Intellimedix

A preliminary study suggests that sulforaphane, a chemical found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, has shown promise as a treatment for autism. In a trial of 40 teenagers and young men with moderate to severe autism spectrum disorders, two-thirds of the participants taking sulforaphane scored better on three measures of autistic behavior after four weeks of treatment, researchers reported yesterday (October 13) in PNAS. Read the complete story @ http://bit.ly/1w2yvoS

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique can detect signs of cognitive decline in the brain even before symptoms appear, according to a new study from the University of Geneva. The technique has the potential to serve as a biomarker in very early diagnosis of preclinical dementia and other neurological disorders. Read the complete story at http://bit.ly/1vLY24i

It's not all about winning for Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill. But his courage off the field has inspired his players, his fans and children with epilepsy. Read coach Kill's story @ http://cnn.it/1qzf9SB

James Collins, a professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, agrees that the diseases of the future will be managed with drugs that act on multiple pathways in the network. (He admits that pharmaceutical companies, searching for one drug to treat a disease, haven’t been particularly happy to hear that; developing, say, four drugs for a disease instead of one could be significantly more difficult and expensive.) Another potential use of the diseasome could be in finding new uses for existing drugs. Now we now what neighborhoods the diseases are in, Barabási says, alluding to the genes and proteins that make up disease modules. So, if a drug has been developed for heart disease but it tends to be hitting in the asthma neighborhood, it could be a good asthma drug. Read the complete story at http://to.pbs.org/1sl6mJh

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A new editorial by Teagarden et al in the Expert Opinion of Orphan Drugs argues that the way orphan drugs are developed and marketed cannot continue. The authors argue that while the Orphan Drug Act was designed to provide incentives for pharmaceutical companies to develop orphan drugs, it is becoming apparent that the system is unsustainable as more and more companies seek orphan drug designations and obtain orphan drug approvals. And with many of these approved orphan drugs ranging upwards of $200-$400K a year, those costs will eventually be relayed back to the patient. Read the complete story at http://bit.ly/1sgjAah

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Most people think of zebrafish as little more than a cheap household pet. The fish are small about an inch or two long and easy to care for. Nothing special, it seems. But inside laboratory aquariums, zebrafish are quickly gaining a reputation as utterly crucial for medical and genetic research. Over the last few decades, the use of zebrafish in biomedical research has skyrocketed. Zebrafish breed quickly, scientists can manipulate their genes easily, and the fish actuall...y share a surprising number of similarities with humans. That explains why more and more major biology papers are being published using zebrafish as their organism of choice not the lab rat, the lab mouse, or the fruit fly. Read the complete article at http://bit.ly/1xTI5xp

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http://bit.ly/1rSAYlv Epilepsy Genetics in the Era of Precision Medicine This week Intellimedix's founder and CEO, Daniel Fischer, discussed a parent's perspective in advancing the sciences to develop better treatments for the epilepsies at the "Epilepsy Genetics in the Era of Precision Medicine" in Half Moon Bay, California. Read the details of such an exciting conference below...... --------------------------------------------- Please join us for a meeting to begin to define the future of epilepsy in this new era of precision medicine, September 29 and 30, 2014 at the Oceano Hotel & Spa in Half Moon Bay, California. Recent advances in fields such as genetics, neuroimaging, stem cell biology, and model systems have provided exciting new insights into the causes of epilepsy, and are beginning to provide guidance as to either the choice of existing therapies or the development of new therapies. These advances, combined with the increased facility with which clinicians, scientists, patients, and other stake-holders can work together collaboratively, have set the stage for a new era in epilepsy care in which far more patients will benefit from having a highly accurate diagnosis of the cause of their epilepsy and, as an extension, an etiology-specific treatment plan. The goal of this conference is to bring together experts and others with a vested interest in the development of precision medicine for genetic epilepsies to map out a strategy for accelerating the pace with which this goal can be achieved. Scientists, clinicians, and representatives from lay organizations, industry, and government will have the opportunity to exchange ideas about key advances, prospects, and issues from a range of fields, including epilepsy research, clinical care, health economics, medical ethics, and public policy. Importantly, participants will include investigators from outside the field of epilepsy (e.g. cancer) who have been at the forefront of the application of precision medicine for the treatment of human disease. Based on the ideas that emerge from this dialogue, a position paper (intended for publication) will be produced that provides a concise overview of the current state-of-the-art and recommendations for future directions. We look forward to your joining in this important effort. Dan Lowenstein Sam Berkovic David Goldstein for the Epi4K Investigators

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) a grant today to develop an electrode array system that will enable researchers to better understand how the brain works through unprecedented resolution and scale. LLNL’s grant-funded project is part of NIH’s efforts to support President Obama’s BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative, a new research effort to revolutionize our understanding ...of the human mind and uncover ways to treat, prevent and cure brain disorders. NIH is seeking exceptionally creative approaches to address major challenges associated with recording and manipulating neural activity for this endeavor. The agency announced its first wave of investments totaling $46 million in FY14 funds to support the BRAIN Initiative’s goals. More than 100 investigators in 15 states and several countries will work to develop new tools and technologies to understand neural circuit function and capture a dynamic view of the brain in action. The human brain is the most complicated biological structure in the known universe. We’ve only just scratched the surface in understanding how it works or, unfortunately, doesn’t quite work when disorders and disease occur, NIH Director Francis S. Collins said. There’s a big gap between what we want to do in brain research and the technologies available to make exploration possible. These initial awards are part of a 12-year scientific plan focused on developing the tools and technologies needed to make the next leap in understanding the brain. This is just the beginning of an ambitious journey and we’re excited about the possibilities. This image gives perspective of how tiny the electrode arrays are when compared to a dime. Credit Kwei Chu/LLNL Lawrence Livermore is developing a neural measurement and manipulation system an advanced electronics system to monitor and modulate neurons that will be packed with more than 1,000 tiny electrodes embedded in different areas of the brain to record and stimulate neural circuitry. The goal is to develop a system that will allow scientists to simultaneously study how thousands of neuronal cells in various brain regions work together during complex tasks such as decision making and learning. Read the complete story at http://bit.ly/1vBiQNT

In the first, small study of a novel, personalized and comprehensive program to reverse memory loss, nine of 10 participants displayed subjective or objective improvement in their memories beginning within three to six months after the program’s start. Read the complete article about this holistic new approach to treating neurological disorders at http://bit.ly/1vycXkJ

Large International Study Pinpoints Synapse Genes with Major Roles in Severe Childhood Epilepsies. CHOP Scientists Help Lead Research, which May Suggest New Targets for More Effective Treatments. An international research team has identified gene mutations causing severe, difficult-to-treat forms of childhood epilepsy. Many of the mutations disrupt functioning in the synapse, the highly dynamic junction at which nerve cells communicate with one another. Dennis Dlugos, MDThis... research represents a paradigm shift in epilepsy research, giving us a new target on which to focus treatment strategies, said pediatric neurologist Dennis Dlugos, MD, director of the Pediatric Regional Epilepsy Program at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and a study co-author. There is tremendous potential for new drug development and personalized treatment strategies, which is our task for the years to come. The current study added to the list of gene mutations previously reported to be associated with these severe epilepsy syndromes, called epileptic encephalopathies. The researchers sequenced the exomes (those portions of DNA that code for proteins) of 356 patients with severe childhood epilepsies, as well as their parents. The scientists looked for de novo mutationsthose that arose in affected children, but not in their parents. In all, they identified 429 such de novo mutations. In 12 percent of the children, these mutations were considered to unequivocally cause the child’s epilepsy. In addition to several known genes for childhood epilepsies, the study team found strong evidence for additional novel genes, many of which are involved in the function of the synapse. Read the complete article at http://bit.ly/1t2Mw1S