Welcome to your daily round-up of everything happening in the world of neurorehab.
Research
Early signs of memory problems associated with brain changes
People who report early memory problems and whose partners also suspect they have memory problems have higher levels of tau tangles in the brain, a biomarker associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study.
Social media use and sleep duration connected to brain activity in teens
A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found a distinct relationship between sleep duration, social media usage, and brain activation across brain regions that are key for executive control and reward processing.
Michael J Fox Foundation funds new Parkinson’s research
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) has announced $9.75 million in total awards to five research teams working on tools to biologically measure and track the progression of Parkinson’s disease (PD) from its earliest detection through more advanced stages. Collectively referred to as “quantitative” biomarkers, these tools would improve clinical trials with clear, objective measures.
Technology
Researchers pioneer new brain imaging technique
In the first study of its kind, researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) designed and implanted a transparent window in the skull of a patient, then used functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) to collect high-resolution brain imaging data through the window. Their preliminary findings suggest that this sensitive, non-invasive approach could open new avenues for patient monitoring and clinical research, as well as broader studies of how the brain functions.
Company updates
Vesper completes single ascending dose stage in fronto-temporal dementia trial
Vesper has announced completion of the single ascending dose stage of its first-in-human trial of VES001 in healthy volunteers. VES001 is the first oral, brain penetrant, small molecule sortilin inhibitor designed as a potentially disease-modifying treatment for the neuro-cognitive disorder fronto-temporal dementia (FTD(GRN)). Data returned from the study demonstrate the safety and tolerability of VES001 across the full range of doses tested and show it has excellent pharmacokinetics and distribution to relevant parts of the brain.
BlueRock shares FDA update for Parkinson’s disease cell therapy candidate
BlueRock’s investigational cell therapy, bemdaneprocel, for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease has been granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It comes following phase I clinical trial results demonstrating that bemdaneprocel is well tolerated with no major safety issues through 18 months.
