University of Kentucky Research Foundation

Philip W Landfield

Olivier Thibault

Eric M Blalock

Kuey-Chu Chen

Thomas S Foster

Nada Porter

John Christopher Gant

Patrick Kaminker

The subject technology relates, in part, to a method of treating Alzheimer's Disease (AD), early-stage AD, elevated risk of AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or other forms of age-related cognitive decline in a subject in need thereof by administering to the subject a molecule that promotes calcium-release stabilization in ryanodine receptors (RyRs) and/or inosital triphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs) in brain cells. Diagnostic methods using calcium-release stabilizing immunophilins, junctophilins or calmodulin are also disclosed.

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A statistical and functional correlation strategy to identify changes in cellular pathways specifically linked to impaired cognitive function with aging. Analyses using the strategy identified multiple groups of genes expressed in the hippocampi of mammals, where the genes were expressed at different levels for several ages. The aging changes in expression began before mid-life. Many of the genes were involved in specific neuronal and glial pathways with previously unrecognized relationships to aging and/or cognitive decline. These identified genes and the proteins they encode can be used as novel biomarkers of brain aging and as targets for developing treatment methods against age-related cognitive decline, Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's Disease.

Biomarkers for aging

A method and design is provided for distributing and storing sets of temporally ordered information in a systematic and sequential fashion. This method is based on a model of how the brain functions in the distribution and storage of temporally ordered memories, but it can also be applied to the design of new biological, electronic or optical devices. These devices may be used in the testing and development of new therapeutic drugs, in the detection of toxic agents or impaired performance, or in the development of new industrial and consumer devices in which the orderly storage of sequential information is important.

Neural network model for instruments that store and retrieve sequential information

A method for obtaining molecules from a substantially intact single cell is disclosed. The method differs from prior methods that obtain a variable fraction of a cell's contents and therefore cannot quantitatively estimate the number of molecules in the cells. The present method comprises isolating and harvesting a substantially intact single cell from its organ tissue comprising the steps of subjecting a tissue mass to a dissociation method so that the cells are dissociated from the tissue to expose cell bodies or cell processes, contacting a dissociated cell with a device capable of collecting the cell from the tissue substantially intact, withdrawing device with the cell attached, and then isolating or detecting the molecules in the single cell.

Method for analyzing molecular expression or function in an intact single cell

Method for storing and retrieving sequential information

The present invention pertains to a method of protecting against neuron loss in a subject by administering a compound that protects against neuron loss by acting through a vitamin D receptor. Some of these compounds may prevent or retard neuron loss by regulating intraneuronal and/or peripheral calcium and phosphate levels. Other compounds of the invention act through a vitamin D receptor to protect against neuron loss through mechanisms not involving calcium or phosphate regulation. A preferred compound is a biologically active form of vitamin D, a precursor, metabolite, or analog of vitamin D. A preferred form of vitamin D is calcitriol. In another embodiment, the compound is a compound that acts by modulating the biological activity of vitamin D, a precursor, metabolite, or analog of vitamin D. For example, the compound may modulate the biological activity of the vitamin D compound by regulating the amount of the vitamin D compound which is available to protect against neuron loss or it may act by altering the ability of the vitamin D compound to protect against neuron loss. In an alternative embodiment, the compound is a compound that protects against neuron loss through a mechanism similar to that of the vitamin D compound but not involving a vitamin D receptor. The compound is administered to a subject in an amount and over a period of time effective to protect against neuron loss.

Growing community of inventors

Lexington, KY, United States of America

Philip W Landfield