Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain

Lowering the body temperature of preterm infants (born at 33 to 35 weeks of pregnancy) with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE -- a type of brain damage caused by oxygen loss -- offers no benefits over standard care, according to a new study. Previous studies of near-term and term infants (born after 36 weeks) with HIE found that this cooling treatment, which lowers body temperature to about 92 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly reduced the risk of death or disability by age 18 months (corrected for prematurity). However, the current findings show that such benefits are not observed for preterm infants with HIE. The authors noted that use of the cooling treatment in preterm infants has increased, despite little research on its effectiveness in this age group. Lowering the body temperature of preterm infants (born at 33 to 35 weeks of pregnancy) with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) -- a type of brain damage caused by oxygen loss -- offers no benefits over standard care, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Previous studies of near-term and term infants (born after 36 weeks) with HIE found that this cooling treatment, which lowers body temperature to about 92 degrees Fahrenheit, significantly reduced the risk of death or disability by age 18 months (corrected for prematurity). However, the current findings show that such benefits are not observed for preterm infants with HIE. The authors noted that use of the cooling treatment in preterm infants has increased, despite little research on its effectiveness in this age group. The study was conducted by Roger G. Faix, M.D., of the University of Utah, and colleagues at 19 newborn research centers. It appears in JAMA Pediatrics. Funding was provided by NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). HIE-associated oxygen loss can result from compression of the umbilical cord, a tear in the uterus, or other complications at birth. Of 188 preterm infants with HIE born from 2015 to 2020, 88 infants were assigned at random to the cooling treatment and 80 were maintained at normal temperature. Researchers evaluated occurrences such as death and moderate to severe disability when the infants were 18 to 22 months old. They found that 35% of those receiving the cooling treatment and 29% kept at normal temperature had died or had a disability. More specifically, deaths occurred in 20% of those receiving cooling treatment and 12% of those receiving standard care. Overall, preterm infants who received the cooling therapy had a 74% higher risk of death or disability and an 87% higher risk of death.

A team in Pittsburgh received a $2.3 million grant to fast-track the development and clinical transition of a minimally invasive fetal shunt. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued the Blueprint MedTech grant to the team led by Stephen Emery — professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of the Center for Innovative Fetal Intervention at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital — and Youngjae Chun, professor of industrial engineering at Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. The researchers are developing the low-profile shunt to treat fetal hydrocephalus, a condition involving the buildup of cerebrospinal fluid in or around the brain. According to the University of Pittsburgh, the device will normalize intracranial pressure before birth and address significant risks associated with untreated fetal hydrocephalus, like seizures, developmental delays and vision problems caused by ischemic injury (tissue damage that occurs when blood flow to a part of the body is reduced or stopped, depriving tissue of oxygen) and axonal shear (a traumatic brain injury when the brain’s nerve fibers are torn). The grant also provides the team with FDA regulatory guidance, commercialization resources and strategic support for the shunt. Emery and Chun plan to collaborate with researchers from Duke University, Magee-Womens Research Institute, and Medical Device Regulatory Solutions, LLC for the project. “This support is critical for translating a pioneering treatment that could improve the lives of thousands of newborns with hydrocephalus,” Chun said. “Currently, no shunting techniques are designed specifically for use in the fetus, making this effort timely and impactful.”

Advisory group guidance enables nonprofit to be at the forefront of Alzheimer\'s research WELLESLEY HILLS, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2025 / Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund announced today that six scientists specializing in Alzheimer\'s disease and related research have joined its Research Leadership Group (RLG).The expertise and active engagement of the RLG guide Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund to support research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing or reversing Alzheimer\'s disease. RLG members provide vital insights into emerging and innovative scientific ideas from labs around the world and are a main source of referrals to promising researchers and their work. Additionally, the RLG plays a crucial role in shaping the nonprofit\'s grant portfolio strategy by providing critical feedback and recommendations. Since its inception in 2004, Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund has distributed more than $219 million in grants.\"Our Research Leadership Group and their collective scientific expertise and knowledge are tremendous assets to our organization,\" said Meg Smith, CEO of Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund. \"Their counsel ensures we fund the most promising avenues of research that will advance our understanding of Alzheimer\'s disease and move us closer to effective treatments.\"Laura M. Cox, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women\'s Hospital. Her lab is currently investigating the role of the microbiome in neurologic diseases, including Alzheimer\'s disease, Parkinson\'s disease, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dr. Cox established her lab in the fall of 2021 and is identifying age-related changes in the gut microbiota that may affect Alzheimer\'s disease by modulating peripheral and central immunity.Alison Goate, D. Phil., is the Jean C. and James W. Crystal Professor and Chair of the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She has worked on the genetics of neurodegenerative diseases since 1987. Over the last three decades, Dr. Goate has been part of many gene-finding teams that have successfully identified disease-causing variants for both Alzheimer\'s disease and frontotemporal dementia.Teresa Gomez-Isla, M.D., is a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, chief of the Memory Division in the Neurology Department at Massachusetts General Hospital, associate director and clinical core leader of the Massachusetts Alzheimer\'s Disease Research Center and director of the MGH Clinical Fellowship in Dementia Program. Her current research focuses on the study of brain changes associated with aging, especially those that occur very early on in Alzheimer\'s disease; on understanding mechanisms of brain resilience to Alzheimer\'s pathology; and on the validation of novel imaging biomarkers for early disease detection and intervention.Costantino Iadecola, M.D., is the director and chair of the Feil Family Brain & Mind Research Institute and the Anne Parrish Titzell Professor of Neurology at Weill Cornell Medical College. Considered a pioneer in establishing the concept of neurovascular unit, his research focuses on the basic mechanisms of neurovascular function and on the cellular and molecular alterations underlying ischemic brain injury, neurodegeneration and other conditions associated with cognitive impairment.Leonard Petrucelli, Ph.D., is the Ralph B. and Ruth K. Abrams Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Mayo Clinic in Florida, and serves as vice chair for the Florida Alzheimer\'s Disease Research Grant Advisory Board, chief scientific adviser for Target ALS and on the Scientific Advisory Board for Science Translational Medicine. His laboratory has been at the forefront of research investigating the cellular mechanisms that cause neurodegeneration in diseases characterized by abnormal protein aggregation like Alzheimer\'s disease.Andrew S. Yoo, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Developmental Biology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. He has a longstanding interest in understanding genetic pathways that specify cell fates during development, and currently studies the role of microRNAs in regulating the activity of chromatin remodeling complexes during neural development and conversion of nonneuronal cells into neurons.Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund is a nonprofit dedicated to funding the most promising research to prevent, slow or reverse Alzheimer\'s disease. Since its founding in 2004, Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund has provided 918 grants to more than 300 of the world\'s leading researchers and contributed more than $219 million to research. Its funded initiatives have been responsible for many key breakthroughs in understanding the causes and pathology of Alzheimer\'s disease. Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund has achieved a 100% perfect score and a Four-Star rating for 13 consecutive years from Charity Navigator. Cure Alzheimer\'s Fund also received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, formerly known as GuideStar. Our Board of Directors, Trustees and a core group of other donors direct their donations to our overhead expenses so that 100% of general donations go to our research program. For more information, visit CureAlz.org.Contact DetailsBarbara Chambers+1 978-417-9890[email protected]Company Websitehttps://curealz.orgSOURCE: ALZHEIMER\'S DISEASE RESEARCH FOUNDATION