Download the 2005 pdf - UHN Research

Although early studies
of dyslexia focused
on the ability to recognize
letters, current
studies focus on the
ability to work with the
individual sounds
that make up words.
Risk Factor for
Dyslexia Identified
Dyslexia is an inherited
language-based learning
disability and new research
by Dr. Cathy Barr provides
evidence that the region
containing the gene called
EKN1 may be a risk factor
for the disorder.
Following up on studies
by others, Dr. Barr examined
the relationship of the
EKN1 gene to dyslexia in
children aged six to sixteen,
who were recruited from
148 families with known
reading difficulties. Her
genetic analysis revealed
that the chromosomal
region containing this gene
contributes to reading ability
and reading-related
processes.
Says Dr. Barr,“Our findings
support the idea that
the region of the EKN1
gene may be involved in
dyslexia, but further studies
are necessary to determine
the precise relationship of
the gene to the disorder.”
Mol Psychiatry. 2004 Dec;
9(12): 1111-21.
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Insight into the Cause of Parkinson’s Disease
Malfunctions in the parkin
gene are a major cause of
Parkinson disease, and
new research by TWRI/TWH’s Dr.
Andres Lozano, student Suneil Kalia,
and post-doctoral fellow Sang Lee,
along with colleagues at the
University of Ottawa, McGill
University and the University of
Toronto, reveals another way in
which the parkin gene can be compromised.The
finding may lead to
new drugs for treating the disease.
If not removed from the cell, damaged
proteins clump together forming
aggregates—a lethal consequence
found in many neurodegenerative
diseases. Part of the cell’s “garbage
disposal system”, parkin tags these
damaged proteins for destruction.
The research team found that a
protein called BAG5 prevents parkin
from doing its job. BAG5 also inhibited
parkin’s helper-protein, Hsp70.
“High levels of BAG5 inhibited the
actions of parkin and Hsp70 resulting
in enhanced neuronal cell death,”
says Dr. Lozano.“Our results propose a
mechanism for the cause of neurodegeneration
in Parkinson’s disease and
other diseases, and points to BAG5 as
a potential therapeutic target for
Parkinson's patients.”
Neuron. 2004 Dec 16; 44(6): 931-45.
UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK 29