CSF. Even though our blog focuses on neurogenetics, there is a much wider range of rare diseases in child neurology, including many conditions that may not even have names yet. One emerging category is pediatric neuroimmune disorders. In a recent publication generating CSF immune profiles in these conditions, we contributed by providing the framework for pediatric sample acquisition. Here is what we learned and why ongoing biobanking is critically important in child neurology.
Tag Archives: Biobanking
Different genes, convergent processes – rare disease lessons from neurogenesis
A paradox in the hippocampus. Immature dentate granule cells are often described as the “plasticity reserve” of the hippocampus. They provide a pool of neurons that integrate into existing circuits, supporting learning, memory, and repair. In neurological disease, these cells have been suggested to buffer against injury or degeneration. In a recent publication, researchers showed that the hippocampus continues to generate new neurons throughout life, but that the molecular instructions for doing so vary dramatically across species. The surprising finding is this: the processes of neurogenesis are conserved, while the genes underlying these processes are often completely different. This is an important reminder that biology often converges at the level of function, even when the building blocks are not the same.
The Queen of the Biorepositories
Biospecimens. From the first advents of clinical neuroscience, scientists have been fascinated by biospecimen classification and storage. The immortal images from Ramon y Cajal to the staining done by Golgi have illustrated that biospecimens are parallel to the discoveries seen in clinical neuroscience. As we move to the 21st century, we may not be all that different from the forbearers of Neurology. Here is a post starting from the origins of the biorepository and leading up to the relevance of biorepositories today.
FIRES, NORSE, Omics, and Urgency
FIRES. Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES) is characterized by refractory status epilepticus following a non-specific febrile illness. FIRES is a subtype of New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE) without a clear cause in individuals without active epilepsy. The cause of FIRES and NORSE is unclear, and it is not even clear whether both conditions share a joint mechanism or represent distinct entities. In a recent publication, we contributed to a review of the state-of-the-art in NORSE and FIRES research and suggested a very first step to understand these conditions better – standardized biosamples. This blog post is about the intersection of omics and urgency, long-term strategies and scientific principles.