Stroke

Liesz and colleagues have shown that regulatory T cells can counteract inflammatory processes, and thereby inhibit secondary infarct growth, in a mouse model of stroke. This finding raises the possibility that the endogenous adaptive immune response could be harnessed to improve outcomes after acute stroke.

Liesz, A. et al. Regulatory T cells are key cerebroprotective immunomodulators in acute experimental stroke. Nat. Med. 15, 192–199 (2009).

Epilepsy

Vigabatrin is an effective treatment for infantile spasms, but its use is associated with transient abnormalities on brain MRI. In a new study, Wheless et al. have confirmed that these abnormalities resolve in most patients even if they are maintained on vigabatrin. The authors stress that more research is needed to clarify the long-term consequences of the MRI abnormalities and to determine whether routine MRI surveillance is warranted in children who receive vigabatrin treatment.

Wheless, J. W. et al. Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities associated with vigabatrin in patients with epilepsy. Epilepsia 50, 195–205 (2009).

Neuromuscular disease

Congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A (MDC1A) is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the laminin α2 (LAMA2) gene, which lead to aberrant apoptosis in skeletal muscle and motor nerves. Girgenrath and colleagues have shown that the antiapoptotic drug doxycycline can help to reduce neuromuscular dysfunction in mice with laminin α2 deficiency, and the authors suggest that doxycycline or similar pharmacological therapies could be used to treat MDC1A in humans.

Girgenrath, M. et al. Pathology is alleviated by doxycycline in a laminin-α2-null model of congenital muscular dystrophy. Ann. Neurol. 65, 47–56 (2009).

Pain

Brenchat et al. have found that capsaicin-induced mechanical hypersensitivity in mice can be alleviated through the activation of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)7 receptors. The 5-HT7 receptor antagonists could possibly be developed as a new approach to treat chronic pain conditions that involve central sensitization.

Brenchat, A. et al. 5-HT7 receptor activation inhibits mechanical hypersensitivity secondary to capsaicin sensitization in mice. Pain 141, 239–247 (2009).