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The University of Sheffield and the charity Parkinson’s UK are working together to modify a number of drug compounds that have been found to boost cell function in people living with Parkinson's. The project is led by Dr Heather Mortiboys and her team from the university’s Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) and its Neuroscience Institute. Funding of £100,000 has been provided by the Virtual Biotech Programme - Parkinson's UK’s drug development arm. Dopamine-containing brain cells - vital for healthy coordination and movement - rely on energy-producing mitochondria to function.

Scientists are exploring the relationship between nerve cells and immune cells in the brain which seem to play key roles in the onset of both diseases. These include neurons and the cells that form them, creating the body’s nervous network and allowing the brain to monitor and control it; and microglia – immune cells which patrol the brain, defending  neurons from threatening invaders. Led by the New York Stem Foundation Research Institute, researchers launched newly created diseased and healthy cell samples into space to observe them away from the Earth’s gravitational pull.

A new study suggests that closer focus on levels of the protein tau in children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) could improve diagnosis, giving a clearer picture of the individual’s outlook. Tau has long been associated with traumatic brain injury, with studieslinking it to both acute symptoms and long-term complications. It is also known to have a role in the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. A new study has provided further evidence that levels of tauincrease in children with brain injuries and could be used to gauge their severity. It could also reduce the need for CT scans, amid some concerns about the potential impact of radiation and sedation on young children.

NHS England and NHS Improvement issued a report last week setting out a series of measures to help remove barriers to the appropriate prescription of medical cannabis on the NHS. The report, commissioned by the government in March, comes amid a farcical situation in the UK in which medical cannabis containing THC has been legalised for certain conditions since November 2018; yet reportedly, just two children have been given NHS prescriptions since. The new measures aim to tackle the current stasis both by helping doctors gain a better understanding of cannabis medicine and speeding up the generation of vital research linking cannabis with various conditions and symptoms.

Over 350,000 people in the UK rely on mobility scooters and powerchairs every day. These devices should be a fast-track to freedom, independence and the vital journeys of daily life. Yet this is not always the case, with several challenges hindering their usage. Firstly, as scooters/powerchairs operate on rechargeable batteries, travelling distance is limited. Users going further afield may have to disassemble the device, load it into the back of their vehicle, drive to the destination and then unload it. Some scooters and powerchairs can’t be disassembled, meanwhile. In this case, a vehicle able to accommodate their height and a ramp or hoist to access the vehicle are needed.

Researchers at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation analysed data generated between 2010 and 2013 at 66 emergency centres in the US. Collectively, the data represented an estimated 4.1 million non-fatal traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and adolescents. Around one in four TBIs among children aged one and under was caused by the infant falling from their bed, while 14 per cent were caused by trips or falls on the floor itself. Meanwhile, older children more often suffered injuries outside, with American football and basketball among the major causes of TBI in adolescents. The study follows on from a report by the US Centre for Disease Controls in 2018 which found that approximately one million infants and adolescents suffer TBIs per year in the US.

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, which aims to improve quality of life for people living with paralysis, has teamed up with Google Nest – the internet giant’s smart home devices arm. Google Nest will provide up to 100,000 free Google Home Minis to the Reeve Foundation for individuals and families in the US impacted by paralysis, to enhance quality of life at home. The devices enable people living with paralysis to control simple tasks within their home with their voice. With compatible devices installed, they can also use their voice to turn on lights, turn up the thermostat and check who is at the door.

That is according to a new study into these biological parcels which are continuously deployed from all cells in the body loaded with contents that other cells may unpack and use. By sending exomes off, cells communicate with each other via shared proteins and genetic material. They were once thought to be microscopic sacks of cellular waste, but are now understood to hold immense importance for our health. Increasing research in recent years has even shown they can transport molecules that are linked to the spread of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s.

Heart attacks which aren’t noticeable enough to cause patients to seek medical treatment could be the cause of mysterious strokes that to date have baffled healthcare providers. That is according to a study by the US-based National Institute on Ageing (NIA), comparing heart and brain imaging data from older adults in Iceland. It shows that undetected heart attacks can scar and damage heart tissue in ways that may increase stroke risk. Researchers examined 930 participants, with an average age of 76 years, who had undergone both cardiac and brain MRI scans. The cardiac MRI imaging showed that 153 participants had experienced an undetected heart attack.

Childhood obesity not only doubles the risk of developing the condition, but once diagnosed obese children are less likely to respond well to treatment than those of a healthy weight, researchers say. A study by the Centre for MS in Childhood and Adolescence in Germany examined 453 children with pediatric MS, aged an average of 14. A body mass index (BMI) measurement was taken from each participant within six months of diagnosis. The findings showed that at diagnosis, just under a third (27.9 per cent) of patients were overweight or obese.