News

UCB and Baylor College of Medicine have announced a strategic research alliance to discover therapies for people with neurodegenerative conditions, such as Huntington’s disease (HD). The research effort will be conducted by Dr. Huda Zoghbi, professor of molecular and human genetics, pediatrics, neurology and neuroscience at Baylor College of…

Researchers have for the first time visualized the structure of the protein α-synuclein in healthy living cells, allowing a better understanding of why the protein forms aggregates in Huntington’s disease (HD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Despite α-synuclein being a known component of amyloid aggregates forming in the brains of HD, Parkinson’s and…

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…

Researchers found that the mutant huntingtin protein aggregates characteristic of Huntington’s disease have distinctive structural features, a discovery that might help to uncover the disease’s underlying mechanisms and lead to new therapies. The study, “Huntingtin exon 1 fibrils feature an interdigitated β-hairpin–based polyglutamine core,” was published in Proceedings of the National…

A research team successfully developed a virus variant that is more efficient than the current standard at crossing the blood-brain barrier and delivering genes to the central nervous system (CNS), making it a promising gene therapy approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s disease. The blood-brain barrier, made up of specialized…

A review published in the journal Nature and Science of Sleep explores the links between sleep disturbance and neurodegeneration in diseases such as Huntington’s disease (HD). The authors state that sleep difficulties might not only be a symptom of the underlying neurodegeneration but also a contributing factor driving…

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center researchers have identified a molecule that might have protective effects against neuronal damage caused by mutant huntingtin, and constitute a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of Huntington’s disease. The study, “Mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 protects against mutant huntingtin-induced abnormal mitochondrial dynamics, synaptic dysfunction…

The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals (UH) in Cleveland, Ohio, recently announced the 2016 recipients of its Harrington Scholar-Innovator Awards, given in support of physician-scientists whose discovery research holds promise in advancing the standard of patient care. Among this year’s winners is Stanley N. Cohen, MD, from Stanford University, who received $700,000…

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) researchers have identified a molecule — mitochondrial division inhibitor 1 (Mdivi1) — believed to hold promise as a potential treatment for Huntington’s disease. Mitochondria are specialized organelles in a cell responsible for creating the energy needed by the body to sustain life. An…

Neuropsychiatric symptoms of depression and irritability or aggression are associated with alterations in the white matter structure of the brains of early-onset Huntington’s disease (HD) patients. These are the results of a recent study titled “Neuropsychiatry and White Matter Microstructure in Huntington’s Disease,” published in the…