Welcome to your daily round-up of everything happening in the world of neurorehab.
Research
Innovative ‘mini-brains’ could revolutionise Alzheimer’s treatment
New research could revolutionise the way Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases are diagnosed and treated, by building tiny brains in a petri dish. Using an innovative new method, a University of Saskatchewan (USask) researcher is building tiny pseudo-organs from stem cells to help diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s.
Higher income reduces stroke mortality risk by a third, new study shows
New research, presented at the 10th European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2024, has revealed that high-income individuals have a 32 per cent lower risk of post-stroke mortality. Additionally, those with a higher education have a 26 per cent lower risk of death post-stroke, highlighting striking disparities in stroke survival based on key social determinants of health (SDoH).
‘MUSIC map’ reveals some brain cells age faster and are more prevalent in Alzheimer’s
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have discovered that some brain cells age more rapidly than others, and they are disproportionately abundant in individuals afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, researchers observed sex-specific differences in the aging process of certain brain cells, with the female cortex exhibiting a higher ratio of “old” oligodendrocytes to “old” neurons compared to the male cortex.
Astrocytic pH regulator can reverse brain damage caused by ischemic stroke
A recent study from the laboratory of Dr Hyun Kyoung Lee, associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine and an investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute (Duncan NRI) at Texas Children’s Hospital, has found that an ion transporter protein that regulates the pH of specific brain cells can repair the blood-brain barrier and restore normal brain function after ischemic stroke.
The study, published in Cell Reports, is the first to reveal novel and specific therapeutic targets for ischemic stroke and related brain conditions for which no targeted treatments exist currently.
Anti-inflammatory therapy may prevent recurrent vascular events in stroke
In the international CONVINCE trial, presented on 15 May 2024 at the European Stroke Organisation Conference (ESOC) 2024, anti-inflammatory treatment with long-term colchicine did not reduce rates of recurrent stroke and cardiovascular events in patients with non-cardioembolic stroke in the primary intention-to-treat analysis. Reduced event rates in secondary analyses, and in the subgroup of patients with coronary artery disease, support trials which reported benefit in coronary disease and may inform future secondary prevention trials in stroke.
Company news
Eisai progress FDA application for LEQEMBI®
Eisai and Biogen have initiated the rolling submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the US FDA for lecanemab-irmb (U.S. brand name: LEQEMBI®), subcutaneous autoinjector for weekly maintenance dosing after it was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA. LEQEMBI is indicated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or mild dementia stage of disease.
