Welcome to the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation Blog

We welcome your comments and suggestions. This is a new informational approach for United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation. We have been paying for research, advocating for more research, honoring indivuals who conduct research and disseminating information for over 50 years. We are dedicated to “hope through research”. Our mission is prevention, evidence for best evidence based care, and cure. UCP Research and Educational Foundation supports basic and clinical research for infants, children and adults with developmental disabilities.

We are here to help.

We also need your help, if you are able.

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If you can donate to us using your credit card, log in to paypal (www.paypal.com) and all donations made to our account “maisen@ucp.org” will be used exclusively to support research (not overhead or administration).

Cerebral Palsy is increasing in incidence and prevalence. Nearly 1 million people have Cerebral Palsy in the United States.

Prenatal and Neonatal Infections and the Possible Mechanisms Leading to Cerebral Palsy

Infection in the Premature Infant as a Cause of Cerebral Palsy

SUMMARY: Two recent studies present evidence suggesting that inflammation of the placenta alone is insufficient to produce cerebral palsy in the premature infant. Neither addresses potential effects of inflammation elsewhere in the mother nor in the postpartum infant. Kaukola and her colleagues observed that the combination of inflammation and placental defects were predictive of cerebral palsy.

In December 2004 the Research Fact Sheet (visit our website www.ucp.org) reported on a very large study performed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development implicating “either maternal or fetal infection as a major element in the cause of Cerebral Palsy”. Among other findings that Fact Sheet reported that “For cerebral palsy alone, 16% of children who acquired any kind of infection in the post natal period developed cerebral palsy while only 8 % of those without infection developed cerebral palsy” (1).
Continue reading Prenatal and Neonatal Infections and the Possible Mechanisms Leading to Cerebral Palsy…

Report to the Institute of Medicine, January 9, 2006

United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation
Report to the Institute of Medicine: Disability in America
January 9, 2006

If you think research is expensive, try ignorance.
Derek Bok
This document reviews critical research priorities for cerebral palsy prevention, management and cure. An emphasis is placed on clinical studies that will form the basis for “evidenced-based” clinical management of developmental disabilities.

This information is provided in the form of answers to the questions posed by the Institute of Medicine for its meeting: Disability in America, January 9, 2006

What is UCP Research and Educational Foundation?

Founded in 1949, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) is now an international network of independent non-profit affiliate chapters, providing information, advocacy and direct care for infants, children and adults with developmental disabilities. UCP serves an estimated 30 thousand individuals each day, with a mission of serving all with developmental disabilities, whether or not they meet the precise diagnostic criteria for cerebral palsy (CP). In fact 65% of the people served have a diagnosis other than CP. United Cerebral Palsy is comprised of the National United Cerebral Palsy Associations (UCPA) and the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation (UCPREF).

The mission of the UCP Research and Educational Foundation is to promote research relevant to developmental disabilities, to provide medical expertise to the UCPA, and to educate all about the impact of new research findings. UCPREF funds promising basic and clinical research directed at issues of prevention, early diagnosis, mechanisms of nervous system injury and repair, neurological rehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation and engineering solutions.

A major goal of UCPREF is to create capacity by recruiting and preparing promising scientists and clinician-investigators to address these critical health care issues. This is done through career development fellowships (the UCP Hausman Awards), funding of peer reviewed investigator initiated research proposals, academic institutional awards and through educational programs. UCPREF also recognizes those whose careers have significantly advanced knowledge that drives policy with its annual Goldenson Awards for lifetime.

Continue reading Report to the Institute of Medicine, January 9, 2006…

Why a blog?

Welcome to the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation Blog. UCP has served infants, children and adults with developmental disabilities for over 50 years. We are trying a new means of outreach–this blog, which we hope will become a living document to generate interest and provide an ongoing resource for the people we serve, their families, clinicians, scientists and policy makers.

The UCP Research and Educational Foundation exists to educate our stakeholders about the need for research, promising research, unfunded opportunities in research, and impact of important research findings. These activities we hope provide hope for the future and guidance for everyday care for all with developmental disabilities.

UCP Research Foundation also funds outstanding researchers to conduct research. We do this through investigator initiated applications for funding which are reviewed for scientific merit by our Scientific Advisory Council, and approved for funding by the UCP-REF Board of Directors.

Our research covers “bench to bedside”, and all age groups. We empahsize prevention, cure, best function and quality of life at all ages. Our research includes work at the molecular level, new drug development and applications, testing and comparing rehabilitation strategies and rehabilitation engineering. We believe that Neuroplasticity is a genuine phenomenon with potential for helping all with CP and other developmental disabilties reach a level of neurological improvement not available in past generations.

This blog will cover a number of topic areas over time. A start will be to define Cerebral Palsy and the other diagnoses of those we serve. Next, biweekly updates will appear. Some will provide expert opinions about new research findings, some will provide summaries of the research the UCP Foundation supports. Sometimes we will update you about important policy issues or important scientific or engineering disciplines that beg investigation.

Welcome, please “bookmark” us. Expect our first article in late January 2006.