Christiane E L Dammann

US Patent:

20100286043, Nov 11, 2010

Filed:

Oct 6, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/681707

Inventors:

Christiane E.L. Dammann - Newton MA, US
Olaf Dammann - Newton MA, US

Assignee:

Tufts Medical Center, Inc. - Boston MA

International Classification:

A61K 38/18
G01N 33/68
C12Q 1/68
A61P 25/00

US Classification:

514 96, 436 86, 435 6

Abstract:

Methods of reducing and/or protecting against disorders in perinatal subjects are disclosed. Such methods can be used for disorders associated with neuronal cell damage. In certain aspects, the method comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of neuregulin or a biologically active analog with a pharmaceutical carrier to a perinatal subject. In addition, the perinatal subject can be a fetus where the neuregulin is administered to the pregnant mother. Methods for assessing whether a perinatal subject is at risk for developing a neurological disorder are also disclosed. For example, expression levels of neuregulin can be used as an indication the perinatal subject is at risk for developing a disorder associated with neuronal cell damage. Evaluating the genotype of the NRG locus in a perinatal subject can also be used as an indicator of the risk of developing neurological disorders.