Copyright 2008, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/press_releases/index.htm en Press Release Saturday Sunday http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/pressrelease_microglia_pruning.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/pressrelease_microglia_pruning.htm Researchers show how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections, or synapses, between neurons during normal development. Immune cells known as microglia respond to neuronal activity to select synapses to prune, and eliminate synapses in the way that bacterial cells or other pathogenic debris are eliminated. Wed, 23 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/BrainGate2_robotic_arm_control.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/BrainGate2_robotic_arm_control.htm A trial funded in part by NIH is evaluating the BrainGate neural interface system, an investigational device intended to put robotics and other assistive technology under the brain's control. Two trial participants – both paralyzed by stroke years ago – learned to use the BrainGate to make complex reach-and-grasp movements with a robotic arm, simply by imagining they were using their own arms. Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/ApoE4_weakens_BBB.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/ApoE4_weakens_BBB.htm Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. NIH-funded researchers have found that in mice, the most risky variant of ApoE triggers an inflammatory reaction and damages the blood vessels that feed the brain. An inflammatory molecule called cyclophilin A could be a new target for therapy. Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Li_TaiChi_and_PD.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Li_TaiChi_and_PD.htm For Parkinson’s disease, exercise routines are often recommended to help maintain stability and the coordinated movements necessary for everyday living. An NIH-funded study evaluated three different forms of exercise – resistance training, stretching, and tai chi – and found that tai chi led to the greatest overall improvements in balance and stability for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease. Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/octopus_ion_channels.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/octopus_ion_channels.htm Like all machines, ion channels – the machines that power nerve cell firing and muscle contraction – operate less efficiently in the cold. That poses a challenge for animals that live in icy environments. A new study shows that octopi in polar climates solve the problem by modifying their ion channels through a process called RNA editing. Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/opioid_receptors_up_close.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/opioid_receptors_up_close.htm Researchers have taken the closest-yet look at the structures of opioid receptors. Drugs that target these receptors are widely prescribed for treating acute and chronic pain, but their long-term use carries a risk of addiction and tolerance. The new findings might aid development of safer painkillers and addiction-fighting medications. Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/sirtuins_counter_HD_mice.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/sirtuins_counter_HD_mice.htm Sirtuins have been implicated in promoting longer life, but recently some scientists have begun to think that the genes influence the susceptibility to age-related diseases, rather than the aging process itself. Now two studies have found that boosting the levels of the sirtuin-1 gene reduces the loss of brain tissue in mouse models of Huntington’s disease. Mon, 30 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/grasp_after_paralysis.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/grasp_after_paralysis.htm An artificial connection between the brain and muscles can restore complex hand movements in monkeys following paralysis. Researchers developed a neuroprosthetic system that uses a brain-computer interface (BCI) to provide functional electric stimulation (FES) to paralyzed muscles in the arm, allowing brain-controlled muscle contactions and restoring movement. Wed, 18 Apr 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Ranganathan_OTR.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Ranganathan_OTR.htm Rajesh Ranganathan, Ph.D., a leading scientific expert in translational research, has been named director of the Office of Translational Research (OTR) at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. In this role, he will lead the institute’s efforts to convert basic and clinical research results into new treatments for patients more quickly and effectively. Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:00:00 EDT http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/AD_epigenetic_blockade.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/AD_epigenetic_blockade.htm A repression of gene activity in the brain appears to be an early event affecting people with Alzheimer's disease, researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have found. In mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, this epigenetic blockade and its effects on memory were treatable. Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/RAMPART_results.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/RAMPART_results.htm Drug delivery into muscle using an autoinjector, akin to the EpiPen used to treat serious allergic reactions, is faster and may be a more effective way to stop status epilepticus, a prolonged seizure lasting longer than five minutes, according to a study sponsored by NIH. Status epilepticus is a potentially life-threatening emergency, and is usually treated with anticonvulsant drugs delivered intravenously. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee announced.htm http://www.ninds.nih.gov/news_and_events/news_articles/Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee announced.htm NIH announced the members of the new Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee chaired by NINDS Director Story Landis, Ph.D. The IPRCC includes researchers, members of nonprofit public advocacy organizations, and representatives from 7 federal agencies that deal with pain research and patient care. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST