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A Cancer Gene Switch For Repairing Damaged DNA
Scientists at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology uncover how an important cancer gene, BRCA1, works by increasing the accuracy with which broken DNA is repaired. Women who inherit a faulty version of the BRCA1 gene are at a higher risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.
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Young Adults Face Tough Time Getting Insurance
Young adults are facing tough times with limited job prospects and no health insurance. The Associated Press reports on recent college graduate Emily Weinstein as being representative of the many young uninsured Americans: "Like millions of other uninsured adults in their 20s, Weinstein is watching Congress as it advances legislation to overhaul health care. The recession has deepened young adults" career struggles. It has also sharpened their interest in health insurance. Already the least likely of any age group to have coverage, adults in their 20s face brutal job searches and more time uninsured because of the recession. Nearly 30 percent, 13.2 million, were uninsured in 2007, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based research center. Many young adults work entry-level jobs without insurance and, despite new laws in some states, they"re eventually too old to stay on their parents" policies."
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A Combination Of Common Genetic Variations Can Lead To Schizophrenia
A multi-national group of investigators, including a scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has discovered that nearly a third of the genetic basis of schizophrenia may be attributed to the cumulative actions of thousands of common genetic variants. The effects of each of these genetic changes, innocuous on its own, add up to a significant risk for developing both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
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Immunotherapy Linked To Lower Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease

IVIg treatments, the addition of good antibodies into the blood stream, may hold promise for lowering the risk of Alzheimer"s disease and other similar brain disorders, according to research published in the July 21, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. "In our study, we looked at the association of the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) with the occurrence of Alzheimer"s disease. IVIg has been used safely for more than 20 years to treat other diseases but is thought to have an indirect effect on Alzheimer"s disease by targeting beta-amyloid, or plaques in the brain," said Howard Fillit, MD, with the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. For the study, researchers analyzed the medical records of 847 people given at least one treatment of IVIg over four years and 84,700 who were not given IVIg treatment. Participants were treated for immune deficiencies, leukemia or other types of cancer, anemia and other diseases. The records were pulled from a database of 20 million patients age 65 or older developed by SDI Health. Scientists made sure the groups were similar in their risk factors for Alzheimer"s disease. The study found that people who received IVIg for other conditions had a 42-percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer"s disease over four years compared to those who did not receive IVIg. Only 2.8 percent of those treated with IVIg developed Alzheimer"s disease compared with 4.8 percent of those not treated with immune-based therapy. "Our study provides evidence that previous IVIg treatments may protect against Alzheimer"s disease," said Fillit. "The current Alzheimer"s drugs on the market treat the symptoms of the disease. Immunization could treat the underlying cause." "These findings do not constitute an endorsement of IVIg treatment for Alzheimer"s disease. A large scale clinical trial is underway to determine whether IVIg could be an effective treatment for Alzheimer"s," researchers said. The study was supported by Baxter International Inc., a manufacturer of IVIg. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 21,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as multiple sclerosis, restless legs syndrome, Alzheimer"s disease, narcolepsy, and stroke. American Academy of Neurology (AAN)


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