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Showing posts from June, 2012

Alzheimer's: Bapineuzumab and Solanezumab

Survey shows dim faith in Lilly, Pfizer Alzheimer's drugs Ransdell Pierson | Reuters The Chicago Tribune June 19, 2012 [snip] "Results from the survey of 146 investors were released late on Tuesday by Mark Schoenebaum, a pharmaceutical analyst for the investment research services group. Wall Street is eagerly awaiting results of the trials and expects huge potential sales if either of the medicines proves able to arrest the progression of the memory-robbing disease. "Pfizer and Lilly are expected in the third quarter to disclose the main findings from large studies of their respective medicines, bapineuzumab and solanezumab. Complete data are expected to be presented at medical meetings in the fourth quarter. "The survey responders, on average, gave solanezumab only a 14 percent chance of meeting all the primary goals of its two Phase III studies, compared with an average 21 percent probability for the two big trials of bapineuzumab, Schoenebaum said....
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Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Diagnostic Value of Subjective Complaints

Understanding the relation between subjective complaints and objective performance findings is always a crucial factor in clinical assessment. It is a source of debate by clinicians and researchers and a literature has developed examining the issues that are generated by the relation. Here, an example: Lenehan ME, Klekociuk SZ, Summers MJ. Absence of a relationship between subjective memory complaint and objective memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment (MCI): is it time to abandon subjective memory complaint as an MCI diagnostic criterion? Int Psychogeriatr. 2012 May 1: 1-10. [Epub ahead of print] Abstract Background: Subjective memory complaints are a requirement in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as they are thought to indicate a decline in objective memory performance. However, recent research suggests that the relationship between subjective memory complaint and objective memory impairment is less clear. Thus, it is possible that many people withou...
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Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: TrkB

Boulle F, Kenis G, Cazorla M, Hamon M, Steinbusch HH, Lanfumey L, A van den Hove DL. TrkB inhibition as a therapeutic target for CNS-related disorders. Prog Neurobiol . 2012 Jun 12. [Epub ahead of print] Abstract The interaction of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) with its tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) is involved in fundamental cellular processes including neuronal proliferation, differentiation and survival as well as neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. TrkB signaling has been widely associated with beneficial, trophic effects and many commonly used psychotropic drugs aim to increase BDNF levels in the brain. However, it is likely that a prolonged increased TrkB activation is observed in many pathological conditions, which may underlie the development and course of clinical symptoms. Interestingly, genetic and pharmacological studies aiming at decreasing TrkB activation in rodent models mimicking human pathology have demonstrated a promising ...
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