Department of Neurology News and Events

Treating and Diagnosing an Uncommon Brain Condition

Thursday, October 18, 2018  Mass General

When Steven Roberts had trouble standing and doing basic calculations, doctors originally thought he may have Alzheimer's or dementia.

Research Roundup

Friday, October 5, 2018  Mass General

Research at the MGH is interwoven throughout more than 30 departments, centers and units and is conducted with the support and guidance of the MGH Research Institute.

A Pioneer in Auditory Brainstem Implantation, Massachusetts General Hospital Team Takes the Procedure Forward

Thursday, October 4, 2018  Research

Results to date from the 30 ABI cases performed at Mass General have been promising. “Most patients with devices have had some sound perception,” says neurosurgeon Dr. Fred Barker II.

The Survival Advantage: How the Intraoperative Neurophysiology Monitoring Unit at Mass General Hospital Lowers Surgical Risk and Improves Prognosis

Thursday, October 4, 2018  Research

"By monitoring multimodal neurophysiologic potentials during surgery, we minimize neurologic complications, enhance safety, and increase the surgeon’s resection of the tumor area. It’s very rewarding to be able to improve the patient’s quality of life and overall health,” says Dr. Reiner See.

Why Massachusetts General Hospital Neurologists Are Animated About Big Data

Thursday, October 4, 2018  Research

“The real power, we feel, is in being able to combine multiple modes of information to get at questions of real significance for our patients and for how the hospital runs,” says Dr. Cash, “how we can deliver care better and more effectively.”

Machine Learning in Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital

Thursday, October 4, 2018  Research

“With big data and machine learning, you have the ability to potentially find patterns or predictive profiles that may incorporate indicators of risk you would never have thought of,” says Dr. Jordan Smoller.

MGH Launches Neuroscience Initiative

Thursday, September 6, 2018  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital embarks on quest to redefine care and tackle nervous system disease

30x30 Stop Stroke Challenge: Exercise 30 minutes for 30 days

Friday, May 4, 2018  Mass General

The MGH has kicked off its second annual 30x30 Stop Stroke Challenge, aimed at helping prevent stroke and increase physical and mental well-being.

Multiple sclerosis treatments are advancing, but there is still more work to be done

Monday, March 26, 2018  Research

In recognition of National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness month, Farrah Mateen, MD, PhD, of the Multiple Sclerosis Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital, discusses treatment options for MS patients and how research could help in diagnosing and monitoring the disease.

New bill to increase access to care for stroke patients

Friday, March 9, 2018  Mass General

Hard work pays off, and health institutions and stroke patients all over the country will soon find out how. The Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act was recently signed into law.

Q&A with Natalia Rost, MD, MPH, Neurology, Director of MGH Acute Stroke Service

Thursday, March 8, 2018  Mass General

Q&A with Natalia Rost, MD, MPH, Neurology, Director of MGH Acute Stroke Service

Mass General Answers the Growing Need for Management of Complicated Neuroimmunology Diseases and Syndromes

Tuesday, March 6, 2018  Mass General

New Neuroimmunology Division Offers Specialized Patient Care, While Researching New Treatments and Cures

How the quality and quantity of your social connections can impact your brain health as you age

Thursday, February 15, 2018  Research

Joel Salinas, MD, is using data from long-term research studies to gain insights into how strong social networks help to promote brain health in individuals as they age.

Pinnacle Awards 2018

Wednesday, February 14, 2018  Mass General

Dr. Merit Cudkowicz is honored with the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Award for Achievement In The Professions.

We are Recruiting a Medical Director for Neurology at York Hospital

Wednesday, December 20, 2017  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital Neurology Department – Medical Director for Neurology at York Hospital

NeuroBlast Fall 2017

Thursday, December 7, 2017  Mass General

Welcome to NeuroBlast, the newsletter of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry advances from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Neurosciences.

Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Aims to Reset Circuits to Treat Neuropsychiatric Conditions at Massachusetts General Hospital

Wednesday, December 6, 2017  Mass General

“Instead of just saying that a patient has depression, or schizophrenia, or stroke, or epilepsy, we focus on transdiagnostic problems such as maladaptive reward processing or amotivation, ineffective inhibitory control or impulsivity, dysexecutive effects such as poor planning or multitasking, et cetera,” says Joan A. Camprodon, MD, PhD, director of the Division of Neuropsychiatry at Mass General.

Going Big: How Massachusetts General Hospital Neurology is Using Big Data for Big Benefits

Wednesday, December 6, 2017  Research

“We’re building a research environment with tools and methods and procedures that can be shared and multiplied and made scalable enough to have a critical amount of information that could be interpreted for the benefit of patients,” says Alex Sherman, director of the NCRI’s Center for Innovation and Biomedical Informatics.

Mass General Pulls Together Multi-specialty Team to Treat Rare Disorder

Monday, December 4, 2017  Clinical

At 79, Tamar wasn’t ready to slow down: She walked three miles a day, was a whiz at Sudoku puzzles, and loved hiking with her husband. But within just a year, she had sharply declined. The once-vibrant septuagenarian could no longer get out of a chair unassisted, didn’t understand how to use a telephone, and had become incontinent. “She was a shell of her former self,” remembers her daughter Iris. “Her physician told us that she had atypical Alzheimer’s disease and that nothing could be done for her.”

We are Recruiting New Faculty with Expertise in Neuroengineering and Neurotechnology

Wednesday, November 1, 2017  Mass General

Center for Neurotechnology and Neurorecovery Massachusetts General Hospital Harvard Medical School

Phillips Society luncheon explores brain health

Friday, September 29, 2017  Mass General

Leaders of the MGH Interdisciplinary Brain Center and Neuroscience Institute shared their progress toward understanding, treating and preventing brain disorders at the 12th annual Phillips Society luncheon.

We Are Recruiting for New Movement Disorders Faculty

Friday, September 22, 2017  Mass General

The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is recruiting new faculty.

We are Recruiting New Faculty

Tuesday, September 19, 2017  Mass General

The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is recruiting new faculty.

The Ins and Outs of a Comprehensive Stroke Center: What Does It Mean?

Wednesday, August 23, 2017  Mass General

The Joint Commission recently certified Massachusetts General Hospital as an Advanced Comprehensive Stroke Center. This certification is designed to recognize the specific capabilities of hospitals that can treat the most complex stroke case. Mass General is the first hospital in Massachusetts to receive this certification.

ALS care brought to South Florida with help of MGH and patient gift

Monday, July 10, 2017  Mass General

MGH patient and Florida resident brings ALS care to his home state through gift.

NeuroBlast Spring 2017

Monday, June 12, 2017  Research

Welcome to NeuroBlast, the newsletter of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry advances from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Neurosciences.

Delivering the highest standards of care

Friday, June 9, 2017  Mass General

MGH Acute Stroke Service celebrates fifth annual Acute Stroke Breakfast Gala.

Genomics Studies Drive Trials of Personalized Treatment for Brain Tumors

Wednesday, May 31, 2017  Research

“We have international collaborators and now have more than a thousand brain mets in our bank that we’re going to analyze,” says Mass General Hospital’s neuro-oncologist Priscilla K. Brastianos, MD.

Understanding the Health Effects of Cannabis

Wednesday, May 31, 2017  Research

“We’ve got a growing for-profit industry that’s looking to encourage use of cannabis products, particularly among young people,” says psychiatrist Eden Evins, MD, MPH, Director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Mass General Hospital. “There’s a reduced perception of harm and increased prevalence of use.”

Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSc, Mass General Chief of Neurology, Answers Questions About the New FDA Approved Drug, Edaravone, to Treat ALS

Monday, May 15, 2017  Clinical

On May 5, the FDA approved a new drug — Edaravone — to treat ALS. This is the first approval of an ALS treatment that slows progression since Riluzole was approved 22 years ago, and incredibly good news for people living with ALS and the ALS field in general.

We are Recruiting New Faculty

Thursday, May 11, 2017  Mass General

The Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is recruiting new faculty.

Breaking ALS News: FDA's approval of Radicava (Edaravone)

Monday, May 8, 2017  Clinical

Radicava™(Edaravone) has been approved by the FDA to treat ALS.

Take the challenge: Get fit and have fun

Friday, April 28, 2017  Mass General

To celebrate May as Stroke Awareness Month, the MGH Neurology Department will launch a #30x30StopStroke challenge with a goal of getting as many staff as possible to exercise 30 minutes a day for 30 days.

Research Roundup March 2017

Friday, March 17, 2017  Mass General

Research at the MGH is interwoven throughout more than 30 departments, centers and units, and is conducted with the support and guidance of the MGH Research Institute. The Research Roundup is a monthly series highlighting studies, news and events.

Neurology Department honors John Stakes, MD

Friday, December 9, 2016  Mass General

The MGH Neurology Department has its very own Wizard of Oz. That wizard’s real name is John Stakes, MD, co-founder of the MGH Sleep Division and the Sleep Lab.

Blood Tests for Brain Cancer

Friday, November 18, 2016  Mass General

A Massachusetts General Hospital Neurosurgeon Works to Develop the First Blood-Based Test for Patients with Brain Tumors.

NeuroBlast Fall 2016

Friday, November 18, 2016  Research

Welcome to NeuroBlast, the newsletter of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry advances from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Neurosciences.

Once again, named among America's best hospitals

Tuesday, August 2, 2016  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital is once again named among the top hospitals in America by U.S. News & World Report and is the only hospital to be highly rated across all 16 specialties.

Mass General receives awards for exceptional stroke care

Sunday, July 10, 2016  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital has received two awards from the Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Program at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Care team honored at fourth annual Stroke Breakfast Gala

Friday, June 10, 2016  Mass General

About 7:15 AM on Jan. 7, now 54-year-old Jang-Ho Cha, MD, PhD, translational medicine head for Neuroscience at Novartis, was going through his morning routine. Cha walked downstairs in his Boston home, made a pot of coffee, took a shower and put his contact lenses in. It was when he began brushing his teeth that he noticed something was wrong.

Seized: Inside the Mystery of Epilepsy

Monday, May 23, 2016  Research

Moving documentary on Epilepsy, featuring Mass General Epilepsy expert, Dr. Andrew Cole, Division Chief, Clinical Neurophysiology.

NeuroBlast Spring 2016

Monday, May 16, 2016  Mass General

NeuroBlast: the newsletter of translational neuroscience and clinical care advances in neurology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, and neuroscience from Massachusetts General Hospital.

A Patient's Astonishing Recovery from Brain Trauma Provides Hope for New Treatments

Friday, May 13, 2016  Clinical

Dylan’s recovery has provided Dr. Edlow and his laboratory important information about the timeline used for prognosis in the case of traumatic brain injuries. The information has encouraged clinicians not to limit care too quickly, and has provided a measure of hope for families.

Focus on Functional Neurological Disorders

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  Research

“Many patients come in worried that they will not be heard. At our clinic, they learn that FND is a real neuropsychiatric condition, and if they meet the criteria, we provide a clear diagnosis,” says Dr. Perez

PET Theories: New Imaging Tools Offer Better Diagnosis, Treatment of Neurodegeneration

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  Research

“Making the correct molecular diagnosis is a critical step if we are to find medicines that work in people,” says Gomperts.

Innovations in Spinal Cord Tumor Surgery

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  Research

“Spinal cord monitoring requires a careful interplay between the surgeon, anesthesia, and the monitoring team. We’re really privileged to have such a dedicated group of individuals who have been with us quite a long time doing this work. It’s the teamwork that has allowed us to capitalize [on the new innovations],” Borges says.

Molecular Approach to Brain Tumors Improves Treatment

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  Research

“As we look to treat patients in the future, there is an emerging imperative to arrive at an integrated diagnosis,” says Cahill, one that encompasses both histological and molecular data.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter January 2016

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  Research

NeuroBlast: the newsletter of translational neuroscience and clinical care advances in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroscience from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Steve Gleason Act scores victory for ALS patients on Capitol Hill

Wednesday, July 22, 2015  Mass General

The bill, which now needs only Obama's signature to become a law, will make critical technology available to patients with ALS and other neurological disorders through Medicare and Medicaid. That includes innovative speech-generating devices like the one Gleason uses to type words through eye movements.

#1 in the Nation

Tuesday, July 21, 2015  Mass General

U.S. News & World Report has named Massachusetts General Hospital the #1 hospital in the nation based on our quality of care, patient safety and reputation in 16 clinical specialties.

New Clinical Pilot Studies Will Use Biomarkers to Speed Therapy Development

Monday, July 13, 2015  Research

The ALS Association and the ALS Finding a Cure Foundation are pleased to announce $3 million in funding for two new Phase II clinical studies through the ALS Accelerated Therapeutics (ALS ACT) initiative.

Robert G. Miller awarded $1.5 million grant to help fund Neuraltus' Phase 2 clinical study

Monday, July 13, 2015  Research

The Phase 2 study is intended to help confirm the potential clinical benefits seen in the previous study of NP001, the results from which were published in the April 2015 issue of Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation, an official journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter July 2015

Thursday, July 9, 2015  Research

NeuroBlast: the newsletter of translational neuroscience and clinical care advances in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroscience from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Testifying in support of TeleStroke

Friday, June 5, 2015  Mass General

As the momentum of TeleStroke grows, MGH doctors are supporting ways to expand this treatment to more patients - including testifying before the U.S. Senate in support of the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act.

Circadian Dysfunction in Parkinson's Disease

Monday, June 1, 2015  Mass General

New research from Massachusetts General Hospital investigates the role of circadian rhythm dysfunction in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease.

MGH ALS Symposium Video

Tuesday, May 12, 2015  Research

Hear from the MGH Neurology Department researchers and clinic staff dedicated to finding treatments and cures for ALS.

Endovascular Clot Retrieval Therapy: Implications for the Organization of Stroke Systems of Care

Monday, May 11, 2015  Research

Endovascular acute ischemic stroke therapy is now proven by randomized controlled trials to produce large, clinically meaningful benefits. In response, stroke systems of care must change to increase timely and equitable access to this therapy. In this review, we provide a North American perspective on implications for stroke systems, focusing on the United States and Canada, accompanied by initial recommendations for changes.

Supporting Stroke Services

Friday, May 1, 2015  Mass General

Lee H. Schwamm, MD, executive vice chairman of Neurology and director of the Mass General Stroke Service, shares information about strokes, warning signs and advances in stroke care.

Neurology residents practice what they preach

Friday, March 6, 2015  Mass General

Several MGH and MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC) neurologists are saying goodbye to carbohydrates and sweets for the month. In order to support their patients, spread awareness about the effectiveness of dietary therapy and raise funds for the department, six neurologists – both pediatric and adult – are participating in a Low Glycemic Index Therapy (LGIT) diet, which often is used in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy patients.

The Division of Sleep Medicine Receives Program Accreditation

Friday, February 27, 2015  Mass General

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston recently received program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM).

New year, better sleep

Friday, January 16, 2015  Mass General

Better sleep is a resolution that should be on everyone’s list, according to Josna Adusumilli, MD, an MGH neurologist and sleep specialist. But when it comes to sleep, how much is enough and what is the best way to get restful sleep? Adusumilli explains.

Increasing Surgical Options for Epilepsy Patients

Thursday, January 1, 2015  Clinical

Advances in pre-surgical evaluation methods have made it possible to more accurately identify the epileptogenic region and minimize risk of injury to the functional cortex, enabling more epilepsy patients to receive surgical treatment.

Earlier tPA Treatment for Ischemic Stroke

Monday, December 1, 2014  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers joined hospitals from around the country to demonstrate the effectiveness of a treatment for ischemic stroke and create a set of standards to expedite treatment delivery.

Mass General Neuroendovascular Care: New Technologies Help to Save Lives

Wednesday, November 19, 2014  Mass General

“Every patient's problems, risk factors and social situations are so individual. Treatment should be individually tailored to best meet their needs and expectations” says Dr. Leslie-Mazwi.

Sleep Research: Do Try This At Home

Tuesday, November 18, 2014  Clinical

About 10 percent of Americans suffer from sleep apnea, a disorder of nighttime breathing that disrupts sleep but often goes undiagnosed. Apnea can lead to daytime drowsiness, which puts people at risk of accidents and injuries. Poor sleep due to apnea or other causes also raises the chances of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, heart disease and stroke.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter June 2014

Saturday, November 1, 2014  Mass General

This issue examines the latest trends in Epilepsy research, clinical care and neurosurgery.

Russell Museum Fall Lecture Series

Thursday, September 11, 2014  Mass General

All MGH Russell Museum lectures are open to the public. To register, please email mghhistory@partners.org.

Decompressing After School: Students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Monday, September 8, 2014  Mass General

Many children and teens on the autism spectrum expend a lot of energy to “hold it together” just to make it through the school day. When they get home from school they could benefit from a little time to decompress. Here are strategies parents can use to help facilitate this process.

Slaugenhaupt named scientific director of MGH Research Institute

Friday, August 22, 2014  Mass General

Susan Slaugenhaupt, PhD, of the MGH Center for Human Genetic Research and professor in the Department of Neurology, has been named the first scientific director of the MGH Research Institute.

Albers honored with Wilkens endowed chair

Friday, August 22, 2014  Mass General

Mark Albers, MD, PhD, of the Department of Neurology, was named the first incumbent of the Frank Wilkens, Jr. and Family Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease Research.

Fundraising and fighting for a cure

Friday, August 15, 2014  Mass General

In 2012, when 30-year-old Quincy resident Alex Cellucci was nine months pregnant, she was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that disturbs cell growth in the nervous system, enabling tumors to grow on any nerve in the body.

#1 in New England, #2 in the nation

Tuesday, July 15, 2014  Mass General

U.S. News & World Report ranks Massachusetts General Hospital among the top hospitals in America based on our quality of care, patient safety and reputation in 16 specialties.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter

Tuesday, June 24, 2014  Clinical

NeuroBlast: the newsletter of translational neuroscience and clinical care advances in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroscience from Massachusetts General Hospital.

New device brings hope to epilepsy patients

Thursday, June 19, 2014  Mass General

After years of seizures, a new device gives one Mass General epilepsy patient a new lease on life.

Every second counts

Friday, June 13, 2014  Mass General

When it comes to treating stroke patients, every second counts.

The MGH Epilepsy Service – Where Complexity Meets Innovation

Wednesday, June 4, 2014  Mass General

A young Albanian architect found help for his seizure disorders thanks to a unique team of specialists from the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Will New Research Redefine Epilepsy?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014  Mass General

Recent research is challenging the traditional definition of epilepsy as an expression of increased excitability and firing of a group of neurons. This has major implications for clinical treatment.

The MGH Epilepsy Service – Where Complexity Meets Innovation

Tuesday, May 27, 2014  Mass General

When Elton, a young Albanian architect, couldn’t find treatment for his disabling seizures in Albania, he traveled 500 miles to Austria to meet with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Epilepsy Service Director Andrew J. Cole, MD. Dr. Cole, in Austria on a business trip, felt Elton was a good candidate for surgery and brought his case back to his colleagues in Boston.

Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) Website Offers Resources for Patients and Researchers

Friday, January 31, 2014  Research

The Northeast ALS Consortium (NEALS) website is devoted to supporting clinical research of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and other motor neuron disease (MND).

ALS Clinical Trials Liaison Available to Help Connect PALS With Clinical Research Information

Thursday, January 30, 2014  Research

NEALS and ALSA partner to offer clinical trial liaison service to help people with ALS navigate the world of clinical research.

Alzheimer’s Disease Gene Discovery & Drug Discovery

Wednesday, December 11, 2013  Research

“This is the largest collection of familial Alzheimer’s whole-genome sequences in the world,” Dr. Tanzi says, comprising half a petabyte of data, equivalent to the entire contents of the Library of Congress. “This is as big as big data gets.” 

Spinal Metastases & Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Clinical

Radiosurgery has shifted the paradigm of treating patients by minimizing the morbidity of conventional surgery and, focusing on tumor control.

Dietary Therapy for Pediatric Epilepsy

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Mass General

Dietary therapy is prescribed most often for patients with refractory epilepsy, whose seizures have not been controlled despite trying multiple antiepileptic drugs.

Tau Pathology Spreading out from the Entorhinal Cortex Can be Reversed

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Research

Neurofibrillary tangles - largely composed of tau protein- are one of the two pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's Early Treatment

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Research

Can anti-amyloid antibody treatment reverse Alzheimer’s disease pathology before memory loss sets in?

Alzheimer's Preclinical Disease Biomarker

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Research

Mark Albers, MD, PhD, is developing a set of simple but powerful tools to screen for the very earliest stages of preclinical Alzheimer’s Disease.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter December 2013

Tuesday, December 10, 2013  Mass General

In this issue: spinal metastases & stereotactic radiosurgery; skull base tumors & endoscopic surgery; pediatric epilepsy dietary therapy; Alzheimer Disease: tau pathology; drug & gene discovery; early treatment; preclinical diagnostic tools.

Strides in Understanding and Treating ALS

Sunday, December 1, 2013  Mass General

The Northeast ALS Consortium, co-founded by Massachusetts General Hospital researcher Merit Cudkowicz, MD, has spurred basic and translational research that has led to investigational therapies and improved patient outcomes.

"The Art of Illness"

Friday, November 1, 2013  Mass General

Paul S. Russell, MD Museum of Medical History and Innovation invites you to attend its latest lecture in its evening series

Use of clot-dissolving drug for ischemic stroke nearly doubled from 2003 to 2011.

Friday, August 30, 2013  Mass General

A team of researchers reports both an overall increase in the use of tPA to dissolve clots blocking arteries supplying the brain and administration of the potentially life-saving drug to a more diverse group of patients.

Neurology Infusion Center: A feeling of family

Friday, August 16, 2013  Mass General

The MGH Neurology Infusion Center is an ambulatory outpatient unit that delivers infusion and intravenous (IV) services to patients, ages 18 and older, who have a variety of neurological disorders. On average, the unit sees 12 to 14 patients per day but more referrals from MGH clinicians for ambulatory patients are welcome.

A brain cancer "warrior" takes the trip of a lifetime

Wednesday, July 31, 2013  Mass General

Mass General patient Michelle Beale's journey started with debilitating headaches. Now she's traveling around the world.

Concussion

Monday, July 22, 2013  Clinical

When neurosurgeon Tina Duhaime, MD, of the MGH Youth Sports Concussion Clinic, talks with families about concussion, she takes time to explain what is known, and just as importantly, what isn’t known, about this common injury.

TeleStroke: Real-time Resources for Better Patient Care

Monday, July 22, 2013  Clinical

Through the TeleStroke network, 30 emergency departments across the northeast have real-time access to stroke experts 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

E Pluribus Unum for Parkinson Disease - Researchers Draw on Sources to Improve Treatment of PD

Monday, July 22, 2013  Clinical

What do Gaucher’s disease, gout, and amyloid plaques have in common? For researchers at the MGH, each of them may shed light on the causes and treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

NeuroBlast e-Newsletter

Monday, July 22, 2013  Clinical

NeuroBlast: the newsletter of translational neuroscience and clinical care advances in neurology, neurosurgery, and neuroscience from Massachusetts General Hospital.

#1 in New England, #2 in the nation

Tuesday, July 16, 2013  Mass General

U.S. News & World Report ranks Massachusetts General Hospital among the top hospitals in America based on our quality of care, patient safety and reputation in 16 specialties.

It takes a team

Friday, June 28, 2013  Mass General

The MGH Acute Stroke Care Team was honored with the 2012 Acute Stroke Champion Award at the MGH Acute Stroke Gala Breakfast.

Informatics Core at MIND: Building Tools, Creating Connections

Thursday, March 14, 2013  Research

The Informatics Core at MIND offers state-of-the-art bioinformatics services, connecting researchers with tools, each other, and expertise to manage their clinical and research databases.

Lessons learned through pages turned

Friday, January 25, 2013  Mass General

When it came time for Bryn Seltzer, 13, of Needham, to choose her bat mitzvah project, she knew she wanted to give back to the Pediatric Epilepsy Program at MassGeneral Hospital for Children (MGHfC), which had cared for her since she was 6 years old.

Cure Alzheimer’s Fund donates $5.4 million

Friday, October 26, 2012  Mass General

On Oct. 18, at a press conference in Cambridge, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund announced a fitting $5.4 million contribution to the MGH to fund state-of-the-art whole genome DNA sequencing that aims to enhance understanding of the genetic roots of Alzheimer’s.

New neurology chief shares lessons

Friday, October 5, 2012  Mass General

The 15th Annual Women in Medicine Month Celebration on Sept. 20 featured a keynote lecture by Merit Cudkowicz, MD, chief of Neurology.

Boosting metabolism at work

Friday, August 10, 2012  Mass General

Research has shown that sitting for extended periods may not only negatively affect health but also may prematurely shorten lifespan. Marie Pasinski, MD, offers five ways to incorporate more activity into the workday.

All’s Quiet on the Lunder Floors

Monday, July 16, 2012  Mass General

The Lunder Building is leading a noise-reduction revolution. Thanks to careful planning and innovative thinking, patients rest and receive treatment in a quiet healing environment.

Not Your Typical Rash: Why Shingles Can't Be Taken Lightly

Thursday, May 31, 2012  Mass General

Anne Louise Oaklander, MD, PhD, associate professor of Neurology, says shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), a serious neurological complication in which pain lingers in an area of previous shingles long after the rash heals, cannot be taken lightly. PHN can last for months or years and is a source of severe and disabling pain, particularly for older patients.

Mind over matter

Friday, May 25, 2012  Mass General

Nearly 15 years after a stroke left her paralyzed and unable to speak, 59-year-old Cathy Hutchinson controlled a robotic arm to lift coffee to her mouth and take a drink by thinking about moving her own arm.

2012 Research Scholars announced

Friday, May 25, 2012  Mass General

The second group of MGH Research Scholars – recipients of unrestricted five-year grants to support innovative investigations – was announced at the hospital’s Research Advisory Council (RAC) annual meeting on May 11.

Responsibility with a smile

Friday, May 4, 2012  Mass General

In her 30 years as a member of the Child Neurology Department, Ginny Tosney-Trask has “become legendary for her humanity, warmth and generosity.”

In Memoriam: C. Miller Fisher, MD

Friday, April 20, 2012  Mass General

C. Miller Fisher, MD, founder of the MGH Stroke Service and widely regarded as the father of stroke neurology, died April 14 at the age of 98.

Appointments announced

Friday, March 23, 2012  Mass General

THE MGH WILL WELCOME new chiefs for the Department of Neurology and the Department of Urology later this spring.

MGH ranks #2 in nation

Tuesday, July 19, 2011  Mass General

MGH ranks #2 in 2011-2012 U.S. News & World Report "Best Hospitals" rankings

Care redesign teams move forward with recommendations

Friday, July 1, 2011  Mass General

The Partners Strategic Initiative is an ongoing effort to improve care and increase efficiency across all Partners institutions, including the MGH.

Third Annual Tarbell Lecture features Anne B. Young, MD, PhD

Friday, June 10, 2011  Mass General

MGH Hotline 6.10.11 A world-renowned neurological researcher and clinician who has helped break down barriers for women in her field, Anne B. Young, MD, PhD, chief of the Department of Neurology, has a great deal of wisdom and insight to offer to colleagues.

Anne Young, MD, PhD, donates $1M to Department of Neurology

Friday, April 8, 2011  Mass General

ANNE YOUNG, MD, PHD, chief of Neurology, made history for women in academic medicine by making a $1 million gift to the Department of Neurology through a deferred charitable gift annuity.

Lunder Building patient floors enhance patient- and family-oriented care

Friday, March 11, 2011  Mass General

The top five floors of the Lunder Building are dedicated adult inpatient units for neuroscience and cancer patients. While the patient floors follow a standard design, each has highlights specific to a particular patient population. This week, MGH Hotline will highlight unique features of Floors 6 through 8, which are devoted to neuroscience patients, and provide a general description of a Lunder Building inpatient room. A subsequent issue will focus on Floors 9 and 10, which are dedicated to cancer patients, and will highlight the Lunder Building’s nursing, support services and common areas.

Lunder Building to "Go Live" this summer

Friday, February 18, 2011  Mass General

MGH Hotline 2.18.11 In preparation for the summertime transition of several hospital programs and services to the Lunder Building, the MGH Go Live Group for the new facility was established under the auspices of Jean Elrick, MD, senior vice president for Administration.

Acute Stroke Quality Task Force recognizes fastest treatment time

Friday, February 4, 2011  Mass General

MGH Hotline 02.04.11 TIME IS BRAIN when it comes to treating stroke.

MGH ranks among top

Friday, July 16, 2010  Mass General

The MGH ranked third among the country's top hospitals on the annual list of "America's Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News & World Report.

MGH residents and fellows make great save during soccer game

Friday, July 16, 2010  Mass General

SPAIN MAY HAVE WON the World Cup, but a team of MGH medical residents and fellows had a victory of their own on the soccer field this summer when they helped save the life of another player.

Overcoming the odds

Friday, May 28, 2010  Mass General

MGH Hotline 5.28.10

Surviving a brain stem stroke

Wednesday, March 10, 2010  Mass General

Stroke is one of the leading causes of serious, long-term disability in the United States. The Stroke Service at the Massachusetts General Hospital Vascular Center successfully treat one of emergency medicine’s toughest stroke cases.

Cutting-edge research, industry-changing model of care improves the lives of patients

Thursday, January 7, 2010  Clinical

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent and aggressive type of muscular dystrophy, affecting one in every 3,500 live male births in the world. It is also one of the most common lethal genetic diseases of children worldwide.

In Memoriam: Lisa Krivickas, MD

Friday, October 2, 2009  Mass General

MGH Hotline 10.02.09 Lisa Krivickas, MD, associate chief of the MGH Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and a physician in the Department of Neurology, died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, Sept. 22 at the age of 45.

Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Tuesday, July 21, 2009  Mass General

The Carol and James Herscot Center for Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) at Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children is using genetic research to better understand TSC and other diseases like cancer, autism and obesity.

Turning thoughts into action

Monday, June 15, 2009  Mass General

Dr. Leigh Hochberg from the Department of Neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital is using neurotechnology to harness brain signals that accompany movement. The ultimate goal of the work is to "turn thought into action," with the hope of one day assisting people with ALS, spinal cord injury and stroke to regain control over their environment.

Videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists

Monday, May 18, 2009  Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital neurologist Dr. Lee Schwamm leads a national policy endorsing telestroke as an effective means of stroke evaluation.

Home for Christmas

Friday, December 19, 2008  Clinical

One year ago, a team of intensive care experts at Massachusetts General Hospital collaborated to save Karla Leavenworth's life.

New screening tool for identifying major depression in patients with epilepsy

Monday, September 15, 2008  Mass General

Commentary on NDDI-E screening tool for detecting symptoms of major depression, while excluding adverse effects of antiepileptic drugs or temporal lobe epilepsy memory problems

Investigational urate elevation does not appear to raise hypertension risk - 11/8/2018, Research

A study from a group of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators may reduce the concern that elevating levels of urate, an approach being investigated to treat several neurodegenerative disorders, could increase the risk of hypertension.

Olfactory cells may act as "Trojan horse," carry anticancer therapy to deadly brain tumors - 9/26/2018, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have found that a special type of cell essential to the ability of olfactory neurons to regenerate may be genetically engineered to deliver anticancer therapy to the dangerous brain tumors called glioblastomas.

Extracellular RNA in urine may provide useful biomarkers for muscular dystrophy - 9/25/2018, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers have found that extracellular RNA in urine may be a source of biomarkers for the two most common forms of muscular dystrophy, noninvasively providing information about whether therapeutic drugs are having the desired effects on a molecular level.

Mass. General study shows how exercise generates new brain neurons and improves cognition in an Alzheimer's mouse model - 9/6/2018, Research

A study by a Massachusetts General Hospital research team finds that neurogenesis – inducing the production of new neurons – in the brain structure in which memories are encoded can improve cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer's-associated tau protein disrupts molecular transport within neurons - 9/5/2018, Research

A multi-institutional study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has found how the abnormal form of tau that accumulates in the neurofibrillary tangles that characterize Alzheimer’s disease can disrupt the normal function of brain cells.

Mass. General team discovers channels connecting skull bone marrow to brain surface - 8/27/2018, Research

A new study from a Massachusetts General Hospital research team has made two surprising discoveries – that immune system cells responding to a stroke or other brain injury in an animal model are more likely to come from bone marrow in the skull and that tiny, previously unknown channels through the skull’s inner layer carry inflammatory cells from the marrow directly to the membranes covering the brain.

Microfluidic system incorporates neuroinflammation into "Alzheimer's in a dish" model - 7/30/2018, Research

Building on their development of the first culture system to replicate fully the pathology behind Alzheimer’s disease, a Massachusetts General Hospital research team has now produced a system that includes neuroinflammation, the key biological response that leads to the death of brain cells.

Amyloid beta protein protects brain from herpes infection by binding to, entrapping viral particles - 7/5/2018, Research

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has found the mechanism by which amyloid beta – the protein deposited into plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease – protects from the effects of herpes viruses commonly found in the brain.

Vascular risk factors interact with amyloid-beta levels to increase age-related cognitive decline - 5/21/2018, Research

A Massachusetts General Hospital study finds that risk factors for heart disease and stroke appear to hasten the risk of cognitive decline in normal older individuals with evidence of very early Alzheimer’s-disease-associated changes in the brain.

MR spectroscopy imaging reveals effects of targeted treatment of mutant IDH1 gliomas - 5/18/2018, Research

Using a novel imaging method, a Massachusetts General Hospital research team is investigating the mechanisms behind a potential targeted treatment for a subtype of the deadly brains tumors called gliomas.

Automated system significantly improves identification of patients at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia - 5/17/2018, Research

An automated system developed at Massachusetts General Hospital for identifying patients at risk for complications associated with the use of mechanical ventilators provided significantly more accurate results than did traditional surveillance methods, which rely on manual recording and interpretation of individual patient data.

Imaging may allow safe tPA treatment of patients with unwitnessed strokes - 4/24/2018, Research

A study led by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators may lead to a significant expansion in the number of stroke patients who can safely be treated with intravenous tPA, the "clot busting" drug that has greatly reduced stroke-related disability and deaths in eligible patients.

Mass. General-led study may reveal how chronic stress in early life increases vulnerability to PTSD - 4/11/2018, Research

A collaboration between investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and Khyber Medical University in Pakistan may have discovered how chronic stress experienced early in life increases vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder later in life.

Mass. General-led team identifies genetic defect that may cause rare movement disorder - 2/22/2018, Research

A Massachusetts General Hospital-led research team has found that a defect in transcription of the TAF1 gene may be the cause of X-linked dystonia parkinsonism, a rare and severe neurodegenerative disease

Combination chemotherapy may significantly improve treatment for deadly brain tumor - 1/22/2018, Research

A team led by MGH investigators has found that adding the drug hydroxyurea to the current chemotherapy protocol for glioblastoma significantly increased survival in animal models.

Many brain tumor patients do not receive adequate end-of-life care - 12/20/2017, Research

While more than 60 percent of patients with the brain tumors called malignant gliomas enroll in hospice services, almost a quarter of them do so within a week of death, probably too late for patients and family members to benefit from hospice care.

Mass. General team identifies DNA element that may cause rare movement disorder - 12/11/2017, Research

A team of Massachusetts General Hospital researchers has identified a specific genetic change that may be the cause of a rare but severe neurological disorder called X-linked dystonia parkinsonism, which occurs only among individuals with ancestry from the Philippines island of Panay.

Autoimmunity may underlie newly discovered painful nerve-damage disorder - 11/8/2017, Research

An analysis of the medical records of patients treated at Massachusetts General Hospital for an often-mysterious condition involving damage to small nerve fibers supports the hypothesis that some cases are caused by autoimmune disease and also identifies the first effective treatment option.

One step closer toward a treatment for Alzheimer's disease? - 10/18/2017, Research

Scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital, in collaboration with colleagues at the University California, San Diego, have characterized a new class of drugs as potential therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and discovered a piece in the puzzle of how they would work.

Gene therapy halts progression of childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in clinical trial - 10/4/2017, Research

In a recent clinical trial, a gene therapy to treat cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD) — a neurodegenerative disease that typically claims young boys' lives within 10 years of diagnosis — effectively stabilized the disease's progression in 88 percent of patients, researchers from the Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Massachusetts General Hospital report today.

Brain structural changes linked to physical, mental health in functional neurological disorder (conversion disorder) - 8/28/2017, Research

An imaging study by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified differences in key brain structures of individuals whose physical or mental health has been most seriously impaired by a common but poorly understood condition called functional neurological disorder.

fMRI, EEG may provide early detection of consciousness in patients with severe traumatic brain injury - 7/20/2017, Research

The use of functional magnetic resonance imaging and electroencephalography may be able to identify ICU patients with severe traumatic brain injuries who have a level of consciousness not revealed by the standard bedside neurological examination.

Rare genetic variants found to increase risk for Tourette syndrome - 6/21/2017, Research

An international research team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of California at Los Angeles has identified rare mutations in two genes that markedly increase the risk for Tourette syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by chronic involuntary motor and vocal tics.

Clinical trial investigates potential Alzheimer's disease drug in people with Down syndrome - 5/31/2017, Research

A phase 2 clinical trial in young adults with Down syndrome of a drug being investigated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease supports further investigation of its potential.

Protective, antioxidant responses appear weaker in neural stem cells from patients with Huntington disease - 5/22/2017, Research

A multi-institutional team based at Massachusetts General Hospital has discovered how a potential treatment strategy for Huntington disease (HD) produces its effects, verified its action in human cells and identified a previously unknown deficit in neural stem cells from patients with HD.

Silent seizures recorded in the hippocampus of two patients with Alzheimer's disease - 5/1/2017, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have identified silent, seizure-like activity in the hippocampus – a brain structure significantly affected in Alzheimer’s disease – in two patients with Alzheimer’s disease and no known history of seizures.

Software-based system improves the ability to determine the cause of ischemic stroke - 3/29/2017, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have developed a software package that provides evidence-based, automated support for diagnosing the cause of stroke.

"Red hair" gene variant may underlie association between melanoma and Parkinson's disease - 3/2/2017, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital researchers find that gene variant that produces red hair and fair skin, which increases the risk of the dangerous skin cancer melanoma, may also contribute to the known association between melanoma and Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson's researchers use smartphones to measure disease progression, treatment effects in clinical substudy - 3/2/2017, Research

Parkinson’s disease researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have launched an observational substudy designed to test the feasibility and accuracy of using patient-owned smartphones to measure symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

Advanced EEG analysis reveals the complex beauty of the sleeping brain - 2/7/2017, Research

Massachusetts General Hospital investigators have developed a novel approach to analyze brainwaves during sleep, which promises to give a more detailed and accurate depiction of neurophysiological changes than provided by a traditional sleep study.

A Better Carrier - 1/26/2017, Research

Using a novel form of gene therapy, scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital have managed to restore partial hearing and balance in mice born with a genetic condition that affects both.

Novel radiotracer measures olfactory neurons in animal models - 1/23/2017, Research

Using a novel PET radiotracer, a team of Massachusetts General Hospital researchers has found a way to quantify olfactory sensory neurons and thus improve measurements of olfactory health, a reliable marker of the health of the brain.

Ability to recognize and recall odors may identify those at risk for Alzheimer's disease - 11/14/2016, Research

A non-invasive protocol developed by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators that tests the ability to recognize, remember and distinguish between odors was able to identify older individuals who – according to genetic, imaging and more detailed memory tests – were at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Study suggests how "super aging" older adults retain youthful memory abilities - 9/13/2016, Research

A study by Massachusetts General Hospital investigators examines a group of older adults whose memory performance is equivalent to that of younger individuals and finds that key areas of their brains resemble those of young people.

Intravenous glyburide treatment may reduce dangerous brain swelling after stroke - 8/23/2016, Research

A phase 2 clinical trial of a drug that may alleviate brain swelling – a dangerous stroke complication – suggests the treatment may help reduce brain injury and death, and information from the study will help design the phase 3 trial.

Lower weight in late life may increase risk of Alzheimer's Disease - 8/2/2016, Research

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital have found an association between lower weight and more extensive deposits of the Alzheimer’s-associated protein beta-amyloid in the brains of cognitively normal older individuals.

Novel compound has promise for treatment of Huntington's disease - 7/14/2016, Research

A major, multi-institutional study based at Massachusetts General Hospital has identified a promising treatment strategy for Huntington’s disease (HD). The novel compound identified by the research team appears to protect against neurodegeneration in cellular and animal models of HD by two separate mechanisms.

Human amyloid-beta acts as natural antibiotic in the brains of animal models - 5/25/2016, Research

A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital investigators provides additional evidence that amyloid-beta protein – which is deposited in the form of beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease – is a normal part of the innate immune system, the body’s first-line defense against infection.

Detailed analysis of autism-associated genes finds involvement in key pathways and processes - 4/7/2016, Research

A group of Massachusetts General Hospital investigators has identified key underlying biological processes that involve some of the hundreds of genes known to contribute to the risk of autism spectrum disorders.

Early weight loss in Parkinson disease patients may signify more serious form of disease - 1/11/2016, Research

While weight loss is common in Parkinson’s patients, results of a study led by an MGH investigator could suggest that weight loss early in the course of the disease signifies a more serious form of the neurodegenerative disorder.

Tumor RNA within platelets may help diagnose and classify cancer, identify treatment strategies - 10/30/2015, Research

Analysis of tumor RNA carried in platelets – blood components best known for their role in clotting – may prove to be more useful than other “liquid biopsy” technologies for diagnosing cancer and determining its primary location and potential therapeutic approaches.

Study finds how Alzheimer's-associated protein tangles spread through the brain - 10/26/2015, Research

MGH investigators have discovered a mechanism behind the spread of neurofibrillary tangles – one of the two hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease – through the brains of affected individuals. The research team found how an extremely version of the tau protein is able to spread from one neuron to another in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.

Mass. General study identifies another way urate may protect against Parkinson's disease, supports new clinical trial of urate-boosting treatment - 9/1/2015, Research

The MGH-led research team investigating whether raising blood levels of urate can slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease has found that urate’s neuroprotective effects extend beyond its own antioxidant properties. An NIH-funded phase 3 trial of a urate-elevating drug will begin enrolling patients next year.

Study reveals effects of chemoradiation in brains of glioblastoma patients - 8/17/2015, Research

A study from MGH Cancer Center researchers – the first to examine the effects of combined radiation and chemotherapy on the healthy brain tissue of glioblastoma patients – reveals not only specific structural changes within patients’ brains but also that the effect of cancer therapy on the normal brain appears to be progressive and continues even after radiation therapy has ceased.

Gene variants that modify Huntington's disease symptom onset could lead to new therapeutic strategies - 7/30/2015, Research

A study that took a novel approach to investigating factors affecting the emergence of symptoms of Huntington’s disease has identified at least two genome sites that house variants that can hasten or delay symptom onset.

'Alzheimer's protein' plays role in maintaining eye health and muscle strength - 6/9/2015, Research

Amyloid precursor protein (APP), a key protein implicated in the development Alzheimer's disease, may play an important role in eye and muscle health. In a new report, scientists have discovered that when proteins that bind to the APP, called FE65 and FE65L1, are deleted, they cause cataracts and muscle weakness in mice.

Stem-cell-based therapy promising for treatment of breast cancer metastases in the brain - 4/24/2015, Research

Investigators from MGH and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have developed an imageable mouse model of brain-metastatic breast cancer and shown the potential of a stem-cell-based therapy to eliminate metastatic cells from the brain and prolong survival.

Mood, Anxiety Disorders Common in Tourette Patients - 3/9/2015, Research

A new study of Tourette syndrome (TS) led by researchers from the University of California at San Francisco and MGH has found that nearly 86 percent of patients who seek treatment for TS will be diagnosed with a second psychiatric disorder during their lifetimes, and that nearly 58 percent will receive two or more such diagnoses.

Study reveals mechanism behind most common form of inherited Alzheimer’s disease - 3/4/2015, Research

A study from MGH and BWH researchers reveals for the first time exactly how mutations associated with the most common form of inherited Alzheimer’s disease produce the disorder’s devastating effects. The paper provides an possible explanation for the failure of drugs designed to block presenilin activity.

MassGeneral Hospital for Children launches the world's first Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Clinic - 2/4/2015, Mass General

The Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Clinic will work with patients and families to further understand, diagnose, and treat Pitt Hopkins Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

Imaging study finds first evidence of neuroinflammation in brains of chronic pain patients - 1/12/2015, Research

A new study from MGH investigators has found, for the first time, evidence of neuroinflammation in key regions of the brains of patients with chronic pain, findings that pave the way for the exploration of potential new treatment strategies and may lead to an objective way of measuring the presence and intensity of pain.

Study identifies potential treatment target for cocaine addiction - 10/29/2014, Research

Investigators from MGH and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have identified a potential target for therapies to treat cocaine addiction. Their study finds evidence that a small change in an important protein alters whether cocaine-experienced animals will resume drug seeking after a period of drug abstinence.

MGH and MIT form strategic partnership to address major challenges in clinical medicine - 10/15/2014, Research

A novel partnership between Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology is addressing three major challenges in clinical medicine – improving the diagnosis of disease, developing new approaches to prevent and treat infectious and autoimmune diseases, and developing more accurate methods of diagnosing and treating major neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases.

Novel culture system replicates course of Alzheimer’s disease, confirms amyloid hypothesis - 10/12/2014, Research

An innovative laboratory culture system has succeeded, for the first time, in reproducing the full course of events underlying the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Using the system they developed, MGH investigators provide the first clear evidence supporting the hypothesis that deposition of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain is the first step in a cascade leading to the devastating neurodegenerative disease.

In recognizing speech sounds, the brain does not work the way a computer does - 4/30/2014, Research

How does the brain decide whether something is correct? When it comes to the processing of spoken language, the theory has been that the brain applies a set of rules to determine which combinations of sounds are permissible. Now the work of MGH investigators suggests that the brain decides based on the words that are already known.

High-calorie feeding may slow progression of ALS - 2/27/2014, Research

Increasing the number of calories consumed by patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be a relatively simple way of extending their survival. A phase 2 clinical trial led by Massachusetts General Hospital physicians found that ALS patients receiving a high-calorie, high-carbohydrate tube-feeding formula lived longer with fewer adverse events than participants who received a standard formula designed maintain their weight.

First Huntington disease prevention trial shows treatment safety, suggests slowing of presymptomatic progression - 2/7/2014, Research

The first clinical trial of a drug intended to delay the onset of symptoms of Huntington disease reveals that high-dose treatment with the nutritional supplement creatine was safe and well tolerated by most study participants. In addition, neuroimaging provided evidence that creatine might slow the progression of presymptomatic disease.

Inosine treatment safely elevates urate levels in Parkinson disease patients - 12/23/2013, Research

A clinical trial assessing the potential of the nutritional supplement inosine to treat Parkinson disease has found that the studied dosages successfully raised participants' levels of the antioxidant urate without producing serious side effects.

Study reveals how variant forms of APOE protein impact risk of Alzheimer's disease - 11/20/2013, Research

A study led by MGH investigators shows that even low levels of the Alzheimer's-associated APOE4 protein can increase toxic amyloid beta brain plaques and the characteristic neuronal damage in mouse models of the disease. Introducing APOE2, a rare, potentially protective variant, reduced amyloid deposits and associated damage.

Imaging studies may predict tumor response to anti-angiogenic drugs - 11/4/2013, Research

Advanced imaging techniques may be able to distinguish which patients' tumors will respond to treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs and which will not.

Genetic analysis reveals novel insights into the genetic architecture of obsessive-compulsive disorder, Tourette syndrome - 10/24/2013, Research

An international research consortium led by investigators at MGH and the University of Chicago has answered several questions about the genetic background of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome, providing the first direct confirmation that both are highly heritable and also revealing major differences between the underlying genetic makeup of the disorders.

Study confirms that rare mutations increase risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease - 9/24/2013, Research

MGH researchers have identified and validated two rare gene mutations that appear to cause the common form of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that strikes after the age of 60. The two mutations occur in a gene called ADAM10, which now becomes the second pathologically-confirmed gene for late-onset AD and the fifth AD gene overall.

Assay shown to be effective in measuring levels of mutant huntingtin protein - 8/29/2013, Research

An assay designed to measure normal and abnormal forms of the huntingtin protein – the mutated form of which causes Huntington's disease – was successful in detecting levels of the mutant protein in a large multicenter study of individuals at risk for the devastating neurological disorder.

Use of tPA for ischemic stroke nearly doubled from 2003 to 2011 - 8/21/2013, Research

Use of the "clot-busting" drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to treat patients with strokes caused by a blockage of blood flow nearly doubled between 2003 and 2011, but not all eligible patients are receiving the potentially life-saving therapy.

Study finds evidence of nerve damage in around half of fibromyalgia patients - 7/30/2013, Research

About half of a small group of patients with fibromyalgia – a common syndrome that causes chronic pain and other symptoms – was found to have damage to nerve fibers in their skin and other evidence of a disease called small-fiber polyneuropathy, a disorder that sometimes can be treated.

Digital PCR technology detects brain-tumor-associated mutation in cerebrospinal fluid - 7/23/2013, Research

MGH researchers and their colleagues have used digital versions of a standard molecular biology tool to detect a common tumor-associated mutation in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with brain tumors.

Study finds significant racial and ethnic disparities in usage of specialty services for children with autism - 6/17/2013, Research

A study from investigators at MassGeneral Hospital for Children found that African-American or Hispanic children diagnosed with autism were significantly less likely than white children to have received subspecialty care or procedures related to conditions that often accompany autism spectrum disorders.

Rare genomic mutations found in 10 families with early-onset, familial Alzheimer's disease - 6/17/2013, Research

MGH researchers have discovered a type of mutation known as copy-number variants – deletions, duplications, or rearrangements of human genomic DNA – in affected members of 10 families with early-onset Alzheimer's. These are the first new early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease gene mutations to be reported since 1995.

Alzheimer's risk gene presents potential treatment target - 4/25/2013, Research

MGH investigators have determined that one of the recently identified genes contributing to the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease regulates the clearance of the toxic amyloid beta (A-beta) protein that accumulates in the brains of patients with the disease.

Three Mass. General researchers among recipients of Top 10 Clinical Research Achievement awards - 4/18/2013, Research

Three projects led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have been named among the Clinical Research Forum's Top 10 Clinical Research Achievements of 2012.

Mass. General Neurological Clinical Research Institute and Prize4Life receive Bio-IT World Award for creation of ALS data platform - 4/12/2013, Research

The MGH Neurological Clinical Research Institute and Prize4Life, an organization dedicated to accelerating discovery of treatments and a cure for ALS, received a Best Practices Award at the 2013 Bio-IT World Conference & Expo for their creation of PRO-ACT ,the largest database of information from ALS clinical trials and patient care.

Phase 1 ALS trial is first to test antisense treatment of neurodegenerative disease - 4/3/2013, Research

The initial clinical trial of a novel approach to treating amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – blocking production of a mutant protein that causes an inherited form of the progressive neurodegenerative disease – may be a first step towards a new era in the treatment of such disorders.

Mass General receives top honor for stroke patients’ quality of care - 3/20/2013, Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has received a top honor from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) for its commitment to improving its quality of care to stroke patients. The “2013 Stroke Collaborative Reaching for Excellence (SCORE) Defect-Free Care Award” recognizes the MGH for providing defect-free care to more than 80 percent of patients admitted with stroke over the course of a year

Nerve damage may underlie widespread, unexplained chronic pain in children - 3/11/2013, Research

Study finds that most of a group of young patients seen at Mass General for chronic, unexplained pain had test results indicating small-fiber polyneuropathy, a condition not previously reported in children.

Impaired coordination of brain activity in autism involves local, as well as long-range, signaling - 1/14/2013, Research

A new study finds that local functional connectivity of the brain – the extent to which activity within a small brain region appears to be coordinated – is reduced in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. It had been believed that local connectivity was increased in the brains of autistic individuals while long-range connectivity was reduced.

Genetic manipulation of urate alters neurodegeneration in mouse model of Parkinson's disease - 12/17/2012, Research

A study by MGH researchers adds further support to the possibility that increasing levels of urate may protect against Parkinson's disease. The investigators report that mice with a genetic mutation increasing urate levels were protected against Parkinson's-like neurodegeneration, while the damage was worse in animals with abnormally low urate.

Combining two genome analysis approaches supports immune system contribution to autism - 12/6/2012, Research

Researchers using novel approaches and methodologies of identifying genes that contribute to the development of autism have found evidence that disturbances in several immune-system-related pathways contribute to development of autism spectrum disorders.

Enzyme inhibition protects against Huntington's disease damage in two animal models - 11/29/2012, Research

Treatment with a novel agent that inhibits the activity of SIRT2, an enzyme that regulates many important cellular functions, reduced neurological damage, slowed the loss of motor function and extended survival in two animal models of Huntington's disease.

Massachusetts General Hospital Launches Angelman Syndrome Clinic - 10/23/2012, Mass General

The Angelman Syndrome Clinic, one of only two in the country, will work to reduce the frequency and severity of Angelman syndrome symptoms, particularly seizures, and to develop dietary regimens for individuals that further assist in the reduction of symptoms.

$5.4 Million Awarded for Research to Guide Alzheimer's Drug Development - 10/18/2012, Research

Understanding who is most susceptible to Alzheimer's disease and developing early detection models, effective therapies and possibly a cure, is the goal of the largest single private scientific grant ever invested in Alzheimer's Whole Genome Sequencing focused on families afflicted with the disease.

First genome-wide association studies of obsessive-compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome published - 8/14/2012, Research

Two papers that will appear in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, both receiving advance online release, may help identify gene variants that contribute to the risks of developing obsessive-compulsive disorder or Tourette syndrome.

Massachusetts General Hospital Ranked #1 in the Nation on U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll - 7/17/2012, Mass General

Massachusetts General Hospital has moved into the number one spot on the 2012-13 U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Hospitals” list.

Study supports urate protection against Parkinson's disease, hints at novel mechanism - 5/23/2012, Research

Use of the antioxidant urate to protect against the neurodegeneration caused by Parkinson's disease appears to rely on more than urate's ability to protect against oxidative damage.

People with paralysis control robotic arms using brain-computer interface - 5/16/2012, Research

A new study in Nature reports that two people with tetraplegia were able to reach for and grasp objects in three-dimensional space using robotic arms that they controlled directly with brain activity.

Study supports using virtual environment to teach mind/body techniques - 3/30/2012, Research

A small study from MGH researchers found that online virtual communities may be an effective way to train patients in meditation and other mind/body techniques. The ability to learn and practice approaches that elicit the relaxation response in a virtual environment could help surmount several barriers that can restrict participation.

Increased expression of regulatory enzyme may protect against neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease - 12/18/2011, Research

Treatment that increases brain levels of an important regulatory enzyme may slow the loss of brain cells that characterizes Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Rebuilding the Brain's Circuitry - 11/24/2011, Research

Neuron transplants have repaired brain circuitry and substantially normalized function in mice with a brain disorder, an advance indicating that key areas of the mammalian brain are more reparable than was widely believed.

Novel ALS drug slows symptom progression, reduces mortality in phase 2 trial - 11/20/2011, Research

Treatment with dexpramipexole – a novel drug believed to prevent dysfunction of mitochondria, the subcellular structures that provide most of a cell's energy – appears to slow symptom progression in the neurodegenerative disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also called Lou Gehrig's disease.

Biomarker for Huntington's disease identified - 10/3/2011, Research

In a new research paper BWH and MGH researchers identify a transcriptional biomarker that may assist in the monitoring of Huntington's disease activity and in the evaluation of new medications.

Christopher J. McDougle named director of the Lurie Center for Autism - 9/20/2011, Mass General

Christopher J. McDougle, MD has been named director of the Lurie Center for Autism at Massachusetts General Hospital and MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

Rare genetic disorder provides unique insight into Parkinson’s disease - 6/23/2011, Research

MGH investigators may have found the mechanism behind a previously reported link between the rare genetic condition Gaucher disease and the common neurodegenerative disorder Parkinson's disease.

Mild obesity appears to improve survival in ALS patients - 5/11/2011, Research

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, MGH researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight.

Differences in brain structure indicate risk for developing Alzheimer's disease - 4/13/2011, Research

Subtle differences in brain anatomy among older individuals with normal cognitive skills may be able to predict both the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in the following decade and how quickly symptoms of dementia would develop.

Advanced technology reveals activity of single neurons during seizures - 3/27/2011, Research

The first study to examine the activity of hundreds of individual human brain cells during seizures has found that seizures begin with extremely diverse neuronal activity, contrary to the classic view that they are characterized by massively synchronized activity.

BrainGate neural interface system reaches 1,000-day performance milestone - 3/24/2011, Research

An investigational implanted system being developed to translate brain signals toward control of assistive devices has allowed a woman with paralysis to accurately control a computer cursor at 2.7 years after implantation, providing a key demonstration that neural activity can be read out and converted into action for an unprecedented length of time.

Brain rhythm predicts real-time sleep stability, may lead to more precise sleep medications - 3/3/2011, Research

A new study finds that a brain rhythm considered the hallmark of wakefulness not only persists inconspicuously during sleep but also signifies an individual's vulnerability to disturbance by the outside world.

Tumor microvesicles reveal detailed genetic information - 2/10/2011, Research

The MGH research team that previously discovered tumor-associated RNA in tiny membrane-enclosed sacs released into the bloodstream by cancer cells has now found that these microvesicles also contain segments of tumor DNA, including so-called "jumping genes" that copy and insert themselves into other areas of the genome.

Statin risks may outweigh benefits for patients with a history of brain hemorrhage - 1/10/2011, Research

A computer decision model suggests that for patients with a history of bleeding within the brain, the risk of recurrence associated with statin treatment may outweigh the benefit of the drug in preventing cardiovascular disease, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of Neurology.

Brain rhythm predicts ability to sleep through a noisy night - 8/9/2010, Research

People who have trouble sleeping in noisy environments often resort to strategies like earplugs or noise-canceling headphones that muffle the sound, but a new study from MGH investigators may lead to ways to block disturbing sounds within the brain.

New study characterizes cognitive and anatomic differences in Alzheimer’s disease gene carriers - 5/17/2010, Research

In the most comprehensive study to date, neurologists have clearly identified significant differences in the ways that Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects patients with and without the apolipoprotein E ε4 gene, a known genetic risk factor for the neurodegenerative disease.

Blacks less likely than whites, Hispanics to get evidence-based stroke care - 3/22/2010, Research

Blacks hospitalized with the most common type of stroke are less likely than white or Hispanic patients to receive evidence-based stroke care, according to a new study in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Alzheimer's-associated protein may be part of the innate immune system - 3/2/2010, Research

Amyloid-beta protein – the primary constituent of the plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients – may be part of the body's first-line system to defend against infection. In their report in the March 3 issue of PLoS One, a team led by MGH researchers describe their evidence that amyloid-beta protein is an antimicrobial peptide.

Mass. General Researchers Seek Participants for Parkinson’s Disease Clinical Trial - 3/2/2010, Research

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are seeking recently diagnosed Parkinson's disease (PD) patients to participate in a clinical trial investigating whether inosine taken to raise the body’s level of urate — a naturally occurring antioxidant — can be used to slow the progress of PD.

New Web Tool May Help Predict Risk of Second Stroke - 12/16/2009, Research

Scientists have developed a new web-based tool that may better predict whether a person will suffer a second stroke within 90 days of a first stroke.

Study supports possible role of urate in slowing Parkinson’s disease progression - 10/12/2009, Research

By examining data from a 20-year-old clinical trial, a research team based at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and Harvard School of Public Health, has found evidence supporting the findings of their 2008 study – that elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

MassGeneral Hospital for Children study explains some mysteries of neonatal seizures - 9/9/2009, Research

A study led by MassGeneral Hospital for Children investigators is providing new insight into the mechanism of neonatal seizures, which have features very different from seizures in older children and adults.

Antiangiogenesis treatment improves hearing in some NF2 patients - 7/8/2009, Research

Treatment with the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab improved hearing and alleviated other symptoms in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). The study by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) represents the first report of a successful NF2 treatment not involving surgery or radiation.

Mass. General's Rudy Tanzi a "Rock Star of Science" - 5/26/2009, Research

Alzheimer’s disease researcher Rudolph Tanzi, PhD, of Massachusetts General Hospital adds another distinction to his scientific career when he joins Aerosmith’s Joe Perry and other rock celebrities in a designer menswear photo shoot as a “Rock Star of Science” in the June issue of GQ Magazine.

Videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists - 5/8/2009, Research

High-quality videoconferencing can increase patient access to stroke specialists; and a transient ischemic attack, once known as a “mini” or “warning” stroke, should be treated with the same urgency as a full-blown stroke, according to two separate statements published today in Stroke.

Modification of mutant huntingtin protein increases its clearance from brain cells - 4/2/2009, Research

A new study has identified a potential strategy for removing the abnormal protein that causes Huntington’s disease from brain cells, which could slow the progression of the devastating neurological disorder.

Alzheimer’s-associated plaques may have impact throughout the brain - 2/26/2009, Research

The impact of the amyloid plaques that appear in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease may extend beyond the deposits’ effects on neurons– the cells that transmit electrochemical signals throughout the nervous system.

International collaboration identifies new gene associated with ALS - 2/26/2009, Research

A collaborative research effort spanning nearly a decade between researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and King’s College London has identified a novel gene for inherited amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).