Research: Dysautonomia disorders and related chronic illnesses

The University of Alberta and McGill University released their findings for a new therapeutic agent that may hold the potential for the prevention of MS.

 In the new study, according to the synopsis published in Medical News Today, the researchers examined tissues from donated human brains.  They found that the brains of people with MS had very high levels of a protein called calnexin compared with the brains of people who did not have MS.

The team then used mice that had been bred to model human MS to examine the influence of calnexin in living creatures.

The study authors were very surprised to find that mice that did not have calnexin seemed to be “completely resistant” to MS.

Marek Michalak, from the University of Alberta said that he and his colleagues believe that these findings have identified a potentially vital target for developing future MS therapies.

Study:Calnexin is necessary for T cell transmigration into central nervous system
First published 3/8/2018 by JCI Insight (Journal of Clinical Investigation), Vol 3, Issue 5
Authors:Joanna Jung, Paul Eggleton, Alison Robinson, Jessica Wang, Nick Gutowski, Janet Holley, Jia Newcombe, Elzbieta Dudek, Amber M. Paul, Douglas Zochodne, Allison Kraus, Christopher Power, Luis B. Agellon, Marek Michalak
University of Alberta and McGill University
https://insight.jci.org/articles/view/98410

Medical News Today
By David Railton, published 3/14/2018
Fact checked by Jasmin Collier
https://bit.ly/2GhF5FK

Neuroprotective Diet for MSA Patients (Multiple System Atrophy)
Information from the MSA Coalition says that although the causes of MSA are still not known, daily food choices can influence certain components of the disease process - slowing or speeding up inflammation, degenerative protein accumulation, nerve cell destruction and decreased neurotransmitter levels.

The diet focuses on calorie restriction, low- protein and protein redistribution combined with an anti-inflammatory diet that includes high antioxidant foods.  

From the MSA Coalition, https://www.multiplesystematrophy.org/about-msa/neuroprotective-diet

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FDA Authorizes Marketing of First Blood Test to Aid in the Evaluation of Concussion in Adults

The FDA approved the first blood test to evaluate mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) commonly referred to as concussion in adults.  The test called the Banyan Brain Trauma Indicator, is expected to be released for use in less than 6 months as a part of the FDA’s Breakthrough Devices Program.  

The test promises to be a better indicator of trauma citing that most people with suspected concussion are examined and given a CT Scan to test intracranial lesions and tissue damage.  However, in the majority of people evaluated, the CT Scan can not detect intracranial lesions. The blood test would give physicians a clear marker to indicate the need for a CT Scan, saving the patient needless exposure to radiation and saving the healthcare system millions of dollars.  

Published on the Food & Drug Administration website, FDA News Release https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm596531.htm
February 14, 2018
Media:  Tara Rabin

Could Targeting Gut Bacteria Prevent Autoimmunity?

Researchers from Yale University in New Haven, CT discovered that bacteria in the small intestine can travel to other organs and induce an autoimmune response.  By administering an antibiotic or vaccine, the scientists found that they could suppress the autoimmune reaction in mice, reversing the effect of this bacteria on autoimmunity.

A few of the illnesses that may benefit most from this research are Type 1 Diabetes,Systemic Lupus, Autoimmune Liver Disease and other autoimmune diseases linked to this bacteria.

The new study complements prior studies that uncovered a link between gut bacteria and autoimmune diseases.One of those studies published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, showed that species of Lactobacillus in the gut of a lupus mouse were linked to a reduction of symptoms.

The Study:  Translocation of a Gut Pathobiont Drives Autoimmunity in Mice and Humans Bacterial involvement in Autoimmunity 
Published by Science, 3/9/2018
Vol 359, Issue 6380, pp 1156-1161
DOI: 10.1126/science.aar7201

A synopsis of the new study and links to the original studies can be found in Medical News Today  https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321157.phpBy David Railton, published 3/9/2018

Postural Tachycardia in Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome:  A distinct Subtype?

A study was done to determine is patients with POTS and EDS differ from patients with POTS from other etiologies.  The comparison of autonomic testing results along with healthcare utilization in POTS patients with and without EDS was examined.

Results:  The study concluded that while autonomic testing results did not differ dramatically between groups, the patients with POTS and EDS took more medications and had greater markers of healthcare utilization as well as chronic pain playing a prominent role.

Study:  NCBI PubMed: PMID: 28986003, DOI:10.1016/j.autneu 2017.10.001
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28986003

Thanks to Lisa Carr for the contributions of research material that were gathered for this article.

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