Mapping dysfunctional circuits in the brain by electrically stimulating areas deep within it could improve the treatment of four neurological disorders, research suggests. The findings, in Nature Neuroscience, may help identify new targets and strategies for dystonia, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette Syndrome, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The researchers identified those circuits…

A review article published this week in the Journal of Internal Medicine points to early evidence that gamma rhythm stimulation could be a treatment for neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The review of studies was conducted by the same lab at MIT that published a groundbreaking study in 2016 that…

Researchers at University College London (UCL) have developed a new gene therapy approach for epilepsy and potentially other neurological and psychiatric diseases that works by reducing the excitability of overactive brain cells. The new closed-loop gene therapy approach enables the on-demand expression of a gene that tamps down the activity…

Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine report that they have found that microbes in the gut may contribute to certain symptoms associated with complex neurological disorders. Their study “Dissecting the contribution of host genetics and the microbiome in complex behaviors,” published in Cell, also suggests that microbe-inspired therapies may one…

Clinical categories for psychiatric disorders may need to be rethought, suggests a new study from the aptly named Brainstorm Consortium, a collaborative effort that accepted input from researchers representing 600 institutions worldwide. By pooling their data on hundreds of thousands of genomes, these researchers found genetic connections among distinct psychiatric…

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have made a discovery that could transform our understanding of genetic mutations and their role in brain development. Published in Genomic Psychiatry, the study reveals that an inherited mutation in the activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) gene may actually provide protection against certain neurological disorders, challenging…

Researchers based at the University of Houston have developed a small wearable sensor that is able to collect accurate measurements of eye movements for prediction of neurological disorders. Writing in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, the researchers argue that their technology has advantages over other technologies for monitoring eye movements…

Previous research has demonstrated that the lack of the gene MECP2 on microglial cells alters its functions, which might be implicated in Rett syndrome pathogenesis. Now, researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), have discovered an experimental cancer drug that targets faulty microglia which may improve cognitive function…

Research from the UNC School of Medicine, published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, has demonstrated that a new method of treating Parkinson’s disease, focused ultrasound, was effective at reducing dyskinesia (involuntary movements) and motor impairment. Originally approved as a treatment by the FDA in 2016 for patients…

Clinical-stage biotechnology company Rapport Therapeutics, which has a focus of developing targeted small molecule drugs for the treatment of neurological disorders, launched today with a $100 million Series A financing led by Third Rock Ventures, ARCH Venture Partners and Johnson & Johnson Innovation. The company’s lead candidate is currently in…

Researchers at the UT Southwestern have published promising results in the journal Brain of using a new four-tract tractography method to personalize MRI-guided, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to treat medication refractory tremor in essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. Clinical result from the use of the method indicates it could…

Digital diagnostics company DiagnaMed Holdings announced today that it has acquired the exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with the tech transfer corporation of the University of Kansas for the development and commercialization of a novel virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) neurodiagnostic system for the evaluation, diagnosis and monitoring of…

Researchers based at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) have developed an app that can scan people’s pupils to search for early signs of neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as other cognitive disorders. The app makes use of the near-infra red camera, which is installed in…

Researchers at the Max Planck Institutes of Neurobiology and of Biochemistry report in the EMBO Journal that they have developed a mouse line that makes the state of protein balance visible in the mammalian brain for the first time. Using this model, researchers can now study in more detail, the processes…

A gene therapy developed at University College London and Great Ormond Street Hospital to treat the rare neurodegenerative condition Dopamine Transporter Deficiency Syndrome (DTDS) achieved promising results in a lab and mouse model. Based on the results, the researchers have been given the go-ahead to proceed to a clinical trial…