Italian study on MS and retinal involvement

🔬 Cornell’s 'Eye-on-a-Chip' Uncovers Glaucoma Mechanism Researchers at Cornell University have developed a 3D “eye-on-a-chip” platform that simulates ocular fluid flow and identified the mechanism behind steroid-induced glaucoma. Their findings, published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, reveal that steroid exposure activates the ALK5 receptor in trabecular meshwork (TM) cells, disrupting VEGFC signaling and impairing drainage through Schlemm’s canal, leading to elevated IOP. 🔗 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dwA3FNv2 #Glaucoma #ScientificResearch #Innovation #EyeHealth #SteroidInducedGlaucoma #Diagnostics #Ophthalmology #OBN

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ALZHEIMER'S AND OSTEOPOROSIS? On June 28, the C5N channel broadcast the program “DESDE EL CONOCIMIENTO” where doctors GUSTAVO MOREL, a researcher at INIBIOLP, and JUAN MANUEL FERNÁNDEZ, a researcher at LIOMM, explained the close relationship between both pathologies, determining that memory deterioration has a negative impact on bones. Thanks to the work of Drs. Morel and Fernández, with whom I collaborated, it was demonstrated for the first time that memory deterioration in 30-month-old senescent rats has a negative impact on their bones. They discovered that the bone marrow stem cells of rats with memory deficits have a lower capacity to form osteoblasts (cells specialized in bone formation), a greater tendency to differentiate into adipocytes (cells specialized in storing lipids), and an increased capacity to promote the formation of osteoclasts (cells responsible for bone resorption), compared to senescent rats that do not have memory problems. The research was carried out thanks to an interdisciplinary group led by Drs. Morel and Fernández, along with other researchers: Dr. Nahuel Wanionok, Dr. M. Luz Torres, Lic. Camila Pasquini, and Dr. Prof. Antonio D. McCarthy. Link of interest: https://lnkd.in/dkRPVP7F

This study, led by UMGCCC Director of the Brain Tumor Treatment & Research Center, Dr. Graeme Woodworth, paves the way for expanded use of focused ultrasound for patients with brain tumors.

"Scientists at Leipzig University have identified a little-known receptor, GPR133, as a key player in bone health. By stimulating this receptor with a new compound called AP503, they were able to boost bone strength in mice, even reversing osteoporosis-like conditions. The breakthrough highlights a promising path toward safer and more effective treatments for millions struggling with bone loss, while also hinting at broader benefits for aging populations."

Effects of α-synuclein pathology in normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease A study using a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) seed amplification assay (SAA) investigated the presence of pathological α-synuclein, a key biomarker for Lewy body disease (LBD), in clinically unimpaired (CU) individuals and those with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The results showed α-synuclein positivity in 9% of CU, 14% of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 19% of AD dementia participants, significantly lower than the 81% seen in a dedicated LBD cohort. Within the CU group, those who were α-synuclein positive were older and showed poorer performance in executive function and working memory, along with more self-reported LBD-related non-motor symptoms. Interestingly, α-synuclein status in CU participants wasn't linked to AD biomarkers (amyloid or tau), memory performance, or motor symptoms. The study, available as a Preprint https://lnkd.in/eSudBkPj concludes that the CSF SAA test for α-synuclein can independently predict subtle cognitive changes and early clinical symptoms in aging adults, adding to the understanding of α-synuclein's role in clinically healthy and AD-affected populations. #genetics #genomics #precisionmedicine #genomicmedicine #brain #neurology #neuroscience #neurodegeneration #neuroinflammation #inflammation #immunity #metabolism #aging #longevity #cognition #dementia #alzheimer #parkinson #raredisease #gerosciene #biomarkers #therapeutics #biotechnology #innovation #research #clinicalresearch #science #sciencecommunication

Ophthopedia Update:OCT can monitor neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis: Neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis can be monitored via OCT of inner retinal layers in the macular region, according to a study published in Frontiers in Neurology. “Recent developments in the OCT software make it possible to identify and measure each retinal layer thickness separately and more reliably,” Ori Zahavi, a PhD student in the unit of optometry at Karolinska Institute in Sweden, and colleagues wrote. “The aim of the present study is to evaluate the structural loss of individual inner retinal layers and identify the most affected layer in patients with MS within the three

Predicting individual disease trajectory - prognosis - is especially important for highly heterogeneous conditions like Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Can structural MRI help? Pooling over placebo arms of several clinical trials, Andrea Quattrone et al show that despite correlations with progression (esp frontal cortex!), structural imaging is only a very weak predictor of individual progression of PSPRS (even using SVM and Random Forest ML methods) - too weak to be of use in trials stratification let alone clinical settings. The study is great example of the value of academic access to clinical trials data, as trials include important and large-scale natural history information. Worth comparing to https://lnkd.in/edAyjAS8 where we converted from absolute time (in years) to temporal-stage (% time from onset to death) to examine structural MRI predictors. As to better predictors? Worth looking beyond structural MRI to inflammation eg. the recent https://lnkd.in/d5EDy_gX where Noah S. and Maura Malpetti use non-structural imaging, with TSPO PET. See Quattrone et al at: https://lnkd.in/emA5X2Kg

✨ Professor Michael Decker (Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg) visited LIOS and delivered a lecture on “Neuroprotective Hybrid Molecules and Photopharmacology of Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Ligands.” His team develops hybrid molecules with dual action — slowing brain cell degeneration by inhibiting BChE while activating the CB₂ receptor to reduce inflammation and boost brain protection 💊. In Alzheimer’s model mice, these molecules protect against memory loss. Another focus is photopharmacology 💡 — using light to activate drugs directly in the brain, avoiding unwanted effects elsewhere. This marks a promising new direction in neurodegenerative disease treatment, though new-generation drugs will take time ⏳ to develop. Professor Decker stressed that Alzheimer’s is severe, but early treatment is crucial to slow progression and protect brain health. #JuliusMaximiliansUniversitätWürzburg #NeuroprotectiveMolecules #Photopharmacology #AlzheimersResearch #LIOS #Neurodegeneration #COSTaction #SIGMA1EUROPE

Non-motor subtypes in candidates for subthalamic deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease Highlights: • This study indentified non-motor symptom (NMS) endotypes in 722 French PD patients assessed for deep brain stimulation. • Cluster analysis revealed 3 NMS profiles: mainly motor, mainly non-motor, and an intermediate group. • Findings may improve treatment stratification in advanced PD patients. • These three distinct profiles may reflect different underlying brain damage patterns. IAPRD Secretariat Log in : https://lnkd.in/ghMuMRCn

In a milestone for the newly resurgent field of xenotransplantation, a 39-year-old brain-dead person in China has become the first human to receive a lung from a pig. With consent from the person’s family, researchers took the organ from a CRISPR’d pig, trimmed it, and stitched it into their chest, where it remained for nine days. The procedure was intended to test whether pigs that have been gene-edited to make their organs less recognizable to the human immune system — and thus less prone to rejection — could one day be used to supply hospitals for transplants. In the past few years, surgeons in the U.S. have transplanted pig hearts and kidneys into both living patients and people who had been declared clinically dead because they lacked brain function. Last year, doctors in China became the first to attempt a similar procedure with a liver from a pig. This is the first time anyone has tried it with a lung. https://lnkd.in/eYeRqYEs