Therapies in inborn errors of oxidative metabolism

Therapies in inborn errors of oxidative metabolism. Manuel Schiff, Paule Bénit, Howard T. Jacobs, Jerry Vockley and Pierre Rustin. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 29 May 2012, doi:10.1016/j.tem.2012.04.006.

Keywords: Mitochondrial diseases, mitochondrial dysfunction, 2000 genes, epigenetic and environmental factors, decreased ATP, targets and mechanism of action.

"The manifestations of mitochondrial dysfunction and the response to therapy vary between individuals". This statement by the authors of the paper shows perfectly the great difficulty of the FA's therapeutic approach, and may explain why do not exist two patients who progress in the same way, even siblings.

Molecular genetic diagnostics of Friedreich's ataxia. Ten years' experience based on analysis of blood samples.

Molecular genetic diagnostics of Friedreich's ataxia. Ten years' experience based on analysis of blood samples.[Article in Hungarian] Kisfali P, Melegh B. Orv Hetil. 2012 Jun 1;153(22):852-5.

Keywords:  frataxin,  molecular genetic diagnosis, Friedreich's ataxia, blood samples.

An Open Label Clinical Pilot Study of Resveratrol as a Treatment for Friedreich Ataxia

An Open Label Clinical Pilot Study of Resveratrol as a Treatment for Friedreich Ataxia 13th Asian Oceanian Congress of Neurology, 4–8 June 2012, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Australia
Keywords: Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), mitochondrial protein frataxin, Resveratrol, anti-oxidant, neuroprotective, open-label sequential clinical pilot study, lymphocyte frataxin levels.

Neuron Function Restored in Brains Damaged by Huntington's Disease

Neuron Function Restored in Brains Damaged by Huntington's Disease Van Andel Research Institute (2012, May 29). Neuron function restored in brains damaged by Huntington's disease. ScienceDaily. Retrieved

ScienceDaily (May 29, 2012) — Researchers from South Korea, Sweden, and the United States have collaborated on a project to restore neuron function to parts of the brain damaged by Huntington's disease (HD) by successfully transplanting HD-induced pluripotent stem cells into animal models.

It is always good to look the advances in neurodegenerative diseases more frequents than FA, a long way is needed to became a human therapy, but neuroscience and cell biology are progressing rapidly

Elevation of serum cardiac troponin I in a cross-sectional cohort of asymptomatic subjects with Friedreich ataxia.

Elevation of serum cardiac troponin I in a cross-sectional cohort of asymptomatic subjects with Friedreich ataxia. Int J Cardiol. 2012 May 25. [Epub ahead of print]. Friedman LS, Schadt KA, Regner SR, Mark GE, Lin KY, Sciascia T, St John Sutton M, Willi S, Lynch DR.

Keywords: Friedreich ataxia, ataxia, dysarthria, areflexia, cardiomyopathy, cardiac troponin I, acute myocardial infarction, echocardiogram parameters, ejection fraction, electrocardiograms.

Neurological disorders in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases: now open to public feedback

Neurological disorders in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases: now open to public feedback. The Lancet Neurology, Farrah J Mateen, Tarun Dua, Gordon C Shen, Geoffrey M Reed, Raad Shakir, Shekhar Saxena. Volume 11, Issue 6, Pages 484 - 485, June 2012, doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(12)70125-4

Keywords: WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD), taxonomy, international standard, 11th revision,

The role of mitochondria in cellular iron-sulfur protein biogenesis and iron metabolism.

The role of mitochondria in cellular iron-sulfur protein biogenesis and iron metabolism. Lill R, Hoffmann B, Molik S, Pierik AJ, Rietzschel N, Stehling O, Uzarska MA, Webert H, Wilbrecht C, Mühlenhoff U.Biochim Biophys Acta. 2012 May 15.

 Keywords: Mitochondria, iron metabolism, synthesize heme, assemble iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins, cellular iron regulation, mitochondrial Fe/S cluster (ISC), cysteine desulfurase complex Nfs1-Isd11, ferredoxin-ferredoxin reductase, frataxin, scaffold protein Isu1, Hsp70 chaperone, glutaredoxin Grx5.

This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals.

TR3-05471: iPSC-derived Friedreich's ataxia

TR3-05471: iPSC-derived Friedreich's ataxia. CIRN, California Institute for Regenerative Medecine.
Recommendation: Not Recommended for Funding Scientific Score: --Total Funds Requested $6,521,212 Award Type : Development Candidate Award.

Not all are good news

Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in the Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease and Friedreich's ataxia

Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks in the Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease and Friedreich's ataxia. J. B. Barbary, F. Remérand, J. Brilhault, M. Laffon J. Fusciardi. Br. J. Anaesth. (2012) 108 (6): 1042-1043. doi: 10.1093/bja/aes160

Keywords: Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs), neurological disease, electrical stimulation, ultrasound-guided PNBs, neurofibromatosis, hypertrophic peripheral neuropathy [Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1 (CMTD1)], Friedreich's ataxia (FRA).

Resveratrol Protects Cortical Neurons against Microglia-mediated Neuroinflammation

Resveratrol Protects Cortical Neurons against Microglia-mediated Neuroinflammation, Zhang, F., Wang, H., Wu, Q., Lu, Y., Nie, J., Xie, X. and Shi, J. (2012), Phytother. Res.. doi: 10.1002/ptr.4734

 Keywords: resveratrol, neuroprotection, neuroinflammation, microglial activation, neurological disorders.

  I would like to stress that currently in Australia is running a clinical trial in FA patients, we are looking forward to its findings