AppId is over the quota
October 16, 2012 Animal research shows promise for treating Alzheimer's disease, brain damage, and heart problems resulting from spinal cord injuries
NEW ORLEANS - New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today. The work, presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health, shows scientists making progress toward using stem cell therapies to repair neurological damage.
The studies focused on using stem cells to produce neurons - essential, message-carrying cells in the brain and spinal cord. The loss of neurons and the connections they make for controlling critical bodily functions are the chief hallmarks of brain and spinal cord injuries and of neurodegenerative afflictions such as Parkinson's disease and ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Today's new findings show that:
- Neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells implanted in monkeys displaying symptoms of Parkinson's disease appear to have matured into healthy, dopamine-producing neurons without causing any adverse effects (Dustin Wakeman, PhD, abstract 314.11, see attached summary).
- Life-threatening heart problems caused by spinal cord injury were partially remedied in rats treated with stem cells derived from the fetal brainstem. The findings suggest new avenues of research for repairing cardiovascular damage in human patients with spinal cord injuries (Armin Blesch, PhD, abstract 637.10, see attached summary).
- Experiments in mice indicate it may be possible to activate dormant stem cells in the adult prompting the production of new neurons that might help repair damage caused by injury (Nathaniel Hartman, PhD, abstract 823.07, see attached summary).
Other recent findings discussed show that:
- Scientists believe they have isolated a protein that can signal the adult brain to produce more neurons, raising the possibility that boosting production of the protein could help patients recover neurons lost to degenerative diseases like Parkinson's and ALS, or to trauma, such as spinal cord injury (Anthony Conway, abstract 823.04, see attached speaker's summary).
"As the fields of developmental and regenerative neuroscience mature, important progress is being made to begin to translate the promise of stem cell therapy into meaningful treatments for a range of well-defined neurological problems," said press conference moderator Jeffrey Macklis, MD, of Harvard University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, an expert on development and regeneration of the mammalian central nervous system. "Solid, rigorous, and well-defined pre-clinical work in animals can set the stage toward human clinical trials and effective future therapies."
Society for Neuroscience
Social contact can ease pain related to nerve damage, animal study suggests
Companionship has the potential to reduce pain linked to nerve damage, according to a new study.
New findings could help speed recovery, alleviate pain associated with spinal cord injury
Research released today demonstrates how new scientific knowledge is driving innovative treatments for spinal cord injuries.
Scientists identify mammal model of bladder regeneration
While it is well known that starfish, zebrafish and salamanders can re-grow damaged limbs, scientists understand very little about the regenerative capabilities of mammals.
Stem cells from muscle tissue may hold key to cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases
Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center have taken the first steps to create neural-like stem cells from muscle tissue in animals.
Transplantation of Embryonic Neurons Raises Hope for Treating Brain Diseases
The unexpected survival of embryonic neurons transplanted into the brains of newborn mice in a series of experiments at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) raises hope for the possibility of using neuronal transplantation to treat diseases like Alzheimer's, epilepsy, Huntington's, Parkinson's and schizophrenia.
Researchers a step closer to controlling inflammation in MS
A University of Adelaide researcher has published results that suggest a possible new mechanism to control multiple sclerosis (MS).
Study shows benefits, drawbacks, for women's incontinence treatments
Oral medication for treating a type of incontinence in women is roughly as effective as Botox injections to the bladder, reported researchers who conducted a National Institutes of Health clinical trials network study, with each form of treatment having benefits and limitations.
New research model to aid search for degenerative disease cures
Efforts to treat disorders like Lou Gehrig's disease, Paget's disease, inclusion body myopathy and dementia will receive a considerable boost from a new research model created by UC Irvine scientists.
Therapeutic time window important factor for cord blood cell transplantation after stoke
A research team from Germany has found that optimal benefit and functional improvement for ischemic stroke results when human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB MNCs) are transplanted into rat stroke models within 72 hours of the stroke.
Low vitamin D levels linked to more severe multiple sclerosis symptoms
Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased number of brain lesions and signs of a more active disease state in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study finds, suggesting a potential link between intake of the vitamin and the risk of longer-term disability from the autoimmune disorder. More Spinal Cord Current Events and Spinal Cord News Articles 
The Spinal Cord: A Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation Text and Atlas
by Charles Watson (Editor), George Paxinos (Editor), Gulgun Kayalioglu (Editor)
Many hundreds of thousands suffer spinal cord injuries leading to loss of sensation and motor function in the body below the point of injury. Spinal cord research has made some significant strides towards new treatment methods, and is a focus of many laboratories worldwide. In addition, research on the involvement of the spinal cord in pain and the abilities of nervous tissue in the spine to regenerate has increasingly been on the forefront of biomedical research in the past years. The Spinal Cord, a collaboration with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, is the first comprehensive book on the anatomy of the mammalian spinal cord. Tens of thousands of articles and dozens of books are published on this subject each year, and a great deal of experimental work has been carried out on...
Spinal Cord Medicineby Denise I. Campagnolo (Editor), Steven Kirshblum MD (Editor), Mark S. Nash PhD FACSM (Editor), Robert F. Heary MD (Editor), Peter H. Gorman MD (Editor)
Spinal Cord Medicine is the perfect resource for the medical specialist treating persons with spinal cord injuries. This comprehensive and practical resource provides detail about all aspects of spinal cord injury and disease. The initial seven chapters present the history, anatomy, imaging, epidemiology, and general acute management of spinal cord injury. The next eleven chapters deal with medical aspects of spinal cord damage, such as pulmonary management and the neurogenic bladder. Chapters on rehabilitation are followed by nine chapters dealing with diseases that cause non-traumatic spinal cord injury. A comprehensive imaging chapter is included with 30 figures which provide the reader with an excellent resource to understand the complex issues of imaging the spine and spinal...
Basic and Clinical Anatomy of the Spine, Spinal Cord, and ANS, 2eby Gregory Cramer (Author), Susan Darby (Author)
This one-of-a-kind text describes the specific anatomy and neuromusculoskeletal relationships of the human spine, with special emphasis on structures affected by manual spinal techniques. A comprehensive review of the literature explores current research of spinal anatomy and neuroanatomy, bringing practical applications to basic science.A full chapter on surface anatomy includes tables for identifying vertebral levels of deeper anatomic structures, designed to assist with physical diagnosis and treatment of pathologies of the spine, as well as evaluation of MRI and CT scans.High-quality, full-color illustrations show fine anatomic detail.Red lines in the margins draw attention to items of clinical relevance, clearly relating anatomy to clinical care.Spinal dissection photographs, as well...
Spinal Cord Injury: Functional Rehabilitation (3rd Edition)by Martha Freeman Somers MS PT (Author)
Compltely updated in a new edition, this unique reference is an in-depth examination of the central role of the physical therapist in rehabilitation following spinal cord injury. This book encompasses all of the elements involved in a successful rehabilitation program. It includes a basic understanding of spinal cord injuries and issues relevant to disability, as well as knowledge of the physical skills involved in functional activities and the therapeutic strategies for acquiring these skills. It also presents an approach to the cord-injured person that promotes self-respect and encourages autonomy. Comprehensive information equips readers with a broad foundation of knowledge including topics relevant to spinal cord injury, its pathological repercussions, and medical and rehabilitative...
Spinal Cord Medicine: Principles and Practiceby Vernon Lin MD PhD (Editor), Christopher Bono MD (Editor), Diana Cardenas MD MHA (Editor), Frederick Frost MD (Editor), Margaret Hammond MD (Editor), Laurie Lindblom MD (Editor), Inder Parkash MD MS FRCS FACS (Editor), Stevens Stiens MD MS (Editor), Robert Woolsey MD (Editor)
The thoroughly revised Second Edition of this authoritative reference continues to define the standard of care for the field of spinal cord medicine. Encompassing all of the diseases and disorders that may affect the proper functioning of the spinal cord or spinal nerves, this comprehensive volume provides a state of the art review of the principles of care and best practices for restoring function and quality of life to patients with spinal cord injuries. Expert contributors from multiple disciplines cover topics ranging from acute medical and surgical management of specific problems to cutting-edge research, bladder, bowel and sexual dysfunction, neurologic and musculoskeletal issues, advanced rehabilitation techniques and technologies, functional outcomes, and psychosocial care. While...
Essentials of Spinal Cord Injury: Basic Research to Clinical Practiceby Michael G. Fehlings (Editor), Alexander R. Vaccaro (Editor), Maxwell Boakye (Editor), Serge Rossignol (Editor), John Ditunno (Editor), Anthony S. Burns (Editor)
Essentials of Spinal Cord Injury is written for the spinal cord injury (SCI) team and reflects the multidisciplinary nature of treating patients with SCI. It integrates emerging medical and surgical approaches to SCI with neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, neuroplasticity, and cellular transplantation. This comprehensive yet concise reference will enable neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, and allied health professionals caring for SCI patients to translate research results into patient care. It is also an excellent resource for those preparing for the board exam in SCI medicine.Key Features:Material is cross-referenced to highlight relationships between the different areas of SCIChapters are concise, focused, and include key points, pearls, and pitfallsAn...
How I Roll: Life, Love, and Work After a Spinal Cord Injuryby J. Bryant Neville Jr. (Author)
“An unflinching look at what it's like to be a quadriplegic.” – Dan Gottlieb, PhD
This is the inspiring story of a Virginia country boy—J. Bryant Neville, Jr.—who became a quadriplegic thirty years ago after a car wreck, and how he refused to accept the medical sentence of a life unrealized. Hard work, devoted family, a caring community, and a determination to live as fiercely as his body would allow helped Bryant Neville earn two college degrees, become a respected banking executive, a loving husband and provider, an adoptive parent, and a biological father. Some 250,000 Americans live with spinal cord injury and impairment. On average, thirty more sustain a spinal cord injury every day. Bryant Neville’s story is a beacon of hope for anyone facing a physical setback who...
Spinal Cord Injuries: Management and Rehabilitation, 1eby Sue Ann Sisto PT MA PhD (Author), Erica Druin MPT (Author), Martha Macht Sliwinski PT MA PhD (Author)
From a hospital admittance to discharge to outpatient rehabilitation, Spinal Cord Injuries addresses the wide spectrum of rehabilitation interventions and administrative and clinical issues specific to patients with spinal cord injuries. Comprehensive coverage includes costs, life expectancies, acute care, respiratory care, documentation, goal setting, clinical treatment, complications, and activities of daily living associated with spinal cord patients. In addition to physical therapy interventions and family education components, this resource includes content on incidence, etiology, diagnosis, and clinical features of spinal cord injury.Case Studies with clinical application thinking exercises help you apply knowledge from the book to real life situations.Thoroughly referenced,...
Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury: Moving Ahead with Your Lifeby The Mayo Clinic (Author)
Traumatic spinal cord injuries have become increasingly common, with nearly a quarter of a million Americans dealing with the condition and another 10,000 new cases each year. The need for a simple, authoritative guide to this disability has never been greater. The Mayo Clinic Guide to Living with a Spinal Cord Injury addresses that need. With all the information written, vetted, and endorsed by the world’s most prestigious medical clinic, the book enables sufferers to return to an active and productive life within the limits of their disability. Here the Clinic’s leading experts offer advice on everything from emotional adjustments to skin care to modifying homes and cars. This independence-granting book encourages readers to resume their favorite hobbies, participate in athletic...
No comments:
Post a Comment