Diseases of the Nervous System
Genetic Cause for Heart Attack Discovered
You are lying in bed feeling extremely tired. What you really want is some well-deserved sleep. But then you feel a pulling, pins-and-needles sensation in your legs: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is one of the most common disorders of the nervous system. NGFN findings show that there are genetic risk factors for this disease.
Finding Out Why Fidgety Philip Fidgets
They are like Fidgety Philip in the children’s book “Slovenly Peter”, who can’t sit still at the dinner table and doesn’t want to listen to what his parents tell him: Children having an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. NGFN Scientists have now identified a genetic cause of this disorder.
Defect Protein Triggers a Hereditary Form of Parkinson’s Disease
The Kufor-Rakeb syndrome is a rare hereditary variant of Parkinson’s disease which can occur as early as adolescence. NGFN scientists have now identified the gene that is responsible for causing this disease. Interestingly, the protein coded for by this gene occurs in the digestive apparatus of the cell.
Components of Alzheimer “Scissors” Identified
A tiny pair of scissors is responsible for the death of nerve cells which have saved life-long memories. Now Prof. Haass has managed to decode the components of these malfunctioning scissors.
Hope springs from the tea plantation - relief for Huntington's patients
It has been known for some time that green tea has a beneficial effect on health. Scientists working for the NGFN have now discovered that it might even provide relief to patients suffering from Huntington's chorea. The compound epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which can be extracted from green tea, slows down aggregation (clump formation) of the protein huntingtin.
Successful Search for Parkinson’s Gene
29 suspected genes were investigated, and 21 families were studied. Professor Gasser gives an account of how the Parkinson’s disease gene PARK8 was found.
