One of the first markers of the problem HD gene is decreased blood flow to the brain.(ref). HD mice that exercise do much better than their littermates. The benefits could be due to increased brain blood flow. Researchers are looking for a pill to deliver the benefits of exercise.
There is the exciting possibility that HD may be treated by a bed that senses heartbeat and provides a synchronous motion to increase brain blood flow. --Jerry 10-Oct-01
Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems, Inc. 09-Oct-01
| "..nitric oxide, a powerful vasodilator substance produced in the body is also increased by aerobic exercise and probably responsible for several of the beneficial effects of exercise.." |
MIAMI BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2001--Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems, Inc. (OTCBB:NIMU - news) announced that results of its patented motion platform device being used in investigational studies were published in the October 2001 issue of Critical Care Medicine. The paper was entitled, ``Regional blood flow during periodic acceleration.''
The studies were conducted by Dr. Jose Adams and his group at Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Miami Heart Research Institute. Dr. Adams set the motion platform to move the body in a headward-footward direction and vice-versa at 240 times a minute to create periodic acceleration of approximately 0.4 g, a gravitational force that is within the range that a mother uses to push a baby carriage back and forth to soothe her child. Periodic acceleration produced vascular pulses that were added to the circulation above the body's natural pulse. These added pulses increased shear stress on the inner lining of the blood vessels (endothelium) that was associated with increased levels of nitric oxide, a molecule released from the endothelium by shear stress.
Dr. Adams reported that treatment with the motion platform increased blood flow to the heart an average of 82% and to the brain 180% with smaller increases to other organs in the body.
Marvin A Sackner, M.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Non-Invasive Monitoring System, commented that nitric oxide, a powerful vasodilator substance produced in the body is also increased by aerobic exercise and probably responsible for several of the beneficial effects of exercise. Further, the Vasomedical, Inc. enhanced external counter pulsation device for treatment of angina pectoris that adds a single additional pulse with each heart beat to the circulation also is associated with increased levels of nitric oxide. Dr. Sackner stated that the studies by Dr. Adams and Vasomedical, Inc. suggest that external, non-invasive addition of pulses to the circulation in order to increase shear stress on the endothelium thereby causing release of beneficial mediators may have several applications in conditions where organ blood flows are compromised.
Non-Invasive Monitoring Systems, Inc. (the ``Company'' or the ``Nims'') is engaged in research, development and marketing of computer assisted, non-invasive monitoring devices and related software designed to detect abnormal respiratory, cardiac, and other medical conditions from sensors placed externally on the body's surface. These devices provide diagnostic information regarding cardiorespiratory and sleep disorders in infants, children and adults; in addition, alarms are sounded for adverse cardiac and respiratory events in critically ill patients. The Company also has developed a non-invasive, periodic acceleration, motion platform that it intends to commercialize for treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Except for historical information, this press release contains, forward-looking statements regarding the Company's operations, performance, financial condition, business strategies, margins and sales information and are made pursuant to the ``safe harbor'' provisions of the private securities litigation reform act of 1995. For this purpose, any statements contained in this press release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. These statements by their nature involve substantial risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control, and actual results could differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including those described in this press release and the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligations to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.