Biopeer

Testosterone gel to slow brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis

Researchers from the University of California have discovered positive effects of testosterone gel on men suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS). Research involved 10 MS patients in the relapsing-remitting phase, with an annual decrease in brain size of 0.81%. These MS patients were given daily applications of the gel, containing 100 milligrams of testosterone, over 12 months. Inferences from the study showed a slower brain atrophy of 0.25% a year, with an average increase of 1.7 kg in muscle mass during the treatment, and reported no adverse effects. Further research might suggest the usage of testosterone gel in non-inflammatory neurodegenerative diseases.

A study published in the scientific journal of the ‘American Academy of Neurology’, by researchers from the University of Iowa and College of Medicine, Iowa, discussed early signs that could help doctors predict the incidence of Huntington's disease in human beings. The researchers selected 218 people, with a family history of Huntington's disease. The research involved testing the movement and cognitive and verbal ability of the participants for 4.5 years. The results from the tests showed a marked decrease in the level of psychomotor speed, putting the people at a higher risk factor of developing Huntington’s disease within three years.

A study published by the ‘American Academy of Neurology’ in the journal ‘Neurology’ reportedly suggests getting an epidural steroid injection for improvement in sciatic pain. The study administered two groups of sciatic patients with placebo and epidural steroid injection. The results from the treatment with epidural injection showed a decrease in sciatic pain between two and six weeks. However, the reports claim that epidural injection did not relieve the sciatic patients from back pain.

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Processes in the brain could lead to heart disease

Through a research study, UK scientists attempted to explain how certain areas of the brain might exert stress on the heart. The researchers electrically examined the surface of the skulls of 10 patients with particular heart conditions while they carried out a mildly stressful activity. The region around the cerebral cortex showed similar levels of activity as the heart. A feedback loop was created which led the heart to pump more blood to these areas in order to enhance activity. This weakened the heart muscles and made them unstable. The procedure can possibly be utilized to predict which patients are more likely to suffer heart diseases.

A study conducted at the University of Montreal, Canada linked restless legs syndrome to heart disease. Ten patients with the syndrome were made to sleep in a laboratory, while researchers measured their blood pressure and leg movements. Usually, the leg movements, which are most severe at night, come every 20-40 seconds. At the time of each movement, the blood pressure rates of the patients rose drastically. These results imply that the neurological disorder adds to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, particularly in severe cases and the elderly. Advanced studies will help explain in detail, the harmful implications of these findings.

Another interesting study revealed the benefits of cocoa in keeping blood pressure low. German scientists re-examined the results of earlier research studies, which analyzed the supposed effects of cocoa and tea on lowering blood pressure. They discovered that the consumption of cocoa-rich food considerably reduced blood pressure, but tea did not give the same effects. According to the researchers, the effects of cocoa can rival the effects of one-drug therapies like ACE inhibitors. However, the cocoa must be taken in moderation keeping in mind its harmful properties.

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Genes linked to psychiatric disorders

American researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found a gene that could be responsible for bipolar disorder. They studied genetically modified mice with a disorder similar to human mania, to identify the cause for bipolar disorders and mania. The mice were put through a number of tests. They were given a dose of lithium, which is usually an effective treatment against bipolar disorders in humans and worked on the genetically modified mice as well. The mice became normal after they were injected with a Clock gene controlling the daily bodily functions. This suggests a biological explanation for the disorder, which could lead to better therapies.

According to separate study, certain gene mutations have a bigger role in autism than was suspected earlier. Researchers using modern technology tested the genetic mutations of 264 families and identified certain mutations that were seen in the children but not in the parents. The spontaneous mutations were found ten times more likely to occur in autistic patients than in unaffected people. The mutations were much lower in families that had more than one autistic member, which meant that both genetic mechanisms and inheritance lead to higher risks. They could link more than 100 genes, combined or individually, to various autism cases and concluded that the genetic defects are primary causes of the disorder.

Meanwhile, another study has associated schizophrenia with a gene involved in inflammation. US scientists examined the entire genome of 178 schizophrenic patients and 144 unaffected people, through a technique called whole genome association. They narrowed in on a gene variant that is responsible for bodily responses to infection and the brain’s reactions to injury. They analyzed another group of 71 schizophrenic patients and 31 unaffected people through gene sequencing technology and found several genetic irregularities only in the schizophrenic patients. Further studies could confirm these findings and possibly lead to new therapies against schizophrenia.

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Unlikely drugs could help sufferers of neurological disorders

In France, a study conducted on a single patient has suggested that an insomnia drug could enhance functioning of the brain. The researchers analyzed a woman, 48 years of age, who was suffering from akinetic mutism, which left her with an inability to speak or walk. It was found that 20 minutes after the patient was given zolpidem, an insomnia drug, she was able to talk, move and even eat on her own. This lasted for about three hours and after monitoring all her drugs, they concluded that zolpidem was responsible for these effects. The researchers tested the drug, examined the results of it on the cerebral regions through a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, and got positive results again. They feel that analyzing patients one by one can help determine individual therapies for patient with a rare or orphan disorder.

Meanwhile, Japanese scientists found a drug that strengthens the bones of Parkinson’s patients. The study lasted for 2 years and involved the examination of 242 aged Parkinson’s patients from Japan. Before the study began, these patients suffered from a number of orthopedic problems due to their inactiveness. The researchers gave half the group doses of the drug, risendronate along with vitamin D2 while the control group was given a placebo with the vitamin D2. They found that the experimental group was three times less likely to fracture their hips in comparison with the placebo group. A biomarker, which caused bone loss, was lowered by 47 per cent in those given the drug and 33 per cent in the placebo group. Another observation they made was that the bone mineral density of the experimental group was 2.2 per cent higher than before and that of the placebo group was 3 per cent higher. The researchers also found an accurate treatment against the side effects of the drugs.

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Deeper insights into the brain

An unexpected discovery has led scientists to blame a hormone in the brain for adolescent mood swings. Researchers at State University of New York, conducted experiments on adolescent mice and reported that the hormone THP reverses its effect at puberty. In adults and younger individuals, THP acts to reduce the anxiety faced during stress situations. In adolescent mice, THP increased the stress and induced mood swings. The scientists screened were able to prove that the contradictory effect is caused due to the vacillation of hormones in teenagers. This is the first time that this has been explained physiologically.

Another study in Germany has revealed the association between sleep, odor and memory. Medical students were made to play a computer-based memory game in a rose-scented room. While asleep, they were exposed to the same fragrance. The following day those in a state of slow-wave sleep remembered the positions of each card 97 percent correctly. Those who weren’t exposed to the scent were correct only 86 per cent of the time. There was no memory boost in students sleeping lightly in a rose-scented room or those given a numerical test, since different parts of the brain are responsible for various kinds of memory.

Meanwhile, UK researchers have provided physiological evidence suggesting that subliminal images affect the brain. They made seven participants wear red-blue filter glasses. One eye was shown faint everyday images, which acted as subliminal images, since the other eye was shown strong flashing images. The participants were also given a set of easy and difficult tests. A functional MRI scan showed that the primary visual cortex recorded the faint images during the easy task but not during the harder tasks. Further research is to be conducted to study the impact of sublimal images and words.

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Promising discoveries in neurological research

A study conducted at McGill University, Canada, has linked certain enzymes with the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers conducted experiments on genetically modified mice using brain cell cultures to discover the cause of Alzheimer’s. They concluded that an enzyme known as cyclin-dependent protein kinase 5 curbs the activity of protein phosphatase 1, another common enzyme. These enzymes are responsible for the working of tau protein, which causes malfunctioning in the neuropathological systems as in the cases of Alzheimer’s patients. Figuring out what causes Alzheimer’s disease is the first step to finding its cure. This discovery definitely gives some direction to researchers.

Through a separate study, researchers have made discoveries with regard to autoimmunity and depression. As part of the study conducted at Tel Aviv University, a group of mice was injected with an autoantibody taken from human patients suffering from lupus. Their behaviour and that of a control group was observed through a sequence of tests. Apart from the motor and cognitive tests, the injected group displayed strong signs of depression during the tests, eliminating chances of neurological disorders. The depressed mice were treated with various drugs and retested. Fluoxetine, a long-term drug was the only drug to be successful. Immunostaining of the mice’s brains pinpointed areas in the olfactory and limbic pathways that could be linked to depression. Scientists now need to conduct similar imaging studies on humans with lupus or clinical depression and create better therapies for these disorders.

Meanwhile, researchers from University of Bristol, UK identified for the first time, an enzyme that could cause major brain disorders. They discovered that manipulating the activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) could improve connections between the neurons and consequently forestall memory loss. Pharmaceutical companies can use this information to produce better drugs against brain disorders.

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New developments in genetic studies facilitate neurological research

In a path-breaking research study, scientists found two genetic links to autism. Researchers across North America and Europe participated in the “Autism Genome Project”, one of the largest genetic studies conducted on autism. The researchers enrolled about 1200 families for the study. From each family, at least two children were affected by autism. On examination, the scientists have associated a gene, known as neurexin 1, and another gene located on Chromosome 11 with the condition. The researchers hope that this discovery will aid the formation of genetic tests, to help in the early diagnosis of autism and consequently to develop better therapies.

Another group of researchers, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, has connected a gene regulatory protein with brain cancer. They conducted a study on mice suffering from fatal brain cancer malignant glioma and found that the elimination of Olig2 from the mice prevented the development of a brain tumor in 91 per cent of the mice. Olig2 is a protein that controls genetic activity and aids stem cell growth during brain development. They concluded that Olig2 represses p21, a gene that inhibits cell replication and encourages the formation of a brain tumor. Finding a way to curb the protein will aid the formation of new therapies against brain cancer.

Researchers from MIT and Japan’s RIKEN Brain Science Institute have linked certain gene mutations to schizophrenia. As part of their study, they examined genetically modified mice and schizophrenic individuals. They identified various genes from the early growth response gene family that control calcineurin (a key brain enzyme), such as the PPP3CC gene, as the stimulants causing the disorder. They confirmed this after conducting tests on humans. Researchers hope to find a way to target the calcineurin system to develop a new schizophrenia therapy.

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Brain research throws up interesting possibilities

Scientists researching the mysteries of the brain have found that drinking cocoa can increase blood flow to the brain. The researchers from the University of Nottingham, UK, believe this is because cocoa beans contain the antioxidant flavanol. They arrived at this conclusion after conducting a test on young women wherein they studied the participants’ brains through magnetic resonance imaging while the participants undertook the complex tasks assigned. They found that blood flow to the brain was greater in those women who had drunk cocoa when compared to those who had not. The researchers are optimistic that their findings are a promising first step in the fight against dementia.

Meanwhile, American researchers from Duke University reported that Avastin could slow the growth of gliomas when combined with chemotherapy. The researchers conducted a study on more than 32 patients who were in stage III or stage IV of this deadly brain cancer. When they combined Genentech’s Avastin (bevacizumab) with the chemotherapy drug irinotecan, they were successful in shrinking the tumor by nearly 50 per cent in 63 per cent of the patients. In other patients, the combination stopped the growth of the tumors. The researchers are hopeful that this finding will lead to effective treatment options.

In another study, researchers from the National Institutes of Health, USA and University of Bristol, UK, have determined that seafood has a positive effect on the fetus. They found that when pregnant women consumed less than 340 g of seafood in a week, they were more likely to deliver children with low verbal IQ in comparison with mothers whose weekly seafood consumption was greater than 340 g. The findings are significant as they contradict the advice of the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Health and Human Services that urged pregnant mothers to curb intake to protect the fetuses from pollutants in the seafood.

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Research into neurological diseases makes significant advances

American researchers have linked the levels of the cannabis-like chemicals in the brain to the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Researchers at the Stanford University Medical Center conducted a test on mice having a condition similar to Parkinson’s. First, the mice were given a dose of an existing drug, which showed slight changes in their condition. But when they added the experimental drug, the breakdown of the endocannabinoids stopped in the mice and enabled them to move around freely. The researchers feel that further studies will enable them to develop new and more effective drugs.

Another encouraging study that took place in Canada has raised hopes for the development of the cure for Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is caused when the huntingtin protein gets clustered in the wrong area of the brain cells. The researchers have found that the protein sequences of the huntingtin protein cause this to occur. As a result, the brain cells fail to perform their functions and later die. The research group is currently exploring ways to develop new drugs for the treatment of Huntington's disease.

Meanwhile, American scientists conducted an experiment studying the damage caused by toxicants on stem cells. Researchers at the University of Rochester, New York, exposed an advanced variety of stem cells, known as glial progenitors, to small amounts of lead, mercury and paraquat. The toxic substances prevented the splitting up of stem cells and shut them down. According to the researchers, this can have a significant impact on a person’s development, especially in the early stages of life. The scientists aim to recognize the specific molecular pathway of the toxins and find a way to safeguard the stem cells.

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Brain studies open new doors

In an encouraging study, American researchers have determined that brain function can be enhanced with the implantation of a stent. This procedure is usually undertaken to clear blocked carotid arteries and thwart the occurrence of stroke. Researchers from the Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, Washington, conducted the study on 37 participants. All of them were subjected to a two-hour battery of 11 standard neurocognitive tests. Doctors observed that while improvements in brain function were visible even as early as three months, 43 per cent of the participants saw significant improvement a year after the procedure.

Meanwhile, American doctors have found that the chances of a new born baby suffering a brain hemorrhage increase significantly if it is born naturally. Doctors at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, made this finding when they scanned the brains of 88 healthy newborns using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Seventeen of the babies born naturally had intracranial hemorrhages while seven had ruptures. The researchers believe that this bleeding was most likely caused due to pressure on the skull during delivery. They are now planning to test these babies again when they are one and two years old with the aim of formulating ways to determine ‘shaken baby syndrome’.

In another study, researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School have found a possible link between brain protein SH2B1 and obesity. The researchers established the link after conducting experiments on different kinds of mice. They found that the metabolic disorders of mice without the protein were corrected when SH2B1 was restored in the mice. Also, with the protein, their brain cells ably controlled their eating. Further, these abilities were not lost in those mice which made the protein in large quantities. The researchers hope their findings will in the long term help better understand obesity.

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