Articles related to Neurology

More trials in larger groups of patients will be required to determine whether this drug, BIIB080 (/IONIS-MAPTRx), an antisense oligonucleotide (used to stop RNA from producing a protein), leads to clinical benefit, but the phase 1 results published in Nature Medicine – with results from 46 patients – are the first indication that this method has a biological effect. BIIB080 ‘silences’ the tau protein-coding gene, known as the microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene. This inhibits the gene from being dosed and reversibly translated into protein. It will also reduce the creation of that protein, changing the course of the condition.

The Eat, Sleep, Console care approach dramatically reduced the number of days before infants with newborn opioid withdrawal syndrome were medically ready for discharge when compared to conventional care, without worsening specified unfavorable outcomes.

The investigational combination therapy of extended-release pramipexole and extended-release rasagiline controlled symptoms similar to pramipexole alone in this phase 3 trial, but with less sleepiness and orthostatic hypotension. Pramipexole mimics dopamine activity in the brain, and rasagiline increases dopamine levels by blocking dopamine reuptake.

Adding to the evidence that good nutrition supports healthy aging, this study shows that blood levels of certain saturated fatty acids, along with omega-6, -7 and -9 fatty acids, correlated with improved memory as well as larger frontal, temporal, parietal lobes.

The split-hand sign, one of the first physical symptoms of ALS, refers to a loss of the pincer grasp caused by weakening and wasting of two hand muscles placed on the side of the thumb: the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and the first dorsal interosseous (FDI). Hand muscles on the side of the little finger, such as the abductor digiti minimi (ADM), are typically spared, hence the term “split.” Several studies have attempted to develop split-hand indexes (SIs) based on a measure of muscle conduction known as compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) of affected and unaffected hand muscles over the years. The CMAP and F-wave persistence (FP) of three important groups of hand muscles — APB, FDI, and ADM — were assessed in 83 ALS patients and 50 age- and height-matched healthy individuals (controls) in this study. The sensitivity and specificity of SIFP and SICMAP in identifying ALS patients from healthy participants were compared using statistical analysis. When compared to controls, both SIFP and SICMAP tended to have very low values in people with ALS.

New findings from an open-label clinical trial show that by 12 weeks into the maintenance phase, daily off time had decreased by an average of about three hours. Daily “good on” time consistently increased by an average of three hours per day when symptoms are under control without bothersome dyskinesia. By week 12, 62.1% had less free time—at least two hours less per day. The amount of levodopa taken on average every day during the research significantly decreased, which was consistent with improved symptom control. At week 12, just over two-thirds (65%) of patients said they had “much improved” or “very much improved” since beginning SPN-830. Patients reported that their overall health had improved by about 90%.