle presently
targeted for slaughter because of suspected infection with bovine spongiform encephalopathy, known as Mad Cow disease.
Trial Stopped: Warfarin Therapy Reaffirmed for Stroke PreventionThursday, Sep 5, 1996
BETHESDA, MD. Warfarin, a standard blood-thinning drug used to prevent stroke, worked so well in certain high-risk patients
in a recent clinical trial that the study was halted early. Results of the Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation III (SPAF
III) trial, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), are published in the September
7 issue of The Lancet. The study demonstrated a 75 percent reduction in the risk of stroke for people with a common type
of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.
Acute Stroke Therapy Moves AheadTuesday, Jun 18, 1996
Zach W. Hall, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), applauded today's rapid
decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve t-PA for the emergency treatment of stroke. "The FDA action
means that we now have an approved emergency treatment for stroke, the leading cause of adult disability", Dr. Hall said.
"This is an exemplary demonstration of careful scientific investigation and of the power of partnership between industry,
academia and the Federal government."
Gene "Knockouts" Reveal Critical Links in Synapse FormationThursday, May 16, 1996
New studies reveal exciting clues to the mystery of how synapses form between nerve and muscle cells. The findings shed new
light on human development and may help reveal how molecular interactions are altered in muscular dystrophy.
Study Implicates Zinc in Neuron Loss After Heart AttackThursday, May 16, 1996
Much of the damage to neurons that results from blood loss to the brain during a heart attack stems from movement of zinc
into oxygen-deprived neurons, a new study shows. This damage can largely be prevented by injecting a substance that mops
up the zinc between cells. The findings may lead to new strategies for preventing brain damage caused by heart attack and
some kinds of surgery.
Study Links Neonatal Thyroid Function to Cerebral PalsyWednesday, Mar 27, 1996
Scientists have linked low levels of a thyroid hormone in premature infants to the development of disabling cerebral palsy.
They examined more than 400 premature infants screened for blood levels of the hormone thyroxine during the first week of
life. They found that infants with low levels of thyroxine at birth had a 3- to 4-fold increase in the incidence of disabling
cerebral palsy at age 2.
New Type of Trinucleotide Mutation Found in Friedreich's AtaxiaThursday, Mar 7, 1996
Scientists have identified a new type of trinucleotide repeat mutation that leads to Friedreich's ataxia (FA), a rare childhood
neurodegenerative disease. The discovery allows accurate screening for carriers of the disease and may lead to the first effective
treatments.
Audrey S. Penn, M.D., Named NINDS Deputy DirectorFriday, Mar 1, 1996
BETHESDA, MD - Audrey S. Penn, M.D., one of the nation's leading neurologists and a well-known scientist specializing in neuromuscular
disease research, has been named Deputy Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Study Links Critical Enzyme to Huntington's, Other DiseasesThursday, Feb 29, 1996
For the first time, scientists have linked a critical cellular enzyme to the gene defect found in Huntington's and several
other hereditary neurological diseases. The finding provides important clues about how these diseases may develop and suggests
that a single therapy eventually may be developed to treat them.
NIH Announces Emergency Treatment for StrokeWednesday, Dec 13, 1995
A 5-year clinical trial has shown that treatment with the clot-dissolving drug t-PA is an effective emergency treatment for
acute ischemic stroke despite some risk from bleeding. The trial found that carefully selected stroke patients who received
t-PA treatment within 3 hours of their initial stroke symptoms were at least 30 percent more likely than untreated patients
to recover from their stroke with little or no disability after 3 months.
Gene Found for Fatal Childhood Disease, Ataxia-Telangiectasia: May Also be Marker for Cancer PredispositionThursday, Jun 22, 1995
Scientists have isolated the gene and identified mutations that cause the childhood disease ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a
rare hereditary neurological disorder. Discovery of the gene paves the way for more accurate diagnosis in the short term and
the potential for effective treatments in the long term. With this discovery, the investigators believe they also have identified
a common genetic marker that indicates predisposition to certain cancers, and may help identify individuals who are sensitive
to radiation.
Common Drug Linked to Lower Incidence of Cerebral PalsyWednesday, Feb 8, 1995
A new study shows that very low birthweight babies have a lower incidence of cerebral palsy (CP) when their mothers are treated
with magnesium sulfate soon before giving birth. The findings come from a study sponsored by the California Birth Defects
Monitoring Program (CBDMP) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and reported in the February
1995 issue of Pediatrics.
Major Trial Confirms Benefit of Stroke Prevention SurgeryFriday, Sep 30, 1994
Officials at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) announced that surgery can prevent stroke
in carefully selected individuals who have no outward sign of disease but are at risk for stroke from a severe narrowing of
a major artery in the neck. The NINDS brought to an early conclusion a 7-year clinical trial investigating the effectiveness
of a surgical procedure, called carotid endarterectomy, in reducing stroke in these individuals.
Zach W. Hall Appointed Director of NINDSTuesday, Jul 19, 1994
Harold Varmus, M.D., Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced his appointment of Zach W. Hall,
Ph.D., as the new director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the leading Federal agency
for research on disorders of the brain and nervous system.
Chess Playing Helps Reveal How Brain WorksWednesday, May 18, 1994
Tournament-level chess players are helping scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
identify parts of the brain used in complex problem solving. These studies have revealed a processing network that is distributed
throughout the brain, according to Dr. Jordan Grafman and his coworkers. Grafman, who heads the Institute's Cognitive Neuroscience
Section, said that chess playing is an ideal model to help scientists better understand the coordinated work of the brain.
NINDS Researchers Conduct TSP Prevalence Study in JamaicaMonday, May 16, 1994
Aurora K. Pajeau, M.D.,M.P.H., a clinical associate in the Neuroepidemiology Branch of the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) will present preliminary findings from the first door-to-door prevalence study of tropical spastic
paraparesis (TSP) associated with HTLV-I in Jamaica at the 6th International Conference on Human Retrovirology: HTLV.
Treatment reduces brain hemorrhages in very low birthweight babiesMonday, Apr 11, 1994
Very low-birthweight babies who are treated with indomethacin within 6-12 hours after birth have a lower incidence and reduced
severity of brain hemorrhage, a frequent and often debilitating complication of such births. This conclusion is being published
in the April 1994 issue of Pediatrics,* based on the results of a large multicenter clinical trial sponsored by the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Clues found for early memory loss in Alzheimer's diseaseThursday, Apr 7, 1994
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have discovered that adding a substance
called beta amyloid to normal skin cells causes the cells to exhibit the same type of molecular dysfunction previously demonstrated
in skin cells of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). This step may lead to a new explanation of memory loss, one of the
earliest and most common symptoms of the disease.
Aspirin Shown Equal to Warfarin for Stroke Prevention in Some PatientsThursday, Mar 17, 1994
Results from a new study, funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), will help physicians
select optimum treatment to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation, a common type of irregular heartbeat. Published
in the March 19, 1994 issue of The Lancet*, the study shows that a daily adult aspirin can provide adequate stroke prevention
for many of the hundreds of thousands of people with atrial fibrillation. People with this condition have five times the risk
of stroke, and many are currently treated with warfarin, a drug that requires monthly blood tests and increases the risk of
serious bleeding.
Study Shows IVIG Safe, Effective Treatment for Muscle DiseaseWednesday, Dec 29, 1993
Patients with a painful and debilitating muscle disease called dermatomyositis showed dramatic improvement on a treatment
regimen of intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) during a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The study, which was
conducted at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), will be published in the December 30 issue
of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Fact Sheet
Study Links Twin Births to Cerebral PalsyFact Sheet
Wednesday, Dec 8, 1993
The current rise in multiple births may contribute to an increase in children born with cerebral palsy (CP), according to
a report published in the December issue of Pediatrics. In a study involving more than 155,000 children, researchers from
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the California Birth Defects Monitoring Program (CBDMP)
found that twin pregnancies produced a child with CP more than 10 times as often as pregnancies producing a single child.
NINDS Research Offers Hope for Transplantation and RegenerationWednesday, Nov 10, 1993
Age-old dogma held that the central nervous system could not regrow or recover, dampening hopes for recovery from spinal cord
injury and other neurological disorders. But recent results from scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke (NINDS) offer a glimpse of how basic research promises approaches for restoring and repairing damaged nerves.
AIDS Virus Can Infect NeuronsTuesday, Sep 28, 1993
Using modern genetic techniques that can detect single copies of genes inside intact cells, scientists have uncovered the
first conclusive evidence that the AIDS virus (HIV) can infect neurons. And using fetal brain tissue cultures, scientists
have identified key substances that turn on the AIDS virus in the brain.
Discovery may lead to skin tests for Alzheimer's disease; Finding could also point to underlying cause of the disorderTuesday, Aug 31, 1993
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in Bethesda, MD, and the Burke Medical Research
Institute at Cornell Medical College in White Plains, NY, have discovered physiological differences in the skin cells of those
with Alzheimer's disease (AD), a finding that could lead to a standard battery of skin tests for diagnosing the disease.
Oral Diazepam Reduces the Risk of Chilhood Febrile Seizure RecurrenceWednesday, Jul 7, 1993
Oral diazepam (Valium), given at times of fever, safely reduces the risk of febrile seizure recurrence in infants and children,
according to a study published in the July 8 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine* and funded by the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Febrile seizures are fever-triggered convulsions that occur in approximately
3-4 percent of all children in the United States. Although they are generally harmless, their occurrence can cause alarm in
the family.
A Hereditary Ataxia Caused by Huntington's-Type "Genetic Stutter"Wednesday, Jun 30, 1993
Scientists have discovered that another nervous system degenerative disorder, spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1), has the
same type of gene mutation occurring in Huntington's and Kennedy's diseases. In the disease, a normal three-base sequence
in the genetic code — cytosine, adenine and guanine, or CAG — is abnormally repeated, according to Drs. Huda Y. Zoghbi, who
led one team at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, and Harry T. Orr, who headed the other team at the University
of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The same CAG repeat was reported earlier this year in Huntington's disease and in 1991 in the
very rare Kennedy's disease, also called X-linked spinobulbar muscular atrophy.
New Drug Prolongs Symptom Relief in Parkinson's DiseaseThursday, Apr 29, 1993
A new drug, when added to standard treatment for Parkinson's disease, prolongs relief of symptoms by more than 60 percent,
report scientists from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). In announcing their findings today
at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in New York,* scientists said that the drug, called R0 40-7592,
could help overcome drawbacks of current drug treatment.
Scientists Isolate "Crown Jewel" — Huntington's Disease GeneTuesday, Mar 23, 1993
Scientists have identified the genetic mutation that causes Huntington's disease (HD), a fatal, neurodegenerative disorder
characterized by progressive physical and mental deterioration. The discovery, to be reported in the March 26 issue of Cell,*
is the culmination of a 10-year-long collaboration between investigators in six laboratory groups around the world with major
support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
NINDS Grantees Identify NF2 Gene; Gene Protects Against Nervous System TumorsThursday, Mar 11, 1993
Scientists have identified a gene that normally prevents development of tumors and, when damaged, causes an inherited disorder
with multiple brain and spinal cord tumors called neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Their results appear in the March 12 issue
of Cell.
NINDS Hails Discovery of Gene for Familial ALSWednesday, Mar 3, 1993
Officials at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) hailed the identification of a gene associated
with the familial form of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). "This discovery is extremely important because it marks the first identification
of a specific gene for a neurodegenerative disease of adult life," said Carl M. Leventhal, M.D., director of the NINDS
program that contributed to support for the research reported in the March 3 issue of Nature*. "It also suggests a likely
mechanism for the damage to nerve cells in familial ALS and, possibly, other brain disorders."
Scientists Link Fatal, Cholesterol-Storage Disorder to Chromosome 18Monday, Mar 1, 1993
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have linked a deadly brain disorder, called
Niemann-Pick Type C disease, to a small region of human chromosome 18. These findings, reported in the current issue of Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences,* may eventually lead to improved diagnosis and treatment for this inherited disorder
and yield new insight into the metabolism of cholesterol inside the body's cells.
DATATOP Study Confirms Deprenyl's Efficacy in Fighting the Progression of Parkinson's DiseaseWednesday, Jan 20, 1993
Scientists announced today in the January 21 New England Journal of Medicine the results of a broad, long-term study on the
effects of deprenyl and tocopherol (a form of vitamin E) on the progression of early Parkinson's disease. The investigators,
who comprise a group known as the Parkinson's Study Group, confirmed that deprenyl is effective in slowing the early progression
of Parkinson's disease and delaying the need for initiation of therapy with the drug levodopa. The latest results of the study
showed, however, that the beneficial effects of deprenyl were not as lasting in fighting Parkinson's disease as the investigators
had anticipated when evaluating the preliminary results in 1989. The clinical trials also showed no evidence that tocopherol
was useful in Parkinson's disease.
Brain Damage Disrupts Emotions and MoodTuesday, May 5, 1992
Feeling tense and anxious? Unfettered and carefree? It may be all in your head or — rather — your cerebral hemispheres. According
to scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), new research suggests that the brain's
hemispheres generate our emotional outlook. Scientists also say their findings, announced today at the annual meeting of the
American Academy of Neurology in San Diego, show that brain damage can change judgment of emotion and distort normal mood.
Study Detects Brain Virus in HIV-Positive PatientsTuesday, May 5, 1992
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have identified a potentially fatal virus
in the bloodstream in half of a small group of HIV-positive patients without neurological symptoms, they announced today at
the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego.
NINDS Increases Neurological Research Opportunities for MinoritiesMonday, Mar 16, 1992
In an effort to increase minority participation in neurological sciences research, the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently made 23 awards to grantee institutions for recruitment
of minorities into biomedical and behavioral research programs. These awards provide valuable opportunities for minorities
from the undergraduate level to the faculty level to gain research experience at leading grantee institutions supported by
NINDS.
NINDS Scientists Isolate Segments Of DNA Sequence That Identify More Than 2,300 Brain GenesWednesday, Feb 12, 1992
Using a novel strategy, scientists from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke have isolated segments
of DNA sequence that uniquely identify more than 2,300 brain genes. The recent data, combined with data from 347 segments
sequenced earlier by NINDS scientists, doubles the total number of human genes identified by sequencing, scientists report
in the February 13 issue of Nature.
NINDS Scientists Develop Strategy To Speed Gene and Brain ResearchThursday, Jun 20, 1991
Using a novel strategy, scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have isolated key
identifying regions of more than 400 genes that work inside the human brain. The scientists say their work should help identify
genetic defects that cause brain disease and speed progress of genetics research.
Newly developed electrode records neurotransmitter release from a single cellMonday, Jun 17, 1991
Scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have invented a tiny, ultra-sensitive
electrode that can record, for the first time, the millionths-of-a-second-long burst of catecholamine molecules as they erupt
from the surface of a single cell. Catecholamines are used by some cells as neurotransmitters, or molecules that allow nerve
cells to communicate between themselves and with other kinds of cells.
Treatment with Enzyme Replacement Therapy Reverses Symptoms in Patients with Type 1 Gaucher's DiseaseWednesday, May 22, 1991
Treatment with enzyme replacement therapy reverses symptoms in patients with Type I Gaucher's disease, according to a study
published in the May 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine* and conducted by scientists at the National Institute
of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). A rare metabolic disorder, Type I Gaucher's disease affects an estimated 10,000
to 12,000 Americans.
Fact Sheet
NINDS Hails Advance in ALS ResearchFact Sheet
Wednesday, May 15, 1991
Officials at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) hailed as a major research advance the mapping
of a gene that causes familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to chromosome 21. "This is an important first step in our
attempt to better understand the basic, molecular mechanisms of this widely studied but poorly understood neurological disorder,"
said Dr. Roger J. Porter, deputy director of the NINDS.
Fact Sheet
Post-Polio Patients Have Swallowing Abnormalities that Increase the Risk of ChokingFact Sheet
Sunday, Apr 21, 1991
Many post-polio patients have swallowing abnormalities that increase the risk of choking but are unaware of their condition,
according to a study directed by a scientist at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and published
in the April 25 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.*
Fact Sheet
Benefits of Surgery for Some Patients at High Risk for StrokeFact Sheet
Tuesday, Feb 26, 1991
Overwhelming evidence from an ongoing clinical trial shows that the surgical removal of fatty deposits from the the main artery
in the neck supplying blood to the brain is highly effective in reducing strokes for patients who have a severely narrowed
carotid artery and have previously had a stroke or symptoms of a stroke.
Mounting knowledge of Parkinson's disease leads to new treatment theoriesThursday, Dec 6, 1990
Animal studies have revealed new knowledge of brain chemistry in Parkinson's disease and suggest new treatment approaches,
according to results published in the December 7, 1990 issue of Science.*
NINDS and NIAID Link Abnormal Immune Finding to Chronic, Disabling DiseaseWednesday, Nov 14, 1990
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have linked high levels of certain immune system cells to a disabling, neurological disease that
is thought to be infectious. The finding appears in the November 15 issue of Nature.*
Natural Course of Multiple Sclerosis RedefinedTuesday, Oct 16, 1990
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) today presented evidence that multiple sclerosis
(MS) is a progressive disease even in its earliest stages.
Fact Sheet
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Gene Mutation FoundFact Sheet
Thursday, Aug 30, 1990
Scientists at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have linked three outbreaks of Creutzfeldt-Jakob
disease (CJD) in Europe and Israel to a genetic mutation found in the outbreaks' victims.
Qualified media representatives can arrange interviews and photos with NINDS researchers and administrators. E-Mail or call (301) 496-5751.
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