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Human Behavior

Brain Organoids Reveal the Early Stages of Angelman Syndrome – Technology Networks

New research from North Carolina State University provides insights into the earliest stages of Angelman syndrome. The work also demonstrates how human cerebral organoids can be used to shed light on genetic disorders that affect human development.

Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder associated with delayed development, intellectual disability, speech impairment and problems with movement. A great deal of research has been done on Angelman syndrome, primarily involving laboratory studies of mice and natural history studies of humans. However, while researchers have established that the complex disorder is tied to the behavior of a gene called UBE3A, and strong evidence in mice has shown that prenatal time periods may be important in disease development, researchers had yet to find a way of monitoring the earliest stages of the disease in human neural cells.

"Obviously we cannot do studies on developing humans, so we wanted to know whether it was possible to study the molecular dynamics around UBE3A using cerebral organoids," says Albert Keung, corresponding author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at NC State. "When is the gene turned on? How do drugs affect gene and neuronal functions? Does the gene behave differently in different types of cells? These are complex questions, but we found that you can learn a lot through the cerebral organoid model."

Human cerebral organoids are millimeter-sized tissues comprised of the cell types typically found in the different regions of the brain. They are made by culturing stem cells. For this study, the researchers monitored the behavior of the organoids for 17 weeks after culturing the cells.

For example, the researchers mapped when UBE3A was turned off or on in different types of cells and at different stages of neurodevelopment - as well as where in each cell the gene was active. This can shed light on things such as the extent to which UBE3A might be regulating the activity of other genes, and when the delivery of therapeutic treatments may be most effective.

One of the things the researchers discovered is that UBE3A appears to be playing an important role in the development of brain tissue earlier than anyone knew - potentially even within three weeks of culturing the organoids.

"We had the ability to see how UBE3A's behavior changed over time in the organoid," says Dilara Sen, first author of the paper and a Ph.D. student at NC State. "We were also able to see how different drugs affected the gene's behavior - and how those changes affected the function of neurons in the organoid."

"This is fundamental, proof-of-concept work," Keung says. "But hopefully it demonstrates how the cerebral organoid model can facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for people with Angelman syndrome. We believe the model can do this by advancing our understanding of the disease, which can inform research into possible treatments. We also believe that this model could be used to screen drugs that are candidates for therapeutic interventions. Organoid models aren't new. But they may be more powerful tools than we previously anticipated."

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Brain Organoids Reveal the Early Stages of Angelman Syndrome - Technology Networks

Human Behavior

OST Accelerates Business Growth in Minneapolis with a partnership with Azul Seven, New Leadership and Office Expansion – PRNewswire

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. and MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- OST, a digital and IT consulting firm, announces plans for exponential business growth in Minneapolis to power a more unified human-centered design and innovation practice leveraging expert IT strategy and execution.

Igniting the growth, OST has fully integrated human-centered design firm Azul Seven and hired Mitch Prust as vice president of enterprise solutions to further expand its Minneapolis presence.

As a result of the business growth, customers will benefit from OST's expanded capabilities in core services including digital transformation, healthcare IT, IoT, digital commerce and data, as well as new services Azul Seven brings, such as experience strategy and design, qualitative customer insights and service design. Helping to lead the growth strategy, Prust will work closely with sales to drive solutions utilizing the new managed services within the expanded Minneapolis office.

"OST's new initiatives deepen our experience in healthcare, financial services and other complex regulated industries that add value to OST's already strong practice in these areas," said Meredith Bronk, President and CEO of OST. "We have been doing work for enterprise organizations like Thomson Reuters, Toro, and Hennepin Health in the Twin Cities for over a decade and we are excited about the opportunity to advance our presence in the Minneapolis area through a number of new business initiatives."

Founded in 2008, Azul Seven has built a national reputation for producing insight-led digital product and service innovation. Working for a number of clients, from forward-looking industry leaders to start-ups, Azul Seven designs digital and service experiences that retain customers, build brands and generate real business value.

"We've always been a market leader in human-centered design practices," says Lisa Helminiak, CEO of Azul Seven. "Azul Seven's work shows that when you design technology to meet real customer needs, you retain customers, reduce costs and ultimately diminish risk in an increasingly accelerated market. Everyone at Azul Seven is excited to continue providing value to clients through our new partnership with OST."

To lead OST's Minneapolis business growth, Prust has been hired as vice president of enterprise solutions to oversee managed services and infrastructure teams. In his role, he brings his more than 20 years of experience in achieving revenue, profitability, budgetary and customer satisfaction objectives to assist OST in determining market positioning that aligns with customer needs.

In addition to new Minneapolis leadership, OST is expanding the Minneapolis office and investing in the future in the Twin Cities market. Over the next two years, OST intends to double the workforce, growing from 50 to 100 Minneapolis employees to accommodate increasing market share in the region. The large-enterprise organizations headquartered in Minnesota require next-gen digital business models, which for OST translates to growth and the creation of additional tech jobs as we support these companies with their critical strategies.

"One element that really drew me into working for OST was the diversity of offerings and past work portfolio," said Mitch Prust, vice president of enterprise solutions at OST. "The company has so many leaders with great experience across a number of industries and I look forward to helping OST continue to grow in ways beyond what we already have."

Information regarding OST's business offerings can be found at https://www.ostusa.com/expertise/.

About OST OST is an award winning, 290-person, integrated, cross-functional global technology and digital consultancy with offices located in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Detroit, Michigan; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. For over two decades, we have worked side by side with our clients to optimize and grow their businesses with offerings that include strategy & insights, digital experiences, connected products, cloud infrastructure and enterprise managed services. At OST, we use human behavior as our north star to bridge the distance between insights, technology and strategyin smart, meaningful ways that yield transformative results. This is all wrapped in a friendly, flexible, people-centered culture.To learn more, visit https://www.ostusa.com.

MEDIA CONTACT Victoria Heatherly PR Manager [emailprotected]

SOURCE OST

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OST Accelerates Business Growth in Minneapolis with a partnership with Azul Seven, New Leadership and Office Expansion - PRNewswire

Genetics

Podcast: Where do babies come from? How developmental genetics revealed the secrets of life’s earliest stages – Genetic Literacy Project

The GLP Needs Your Help

It is easier than ever for advocacy groups to spread disinformation on pressing science issues, such as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. No, vaccines are not harmful. Yes, the use of biotechnology, GMOs or gene editing to develop antigens for treatments including vaccines are part of the solution. To inform the public about whats really going on, we present the facts and challenge those who don't. We cant do this work without your help. Please support us a donation of as little as $10 a month helps support our vital myth-busting efforts.

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Podcast: Where do babies come from? How developmental genetics revealed the secrets of life's earliest stages - Genetic Literacy Project

Genetics

Brighton researchers lead study on genetics and asthma – The Argus

A STUDY has shown for the first time that genetics may play a part in how well children respond to treatment for asthma.

Researchers at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) say their findings indicate that childrens asthma symptoms could be better controlled with personalised treatments.

Dr Tom Ruffles, honorary consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine, worked with a study team led by Professor Somnath Mukhopadhyay, chairman in paediatrics at the Royal Alexandra Childrens Hospital and BSMS.

Dr Ruffles and Professor Mukhopadhyay presented the results from their trial at the virtual European Respiratory Society International Congress.

According to Dr Ruffles, asthma affects one in 11 children in the UK and a child is admitted to hospital because of their asthma every 18 minutes.

He told the conference: Asthma is a common condition in children that causes coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing.

We have a number of medicines that are generally effective in treating children with asthma, but they dont work equally well for all children.

We think that genetic differences could have an effect on whether these medicines work and thats what we wanted to examine in this study.

Previous research suggests the majority of children with asthma will benefit from standard treatment with a medicine called salmeterol and their regular steroid inhaler.

However about one in seven children have a small genetic difference which means using this medication could actually result in them having more asthma symptoms.

The BSMS study involved 241 young people aged between 12 and 18 who were all being treated for asthma.

Participants were randomly assigned either to receive treatment according to existing guidelines, or treatment according to particular genetic differences their genotype an approach known as personalised medicine.

Children in the personalised medicine group were treated with an alternative asthma medicine called montelukast.

Researchers followed the children for a year to monitor their quality of life, with a score between one and seven according to how their symptoms were and whether their normal activities were limited by their asthma.

They found that for children with a particular gene who were given personalised treatment, they experienced an improvement in their quality of life score.

Professor Mukhopadhyay said: These results are very promising because they show for the first time, that it could be beneficial to test for certain genetic differences in children with asthma and select medication according to those differences. In this study we saw only a modest effect, but this may be partly because the childrens asthma was generally very well controlled and only a few children experienced any serious symptoms during the 12-month period.

Larger trials, with a focus on those with poorer asthma control, may help us determine the true benefit for children of prescribing in this way.

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Brighton researchers lead study on genetics and asthma - The Argus

Genetics

Can we stand together and overcome adversity and genetics? – Laurel Outlook

I would like to refer to the excellent article by Barbara Karst in the Outlook September 3rd edition. I take exception to one statement.

Racism is not an inherent attitude. It has to be taught by someone - parents, grandparents, and others who are racist/ bigoted. This statement brings into play the continuing discussion; does man learn through nurture or nature? Do we only learn from the experiences encountered from the time of conception on, or is there residual knowledge passed on to us via genetics?

I would like to refer you to the works of Dr. E. O. Wilson, major proponent of sociobiology, Robert Ardrey and his four book series, The Nature of Man, and to the work of Dr Raymond Dart after his 1924 discovery of the Australopithecus Africanus. Their assertion is we learn by both nurture AND nature. Dr. Darts bold, blunt and controversial statement is both man and animals retain knowledge through instinct. The strongest instinct being the instinct to survive.

There are many facets to the act of survival. Currently most common is the discussion of the herd instinct, or the social need for community. This need for community is so strong, we use the deprivation of community as a form of punishment. We imprison, or remove from society our criminals. Solitary confinement is not only considered a punishment but has proven to be a form of torture. Religions shun or excommunicate controversial individuals. We instinctually repel or fear that which is new or not understood for it may threaten our survival.

To be succinct, we are all bigots. Strength in numbers, or the herd can provide security. We look alike. We talk alike. We think alike. I will be safe. I will survive and in times of stress, we revert to that which we presume will again protect us.

Ironically, the study of genetics has shown us the necessity for diversity. We have learned the inbreeding of animals and humans can cause numerous physical and mental deficiencies. We can also inbreed our society intellectually. The art of learning is augmented through the nurturing of our young and the continued exploration of creation throughout our lives.

In this time of social and economic uncertainty, will we revert to the herd? Retreat to our embattlements and separate into isolated communities fearful of the unknown? Or do we have the courage and strength of character to stand together in an ever expanding herd and face the unknown? Strength of numbers, nature, expansion of knowledge, nurture, they can work together.

Jim Tikalsky of Laurel

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Can we stand together and overcome adversity and genetics? - Laurel Outlook

Genetics

In Brief This Week: Thermo Fisher, Fulgent Genetics, Qiagen, and More – 360Dx

NEW YORK Thermo Fisher Scientific said this week that the US Federal Bureau of Investigation has approved its Applied Biosystems RapidHit ID System for use by accredited forensic DNA laboratories to process DNA reference samples and search resulting profiles against the US National DNA Index System (NDIS) CODIS database without manual interpretation and review.

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In Brief This Week: Thermo Fisher, Fulgent Genetics, Qiagen, and More - 360Dx

Genetics

BRCA1 and BRCA2 Gene Mutations: I Have a Mutation, What Are My Options? – University of Michigan Health System News

If a patient learns that they do carry a mutation in their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, a genetic counselor can discuss potential options with them.

A common option for women is to undergo increased screening, including getting a breast exam from a health care provider every six months, and also a yearly mammogram and breast MRI.

There are also medications that people with BRCA gene mutations can take to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer, she says.

Doctors call these medications chemoprevention, but that makes it sound like chemotherapy, which its not, Milliron says. It is a medication that you do take for several years, and I think it's really important to have that discussion about the pros and cons and what to expect with a specialized health care provider. Women have to be at least age 35 and finished with family planning before they can consider taking a medication to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer because there is a risk of causing birth defects.

The medication that is usually given to premenopausal women is called tamoxifen, and studies point to more clear benefit for women with BRCA2 mutations. There are additional, related medications that are usually prescribed to postmenopausal women if tamoxifen is not a good option for those women.

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Some women chose to have both breasts removed a prophylactic/risk reducing bilateral mastectomy which has been shown to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by about 90% to 95%, Milliron notes.

This is obviously a very, very personal choice, Milliron says. If you look at the statistics of the women who choose increased screening with mammogram and breast MRI, and the women who choose risk reducing or prophylactic bilateral mastectomy, there is no difference in the chance of passing away from breast cancer between those two groups. So that is something that I think is very important for patients to know and to understand.

These decisions can be influenced by watching family or friends go through cancer treatment, as can family dynamics as well as cultural and religious considerations, she adds.

Ovarian cancer is a different story than breast cancer, however.

I've been a genetic counselor for 22 years, and that is the only thing that has not yet changed about my job is that we still do not have a screening tool for ovarian cancer that works, Milliron says. So for a woman who has a BRCA1 gene mutation, we usually talk about having the ovaries and the fallopian tubes removed between 35 and 40. And then for a woman who has a BRCA2 gene mutation, we usually talk about having them removed between 45 and 50.

While the statistics vary slightly between studies, research shows this surgery can reduce the risk of developing ovarian cancer and fallopian tube cancer by 80 to 95%.

Birth control pills are also a potential option for women with these mutations to reduce their risk of developing ovarian cancer.

That may influence their breast cancer risk, however, so that's a conversation that we have to have, Milliron adds.

Men who carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, are at increased risk for prostate cancer. And these can be more aggressive and develop at younger ages. For them increased screening starting about age 40 to 45 is recommended, including prostate-specific antigen, commonly referred to as PSA, testing and a digital rectal exam yearly.

The Rogel Cancer Center is very lucky to have a prostate cancer risk assessment clinic, Milliron says. So many times men are somewhat forgotten in the BRCA1, BRCA2 picture.

You can learn more about cancer genetics on the Rogel Cancer Centers website.

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BRCA1 and BRCA2 Gene Mutations: I Have a Mutation, What Are My Options? - University of Michigan Health System News

Genetics

Invitae Appoints Kimber Lockhart to its Board of Directors – BioSpace

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA), a leading medical genetics company, today announced the appointment of Kimber Lockhart to its Board of Directors, effective September 10, 2020.

"We are excited to welcome Kimber Lockhart to our board of directors, bringing expertise in scaling fast-growth businesses that will provide valuable insight as we continue to grow," said Sean George, co-founder and chief executive officer of Invitae. "Her expertise as a product, engineering and infrastructure leader, combined with her perspective on leveraging technology to improve healthcare for patients, will be a valuable addition to our board as we continue to pursue our mission to bring genetics to mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people around the world."

"I'm happy to join the board of directors at Invitae at this exciting time in the company's continued growth," said Lockhart. "Invitae's approach is unique and the company's capabilities combined with its dedication to its mission to make comprehensive genetic information services widely available has the potential to transform healthcare for patients worldwide."

Lockhart is an experienced technology leader, scaling technology platforms to support rapid business growth. Since 2015, Lockhart has served as chief technology officer at One Medical, a national leader in technology-enabled primary care, where she was previously vice president of engineering from 2014 to 2015. Prior to joining One Medical, Lockhart served in various engineering leadership roles at online file-sharing service Box from 2009 to 2014. Previously, Lockhart was co-founder and CEO of Increo Solutions, provider of document rendering and collaboration technologies, which was acquired by Box in 2009. She holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University.

About Invitae

Invitae Corporation (NYSE: NVTA) is a leading medical genetics company whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Invitae's goal is to aggregate the world's genetic tests into a single service with higher quality, faster turnaround time, and lower prices. For more information, visit the company's website atinvitae.com.

Contact:Laura D'Angeloir@invitae.com(628) 213-3369

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Invitae Appoints Kimber Lockhart to its Board of Directors - BioSpace

Neuroscience

AbbVie to Present New Data From 18 Abstracts at the International Congress of Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders – PRNewswire

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Sept. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced it will present results from several studies, including the DYSCOVER study evaluating the efficacy of DUODOPA (levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel) on the duration and severity of dyskinesia in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), at the 2020 International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Virtual Congress, September 12-16. In total, 18 abstracts will be presented, including an overview of the pivotal Phase 3 study design for the investigational medicine ABBV-951 in patients with advanced PD, several studies evaluating the economic burden of PD, as well new and updated data evaluating AbbVie's neuroscience portfolio and pipeline.

The 12-week DYSCOVER study is the first randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of DUODOPA to optimized medical treatment (OMT) on dyskinesia in advanced PD patients using the Unified Dyskinesia Rating Scale (UDysRS), which measures all aspects of dyskinesia with a comprehensive score as the primary endpoint.

The study design for the multi-country, open-label, single arm, 52-week pivotal phase 3 study of ABBV-951 (foscarbidopa/foslevodopa), a subcutaneous delivery of levodopa/carbidopa being investigated for the treatment of advanced PD, will also be presented. The study is evaluating the local and systemic safety and tolerability of ABBV-951 delivered as a continuous, all-day subcutaneous infusion via an external pump for up to 52 weeks in people with advanced PD. The study is in process and estimated to conclude in late 2021.

"At AbbVie, we are resolute in our commitment to address the unmet needs of people living with neurologic diseases through new and innovative solutions," said Michael Gold, MD, Vice President, Neuroscience Development. "In the face of uncertainty and the unknown, we are determined to preserve personhood. We look forward to participating in the MDS 2020 Virtual Congress and sharing our latest research with scientists and healthcare professionals from around the globe."

Other data presentations include analyses from several DUODOPA-related studies, including the COSMOS Observational Study, a multi-country, cross-sectional, retrospective, post-marketing observational study that enrolled patients with advanced PD who were treated with DUODOPA for more than 12 months. Also being presented are analyses from the DUOGLOBE study, athree-year global, multicenter, single-arm, non-interventional post-marketing observational study of patients with advanced PD treated with DUODOPA.

Additionally, abstracts demonstrating the prevalence, impact and economic burden of PD will be presented.

About Parkinson's DiseaseMore than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson's disease1, a progressive and chronic movement disordercharacterized by tremor, muscle rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with balance.2It is classified as a movement disorder resulting from the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.3The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease begin when approximately 60-80 percent of the dopamine-producing cells in the brain are lost and symptoms continue to worsen slowly over the course of time.4While there is no known cure for the disease, there are treatments available to help reduce symptoms.5

As Parkinson's disease progresses, patients can experience fluctuations from an "on state" to an "offstate," during which they are slower and stiffer and experience more difficulty moving. Patients can also experience dyskinesias (involuntary movements). Dyskinesia is among the most troublesome symptoms of the disease with approximately 50 percent of patients presenting with dyskinesia four to five years after initiation of treatment and approximately 90 percent of patients presenting with dyskinesia after nine years.6

DUODOPA (levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel) EU IndicationDUODOPA is indicated for the treatment of advanced levodopa-responsive Parkinson's disease with severe motor fluctuations and hyperkinesia or dyskinesia when available combinations of Parkinson's medicinal products have not given satisfactory results.

Important DUODOPA EU Safety InformationDUODOPA is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to levodopa, carbidopa or any of the excipients, narrow-angle glaucoma, severe heart failure, severe cardiac arrhythmia, acute stroke, selective type A inhibitors and nonselective MAO inhibitors, conditions contraindicated for adrenergics (e.g. pheochromocytoma, hyperthyroidism, and Cushing's syndrome), and suspicious skin lesions or history of melanoma.

Some warnings and precautions include the following: device and procedure-related complications, sudden onset of sleep: caution should be exercised when driving and operating machines. Caution in: severe cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, bronchial asthma, renal, hepatic or endocrine disease, or history of peptic ulcer disease or of convulsions. Risk of symptoms resembling Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome following abrupt dose reduction or discontinuation. Monitor all patients for the development of mental changes, depression with suicidal tendencies, and other serious mental changes. Caution in chronic wide-angle glaucoma; monitor for intra-ocular pressure changes. Patients with past or current psychosis should be treated with caution. Monitor patients regularly for the development of impulse control disorders, for example Dopamine Dysregulation Syndrome (DDS). Periodic evaluation of hepatic, haematopoietic, cardiovascular and renal function is recommended during extended therapy with DUODOPA. Patients with Parkinson's disease have a higher risk of developing melanoma. Monitor patients for melanomas on a regular basis when using DUODOPA. DUODOPA is not recommended during pregnancy. Breast-feeding should be discontinued during treatment with DUODOPA.

The most common adverse reactionwas complication of device insertion.

The very common ( 10%) and common (1% to < 10%) device and procedure-related adverse reactions reported in clinical trials includedabdominal discomfort, abdominal pain, peritonitis, pneumoperitoneum postoperative wound infection, incisional cellulitis, excessive granulation tissue, device dislocation, device occlusion, complications of device insertion, incision site erythema, post-procedural discharge, stoma complication, incision site pain, postoperative Ileus, post-procedural complication, post-procedural discomfort and post-procedural hemorrhage.

Most of these adverse reactions were reported early in the studies, subsequent to the percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy procedure, occurring during the first 28 days.

Drug-related undesirable effects that occur frequently with the DUODOPA system include nausea and dyskinesia.

This is not a complete summary of all safety information. See DUODOPA full summary of product characteristics (SmPC) at http://www.ema.europa.eu. Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About ABBV-951ABBV-951 is a subcutaneous delivery of levodopa/carbidopa being investigated for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease.

About AbbVie in Neuroscience At AbbVie, our commitment to preserve the personhood of those living with neurologic and psychiatric disorders is unwavering. Every challenge in this uncharted territory makes us more determined and drives us harder to discover and deliver solutions for patients, care partners and clinicians. AbbVie's Neuroscience portfolio consists of approved therapies and a robust pipeline in neurologicand psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease,bipolar disorder and depression, major depressive disorder, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease,post-stroke spasticity, schizophrenia, and stroke.

We have a strong investment in neuroscience research, with our Foundational Neuroscience Center inCambridge, Massachusetts, and our Neuroscience Discovery site in Ludwigshafen,Germany, where our research and perseverance in these challenging therapeutic areas is yielding a deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of neurologic diseases, and identifying targets for potential disease-modifying therapeutics aimed at making a difference in people's lives. For more information, please visitwww.abbvie.com.

About AbbVieAbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us atwww.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter,Facebook,Instagram,YouTubeandLinkedIn.

Forward-Looking StatementsSome statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe,""expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits from AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan plc ("Allergan"), failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry and the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2019 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with theSecurities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

1 Parkinson's Foundation. https://www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Statistics#:~:text=More%20than%2010%20million%20peopleAccessed August 27, 2020.2 The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/i-have-got-what.php#q2AccessedAugust 27, 2020.3 The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. https://www.michaeljfox.org/understanding-parkinsons/i-have-got-what.php#q2AccessedAugust 27, 2020.4 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Parkinsons-Disease-Hope-Through-Research. Accessed August 27, 2020.5 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Hope-Through-Research/Parkinsons-Disease-Hope-Through-Research. Accessed August 27, 2020.6 Van Laar T. CNS Drugs. 2003;17:475-489.

SOURCE AbbVie

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AbbVie to Present New Data From 18 Abstracts at the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders - PRNewswire

Neuroscience

Brain Wave "Tug of War" Determines How Information Flows Through the Brain – Technology Networks

To produce your thoughts and actions, your brain processes information in a hierarchy of regions along its surface, or cortex, ranging from "lower" areas that do basic parsing of incoming sensations to "higher" executive regions that formulate your plans for employing that newfound knowledge. In a new study, MIT neuroscientists seeking to explain how this organization emerges report two broad trends: In each of three distinct regions, information encoding or its inhibition was associated with a similar tug of war between specific brain wave frequency bands, and the higher a region's status in the hierarchy, the higher the peak frequency of its waves in each of those bands.

By making and analyzing measurements of thousands of neurons and surrounding electric fields in three cortical regions in animals, the team's new study in theJournal of Cognitive Neuroscienceprovides a unifying view of how brain waves, which are oscillating patterns of the activity of brain cells, may control the flow of information throughout the cortex.

"When you look at prior studies you see examples of what we found in many regions, but they are all found in different ways in different experiments," said Earl Miller, Picower Professor of Neuroscience in The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory and senior author of the study. "We wanted to obtain an overarching picture so that's what we did. We addressed the question of what does this look like all over the cortex."

Added co-first author Mikael Lundqvist of Stockholm University and MIT: "Many, many studies have looked at how synchronized the phases of a particular frequency are between cortical regions. It has become a field by itself, because synchrony will impact the communication between regions. But arguably even more important would be if regions communicate at different frequencies altogether. Here we find such a systematic shift in preferred frequencies across regions. It may have been suspected by piecing together earlier studies, but as far as I know hasn't been shown directly before. It is a simple but potentially very fundamental observation."

The paper's other first author is Picower Institute postdoc Andre Bastos.

To make their observations the team gave animals the task of correctly distinguishing an image they had just seen - a simple feat of visual working memory. As the animals played the game, the scientists measured the individual spiking activity of hundreds of neurons in each animal in three regions at the bottom, middle and top of the task's cortical hierarchy - the visual cortex, the parietal cortex and the prefrontal cortex. They simultaneously tracked the waves produced by this activity.

In each region they found that when an image was either being encoded (when it was first presented) or recalled (when working memory was tested), the power of theta and gamma frequency bands of brain waves would increase in bursts and power in alpha and beta bands would decrease. When the information had to be held in mind, for instance in the period between first sight and the test, theta and gamma power went down and alpha and beta power went up in bursts. This functional "push/pull" sequence between these frequency bands has been shown in several individual regions, including the motor cortex, Miller said, but not often simultaneously across multiple regions in the course of the same task.

The researchers also observed that the bursts of theta and gamma power were closely associated with neural spikes that encoded information about the images. Alpha and beta power bursts, meanwhile, were anti-correlated with that same spiking activity.

While this rule applied across all three regions, a key difference was that each region employed a distinct peak within each frequency band. While the visual cortex beta band, for instance, peaked at 11 Hz, parietal beta peaked at 15 Hz and prefrontal beta peaked at 19 Hz. Meanwhile visual cortex gamma occurred at 65 Hz, parietal gamma topped at 72 Hz and prefrontal gamma at 80 Hz.

"As you move from the back of the brain to the front, all the frequencies get a little higher," Miller said.

While both main trends in the study - the inverse relationships between frequency bands and the systematic rise in peak frequencies within each band - were both consistently observed and statistically significant, they only show associations with function, not causality. But the researchers said they are consistent with a model in which alpha and beta alternately inhibit, or release, gamma to control the encoding of information - a form of top-down control of sensory activity.

Meanwhile, they hypothesize that the systematic increase in peak frequencies up the hierarchy could serve multiple functions. For instance, if waves in each frequency band carry information, then it higher regions would sample at a faster frequency to provide more fine-grained sampling of the raw input coming from lower regions. Moreover, faster frequencies are more effective at entraining those same frequencies in other regions, giving higher regions an effective way of controlling activity in lower ones.

"The increased frequency in the oscillatory rhythms may help sculpt information flow in the cortex," the authors wrote.

Reference:

Lundqvist M, Bastos AM, Miller EK. Preservation and Changes in Oscillatory Dynamics across the Cortical Hierarchy. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2020;32(10):2024-2035. doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01600

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Brain Wave "Tug of War" Determines How Information Flows Through the Brain - Technology Networks