U.S. National Institutes of Health, Author at ScienceBlog.com

NIH Announces Sweeping Ethics Reform

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today a new supplemental ethics regulation that addresses the concerns raised by the activities of some of its employees, particularly regarding outside consulting with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The regulation was developed by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with the concurrence of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), the federal agency that prescribes executive branch-wide ethics standards.

Bird Brains Far More Powerful Than Thought

Duke University neurobiologist Erich Jarvis and a team of 28 other neuroscientists have proposed sweeping changes to the terminology associated with the brain structures of birds–a century-old nomenclature the researchers consider outdated and irrelevant to birds’ true brainpower.

Gov’t Begins Enrolling Volunteers for Novel HIV Vaccine Study

A large clinical trial of a novel HIV vaccine has begun enrolling volunteers at sites in North America, South America, the Caribbean and Australia. Organizers are seeking 1,500 participants. The trial is co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the pharmaceutical company Merck & Co. Inc. Merck developed the experimental vaccine to stimulate HIV-specific cellular immunity, which prompts the body to produce T cells that kill HIV-infected cells. In previous smaller trials, this vaccine was found to be safe and to induce cellular immune responses against HIV in more than half of volunteers.

Scientists Detect Probable Genetic Cause of Some Parkinson’s Disease Cases

Two new studies strongly suggest that a mutation in a recently discovered gene is the most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s disease identified to date. The discovery by an international research team provides fresh evidence that genetics may contribute to the development of some cases of Parkinson’s disease. The findings could lead to the development of a genetic test to detect the mutation in individuals at risk. The research team includes investigators at the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and scientists supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Diet, exercise, stimulating environment helps old dogs learn

According to conventional wisdom, old dogs and new tricks aren’t a good match. But a new study of beagles finds that regular physical activity, mental stimulation, and a diet rich in antioxidants can help keep aging canine–and perhaps human–brains in tip-top shape. The research, supported by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is among the first to examine the combined effects of these interventions and suggests that diet and mental exercise may work more effectively in combination than by themselves.

Scientists Discover Key Genetic Factor in Determining HIV/AIDS Risk

People with more copies of a gene that helps to fight HIV are less likely to become infected with the virus or to develop AIDS than those of the same geographical ancestry, such as European Americans, who have fewer copies of the gene, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The findings help to explain why some people are more prone to HIV/AIDS than others.

Decreased Sensitivity in the Brain to Estrogen May Help Explain Menopausal Changes

A new study suggests that age-related changes in how the brain responds to the female sex hormone estrogen may be involved in a woman’s transition through menopause. The study provides new clues about hormonal influences on hot flashes and night sweats experienced by some women in the menopause transition. The findings are reported in the December 22/29, 2004, Journal of the American Medical Association* and are based on data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multi-site survey of women going through the menopause transition. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

NIH Halts Use of COX-2 Inhibitor in Large Cancer Prevention Trial

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced today that it has suspended the use of COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex? Pfizer, Inc.) for all participants in a large colorectal cancer prevention clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The study, called the Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) trial, was stopped because analysis by an independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) showed a 2.5-fold increased risk of major fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events for participants taking the drug compared to those on a placebo.

First U.S. SARS Vaccine Trial Opens at NIH

Powerful research tools that speed up vaccine development have led to the start today of human tests for a preventive vaccine against the respiratory disease SARS. The disease killed hundreds of people around the world before it was brought under control in 2003 with aggressive conventional public health measures. Researchers at the Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will conduct the trials.

Early ritalin may cause long-term effects on the brain

A new study conducted in rats suggests that the misdiagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) combined with prescription drug use in children may lead to a higher risk of developing depressive symptoms in adulthood. This work is among the first to examine the effects of early Ritalin exposure in rats on behavior and brain function during the later periods of life.

Small study shows SAMe may improve treatment of depression

Researchers have found that adding the nutritional supplement SAMe to a standard antidepressant may be helpful to patients who have not responded to single-drug treatment for clinical depression. The pilot study, appearing in the December Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, found that treatment with both SAMe and an antidepressant improved symptoms in half the study participants and produced complete relief of symptoms in 43 percent of participants.

Scientists Generate Human Islet Precursor Cells

Scientists have induced human insulin-producing cells of the pancreas to revert to islet precursor cells. These precursor cells are capable of expansion and appear to naturally and efficiently differentiate into clusters of islet-like cells. This work may help to clarify the natural lifecycle of the beta cell and may eventually have applications for diabetes treatment.

Protein Plays Different Roles in Growth of Normal, Cancerous Mouse Cell Lines

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have found that inhibition of the same protein produces different effects in mouse cell lines depending on whether those cell lines express normal or cancerous forms of Kit, a cell surface receptor critical for the development of some kinds of blood cells. These findings, appearing in the journal Blood online*, November 2004, reveal a potential new target for treating certain blood cell disorders.