Comments on Spinal Muscular Atrophy Research News: AMRI gets NIH contract award for development of pr...

From skin cells to motor neurons “One of the util...

2011-08-29T09:41:59.443-05:00

From skin cells to motor neurons

“One of the utilities [of this new method for producing motor neurons] is it makes a much more rapid way to grow motor neurons. This could allow us to test very rapidly whether a new therapeutic is likely to be effective,” said Kevin Eggan, leader of the Harvard team of stem cell researchers that has succeeded in reprogramming adult mouse skin cells directly into the type of motor neurons damaged in Lou Gehrig's disease and spinal muscular atrophy.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-08-skin-cells-motor-neurons.html

A Ten-Year Check-Up Shows Gene Therapy Patients ar...

2011-08-26T09:53:02.884-05:00

A Ten-Year Check-Up Shows Gene Therapy Patients are Alive and Well

The Future Holds:

These success rates are pretty phenomenal, especially given how deadly untreated SCID is and how complex gene therapy can be. The lead researcher told Nature News that with these data, especially for kids with X-linked SCID without a matching bone marrow donor, gene therapy is now the best treatment out there.
More studies of gene therapy in children with SCID and other genetic diseases are no doubt on the horizon, and with the new techniques developed since these kids were first treated, children in the new trials will hopefully have lower rates of complications.

http://tinyurl.com/4xtfkal

Might want to keep an eye on how this develops...h...

2011-08-25T07:10:50.996-05:00

Might want to keep an eye on how this develops...hope it works.

Joost undergoes experimental treatment: Report
Former Springbok rugby player Joost van der Westhuizen is reported to have undergone experimental stem cell treatment for a fatal motor neuron disease (MND).

Van der Westhuizen's neurologist Dr Jody Pearl told The Star that the treatment was safe, but there was no guarantee it would have any real benefit.

"We don't know if we'll be able to help with the MND... (but) therapy is the most promising treatment we have to date in any kind of degenerative condition," she said.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/sport/rugby/2011/08/25/joost-undergoes-experimental-treatment-report

Joost undergoes stem cell therapy
Van der Westhuizen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neuron Disease (MND), over two months ago. ALS is unfortunately a life-threatening neurodegenerative condition with an 80% mortality rate over a period of two to five years.

According to his Specialist Neurologist, Dr Jody Pearl, Van der Westhuizen’s diagnosis of ALS was confirmed at Cleveland Clinic’s Neuromuscular Unit in Ohio, United States, in July 2011, by one of the world’s leading experts in this condition.

Pearl said: “At this point treatment options are limited and essentially restricted to palliative and supportive therapy. Therefore Joost decided, with the support of his doctors and South African Rugby Legends Association President, Gavin Varejes, to opt for stem cell treatment.”

The aim of the therapy is to regenerate and repair damaged muscle tissue and hopefully delay further degeneration of his muscle function.

http://www.health24.com/news/Brain_Neurological/1-896,65884.asp

Matt Arnold, an 'inspiration' for people w...

2011-08-23T16:56:30.093-05:00

Matt Arnold, an 'inspiration' for people with disabilities, passes away

Arnold, a Bay City native, suffered from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a form of Muscular Dystrophy, which confined him to a wheelchair at a young age.

http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2011/08/matt_arnold_an_inspiration_for.html

not sma but interesting video Clinical trials us...

2011-08-23T15:01:12.413-05:00

not sma but interesting video

Clinical trials using adult stem cells to treat MS (video)

"There are lots of questions," said Miller, who later today will take part in a panel discussion about the neurological applications of adult stem cells. The panel is part of the three-day MSC 2011 conference taking place in downtown Cleveland. Nearly 300 researchers from across the United States and more than a dozen countries are attending the conference, which ends on Wednesday.

"If this is really going to work, it's going to be spectacular," he said. "We don't understand how it's working, even in the animal models. We know [the MSCs are] driving myelin repair, but we don't know all the molecules involved, all the cells involved.

"I'm hugely excited," Miller said. "How could you not be?"

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2011/08/cleveland_clinic_uh_and_cwru_c.html