Copyright 2008 Medical News Today Latest Muscular Dystrophy / ALS News From Medical News Today. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/muscular_dystrophy/ admin@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Admin) editors@medicalnewstoday.com (MNT Editors) en-us Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112891.php In the run-up to the 60th anniversary of the NHS, the BBC wants to know about the services in your area. What are the issues that are most important to you? What are your experiences of the NHS? You can tell the BBC your real life experiences via their website. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112395.php JISC TechDis (Joint Information Systems Committee) has joined forces with the Publishers Association to provide resources which have the potential to transform the delivery of learning materials to disabled students and staff. One of the resources, Publisher Lookup UK, will enable education providers and publishers to source electronic formats of textbooks for students with disabilities more quickly and efficiently than existing processes allow. Sat, 21 Jun 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112283.php The authors showed that the quality of life of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)patients does not depend on the severity of their physical restrictions. In contrast, it was found that patients who have to be given artificial respiration are more satisfied than patients for whom this is not necessary. Although an outside observer would have expected ALS patients to be depressed, as the disease is so serious, this was only the case for 10% of patients. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111861.php Your ability to walk, swallow food and even breath depends on your brain's ability to talk to your muscles. Any interruption in this vital conversation is a major threat to your health. A recent discovery by Dr. Robert Brownstone, a neurosurgeon and researcher at Dalhousie University, may help keep the conversation going in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111592.php The largest assessment of people with adult muscular dystrophy has identified risk factors that can lead to sudden death for individuals with the most common form of this disease. The results of the multicenter study, lead by the Indiana University School of Medicine, are reported in the June 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/111196.php AVI BioPharma, Inc. announced the publication of preclinical results of a study designed to demonstrate the ability of AVI's NeuGene® class of drugs to induce sustained expression of dystrophin in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Treatment with the AVI compound resulted in production of functional dystrophin in numerous appropriate tissues, including the heart, diaphragm and skeletal muscles; key organs for the treatment of the disease. Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/110252.php A new study, led by researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC), says that cases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) among soldiers who served in the first Persian Gulf War were caused by certain events during their deployment to the war zone, meaning the exposure and illness is not as widespread as previously thought. The study is being published in the July issue of Neuroepidemiology. Thu, 05 Jun 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109880.php A new study at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University identifies a key mechanism for the normal development of motor nerve cells (motor neurons) - cells that control muscles. This finding is crucial to understanding and treating a range of conditions involving nerve cell loss or damage, from spinal cord injury to neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Nerve cell regeneration is a complex process. Tue, 03 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109703.php The Muscular Help Foundation (MHF) is looking for Muscle Dream nominations from within the Hammersmith & Fulham areas in London. The reason being simply that an organisation within this immediate geographical location wishes to fund one 'local' Muscle Dream experience. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109526.php PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC) announced that PTC124, the company's orally delivered investigational new drug for the treatment of genetic disorders due to nonsense mutations, was featured in a symposium at Myology 2008, the Third Annual Congress of Myology, on Friday, May 30 in Marseilles. Sat, 31 May 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/109345.php Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that the effect of a protein deficiency, which is the basis of the neuromuscular disease spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), is not restricted to motor nerve cells, suggesting that SMA is a more general disorder. This new insight will allow for better understanding of how this complex disease arises. Wed, 28 May 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/108974.php The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign has received a number of calls from parents concerned about the possible side effects from steroid use and Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Professor Francesco Muntoni has advised parents and anyone concerned about possible side effects from steroid use and Duchenne muscular dystrophy to discuss their concerns directly with their consultant or their family doctor. Wed, 28 May 2008 04:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/108972.php The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is, in partnership with other members of the Neurological Alliance, is supporting the 2008 Carers Week. In 2008 the fourteenth annual Carers Week will highlight the impact caring can have on carers' health and wellbeing. More than 2,000 carers have already contributed to Carers Week by taking part in the annual survey, now well-established as the largest annual survey of carers 'experiences and opinions. Tue, 27 May 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/108848.php On Wednesday 14 May the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign was joined by 135 supporters, clinicians and healthcare professionals, from around the country, at a Parliamentary reception to lobby Government to improve specialist services for people with neuromuscular conditions. Tue, 13 May 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107274.php A team of researchers has recently shown that the administration of sildenafil protects the heart in mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This study was led by Dr. Christine Des Rosiers from the Universite de Montreal and the Montreal Heart Institute, in collaboration with Dr. Basil Petrof of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and Dr. Christian Deschepper of the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montreal. Fri, 02 May 2008 05:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106120.php Throughout the month of May, the Muscular Dystrophy Association will highlight the 17th annual national ALS Awareness Month by hosting events in communities across the country and disseminating information about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a deadly disease that attacks the nerve cells that control voluntary muscles, causing progressive weakness and eventually paralysis. Thu, 01 May 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105943.php A team of French and German researchers report in the May 2008 print issue of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org/) that people with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy are missing a protein called c-FLIP, which the body uses to prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105656.php The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign will be exhibiting at NAIDEX 2008, the UK's largest event for homecare, disability and rehabilitation. We will be at stand C86 providing information for all visitors to the NEC in Birmingham from 29 April to 1 May. Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/105126.php PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTC), today announced the initiation of an international pivotal trial of PTC124 in patients with Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) due to a nonsense mutation. The primary objective of this registration-directed Phase 2b trial is to demonstrate the efficacy of PTC124 as measured by improvements in the walking ability of patients with this progressive genetic disease. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103379.php Knopp Neurosciences Inc. ("Knopp") said it initiated the first Phase 2 study of KNS-760704 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The study is designed as a two-part, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of KNS-760704 oral tablets. It will be conducted at approximately 20 centers in the U.S. Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/103093.php In recent months a spate of mutations have been found in a disease protein called TDP-43 that is implicated in two neurodegenerative disorders: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease, and certain types of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). These mutations could potentially become candidates for drug targets. Mon, 31 Mar 2008 03:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/102161.php Using an important new method that can be applied in the study of other psychiatric illnesses, scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) in collaboration with colleagues at the University of Washington (UW) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), have identified multiple, individually rare gene mutations in people with schizophrenia that may help explain how that devastating illness is caused. Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101773.php CytRx Corporation (Nasdaq: CYTR), a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development and commercialization of human therapeutics, announced that it has filed a response with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) addressing issues cited by the FDA in its decision to place a clinical hold on the Company's Phase IIb clinical trial with arimoclomol for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease). Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101616.php Director of Campaigns and Policy at the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, Robert Meadowcroft, said: "The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign regards the free vote as an issue for party management in Westminster. However, we do feel strongly that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill is necessary to allow vital research to go forward." The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is the only national charity focusing on all muscle diseases. Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:00 PDT http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/101477.php The Muscular Dystrophy Association awarded its highest philanthropic achievement honor, the MDA Directors' Award, to the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF). MDA President and CEO Gerald C. Weinberg presented the award to IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger at the Association's national headquarters in Tucson, Ariz.