login
Become a member
Quick Registration
Full Registration Benefits -
Free Homepages for Doctors
Free Homepages for Hospitals
Free Homepages for Medical Conference
Free Homepages for NGO's
Personal Health Record Creation
Access to all Medical Slides
Access to all Jobs & Products Sale
New Treatment for Rett Syndrome on the Anvil Following OHSU Discovery
Rett syndrome is a neurological developmental disorder. The finding has implications for the treatment of neurological disorders, including Rett syndrome that affects one in 10,000 baby girls.
The new discovery is published online in Neuroscience (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452212000395?v=s5) and is expected in the print issue of Neuroscience in March.
Using a mouse model of Rett syndrome, the OHSU team found that mutant neurons in the brainstem fail miserably at making BDNF. When normal neurons are faced with a respiratory challenge, such as low oxygen, they dramatically increase the production of BDNF, whereas mutant neurons do not.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Rett syndrome is estimated to affect one in every 10,000 to 15,000 live births and almost exclusively girls because it is caused by an X-linked gene mutation. In addition to severe problems with motor function, other symptoms of Rett syndrome may include breathing difficulties while awake.
"The new finding, coupled with our previously published data that show BDNF is involved in normal maturation of neuronal pathways controlling cardiorespiratory function, could play a significant role in the development of a treatment for Rett syndrome," said Agnieszka Balkowiec, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of integrative biosciences in the OHSU School of Dentistry; and adjunct assistant professor of physiology and pharmacology in the OHSU School of Medicine. To conduct this research, Balkowiec partnered with John M. Bissonnette, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology, and cell and developmental biology in the OHSU School of Medicine.
Source-Eurekalert
|
|
More News on: Autism, Rett Syndrome
 Comment & Contribute
|
Medwonders Health Network
- Health News Index
- News Quick Links
 | News Central | | Health Watch | |
| Latest Health News | | Health In Focus | |
| News Category (500+) | | Breaking Health News | |
| Popular News | | Celebrating Life | |
| Health News and Press Release | | Medindia - Exclusive | |
| News Photo Gallery | | India Special | |
| News Video Gallery | | Lifestyle and Wellness | |
| News From Other Resources | |||
 |
Rett Syndrome
Complete Medindia Resources
|
| News Categories: |
| » | Individual Market Insurance Does Not Provide Coverage Equivalent to Even the Lowest Plan Available Under ACA |
| » | Report: A Lot of Americans Have No Access to Health Care |
| » | Greece Faces Humanitarian Crisis as Health Care Access Declines in EU, Doctors Group Warns |
| » | HCCI Report Says Rising Prices for Care Responsible for Increased Healthcare Costs for Privately Insured Americans |
| » | Treatment in ED is Based on Children's Insurance Status |
| More Insurance News | |
|
Research Related News |
||||||||
| » | Chimps and Orangutans Have Personalities Similar to Humans | » | Scientists Identify Cells' Petrol Pump | |||||
| » | Various Antimicrobial Metals for Use in Water Filters Evaluated | » | Mutations in Two Proteins Involved in Energy Conversion Could Lead to Neuromuscular Disorder | |||||
| » | New Research on Treatment of Brain Swelling | » | Recent Discovery Could Lead to a 'Holy Grail' Flu Treatment | |||||
| » | Immune System may Protect Against Alzheimer's Disease Changes | » | Ultra-sensitive Test to Detect Diseases Earlier | |||||
| Read More >> | ||||||||
