The Handoff: Your Week in Neurology News – 2/9/17

The Handoff is a weekly roundup of neurology news covering various developments in subspecialties, the pharmaceutical industry, and the overall state of health care as it affects neurologists.

— Just days after Eli Lilly announced it would end its phase 3 Expedition Pro study due to its similarities with Expedition 3, which failed to show clinical benefit with solanezumab, the company is reportedly cutting over 200 jobs in research and development globally. The cuts follow nearly 500 layoffs related to the failure of its Alzheimer’s trial last month. 

— A preclinical study supported by the NIH suggests that tau antisense oligonucleotides may be a good target for treatment development for neurodegenerative diseases. 

— The US FDA said it will be more transparent about relationships and potential conflicts of interest of advisory board members after a consumer advocacy group filed a lawsuit last year. 

— Biogen is currently under investigation by the federal government due to possible flaws in its government price reporting, rebate payment, and co-payment assistance programs for top multiple sclerosis drugs like Tysabri and Tecfidera, among others. 

— New research published in Current Biology suggests that a short camping trip in the woods can help reset your circadian clock. Additional data from the study also suggests that our sleep patterns are affected by seasonal changes, much like other animals. 

— In his latest message, Dr Joshua Gordon, director of the NIMH, discusses how computational and theoretical approaches can aid in mental health research. 

— An op-ed published by The Huffington Post explores different models of value-based care — and why we’ve been so slow to adopt them. 

— A new clinical study will use a genomic data bank to help researchers develop personalized treatments for patients with brain cancer. 

— New research reported in Cell is giving the scientific community its first structure-based insights on the molecular mechanisms behind hallucinogens, specifically LSD. 

— Obsessively checking social media or the internet isn’t quite a mental disorder, but it does teach us a lot about how the brain works.

— New research published in Menopause suggests that poor sleep may impact sexual function in older women. Watch the video below to hear more about the research.