Welcome to your daily round-up of everything happening in the world of neurorehabilitation.
Research news
Key protein linked to MS
A new study has highlighted a potential therapeutic target for immune-related disorders, such as multiple sclerosis. The researchers found that STAP-1 plays an important role in the activation of T cells, which are white blood cells that play a critical role in defending the body against infections and maintaining overall health. T cells are adept at recognising foreign molecules that trigger an immune response (antigens) and mounting targeted responses to eliminate pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. The researchers showed that it acts as an intermediary, facilitating communication between different proteins within the cells and enabling the transmission of signals from one molecule to another.
Guiding epilepsy surgery
Researchers have developed a new method for triggering and imaging seizures in epilepsy patients, offering physicians the ability to collect real-time data to tailor epilepsy surgery. In contrast to previous practice, where physicians from neurology and nuclear medicine had to wait for hours to days in hopes of capturing the onset of a seizure, the new method is convenient, spares resources, and is clinically feasible.
Brain development across different functional areas
In a new study, researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School investigated brain development to understand how different areas of the brain become specialized in handling information such as vision, sound, touch and planning. The study found that different areas of the brain start with a similar organization rather than already being specialized in early development. This suggests that the brain might use a single shared blueprint to guide early development.
Company and financial neuro-rehab news
Development of treatments targeting all symptoms of schizophrenia
Boehringer Ingelheim and Sosei Group Corporation have entered a global collaboration and exclusive option-to-license agreement to develop and commercialise Sosei Heptares’ portfolio of first-in-class GPR52 agonists, a novel G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) target, with the intent to improve patient outcomes by simultaneously addressing positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.
CERVAI Brain Health AI Solution commercialisation
DiagnaMed has announced that it has been accepted into the Hamilton Ecosystem to Accelerate and Leverage Trials of Health Innovation (HEALTHI) programme to accelerate the clinical research and commercialisation efforts in Canada for the Company’s CERVAI™ Brain Health AI Platform. The HEALTHI programme, established in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program, Innovation Factory and the Synapse Consortium, will assist the company in developing relationships with world-class clinicians and hospital facilities before the commercialisation of CERVAI in Canada’s leading research hospitals, such as Hamilton Health Sciences and St. Joe’s Healthcare Hamilton.
Technology news
AI diagnostic tool enables accurate brain tumour diagnosis
A novel AI-based and non-invasive diagnostic tool enables accurate brain tumour diagnosis has been developed by VHIO’s Radiomics Group in close collaboration with researchers of the Neuroradiology Unit at the Bellvitge University Hospital (HUB). The researchers say the tool outperforms current classification methods. DISCERN is a deep learning tool that leverages information of magnetic resonance imaging and facilitates brain tumour classification to aid clinical decision making.
