Scientists have developed an animal model that may provide a path toward improving the diagnosis and treatment of the devastating brain disease chronicled in the bestselling autobiography “Brain on Fire.” The book, along with a 2017 movie by the same name, traces newspaper reporter Susannah Cahalan’s harrowing descent into the throes of the disease. The […]
Can red cell exchange treat advanced sickle cell disease?
Medical advances have dramatically increased the life expectancy of patients with sickle cell disease, but as patients are living longer, they are increasingly experiencing organ damage leading to early death. Now, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC, supported by a $19.2 million National Institutes of Health grant, will lead the largest clinical trial […]
Annie, 21, almost died after ulcer was a sign of a rare blood disease
Annie Lovegrove, 21, almost died after her mouth ulcer turned out to be a sign of a rare blood disease. Annie was given antibiotics for the ulcer by a GP in January and then was diagnosed with tonsillitis. After her Mum rushed her to A & E, she was diagnosed with ‘very severe’ Aplastic Anemia, […]
Protein-linked sugars are crucial for the uptake of proteins linked to Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 6 million people worldwide, is caused by the buildup of alpha-synuclein proteins in the brain. The biological function of alpha-synuclein is still not well understood, but because of its role in neurodegenerative diseases, researchers are actively studying this protein to understand the mechanisms of the disease […]
Researchers develop new blood test for faster, cheaper and more accurate detection of Alzheimer’s disease
Doctors may one day be able to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common cause of severe dementia, and monitor a patient’s response to treatment by doing a simple blood test. This is made possible using the APEX (Amplified Plasmonic EXosome) system invented by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS). Designed to pick […]
Contaminated food for millions of diseases
In the European Region, 44 people are diagnosed per Minute of contaminated food, for of 4,700 people a year, the disease is fatal. The world health organization (WHO) reports. Experts believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg and the actual number of cases is much higher. Diarrhoea pathogens to be the cause […]
The surprising role fibrinogen plays in regulating the body’s response to disease
A finding from University of Alberta researchers is shining new light on the role fibrinogen has in regulating a natural defence mechanism in the body. The discovery is hoped to contribute to improved diagnosis and treatments for patients in a variety of diseases ranging from inflammation, to heart failure, to cancer. Fibrinogen is a well-known […]
Big picture genetic scoring approach reliably predicts heart disease
Specialized risk scores derived from testing that calculates the cumulative effect of an individual’s entire DNA sequence, the genome, may reliably predict heart disease in people who have not yet had a heart attack, according to new research in Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine, an American Heart Association journal. The study is the latest to […]
How a zebrafish could help solve the mysteries of genetic brain disease
A close look at the rapidly developing zebrafish embryo is helping neuroscientists better understand the potential underpinnings of brain disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. Researchers at The Ohio State University were interested in understanding changes in neurological development that arise from a genetic defect associated with neurological disease—specifically, the loss of a gene called Protocadherin-19, […]
Researcher studies incurable blood disease usually diagnosed in children
Most people with Fanconi anemia are diagnosed before they turn 12 but don’t live past 30. Wei Du—a researcher in the WVU School of Pharmacy and the WVU Cancer Institute—is exploring the metabolic processes the underlie this form of anemia. Her findings may lead to new gene therapies that help patients live better, longer. Treating […]