Current News Articles

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.