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Recurrent miscarriage is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses. Also known as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and habi...
Genes Behind Anxiety Identified 0
11:17 AMOverexpression of Crh and Oprm 1 genes is responsible for anxiety and behavioral problems, say scientists.
The genes (Crh [corticotropin-releasing hormone] and Oprm 1 [mu-opioid receptor MOR 1]) may point the way to treating these problems in patients with too much of the protein, said scientists at the Baylor College of Medicine.
MeCP2 is a "Goldilocks" in the protein world. When the protein is lacking or defective, girls develop the neurological disorder Rett syndrome early in life.
Too much protein results in the more recently identified MeCP2 duplication syndrome, which usually affects boys, who may inherit the gene duplications either from their mothers or, in rare cases, develop it sporadically.
In both cases, anxiety and social behavioural deficits are typical of those with the disease, along with other motor problems and cognitive defects.
"This is a nice example of a translational story," said Dr. Rodney Samaco, assistant professor of molecular and human genetics at BCM and first author of the study.
"We first identified the mouse model for MeCP2 duplication syndrome and then found people with the disorder in the clinic. We went back to the lab and found out that MeCP2 was indeed the major contributor to this phenotype in patients.
"We have now identified two genes involved in two major symptoms of the syndrome. Eventually, we may take the information back to the clinic to develop a treatment for patients," Samaco stated.
Patients with MeCP2 duplication disorder have a duplication in chromosomes that span both the MECP2 gene and another called IRAK1. But with this new study, it is now clear that excess MeCP2 accounts for the neuropsychiatric symptoms.
This finding is important because it shows that tweaking the expression of genes that the protein affects, rather than trying to adjust the levels of the finicky MeCP2 protein itself, can modify symptoms of MeCP2 disorders.
The finding appeared online in the journal Nature Genetics.
Source-ANI
A new research has suggested the possibility of reversing aging in the central nervous system in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).
In multiple sclerosis, the insulating layers that protect nerve fibers in the brain, known as myelin sheaths, become damaged. The loss of myelin in the brain prevents nerve fibers from sending signals properly and will eventually lead to the loss of the nerve fiber itself.
However, early in the disease, a regenerative process, or remyelination, occurs and the myelin sheaths are restored. Unfortunately, as people with MS age, remyelination decreases significantly, resulting in more nerve fibers being permanently lost.
However, the latest study in mice shows that the age-associated decline in the regeneration of the nerve's myelin sheath, or remyelination, is reversible.
The proof of principle study demonstrates that when old mice are exposed to the inflammatory cells (called monocytes) from young mice, the ageing remyelination process can be reversed.
"What we have shown in our study, carried out in collaboration with Dr Amy Wagers and colleagues at Harvard University, is that the age-associated decline in remyelination is reversible," said Professor Robin Franklin, Director of the MS Society's Cambridge Center for Myelin Repair at the University of Cambridge.
"We found that remyelination in old adult mice can be made to work as efficiently as it does in young adult mice.
"For individuals with MS, this means that in theory regenerative therapies will work throughout the duration of the disease. Specifically, it means that remyelination therapies do not need to be based on stem cell transplantation since the stem cells already present in the brain and spinal cord can be made to regenerate myelin - regardless of the patient's age," he stated.
The study has just published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.
Source-ANI
After a decade of research, scientists have finally confirmed that a method of positron emission tomography (PET) safely and accurately detects dementia, including the Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers reviewed numerous PET studies to evaluate a molecular imaging technique that combines PET, which provides functional images of biological processes, with an injected biomarker called 18F-FDG to pinpoint key areas of metabolic decline in the brain indicating dementia.
Having physiological evidence of neurodegenerative disease by imaging patients with PET could give clinicians the information they need to make more accurate diagnoses earlier than ever before.
"The new data support the role of 18F-FDG PET as an effective addition to other diagnostic methods used to assess patients with symptoms of dementia," said Nicolaas Bohnen, MD, PhD, lead author of the study and professor of radiology and neurology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
"The review also identified new literature showing the benefit of this imaging technique for not only helping to diagnose dementia but also for improving physician confidence when diagnosing a patient with dementia. This process can be difficult for physicians, especially when evaluating younger patients or those who have subtle signs of disease," he stated.
Physicians can use FDG-PET with high accuracy to not only help diagnose dementia but also differentiate between the individual disorders. The role molecular imaging plays in the diagnosis of dementia has expanded enough that the official criteria physicians use to diagnose patients now includes evidence from molecular imaging studies.
After reviewing 11 studies that occurred since the year 2000 and that met more stringent study review standards, researchers conclude that 18F-FDG is highly effective for detecting the presence and type of dementia.
"Using 18F-FDG PET in the evaluation of patients with dementia can improve diagnostic accuracy and lead to earlier treatment and better patient care," said Bohnen.
"The earlier we make a diagnosis, the more we can alleviate uncertainty and suffering for patients and their families," he added.
This research is featured in the January issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Source-ANI
Over a quarter of women who polled, expected to date men with a monthly income of 10,000 yuan or more, China Daily reported.
According to Lu Xiongyu, who works at an import-and-export company in Beijing, it was only fair that women should want to date men earning 4,000 yuan a month or more.
"Living costs are high in big cities and love cannot be sustained without enough bread," the 27-year-old said.
On the other hand, not every woman puts a condition on a man's economic status while looking for romance.
"Love is not a trade and a lot of women don't need to economically rely on men for a decent life," said Hu Heng, a 25-year-old resident in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.
The survey, which took into consideration more than 50,000 people nationwide aged from 20 to 60, was jointly conducted by the China Association of Social Workers and Baihe.com, a major dating and matchmaking website in China.
Source-ANI
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