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A new study by researchers at the Salk Institute, in California, sheds light on how a major movement center of the brain called the striatum might work. The striatum is involved in several nervous system diseases including Huntington’s disease where neurons in the region progressively degenerate, leading to severe motor and cognitive problems and…

A new study from researchers in Spain may increase understanding of a less recognized aspect of Huntington’s disease (HD): cognitive problems. The article examines the possible causes of cognitive difficulties in HD and how they might be addressed through new therapies. The report, “Cognitive Dysfunction in Huntington’s Disease: Mechanisms and…

Edward J. Wild, of the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery, London, has a unique perspective on Huntington’s disease (HD). He believes the currently incurable neurological condition is ideal for certain treatment, based on the clear and universal cause of the disease. Wild elaborated on his conviction in a recent article…

A research report discusses the use of six versions of a new type of molecule, known as xyloketal B, for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. Scientists tested the six possible drugs in a worm model of Huntington’s disease, Caenorhabditis elegans. Results of the study,  “Xyloketal-derived small molecules show protective effect…

Huntington’s disease (HD) patients are known to have a dysregulation of cholesterol metabolism. Now, researchers have shown that manipulation of cholesterol levels in striatal neurons can improve motor deficits in an animal model of Huntington’s. The study, “CYP46A1, the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol degradation, is neuroprotective in Huntington’s…

Two scientists at Cambridge University used differing techniques to better understand how brain cells form connections, research that may inspire new ways of rewiring the brain to repair nerves and treat diseases such as Huntington’s. Professor Christine Holt of the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, focused on how molecules influence neurons…

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…

October 19, 2015, marks a historical day in the treatment of Huntington’s Disease. At University College London Hospitals, patients afflicted with the degenerative neurological condition that day received an innovative new “gene silencing” drug. There is great hope that this drug will revolutionize the treatment of this destructive disease, for which there is currently…

New research out of London has identified specific, highly connected brain regions, known as “rich club brain regions” that may be vulnerable in Huntington’s disease and possibly in other diseases in which there is progressive deterioration of brain cells (neurodegenerative diseases). The article, titled “Selective vulnerability of Rich…