Decoder innovations to the investigational BrainGate brain-computer interface (BCI) being developed at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, now allow the system to recalibrate itself. This enhancement enables users to work with BrainGate for longer sessions without interruptions for recalibration by technical staff. A research article published in…

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) all share a disease hallmark, the aggregation of “misfolded” proteins. Understanding the molecular processes underlying protein aggregation and how it leads to disease is an important step toward developing new therapies. Now, researchers at the University of Cambridge, in…

Japanese researchers have found possible biomarkers that could aid in the early detection of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The report, titled “Identification of plasma microRNAs as a biomarker of sporadic Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis” appeared on Oct. 24 in the journal Molecular Brain. In ALS…

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied the effect of the hormone serotonin in the regeneration of motor neurons after spinal cord injury that may one day hold implications in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), part of a large group of motor neuron diseases. The research paper, entitled “Serotonin Promotes Development…

The Rutgers’ Human Genetics Institute of New Jersey, home to RUCDR Infinite Biologics — the world’s largest university-based biorepository — announced it has received a 5-year grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The $6 million funding will allow Rutgers to assume management of the NINDS stem cell repository,…

Researchers at the Dalhousie Medical School and the Brain Repair Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, have successfully stimulated muscle fibers directly by light, bypassing the nervous system and showing for the first time that it is possible to restore function to denervated muscles. The research study, entitled “Direct optical…

Neurodegenerative disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington’s disease are central nervous system diseases characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal function and tissues. These disorders result from the inability of deteriorated and severely damaged neurons to auto-regenerate, affecting patients primarily during mid-to-late life. As world…

In a recent paper entitled “Spinal Locomotor Circuits Develop Using Hierarchical Rules Based on Motorneuron Position and Identity” published in the Neuron journal, a team of researchers from the Salk Institute for Biological Sciences, La Jolla, CA and the University of Texas,…

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of novel first-in-class drugs for the treatment of cancer and other major diseases, recently announced the evaluation of its SINE nuclear transport compound KPT-350 as a treatment for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Results from preclinical studies will…

Almost 6 million Americans are living with some form of paralysis, including nearly 1.3 million who have suffered spinal cord injuries. However, a team of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists reports this week that a 39-year-old man who has been completely paralyzed for four years was…