Experimental Treatment Halts Hypoxic-ischemic Brain Injury In Newborns, Study Suggests Aug 2, 2009
The enzyme inhibitor was injected into the intracerebroventricular region of the brain, which includes a system of canals that distribute cerebrospinal fluid throughout the organ ... The researcher team also recommends studies to determine whether infants diagnosed with HIE, or who are at high risk cerebral palsy, have elevated levels of tPA and plasmin in their brains or cerebrospinal fluid. (Science Daily)
Biomarkers May Help Predict Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease In Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment Jul 31, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 30, 2009) Several cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers showed good accuracy in identifying patients with mild cognitive impairment who progressed to Alzheimer disease, according to a new study ... "We determined in a large multicenter study that the CSF biomarkers A 42, T-tau, and P-tau can be used to predict with good accuracy which MCI patients will develop AD, as previously found in smaller studies. This multicenter collaboration avoids several of the risks of biases... (Science Daily)
New tests could aid early Alzheimer's diagnosis Jul 24, 2009
"We confirmed in a large multi-center study that these (cerebrospinal fluid) biomarkers may identify early-stage Alzheimer's disease, which has previously been suggested in earlier smaller studies," Dr. Niklas Mattsson of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, whose study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association, wrote in an e-mail ... Although they affect the brain, bits of the proteins were also found in the cerebrospinal fluid, which bathes both the brain and the spinal... (MSNBC -- Health)
First Model Motor Nerve System That's Insulated And Organized Like Human Body Jul 23, 2009
In the central nervous system (CNS), the spinal cord and brain are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid that contains only trace amounts of protein. This system now allows for both the PNS and CNS to be studied in the same defined system. (Science Daily)
Refining Most Effective Methods To Predict Alzheimer's Disease Jul 23, 2009
(May 15, 2009) Levels of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with very mild dementia may be associated with the rate at which their thinking, learning and memory skills decline, according to a new. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Why Are Michael Jackson Autopsy Results Taking So Long? Jul 18, 2009
" Asked about the reports of Jackson's alleged use of the fast-acting Diprivan, an anesthetic not intended for use outside of the supervision of a trained anesthesiologist in a doctor's office, Perper said that while the drug does leave the system quickly, it's unlikely that investigators will not find some traces of it if Jackson used it before his death. The 15-year-veteran of the Broward County coroner's office said investigators are likely looking at blood, bile, urine, eye and cerebrospinal... (VHI.com -- Music News)
Brain Imaging And Proteins In Spinal Fluid May Improve Alzheimer's Prediction And Diagnosis Jul 16, 2009
Researchers led by Michael Ewers, PhD, senior research fellow at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, and Harald Hampel, MD, MSc, Chair of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, identified 345 ADNI participants (81 with Alzheimer's, 163 with amnestic MCI; 101 elderly healthy controls) on whom there was available data including (a) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration and ratios of Alzheimer's related proteins: total tau, phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), and... (Science Daily)
Memory test and PET scans detect early signs of Alzheimer's Jul 14, 2009
The measurements included scores on the Auditory Verbal Learning Test; the volume of the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with the formation of new memory; the presence of the apolipoprotein E4 gene, which has been linked to increased risk of Alzheimer's; certain proteins found in the cerebrospinal fluid; and glucose metabolism detected in PET brain scans ... The researchers pointed out that other measurements - in particular, hippocampus volume and the cerebrospinal fluid markers -... (EurekAlert!)
Results from trials of DHA in Alzheimer's disease and age-related cognitive decline Jul 12, 2009
According to the researchers, treatment with DHA clearly increased blood levels of DHA, and also appeared to increase brain DHA levels, based on a measured increase of DHA in study participants' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). However, DHA treatment did not slow the rate of change on tests of mental function (ADAS-cog), global dementia severity status (CDR-SOB), activities of daily living (ADL), or behavioral symptoms (NPI) in the study population as a whole. (EurekAlert!)
Senegal: 'Bring Hydrocephalus Out of the Darkness' Jul 11, 2009
Hydrocephalus is a build-up in the head of cerebrospinal fluid - a clear fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord, providing nutrients and carrying away waste. The abnormal accumulation causes acute swelling. (allAfrica.com)
MCG student meets Nobel Prize winner Jul 9, 2009
Researchers are looking in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurological trauma to see whether levels of the protein correlate with worse outcomes, she said. "So perhaps HMGB-1 could be a good diagnostic tool for the level of injury in these patients," said Ms. Laird, who is working on a doctoral degree in neuroscience and works within the Department of Neurosurgery. (The Augusta Chronicle)
When It Comes To Brain Damage, Blankets Take The Place Of Drugs Jul 8, 2009
(June 10, 2009) Researchers in Japan have detected a peptide in cerebrospinal fluid that can show whether a person is developing Alzheimer's disease. Measuring the level of this peptide could show that the disease. (Science Daily)
Alzheimer's Research Pinpoints Antibodies That May Prevent Disease Jul 8, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 7, 2009) Antibodies to a wide range of substances that can aggregate to form plaques, such as those found in Alzheimer's patients, have been identified in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy people ... (July 15, 2006) Early signs of the development of Alzheimer's disease can be seen in the cerebrospinal fluid of middle-aged adults who are genetically predisposed to the neurologic condition, according to a report ... (June 10, 2009) Researchers in Japan have detected a... (Science Daily)
Not happy with changes to paper Jul 7, 2009
Antibodies to a wide range of substances that can aggregate to form plaques, such as those found in Alzheimers patients, have been identified in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy people. Levels of these antibodies decline with age and, in Alzheimers patients, with increasing progression of the disease. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Narcolepsy is an Autoimmune Disorde... Jul 6, 2009
Studies show that narcolepsy patients who also have cataplexy have low cerebrospinal levels of hypercetin-1. These patients show more intensive muscular involvement during cataplectic attacks than patients with normal levels of hypercetin in their cerebrospinal fluid. (Suite101.com)
Brain malformations significantly associated with preterm birth, Wake Forest research shows Jul 3, 2009
Among the malformations studied with the highest rates of preterm birth were hydrocephaly, an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain (65 ... 5 percent); and hydranencephaly, a rare condition in which the brain's cerebral hemispheres are absent and replaced by sacs filled with cerebrospinal fluid (38. (EurekAlert!)
Nanotechnology Combats Fatal Brain Infections Jun 30, 2009
IBN's peptide nanoparticles are able to pass through this membrane into the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue due to the positive chemical charge on their surfaces, and the cell penetrating component on their surfaces. Multi-drug Resistant Bacteria. (Science Daily)
Singapore nanotechnology combats fatal brain infections Jun 29, 2009
IBN's peptide nanoparticles are able to pass through this membrane into the cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue due to the positive chemical charge on their surfaces, and the cell penetrating component on their surfaces. MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT BACTERIA: Bacteria mutate to develop resistance to antibiotics. (EurekAlert!)
Advanced Nerve Cell System Could Help Cure Diabetic Neuropathy, Related Diseases Jun 29, 2009
In the isolated central nervous system the spinal cord and brain are instead surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid that is nearly sterile, with only a trace of protein. Especially during initial experiments, researchers typically grow cell cultures in serum isolated from cow or human blood, which effectively promotes growth. (Science Daily)
Non-invasive Method For Early, Serological Diagnosis Of Parkinson’s Disease Developed Jun 25, 2009
Many studies have reported the detection of -synuclein in biological fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of PD patients. It is a matter of debate if plasma -synuclein is a protein secreted by normal neurons or released by damaged neurons. (Science Daily)
Cytox Raises Pre-Series A Financing From Management and Existing UK Investors, Welcomes First US Investors Jun 24, 2009
The company's tests require only a single blood draw from the patient, which is significantly less invasive than tests requiring cerebrospinal fluid obtained by lumbar puncture (spinal tap) and quicker and cheaper than repeated imaging techniques (MRI). Cytox's blood biomarkers have been validated for use in FDA trials in a recent clinical study, which was conducted in collaboration with the Oxford Project to Investigate Memory and Aging (OPTIMA) and supported by an Exceptional Grant for... (PR Newswire)
Key Found To How Tumor Cells Invade The Brain In Childhood Cancer Jun 20, 2009
What happens is that the leukemic cells get into the cerebrospinal fluidthat protects our brain and spine, where they fill up the space and they can affect brain function, either by secreting chemicals and toxic factors or even by simple pressure, Dr. Aifantis said ... When two chemokine receptors in the brain interact, leukemic cells (stained green) creep out of a small vein in the membrane covering the brain of a mouse and enter the cerebrospinal fluid. (Science Daily)
Cerebrospinal Fluid Shows Alzheimer's Disease Deterioration Much Earlier Jun 20, 2009
Biomarkers are proteins that can be detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and used to diagnose Alzheimer s disease. It is now clear that the typical pattern of biomarkers known as the "CSF AD profile" can be seen in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients even with very mild memory deficiencies, before these can be detected by other tests ... "The patients who had the typical changes in biomarker profile of the cerebrospinal fluid had a risk of deterioration that was 27 times higher than the control... (Science Daily)
Alzheimer's Clues May Hide In Spinal Fluid Jun 20, 2009
"Our discovery that an analysis of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid can reveal Alzheimer's disease at a very early stage will have major significance if the new type of pharmaceutical that can directly slow the progression of the disease proves to have a clinical effect. It is important in this case to start treatment before the changes in the brain have become too severe," said Blennow. The results were published in the journal Lancet Neurology. (KIRO TV, WA)
• Idaho State conducting alcohol-abuse study Jun 20, 2009
He said the study is being done in such a way so that small amounts of alcohol are injected directly into the cerebrospinal fluid of the rats. "We give an animal with low estrogen levels alcohol and then we see what its stress response is by measuring hormones in the blood or by measuring activation of certain areas in the brain," Selvage said. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
Early Alzheimer's Test in Late Development May 28, 2009
"It's not invasive," he said, an advantage over tests in development that require painful removal of cerebrospinal fluid. He said the test would only cost a few hundred dollars, making it much cheaper than advanced brain imaging, which can show a pattern of plaque buildup in the brain that indicates a person might eventually develop Alzheimer's. (Newsmax)
Automated analysis of MR images may identify early Alzheimers disease May 22, 2009
These participants also had a series of neuropsychological tests, and samples of cerebrospinal fluid were available for many of them. Automated MRI measures of the same three areas identified in the first phase entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, and supramarginal gyrus discriminated individuals with mild cognitive impairment from normal elderly controls with 95 percent accuracy, and patients with Alzheimer's were discriminated from normal controls with 100 percent accuracy. (EurekAlert!)
Marine Mammals' Brains On Pesticides May 21, 2009
Montie analyzed both the cerebrospinal fluid and the gray matter of the cerebellum in eleven cetaceans and one gray seal stranded near Cape Cod, Mass ... According to Montie, The biggest wakeup was that we found parts per million concentrations of hydroxylated PCBs in the cerebrospinal fluid of a gray seal ... In rats, it selectively binds to a carrier protein called transthyretin, which has been found to be abundant in cerebrospinal fluid in mammals. (Science Daily)
Compounds In Spinal Fluid Associated With Faster Decline Among Individuals With Mild Dementia May 16, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 15, 2009) Levels of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with very mild dementia may be associated with the rate at which their thinking, learning and memory skills decline, according to a new report ... Participants underwent a lumbar puncture to obtain a sample of cerebrospinal fluid, which was tested for several biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease, including alpha-beta peptide 1-42 (A 42), tau and phosphorylated tau 181 (ptau 181) ... "The rate of... (Science Daily)
Breakthrough In The Treatment Of Bacterial Meningitis May 16, 2009
4, 2007) A set of guidelines have been developed that can help predict the risk of bacterial meningitis for children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (presence of greater number of white blood cells than. . (Science Daily)
Biomarkers May Help Measure Rate of Decline in Dementia May 14, 2009
Cerebrospinal fluid could be key in improving Alzheimer's research ... TUESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Checking levels of certain biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid may help predict the rate of cognitive decline in people with very mild dementia, and this information could be used to improve the effectiveness of clinical trials, say U.S. researchers ... Samples of cerebrospinal fluid taken from the patients were tested for several biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's, including alpha-beta... (MEDLINEplus)
Narcolepsy Is An Autoimmune Disorder, New Research Shows May 9, 2009
6, 2007) Persons with narcolepsy with cataplexy have low levels of cerebrospinal fluid hypocretin-1, a protein thought to help regulate sleep and wakefulness. Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that causes people. (Science Daily)
Camphor, Found In Some Pest Control Products, May Cause Seizures In Children May 8, 2009
Floating in its bubble of cerebrospinal fluid, it has no direct window to the outside world, so the only way for the brain to observe, comprehend, and. (Apr. (Science Daily)
'Lab On A Tube' Monitoring Device Developed May 6, 2009
The tube also is capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid from the injured brain and could be used to deliver medications to the patient ... It has sensors inside the tube, where they can measure the biochemistry of cerebrospinal fluid, as well as on the outside, where they can measure changes within the brain tissue. (Science Daily)
Medical Technology: 'SmartShunt' To Regulate Pressure In The Brain Apr 20, 2009
19, 2009) ETH Zurich researchers have simulated the motion of the cerebrospinal fluid in the human brain ... Cerebrospinal fluid is a colorless liquid surrounding the brain and the spinal cord and filling the cavities in the brain ... As a rule nowadays, hydrocephalus is treated by using a shunt : this involves implanting into the patient a thin tube that carries excess cerebrospinal fluid from the head into the abdomen via a pressure relief valve. (Science Daily)
Quick Test Tells Effectiveness of Alzheimers Drugs Apr 11, 2009
"You could use a spinal tap to look directly at the amount of A-beta present in the cerebrospinal fluid, but we've shown that natural processes cause A-beta levels to change dynamically," Bateman says. "Such changes make it more difficult to assess the effects of a drug in that fashion.". (Newsmax)
Seizure Disorders in Dogs Apr 11, 2009
cerebrospinal analysis (a spinal tap). Even with advanced diagnostics such as MRI or CAT scans, exact diagnosis may be elusive. (Suite101.com)
Test quickly assesses whether Alzheimer's drugs are hitting their target Apr 10, 2009
The scientists took periodic samples of the subjects' cerebrospinal fluid to determine how much of the A-beta included altered leucine ... "You could use a spinal tap to look directly at the amount of A-beta present in the cerebrospinal fluid, but we've shown that natural processes cause A-beta levels to change dynamically," says Bateman. (EurekAlert!)
Blood Test For Brain Injuries Gains Momentum Apr 3, 2009
(Doctors insert a catheter through the skull and into the brain, withdrawal fluid, and compare the concentration of albumin protein in the cerebrospinal fluid to the concentration in the blood. . (Science Daily)
Nigeria: Meningitis - We Missed Again! [editorial] Apr 2, 2009
Lagos CEREBROSPINAL meningitis is an epidemic prone disease mostly caused by a bacterium - nesseriae meningitis. In Nigeria , the hot season is linked to the disease that for years had been noted in northern Nigeria. (allAfrica.com)
Nigeria: Meningitis Killed 78 in Kano, 2999 Hospitalised - Report Mar 25, 2009
Cerebrospinal meningitis killed 78 people in Kano since the outbreak of the disease in December last year, according to reports released by the state's ministry of health yesterday. Also, 2999 others were hospitalised across the 44 local government councils of the state. (allAfrica.com)
'Vitamin' for baby brain disorder Mar 22, 2009
HYDROCEPHALUS Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cavities of the brain Puts a harmful amount of pressure on tissues in the brain Most obvious symptom is an unusually large head size ... The team also say they have shown it is the chemical composition of cerebrospinal fluid - rather than the fluid itself putting pressure on the brain - which causes the problems ... Lead researcher Jaleel Miyan said: "Cerebrospinal fluid is not a liquid which simply cushions the brain and carries... (BBC News -- Health)
Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Announces Completion Of Genome-wide Analysis Mar 20, 2009
ADNI Principal Investigator Michael Weiner, M.D., director of the Center for the Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and professor of radiology, medicine, psychiatry, and neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, said, "The release of this genetics data, in combination with the clinical, cognitive, MRI, PET, and blood/cerebrospinal fluid data already in the ADNI database, will now allow investigators to explore genetic factors related to... (Science Daily)
Spinal Taps Carry Higher Risks For Infants And Elderly, Study Shows Mar 20, 2009
Doctors perform this type of spinal tap to analyze cerebrospinal fluid, which can help determine why a patient is sick. A patient who has a fever and stiff neck, for example, might have abnormal white blood cells in his cerebrospinal fluid, indicating that the symptoms are caused by meningitis, whereas the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with a severe, sudden headache might contain a significant amount of blood, a sign of possible ruptured aneurysm ... Sometimes the placement of the needle... (Science Daily)
New Test Predicts Whether Mild Cognitive Impairment Will Convert To Alzheimer's Disease Mar 17, 2009
By measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of two of the disease's biochemical hallmarks amyloid beta42 peptide and tau protein the test also predicted whether a person's mild cognitive impairment would convert to Alzheimer's disease over time ... To independently establish threshold values for these biomarkers, cerebrospinal fluid samples from 52 Penn Memory Center volunteers with normal cognition and 56 people with confirmed Alzheimer's disease based on post-mortem autopsy diagnosis... (Science Daily)
Paraplegic skydives for his 23rd birthday Mar 16, 2009
His mother, Darlene McElroy, said her son has never let himself be held back by hydrocephalus, a condition that accumulates cerebrospinal fluid around the brain and spinal cord. He was diagnosed as an infant and used a wheelchair until age 4 but worked his way up to using a walker. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Brain damage found in cognitively normal people with Alzheimer's marker Mar 11, 2009
Although their cognitive and neurological assessments were normal, study participants with lower levels of a substance known as amyloid beta 42 (A-beta 42) in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) had reduced whole brain volumes, suggesting that Alzheimer's changes might already be damaging their brains ... Fagan AM, Head D, Shah AR, Marcus D, Mintun M, Morris JC, Holtzman DM. Decreased cerebrospinal fluid amyloid beta 42 correlates with brain atrophy in cognitively normal elderly. (EurekAlert!)
Nigeria: Meningitis, Lassa Fever Kill 333 in 22 States Mar 5, 2009
Health Minister Babatunde Osotimehin who made the confirmation at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja yesterday said 5,323 cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) cases had been reported in various parts of the country with 333 deaths in 22 states. He also said Lassa fever had recorded 12 cases with five deaths within two weeks. (allAfrica.com)
Meningitis outbreak kills 333 Nigerians in 3 months Mar 5, 2009
Idrissa Machinama, health commissioner of Nigeria's northeastern state of Yobe, said on Tuesday half of the state's population of 3 million people were susceptible to an attack of cerebrospinal meningitis ... At least 200 children died of cerebrospinal meningitis and measles in the northern Nigerian city of Kano in early 2001. (AlertNet)
Gene Variant Associated With Cocaine Dependence, Cocaine-Induced Paranoia Mar 4, 2009
Low levels of DBH in plasma or cerebrospinal fluid and genetic variants in DBH have been associated with greater vulnerability to psychotic symptoms in several psychiatric disorders including cocaine dependence, schizophrenia, and major depression. MANEA may also influence susceptibility to cocaine dependence by modifying the function of liver carboxylesterase, a glycoprotein of the high mannose type, two forms of which hydrolyze cocaine and other drugs. (Science Daily)
New Tactics in the Fight against Tuberculosis Feb 24, 2009
In children, TB can invade the cerebrospinal column, where it provokes a high fever with systemic shock a condition known as meningitis. Left untreated, half of people with active TB die of it, most from lung destruction. (Scientific American)
Meningitis Bacteria Dress Up As Human Cells To Evade Our Immune System Feb 21, 2009
4, 2007) A set of guidelines have been developed that can help predict the risk of bacterial meningitis for children with cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis (presence of greater number of white blood cells than. (Feb. (Science Daily)
Obesity During Pregnancy Associated With Increased Risk Of Birth Defects Feb 19, 2009
"In women who were obese at the start of pregnancy, the meta-analysis demonstrated a significantly increased risk of a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect [nearly twice the odds], including spina bifida [more than twice the odds]; cardiovascular anomaly, including a septal anomaly [heart defect]; cleft palate and cleft lip and palate; anorectal atresia [abnormality of the anus/rectum]; hydrocephaly [abnormal enlargement of the ventricles of the brain due to accumulation of cerebrospinal... (Science Daily)
Hildreth: No magic pill to beat Alzheimer’s Feb 14, 2009
There are many diverse medical theories including biochemistry of acetylcholine and neurotransmitters, inflammation, oxidative stress and homocysteine buildup within the blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Each patient must be evaluated on his or her own merits. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Mother's obesity at conception raises risk of birth defects Feb 11, 2009
Obese women's risk of having babies with heart defects, , hydrocephaly a buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and other birth defects also increased, but not as much as that of spina bifida. is a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or more. (USA Today)
Headaches & Migraines Feb 7, 2009
In this procedure, a thin needle is inserted between two vertebrae in your lower back to extract a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for laboratory analysis. The procedure takes about 30 minutes. (CNN -- Health)
