Category Archives: Neuroscience

Jonathan A. Forbes, MD, a Neurosurgeon with the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute – The Magazine Plus

September 13, 2020 medical

Get to know Neurosurgeon Dr. Jonathan A. Forbes, who serves patients in Cincinnati, Ohio.

(The Magazine Plus Editorial):- New York City, Sep 11, 2020 (Issuewire.com)Dr. Forbes is a fellowship-trained, board-certified neurosurgeon with expertise and interest in open and minimally-invasive approaches for the treatment of pathology of the cranial base. He treats additional complex neurosurgical pathology of the brain and/or spine at the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute in Ohio.

There, more than 125 physicians provide treatment to patients and families facing complex neurologic and psychiatric disorders, lead research, and teach the next generation of neuroscience innovators. The experts hold leadership roles in national organizations, developing nationwide standards of care and championing neuroscience research.

What Makes Memories So Detailed and Enduring? Newly Discovered Mechanism of Learning – SciTechDaily

September 13, 2020 medical

The tiny red dots are inhibitory nerve cells within the brains hippocampus. The optogenetic tool, shown in green, allows researchers to measure the strength of messages to other nerve cells, using flashes of light. Credit: Matt Udakis

In years to come, personal memories of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to be etched in our minds with precision and clarity, distinct from other memories of 2020. The process which makes this possible has eluded scientists for many decades, but research led by the University of Bristol has made a breakthrough in understanding how memories can be so distinct and long-lasting without getting muddled up.

The study, published in Nature Communications, describes a newly discovered mechanism of learning in the brain shown to stabilize memories and reduce interference between them. Its findings also provide new insight into how humans form expectations and make accurate predictions about what could happen in future.

Memories are created when the connections between the nerve cells which send and receive signals from the brain are made stronger. This process has long been associated with changes to connections that excite neighboring nerve cells in the hippocampus, a region of the brain crucial for memory formation.

These excitatory connections must be balanced with inhibitory connections, which dampen nerve cell activity, for healthy brain function. The role of changes to inhibitory connection strength had not previously been considered and the researchers found that inhibitory connections between nerve cells, known as neurons, can similarly be strengthened.

Working together with computational neuroscientists at Imperial College London, the researchers showed how this allows the stabilization of memory representations.

Their findings uncover for the first time how two different types of inhibitory connections (from parvalbumin and somatostatin expressing neurons) can also vary and increase their strength, just like excitatory connections. Moreover, computational modeling demonstrated this inhibitory learning enables the hippocampus to stabilize changes to excitatory connection strength, which prevents interfering information from disrupting memories.

First author Dr. Matt Udakis, Research Associate at the School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, said: We were all really excited when we discovered these two types of inhibitory neurons could alter their connections and partake in learning.

It provides an explanation for what we all know to be true; that memories do not disappear as soon as we encounter a new experience. These new findings will help us understand why that is.

The computer modeling gave us important new insight into how inhibitory learning enables memories to be stable over time and not be susceptible to interference. Thats really important as it has previously been unclear how separate memories can remain precise and robust.

The research was funded by the UKRIs Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which has awarded the teams further funding to develop this research and test their predictions from these findings by measuring the stability of memory representations.

Senior author Professor Jack Mellor, Professor in Neuroscience at the Centre for Synaptic Plasticity, said: Memories form the basis of our expectations about future events and enable us to make more accurate predictions. What the brain is constantly doing is matching our expectations to reality, finding out where mismatches occur, and using this information to determine what we need to learn.

We believe what we have discovered plays a crucial role in assessing how accurate our predictions are and therefore what is important new information. In the current climate, our ability to manage our expectations and make accurate predictions has never been more important.

This is also a great example of how research at the interface of two different disciplines can deliver exciting science with truly new insights. Memory researchers within Bristol Neuroscience form one of the largest communities of memory-focussed research in the UK spanning a broad range of expertise and approaches. It was a great opportunity to work together and start to answer these big questions, which neuroscientists have been grappling with for decades and have wide-reaching implications.

Reference: Interneuron-specific plasticity at parvalbumin and somatostatin inhibitory synapses onto CA1 pyramidal neurons shapes hippocampal output by Matt Udakis, Victor Pedrosa, Sophie E. L. Chamberlain, Claudia Clopath and Jack R. Mellor, 2 September 2020, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18074-8

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What Makes Memories So Detailed and Enduring? Newly Discovered Mechanism of Learning - SciTechDaily

Neuroscience

Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager Therapeutics Present New Long-Term Three-Year Data Demonstrating that One-Time Treatment with an Investigational…

September 13, 2020 medical

DetailsCategory: DNA RNA and CellsPublished on Saturday, 12 September 2020 14:07Hits: 360

-- Data for Investigational Gene Therapy Treatment NBIb-1817 (VY-AADC) Presented at the MDS Virtual Congress 2020 --

- NBIb-1817 Treatment Showed Sustained Improvement in Motor Function, Including Greater "On" Time without Troublesome Dyskinesia and Reduction in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III Scores, and Reduction in the Amount of Medications Up to Three Years in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

- 14 of 15 Patients Treated with NBIb-1817 Continued to Experience an Improvement in Disease Staging after Three Years, as Assessed by the Modified Hoehn & Yahr Scale

- Re-Initiation of Enrollment in Registrational RESTORE-1 Clinical Trial of NBIb-1817 Planned for Later this Year

SAN DIEGO, CA and CAMBRIDGE, MA, USA I September 11, 2020 I Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: NBIX) and Voyager Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: VYGR) today announced data from PD-1101, a Phase Ib open-label, three-year efficacy and safety study, demonstrating that a one-time treatment with investigational gene therapy, NBIb-1817 (VY-AADC), showed sustained improvement in motor function including greater "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia, reduction in Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Part III scores, and reduction in the amount of medications in patients with Parkinson's disease.In the PD-1101 study, NBIb-1817 reduced average "Off" time by up to -1.91 hours and improved average "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia by up to +2.23 hours in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease after three years across three cohorts. In addition, 14 out of 15 patients treated with NBIb-1817 continued to show an improvement in disease staging after three years, as assessed by the modified Hoehn & Yahr scale. These new data, along with two-year data from another open-label Phase Ib trial, PD-1102, were presented today at the MDS Virtual Congress 2020, September 1216, 2020 (www.mdscongress.org/Congress/Registration.htm).

In data from the three-year PD-1101 trial, the one-time treatment with NBIb-1817 showed sustained reduction in diary "Off" time by an average of -0.15 to -1.91 hours (baseline 4.28 to 4.93 hours) and improved diary "On" time without troublesome dyskinesia by an average of +0.26 to +2.23 hours (baseline 10.32 to 10.46 hours) across the cohorts as reported by 15 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease. NBIb-1817 also showed sustained improvement in motor function after three years, as measured by UPDRS Part III off medication scores, by -10.2 to -19.0 points (baseline 35.8 to 38.2 points) across the cohorts, per clinician assessment. Requirements for Parkinson's disease medications were also reduced in cohorts 2 and 3 (daily levodopa-equivalent dose reductions, average of -322.0 and -441.2 mg/day, respectively; baseline 1507.0 and 1477.0 mg/day, respectively). Two-year data from the PD-1102 trial for 7 patients showed that NBIb-1817 reduced diary "Off" time by an average of -3.2 hours and increased diary good "On" time by +2.1 hours (baselines 9.3 hours and 6.6 hours, respectively). In this study, NBIb-1817 showed sustained improvement in motor function after two years, with improved UPDRS Part III off medication scores of -12.0 points (baseline 34.4). Requirements for Parkinson's disease medications were also reduced (daily levodopa-equivalent dose reduction, average of -439.5 mg/day; baseline 1500.9 mg/day). Preliminary safety data from both studies suggest that NBIb-1817 was well-tolerated, with no study drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs) reported. The most common adverse events reported were headache, hypoesthesia, and musculoskeletal pain (PD-1101), and upper respiratory tract infection, headache, nausea, and depression (PD-1102).

"It is promising to see that after three years, a single administration of one-time investigational gene therapy treatment NBIb-1817 showed sustained reduction in 'Off' time, as well as improvement in 'On' time without troublesome dyskinesia and other measures of motor function in patients with Parkinson's disease," said Chad Christine, M.D., primary author, a lead investigator of the study and Professor of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Weill Institute for Neurosciences. "Parkinson's disease patients' motor function would be expected to worsen over three years, making these results very encouraging. The standard of care for advanced Parkinson's disease has not significantly changed in decades and it is our hope that NBIb-1817 has the potential to become the first gene therapy for Parkinson's disease."

Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disorder that affects approximately one million people in the U.S. and six million people worldwide. It is characterized by a loss of dopamine from neuronal degeneration, with a concomitant loss of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) enzyme required to synthesize dopamine in the brain, leading to associated impairment in motor, neuropsychiatric, and autonomic functions.

"We are pleased that the results from these studies show that one-time treatment with investigational NBIb-1817 may help restore the brain's ability to convert levodopa into dopamine," said Eiry Roberts, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Neurocrine Biosciences. "Our hope is that NBIb-1817 will help patients experience less 'Off' time and more 'On' time and improve motor symptom control. We plan to re-initiate enrollment in our registrational RESTORE-1 clinical trial with NBIb-1817 this year and look forward to further evaluating NBIb-1817 in patients with Parkinson's disease."

NBIb-1817 is an investigational recombinant adeno-associated viral serotype 2 vector encoding the gene for human AADC that is designed to help produce the AADC enzyme in brain cells where it can convert levodopa to dopamine.

"We are encouraged by the congruence of long-term data, including clinician- and patient-reported clinical outcomes in our clinical studies," said Omar Khwaja, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer and Head of Research and Development at Voyager Therapeutics. "These results are promising and show that the approach has the potential to transform the treatment of Parkinson's disease, and help improve the lives of patients and their families."

Additional information about PD-1101 and PD-1102 will be available on demand for registered participants through October 1, 2020 on the MDS meeting website (www.mdscongress.org/Congress/Registration.htm).

About Parkinson's Disease and NBIb-1817 (VY-AADC) Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive and debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects approximately one million people in the U.S. and six million people worldwide. It is characterized by a loss of dopamine and neuronal degeneration with a concomitant loss of the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) enzyme required to synthesize dopamine in the brain, leading to associated impairment in motor, neuropsychiatric, and autonomic functions. Dopamine is a chemical "messenger" that is produced in the brain and is involved in the control of movement. It is made when AADC converts the chemical levodopa to dopamine. As Parkinson's disease progresses, there is less AADC enzyme in parts of the brain where levodopa is converted to dopamine.

NBIb-1817 is an investigational recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) serotype 2 vector encoding the gene for human AADC that is designed to help produce the AADC enzyme in brain cells where it can convert levodopa to dopamine. NBIb-1817 is administered into the brain using intraoperative monitoring with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-facilitated targeted delivery.

About the RESTORE-1 Clinical TrialPaused temporarily in April 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager Therapeutics plan to re-initiate RESTORE-1, a Phase 2, randomized, placebo-surgery controlled, double-blinded, multi-center clinical trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of NBIb-1817 in patients who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease for at least four years and have at least three hours of "Off" time during the day as measured by a validated self-reported patient diary.

For more information about the RESTORE-1 clinical trial, including eligibility criteria, please visit clinicaltrials.gov and restore1study.com.

About the RESTORE-2 Clinical TrialPreparations are ongoing for the RESTORE-2 global registrational trial that will include clinical sites within and outside the U.S.

About Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager Therapeutics Strategic CollaborationIn 2019, Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager Therapeutics entered into a strategic collaboration focused on the development and commercialization of gene therapy programs, VY-AADC for Parkinson's disease and VY-FXN01 for Friedreich's ataxia, as well as rights to two programs to be determined. This collaboration combines Neurocrine Biosciences' expertise in neuroscience, drug development and commercialization with Voyager's innovative gene therapy programs targeting severe neurological diseases.

About Neurocrine BiosciencesNeurocrine Biosciences is a neuroscience-focused, biopharmaceutical company with 28 years of experience discovering and developing life-changing treatments for people with serious, challenging and under-addressed neurological, endocrine and psychiatric disorders. The company's diverse portfolio includes FDA-approved treatments for tardive dyskinesia, Parkinson's disease, endometriosis* and uterine fibroids*, with three pivotal and five mid-stage clinical programs in multiple therapeutic areas. Headquartered in San Diego, Neurocrine Biosciences specializes in targeting and interrupting disease-causing mechanisms involving the interconnected pathways of the nervous and endocrine systems. For more information, visit neurocrine.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn. (*in collaboration with AbbVie)

About Voyager TherapeuticsVoyager Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on developing life-changing treatments for severe neurological diseases. Voyager is committed to advancing the field of AAV gene therapy through innovation and investment in vector engineering and optimization, manufacturing, and dosing and delivery techniques. Voyager's wholly owned and partnered pipeline focuses on severe neurological diseases for which effective new therapies are needed, including Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Friedreich's ataxia, and other severe neurological diseases. For more information on Voyager, please visit the company's website at http://www.voyagertherapeutics.com or follow @VoyagerTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE: Voyager Therapeutics

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Neurocrine Biosciences and Voyager Therapeutics Present New Long-Term Three-Year Data Demonstrating that One-Time Treatment with an Investigational...

Neuroscience

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

September 11, 2020 medical

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

abbvie.com

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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

September 11, 2020 medical

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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Neuroscience

Government of Canada recruits world-renowned researcher to bridge the gap between AI and Neuroscience – Canada NewsWire

September 11, 2020 medical

Canada Excellence Research Chairs helps strengthen Montreal's position as a global center for Artificial Intelligence

OTTAWA, Sept. 10, 2020 /CNW/ - To build a country that is stronger, more innovative and better connected, Canada must attract world leading researchers and scholars to work, study and train research teams in our institutions. These leading innovators will help positionCanada as a hub for innovation and ideas that lead to the creation of jobs in today's industries.

Today, the Honourable Navdeep Bains,Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced the appointment of Dr. Irina Rish, as the latest Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) in Autonomous Artificial Intelligence (AI). This announcement is part of the Government of Canada's investment of over $90million to establish CERCs to further Canada's standing as a global centre of excellence in science, research and innovation.

Supported by $10 million in funding from the Government of Canada over seven years and nearly $25 million from organizations such as the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute (Mila) and the Universit de Montral, as well as several other public and private organizations, Dr. Rish will elevate Canada's profile as a leader in AI.

Recruited from IBM in New York, she plans to build an ambitious, cross-disciplinary research centre at the Universit de Montral where she is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science and Operations Research department. Dr. Rish and her team will work to bridge the gaps between AI, biology, neuroscience and psychology, which will give us a deeper understanding of the human brain.

Appointing a new CERC in Autonomous AI is a high point in growing a leading-edge research hub in Canada, maintaining our country's reputation as a world-class centre of excellence for AI research and innovation, and enhancing the potential for global impacts in medicine, industry and other critical sectors.

Quotes

"By attracting world-class researchers like Dr. Rish to Canadian institutions, our government is helping position our country as a globally competitive research hub. Making sure that Canada is at the leading edge of transformative research fields such as Artificial Intelligence will benefit the well-being and prosperity of all Canadians." The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

"Professor Rish joins a formidable pool of talent in artificial intelligence and neuroscience here, in Montreal and across Canada. Through the CERC program, she and her team will have the opportunity to explore new and potentially very promising avenues. We are honoured to have her with us." Daniel Jutras, Rector, Universit de Montral

"The CERC program supports world-leading investigators from diverse backgrounds whose work at Canadian institutions strengthens Canadian innovation, social well-being and economic prosperity.Their work is equally invaluable in training the next generation of Canadian research leaders." Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and Chair, CERC Steering Committee

"Canadians can be proud of the experts that choose our institutes to pursue their inquiries in leading edge fields of research represented in the natural sciences and engineering. We know that Dr. Rish will shine a bright light on Canada's already strong cluster of knowledge in AI but more importantly, she will mentor and train the next generation of researchers in this exciting field." Dr. Alejandro Adem, President, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

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For further information: John Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, 343 550-1456, [emailprotected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [emailprotected]; Andrea Matyas, Director of Communications, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, 613-608-6084, [emailprotected]

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Government of Canada recruits world-renowned researcher to bridge the gap between AI and Neuroscience - Canada NewsWire

Neuroscience

WVU RNI pioneering Alzheimers treatment to wider region of the brain – WBOY.com

September 11, 2020 medical

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. The Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute (RNI) is conducting a study with the hopes of using its focused ultrasound technology to treat Alzheimers.

During this study, doctors injected microscopic bubbles into the patients bloodstream and exposed the bubbles to focused ultrasound from a treatment helmet attached to the MRI, temporarily causing the blood-brain barrier to open, according to an RNI press release. the technique works by opening the blood-brain barrier, which separates the bloodstream from the brain tissue and restricts medicines, immunotherapy, gene therapy and other therapeutics from entering the brain, researchers hope it can reduce plaques and lessens symptoms.

The focused ultrasound technology, what weve been using to widely treat a number of conditions, for example, Parkinsons and tremor. Almost three years ago we started a clinical trial using focused ultrasound treatment for those with early Alzheimers and Judy Pollack was the first patient in the U.S. to undergo that trial in Oct. 2018. Since that time we have now had seven patients who have undergone this focused ultrasound treatment for Alzheimers. We are optimistic about the potential for this technology for helping those with early Alzheimers disease. Were seeing some elements where the Alzheimers progression seems to be improving with the earlier patients in the study, but we need to learn more about that.

Using focused ultrasound, RNI has already treated Nanette Miller, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers disease, and she is now, less than a year later, on the road to potential recovery due to the expansion of the groundbreaking technique. This is according to the press release, which stated that the method lessened Millers symptoms.

I think the results are encouraging so far, were able to show weve achieved the objectives of this study in terms of opening the blood-brain barrier, number one safely and consistently and reproducibly, Rezai said. Number two, show a reduction in beta-amyloid plaques. And three were seeing some early signs of slowing down the progression of Alzheimers.

As a result of the initial successes, Rezai said the study had been expanded. Initially, RNI was targeting the hippocampus, he said, the part of the brain which handles memory and thinking. Now, because the first trial was a success, the Food and Drug Administration has permitted them to expand to other parts of the brain.

There are currently two new patients that are enrolled in the expanded study, Rezai said. The goal remains the same, to use the focused ultrasound to fight early-onset Alzheimers and other dementias.

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WVU RNI pioneering Alzheimers treatment to wider region of the brain - WBOY.com

Neuroscience

Global and US Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays Market to Witness Huge Growth by abc Major Players included in report Thermo Fisher, Abcam, Bio Rad,…

September 11, 2020 medical

Global Coronavirus pandemic has impacted all industries across the globe, Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market being no exception. As Global economy heads towards major recession post 2009 crisis, Cognitive Market Research has published a recent study which meticulously studies impact of this crisis on Global Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market and suggests possible measures to curtail them. This press release is a snapshot of research study and further information can be gathered by accessing complete report. To Contact Research Advisor Mail us @ [emailprotected] or call us on +1-312-376-8303.

The research report on global Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market as well as industry is a detailed study that provides detailed information of major key players, product types & applications/end-users; historical figures, region analysis, market drivers/opportunities & restraints forecast scenarios, strategic planning, and a precise section for the effect of Covid-19 on the market. Our research analysts intensively determine the significant outlook of the global Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market study with regard to primary & secondary data and they have represented it in the form of graphs, pie charts, tables & other pictorial representations for better understanding.

Consumables, Instruments are some of the key types of market. All the type segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2020 to 2027. Based on the application segment, the global market can be classified into Pharmaceutical& Biotechnology Companies, Academic& Research Institutes, Hospitals& Diagnostic Centers . The analysis of application segment will help to analyze the demand for market across different end-use industries.

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry is witnessing a major change in operations.Some of the key players include Thermo Fisher, Abcam, Bio Rad, Merck, Cell Signaling Technology, Genscript, Rockland Immunochemicals, BioLegend, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Roche, Siemens . key players are changing their recruitment practices to comply with the social distancing norms enforced across several regions to mitigate the risk of infection. Additionally, companies are emphasizing on using advanced recruiting solutions and digital assets to avoid in-person meetings. Advanced technologies and manufacturing process are expected to play a decisive role in influencing the competitiveness of the market players.

Regional Analysis for Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays Market:North America (United States, Canada)Europe (Germany, Spain, France, UK, Russia, and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, and South Korea)Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, etc.)The Middle East and Africa (GCC and South Africa)

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NOTE: Whole world is experiencing the impact of Covid-19 pandemic due to its increasing spread hence, the report comprises of an up to date scenario of the Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market report. Research analyst team of our company is understanding & reviewing the Covid19 Impact on Market and all the necessary areas of the market that have been altered due to the change caused by Covid19 impact. Get in touch with us for more precise/in-depth information of the Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays market.

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At the end of May, many states began lifting lockdown restrictions and reopening in order to revive their economies, despite warnings that it was still too early. As a result, by mid-July, around 33 states were reporting higher rates of new cases compared to the previous week with only three states reporting declining rates. Due to this Covid-19 pandemic, there has been disruptions in the supply chain which have made end-use businesses realize destructive in the manufacturing and business process. During this lockdown period, the plastic packaging helps the products to have longer shelf life as the public would not be able to buy new replacements for the expired products because most of the production units are closed.

About Us:Cognitive Market Research is one of the finest and most efficient Market Research and Consulting firm. The company strives to provide research studies which include syndicate research, customized research, round the clock assistance service, monthly subscription services, and consulting services to our clients. We focus on making sure that based on our reports, our clients are enabled to make most vital business decisions in easiest and yet effective way. Hence, we are committed to delivering them outcomes from market intelligence studies which are based on relevant and fact-based research across the global market.Contact Us: +1-312-376-8303Email: [emailprotected]Web: https://www.cognitivemarketresearch.com/

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Global and US Neuroscience Antibodies and Assays Market to Witness Huge Growth by abc Major Players included in report Thermo Fisher, Abcam, Bio Rad,...

Neuroscience

Experts underwhelmed by Neuralink reveal The Campus – The Campus

September 11, 2020 medical

Billionaire and innovator Elon Musk recently unveiled progress previously kept secret on his latest project a neural implant designed to improve quality of life and advance current technology to unknown bounds.

Described by Musk as a Fitbit in your skull, the Neuralink comes with large claims, mainly promising to assist people with issues stemming from the brain such as blindness. Musk also mentioned future capabilities of the Neuralink, claiming it may be able to assist in hormone control and even have the ability to play music directly into the users brain.

While Musks expert showmanship hypes up the masses, many neuroscientists including Lauren French, associate professor of biology and neuroscience have yet to be amazed.

When I first looked at it and saw the video of the pig, I was like, Really, thats it? Thats what hes got? Weve been doing this for years! French said. It has a name brain machine interface and people have done this with humans to a certain extent.

In essence, the brain functions through the sending and receiving of electrical and chemical signals which provide information on a persons surroundings and prompts them to act in response, according to French.

During the almost two-hour event, Musks main display of the Neuralink occurred when a pig with the device installed was brought out. Bribed with treats, any time the pigs snout touched something, the signals created by the interaction were picked up by the Neuralink and turned into sound for all attendees to hear.

French expressed a variety of concerns with how the presentation was held.

There was no actual evidence that the noises truly were produced from the pigs brain, French said. I have an experiment that I do with students where we record from a crayfishs nerve. It goes through an audio speaker, so it makes these cool noises, and we experiment. If we touch the animal here, we hear an increase in signal and then it slows down. So I was like, If I can do that with Allegheny college students I just was not that impressed.

While some were left wanting more after the display of the Neuralinks capabilities, many of the most prominent talking points arise from the question and answer session held after the live demonstration. This was where Musk made claims of hormone control and music playing capabilities came into play, but medical usages such as curing blindness and interfacing the Neuralink between a user and an artificial intelligence controlled self-driving car, like a Tesla, were also brought up. Most fascinating, though, were discussions on the topic of mind copying.

While many are excited by the novelty, the resounding notion among experts is the same it is impossible to clone a human mind with our current technology.

There is no way that anybody is close to copying a mind, French said. Humans are really complicated and since humans are also oddly resistant to having their brains experimented on, the research is slow because we have to learn from things that happen naturally.

Dr. Lance B. Eliot, expert on artificial intelligence and machine learning, analogized the copying of a human mind to that of a photocopy in an article published by Forbes. He explained that there are outside factors like dust and debris in the copier that create a less than perfect end result. He added, though, that a faded document may benefit from being copied, as it may become more legible.

All in all, you did not end up with exactly the same thing as the original, including some aspects that were not as desirable and other facets that were an added bonus, Eliot wrote in the article.

French echoed the sentiment, speaking on the ethical concerns involved with the process of cloning or copying a human mind.

We have so little understanding of things that are uniquely human, like personality, so I think thats really solidly in science fiction land.

Lauren French

I have a science fiction book that I used to read with my (Freshman Seminar) years ago, French said. Its called Mind Catcher. Its a similar premise somebody has had this life threatening injury, so theyre just gonna download their brain essentially onto a computer. Its a science fiction book so you can imagine it all goes terribly wrong. We have so little understanding of things that are uniquely human, like personality, so I think thats really solidly in science fiction land.

While disagreements about what will or will not be possible with the Neuralink continue, everybody seems to agree on one thing it will be expensive.

Is this going to be something that increases the gap between the rich and the poor, and it becomes equivalent to an incredible nose job? said Dr. John Krakauer, neuroscience professor and director of the Brain, Learning, Animation and Movement Lab at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in an interview with Digital Trends. We dont want to enhance one set of humans and not the rest.

French had similar thoughts on the matter of cost.

This is so expensive, and you dont just volunteer for brain surgery for fun either to be the recipient or the provider, French said. I think if weve learned nothing else from the pandemic, its been hit home that we have systemic inequalities in our healthcare system right now and I dont see technology like this helping that at all. Unless its something that insurance companies would pick up and cover, its a huge concern. In the beginning, yeah, go ahead, let some rich guy try it out. Lets see what happens.

As technology continues to progress and people like Elon Musk continue to amass wealth and popularity, French is curious how the world will grow and respond.

Hopefully, Musk will use his powers for good, French said. In the future, though, I am going to tell my students theyre doing about the same thing that Musk did to make them feel better.

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Experts underwhelmed by Neuralink reveal The Campus - The Campus

Neuroscience

The Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands Donate $1 Million in Support of Boca Regional’s Keeping The Promise Capital Campaign – Baptist…

September 11, 2020 medical

September 8th, 2020 Baptist Health South Florida

BOCA RATON, FL September 8, 2020 The Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands, have made a joint $1,000,000 gift to Keeping the PromiseThe Campaign for Boca Raton Regional Hospital. This gift is one of 32 seven and eight-figure gifts received by the campaign that has already raised nearly $165 million toward its goal.

The Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands only recently joined our family at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, said Lincoln Mendez, CEO of Boca Raton Regional Hospital, part of Baptist Health. They immediately embraced our culture of healthcare and philanthropy, as well as our vision for the future. We look forward to a long and healthy relationship with the Sands Family and we are deeply grateful for their support.

Members of the Sands family have utilized Boca Raton Regional Hospital during the last few years, and gratitude for their care was the catalyst for the gift. This gift will name a Hybrid Operating Suite, a part of the Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute, and will be constructed in the new Marilyn and Stanley Barry Center for Surgical Services.

Rob Sands is executive chair of Constellation Brands, a leading total beverage alcohol company founded in Canandaigua, New York, where the Sands family originally hails from, and their foundation has been an active supporter in the areas of healthcare, education and the arts.

Donors such as the Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands are gratifying to all of us raising money for the campaign, and everybody at the hospital. said Stan Barry, chairman of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation and co-chair of the Keeping the Promise campaign. They can immediately see the impact of their support in the value of our work, our partnerships, and our future.

In addition to their support of the campaign, the Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands have committed to be the title sponsor for three years for the Boca Raton Regional Hospital Golf Tournament, benefitting the Ron & Kathy Assaf Center for Excellence in Nursing. The Sands Family Foundation also underwrote the 2019 inaugural Glow Red Golf Tournament to benefit the Christine E. Lynn Heart & Vascular Institute.

The $250 million Keeping the Promise campaign is the largest campaign in the hospitals history. It is supporting the most ambitious period of growth and expansion for Boca Raton Regional Hospital. The campus redevelopment plans include at the centerpiece, the new Gloria Drummond Patient Tower where patients will be welcomed in the inviting new Louis B. and Anne W. Green Lobby with plans for retail, dining, meeting space, a sanctuary and other conveniences for visitors. The new tower features all new surgical suites and all private patient rooms exceeding the latest safety standards for patient care. An expansion of the Marcus Neuroscience Institute is underway with an emphasis on neurovascular/stroke, central nervous system and epilepsy/seizure disorders.

In the current hospital building, all existing rooms will be converted to private in a comprehensive renovation of all patient units. The recently opened 972-car Schmidt Family Parking Facility will be connected to the main hospital once construction is complete. Also included in the plans is the new Toby and Leon Cooperman Medical Arts Pavilion, to be located across the street from the hospital with an outpatient surgery center, physician offices and additional parking. These investments are the initial steps toward an even broader vision for the campus with greater access points and even more specialties.

My parents set a wonderful philanthropic example and instilled in us the importance of giving back to support your community, said Rob Sands. It is a tradition, that as a company and as individuals, we continue to uphold. I hope our contribution inspires other philanthropic gifts to Boca Regional in this fundraising effort.

About Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation

The Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization for Boca Raton Regional Hospital. Boca Raton Regional Hospital is an advanced, tertiary medical center (BRRH.com) with 400 beds, 2,800 employees and more than 800 primary and specialty physicians on staff. The Hospital is a recognized leader in Oncology, Cardiovascular Disease and Surgery, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Orthopedics, Womens Health, Emergency Medicine and the Neurosciences, all of which offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and imaging capabilities. The Hospital is a designated Comprehensive Stroke Center by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). BRRH is recognized in U.S. News & World Reports 2020 2021 Best Hospitals listing as a Top Ranked Regional Hospital, for the sixth consecutive year, and the highest ranked hospital in Palm Beach County. Boca Raton Regional Hospital is a part of Baptist Health South Florida.

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The Sands Family Foundation and Constellation Brands Donate $1 Million in Support of Boca Regional's Keeping The Promise Capital Campaign - Baptist...