Mitochondrial DNA variants linked with MS- August 29, 2008 Researchers in Syracuse have found variants in mitochondrial DNA that appear to be associated with MS. Mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, is a circular strand of DNA that is located in mitochondria ("the powerhouses of the cell," as we learned in school) and encodes proteins used in mitochondrial function. In this study, variants in two mitochondrial genes, and a set of variants called haplotype K, were found more frequently in MS subjects than controls. Some of these results had also been...http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3371 LDN Story- August 29, 2008 More anecdotal evidence of benefit of LDN, this time from the UK. Interestingly the UK MS Society aren't so disparaging about LDN as they used to be.http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3370 LDN in PPMS Study- August 29, 2008 A small study looked at the safety and tolerability of LDN in people with primary progressive MS (PPMS). They found it to be safe and well tolerated. Secondary endpoints found a reduction in spasticity. It's good to see the controlled studies starting up on this drug. They are long overdue.http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3369 Human exoskeleton suit helps paralyzed people walk- August 26, 2008 Israeli paratrooper Radi Kaiof has been paralyzed for the past 20 years. Thanks to a new device called ReWalk he now walks down the street with a dim mechanical hum. That is the sound of an electronic exoskeleton moving the 41-year-old's legs and propelling him forward. You can learn more about ReWalk at the Argo Medical Technolgies site.http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3366 Updated MS genetics database now available- August 26, 2008 Part of our mission to cure MS by determining its causes is to organize and document the latest research findings so that they can be analyzed and shared with others. Along these lines, we've been recording the results of MS genetic studies in a database (spreadsheet format) that show what genes have been studied in MS and what those studies have revealed. A new, up-to-date version is now available on the Accelerated Cure Project web site. I invite you to download it and see all the studies..http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3364 |