New research shows neonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment

Very early exposure to even a very small dose of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in infant mice can lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to new findings. This is significant because of emerging data in human studies showing an association between HSV and Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

Multiple sclerosis: Cell-catching implant helps identify successful treatment in mice

A sponge-like implant in mice helped guide a treatment that slowed or stopped a degenerative condition similar to multiple sclerosis in humans. It also gave researchers a look at how primary progressive multiple sclerosis, the fastest-progressing version of the disease, attacks the central nervous system early on.

Seeing more in expansion microscopy

In biology, seeing can lead to understanding, and researchers in Edward Boyden’s lab at MIT’s McGovern Institute are committed to bringing life into sharper focus. With a pair of new methods, they are expanding the capabilities of expansion microscopy—a high-resolution imaging technique the group introduced in 2015—so researchers everywhere can see more when they look… Continue reading Seeing more in expansion microscopy

Innovative blood test shows potential to replace spinal tap for Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Up to half of all people living with Alzheimer’s Disease in Ireland remain undiagnosed. Now, a new blood test may have the potential to transform patient care, allowing for better diagnosis, earlier interventions and more targeted treatments. Researchers at Trinity College Dublin, the Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition and St James’s Hospital, Dublin are exploring… Continue reading Innovative blood test shows potential to replace spinal tap for Alzheimer’s diagnosis

[Articles] Safety and efficacy of nerinetide in patients with acute ischaemic stroke enrolled in the early window: a post-hoc meta-analysis of individual patient data from three randomised trials

Nerinetide showed a clinically significant benefit over several outcome measures, including the modified Rankin Scale score, the incidence of stroke worsening, and infarction volumes. Neuroprotection with nerinetide might, therefore, be indicated for patients within 3 h of stroke onset and who are selected for reperfusion. These inclusion criteria should be tested in a future trial.

[Comment] Neuroprotection in acute ischaemic stroke: reasons for optimism?

The challenges of translating neuroprotective interventions with promising efficacy in animal studies into effective treatments for patients with stroke are well documented, with issues including overoptimistic therapeutic windows, poor bioavailability, and heterogeneous clinical cohorts.1,2 Yet, preservation of the ischaemic penumbra during emergency stroke care remains an attractive concept. In The Lancet Neurology, Michael Tymianski and… Continue reading [Comment] Neuroprotection in acute ischaemic stroke: reasons for optimism?