Curing Epilepsy May Be Possible Through Brain Cell Transplants

by steven on May 12, 2013

In the latest edition of the journal Nature Neuroscience, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco have published their belief that epilepsy that does not respond to drugs can still be halted by transplanting a specific type of cell into the brain.

The research team from the study controlled seizures in epileptic mice with a one-time transplantation of medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) cells, which inhibit signaling in overactive nerve circuits, into the hippocampus, a brain region associated with seizures, as well as with learning and memory.

“Our results are an encouraging step toward using inhibitory neurons for cell transplantation in adults with severe forms of epilepsy. This procedure offers the possibility of controlling seizures and rescuing cognitive deficits in these patients,” said lead researcher Scott C Baraban.

Extreme muscle contractions and a loss of consciousness can occur during epileptic seizures, causing sufferers to lose control, fall and sometimes be seriously injured; this is a result of the abnormal firing of many excitatory nerve cells in the brain at the same time. But in the study, the transplanted inhibitory cells calmed this synchronous, nerve-signaling firestorm, eliminating seizures in half of the treated mice and dramatically reducing the number of spontaneous seizures in the rest. The rresearchers reported that they found a way to reliably generate human MGE-like cells in the laboratory, and that the cells similarly spun off functional inhibitory nerve cells when transplanted into healthy mice.The transplanted MGE cells from mouse embryos migrated and generated interneurons, replacing the cells that fail in epilepsy, successfully integrating into the mice’s existing neural circuits.

 

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Manipulating Brain’s Hypothalamus Region May Help Ensure Longevity In Humans

by steven on May 12, 2013

In a new study, published in this month’s issue of Nature, researchers found evidence which indicated that the hypothalamus region of the brain might actually be the key to longevity in humans, acting as a sort of “fountain of youth.”

The hypothalamus, which is located just above the brain stem, is roughly the size of an almond in humans and is responsible for functions like growth, development, reproduction and certain metabolic processes. The study began when Dr. Dongsheng Cai, MD, PhD’s belief that the hypothalamus plays a key role in aging prompted him to study hypothalamic inflammation by focusing on a protein complex called NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells). This protein complex plays an important role in regulating cellular responses, the production of small molecules used for cell signaling known as cytokines, and cell survival. He and a team of scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York u found that activating the NF-κB pathway in the hypothalamus of mice caused them to age faster by causing a decline in levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).

“The team said they could speed up or slow down aging in mice by activating or inhibiting the brain signalling molecule NF-kB in the hypothalamus, which in turn affects levels of a hormone called GnRH that plays a role in the generation of neurons — the data processing cells of the brain.”

The researchers need further research to verify their belief that these results can be extrapolated to humans. But preliminary findings have shown that preventing inflammation in the hypothalamus and increasing GnRh may be effective strategies for longevity and fending off age-related illnesses.

“It’s clear from our study that many aspects of aging are controlled by the hypothalamus. What’s exciting is that it’s possible — at least in mice — to alter signaling within the hypothalamus to slow down the aging process and increase longevity,” said Dr. Cai.

The technology used in the study has been made available for licensing and is detailed in Nature.

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Deep Brain Stimulation Could Be Cure For Obesity Epidemic

by steven on May 2, 2013

Could the cure for our nation’s obesity epidemic actually be found in… the brain? Researchers from a new study on obese mice believe so, saying that implanting a device that stimulates a specific region of the brain may help curb the compulsion to overeat.

In the study, deep brain stimulation, which involves implanting a device that sends electrical impulses to precise targets in the brain, was found to be an effective way to reduce binge eating and other obesity-related behaviors.

“Once replicated in human clinical trials, DBS could rapidly become a treatment for people with obesity due to the extensive groundwork already established in other disease areas,” said lead author Casey Halpern, a resident in the department of neurosurgery at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

The researchers first became interested in targeting a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, a small structure in the brain’s reward center that is known to play a part in addictive behaviors like binge eating.

“The things that drive people to overeat are part of the reward system,” said Tracy Bale, an associate professor of neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. “So, for example, if someone is under a lot of stress, or if they had a bad day, they might reward themselves with food. And bingeing is a component strongly linked with obesity.”

The researchers used deep brain stimulation to activate the dopamine type-2 receptor in the nucleus accumbens of mice. The mice were given unlimited access to low-calorie food, but for one hour each day, they were offered food that was high in fat.

“Within two days, they learned that we take that food away, so they gorged themselves and ate as much as they could,” said Bale.

However, after undergoing deep brain stimulation, the mice ate significantly less of the high-fat food and didn’t compensate for the loss of calories by eating more food. After several days of constant stimulation, the devices were turned off, and the mice resumed their binge-eating behavior.

Bale and her team believe that this type of treatment may also be an alternative to risky bariatric surgery for humans, and may be more effective than available pharmaceutical options.

“It sounds intimidating, but for this type of surgery, the morbidity rate is much less,” she said. “And this could be something for patients who don’t respond to drugs. Many drug companies are trying to target obesity by getting people to not feel hungry, but that doesn’t work. People aren’t overeating because they’re hungry. They’re eating because it tastes good, or makes them feel better. This treatment taps directly into that reward system.”

 

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Psychopaths’ Lack Of Empathy A Result Of Faulty Brain Wiring

May 1, 2013

According to Scientific American, psychopaths are “self-centered, dishonest and undependable, and at times they engage in irresponsible behavior for no apparent reason other than the sheer fun of it.” A new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago and published in JAMA Psychiatry, suggests that psychopaths’ inability to show empathy toward others might not be their [...]

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Aerobic Exercise May Protect Brain From Heavy Alcohol Use

April 24, 2013

A new study, conducted by researchers at UC San Diego and the University of Colorado at Boulder, has found that aerobic exercise may actually be effective in preventing or reversing the damage that heavy, long-term alcohol use can have on the brain. According to study co-author Hollis C. Karoly, a graduate student at the University of Colorado [...]

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