A Genetic Lottery
— Rebecca Field

Researchers from the University of Nottingham have discovered that a small molecule called nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has a degenerative effect on axons, the thread-like projections involved in neuronal communication. Their study, titled “Wallerian Degeneration Is Executed by an NMN-SARM1-Dependent Late Ca2+ Influx but Only Modestly Influenced by Mitochondria,” was published in…

Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) represent a major and growing healthcare problem, especially in developed nations with aging populations. These disorders affect mostly adults and can last for decades, causing long-term suffering to patients and their families. Neurodegeneration also contributes to the development of chronic debilitating diseases affecting younger people, such as…

A compound tested as a diabetes treatment, KD3010, has shown potential in preclinical tests to reduce Huntington’s disease progression, decrease overall neurodegeneration, and improve motor function. The mouse model study conducted by University of California researchers, “PPAR-δ is repressed in Huntington’s disease, is required for normal neuronal function and can be targeted…

Oxford Finance, LLC announced that it has finished helping Chosen Healthcare, which operates expert nursing facilities for a variety of illnesses including Huntington’s disease, to recapitalize and position itself for future growth. Chosen Healthcare owns 22 expert nursing facilities and one assisted living facility in Indiana, Iowa and Texas. The organization focus is…

Scientists at the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience have discovered a crucial switch for understanding how cells in the nervous system communicate. The ground-breaking research could aid in the understanding of nervous system function and also help pinpoint what goes wrong in neurological conditions such as Huntington’s disease. The report, titled “Presynaptic…

Neurodegenerative diseases are caused by excessive neuronal death in distinct brain areas. For example, in Huntington’s disease the striatum is a specifically vulnerable region and disease may benefit from enhanced neuronal protection against oxidative stress. Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase, known as GAPDH, is a central enzyme in glucose metabolism, but it…

Cholesterol supply to neurons by nanoparticles can improve neuronal and synaptic dysfunction in Huntington’s disease (HD), providing the missing link between the reduction in brain cholesterol observed in HD mice brains and some of the neuronal abnormalities associated with the disease. These are the results of a study entitled “Cholesterol‐loaded…

A recent study explored the association between gastric mucosa (mucus lining) abnormalities in Huntington’s Disease (HD) and mechanisms in the increased weight loss experienced by HD patients.  The study, entitled, “Characterization of Gastric Mucosa Biopsies Reveals Alterations in Huntington’s Disease,” was published in the journal…

A group of researchers from the University of Florida Health have discovered new information about Huntington’s disease, namely that the gene causing this severe disorder causes an unforeseen accumulation of “cocktails” of mutant proteins (RAN proteins) in the brain. These newly identified mutant proteins damage neurons and build up in areas…

Researchers at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have tested a new substance that may lead to a prototype for the development of drugs to treat Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies, including Huntington’s disease. The substance, anle138b, improved symptoms in mice and showed an improvement in their cognition,…

In 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug administration (FDA) selected Huntington’s disease (HD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) as the focus of a three-year public consultation project for Patient-Focused Drug Development. This initiative involves working toward a better understanding of patient perspectives on the severity of these diseases and evaluation of…

Huntington’s disease is among a select group of disorders for which eligible patients can be prescribed medical marijuana in New York State. A bill signed this week by N.Y. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, passed by both houses of the legislature in June with overwhelming bipartisan support, expands a 2014 state law establishing medical marijuana access by…