Welcome to your daily round-up of everything happening in the world of neurorehabilitation.
Research news
New research challenges conventional picture of Parkinson’s disease
A new study has reveled pivotal insights into the progression of Parkinson’s disease, highlighting the role of a critical protein called tau in the early stages of the disease. The results suggest that aggregates of the tau protein may jump-start processes of neuronal damage and death characteristics of the disease.
Energy harvesting device could power wireless medical implants
A new device has been developed that can harvest energy from magnetic field and ultrasound sources simultaneously, converting this energy to electricity to power implants. It is the first device to harvest these dual-energy sources simultaneously with high efficiency and operate within the safety limits for human tissue. The device can be used for implantable biomedical devices — like pacemakers, insulin pumps and neurostimulators.
Air pollution and Alzheimer’s
A new study has found that people who have higher exposure to air pollution from traffic have higher levels of amyloid plaques in their brains. These plaques are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. According to the findings, “traffic-related PM2.5 exposure was associated with the CERAD score in an autopsy cohort, contributing to epidemiologic evidence that PM2.5 affects β-amyloid deposition in the brain.” The researchers have stated that the association was particularly strong among donors without APOE ε4 alleles.
Company news
Sanbexin shows positive Phase III results in stroke patients
Sanbexin sublingual tablets, a drug jointly developed by Simcere Pharmaceutical Group and Neurodawn Pharmaceutical Co., has shown positive results from a Phase III clinical study for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. The findings indicate that Sanbexin substantially enhanced neurological functions and independence in daily living activities among patients following the treatment.
Aptamer and Neuro-Bio enter the second phase of Alzheimer’s test development
Aptamer Group plc, the developer of novel Optimer binders to enable innovation in the life sciences industry, has announced the second phase of its on-going partnership with Neuro-Bio, an Oxfordshire-based biotechnology company with a therapeutic focus on neurodegenerative disease, to develop Optimer binders for a lateral flow test for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Technology
Wearable tech for period pain
Tech Crunch reports that Samphire Neuroscience has s developed a head-mounted wearable that applies a non-invasive, low electrical current type of brain stimulation, called tDCS (transcranial direct current stimulation) to help women with relief from period pain.
