JCI early table of contents for Dec. 3, 2012

Public release date: 3-Dec-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jillian Hurst press_releases@the-jci.org Journal of Clinical Investigation

Lithium restores cognitive function in Down syndrome mice

Down syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is the leading cause of genetically defined intellectual disability. In the brain, Down syndrome results in alterations in the connections between neurons and a reduction in the development of new neurons (neurogenesis) that usually occurs during learning. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers led by Laura Gasparini at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Genova, Italy report that lithium, a drug commonly used for the treatment of mood disorders in humans, restores neurogenesis in the hippocampus, a part of the brain strongly associated with learning and memory. Lithium also significantly improved the performance of Down syndrome mice in tasks measuring contextual learning, spatial memory, and object discrimination. These results suggest that lithium-based therapies may help Down syndrome patients.

TITLE: Lithium rescues synaptic plasticity and memory in Down syndrome mice

AUTHOR CONTACT: Laura Gasparini Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, UNK, ITA Phone: +3901071781519; Fax: +3901071781230; E-mail: laura.gasparini@iit.it

View this article at: http://www.jci.org/articles/view/64650?key=3cf4232a6447e03ab3e1

Stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons rescue motor defects in Parkinsonian monkeys

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that is characterized by tremors, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty walking. It is caused by loss of the neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine (known as dopaminergic neurons). One of the primary goals in Parkinson's disease research is to develop a replacement for dopaminergic neurons. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers led by Takuya Hayashi at the RIKEN Center for Molecular Imaging Science in Kobe, Japan, derived dopaminergic neurons from bone marrow stem cells in monkeys. The cells were retrieved during a standard bone marrow aspiration and then treated with growth factors that directed the stem cells to become dopaminergic neurons. The monkeys that donated the stem cells were treated with a chemical to induce Parkinson's disease and then received a transplant of the new dopaminergic neurons that had been derived from their own bone marrow stem cells. Monkeys that received the transplant showed significant improvement in motor defects. This study demonstrates that dopaminergic neurons derived from adult bone marrow stem cells can be safely used to improve motor function in Parkinson's disease in monkeys.

TITLE: Autologous mesenchymal stem cellderived dopaminergic neurons function in parkinsonian macaques

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JCI early table of contents for Dec. 3, 2012