Results in mice are extremely promising and, as usual they seek "substantial" funding to advance their findings.
Someone, please pass the sick o bag.
Someone, please pass the sick o bag.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090824/tuk-scientists-make-ms-breakthrough-6323e80.html Scientists have taken a major step forward in understanding how to reduce the severity of multiple sclerosis, a university has claimed.
A team at the University of Bristol carried out tests on mice and then on human brain tissue and found that the neuropeptide "galanin" was resistant to the MS-like disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
Professor David Wynick, who works on the function of galanin in the relief of neuropathic pain, initiated the project and worked with Professors David Wraith and Neil Scolding on the research.
Professor Wraith, who is working on a vaccine for the treatment of multiple sclerosis, said: "The results were really remarkable, rarely do you see such a dramatic effect as this.
"Mice with high levels of galanin just didn't develop any signs of disease.
"We have a lot more to do to figure out how this works but the results are extremely promising."
A spokeswoman for the university said that although the results are "very encouraging" there is still a large amount of work to be done before a drug can be developed and it could be at least 10 years before one is on the market.
She said the research team are now expected to seek the "substantial" funding needed to advance their findings.
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