Synapse News and Research

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Brain protein associated with seizures and abnormal social behaviors

A team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside has found a new mechanism responsible for the abnormal development of neuronal connections in the mouse brain that leads to seizures and abnormal social behaviors.

31 Aug 2020

UT leads new project to explore the mysteries of brain connections

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin will lead an ambitious new project with 10 other U.S. institutions and global partners that has significant implications for understanding human brain health.

19 Aug 2020

Study fills crucial knowledge gaps on myasthenia gravis

A study of 181 patients at 16 sites across the country who test negative for two antibodies long known to cause muscle-weakening myasthenia gravis, found that about 15% test positive for one of two newly discovered antibodies that also attack the point of communication between nerves and muscle.

19 Aug 2020

New treatment approach strengthens motor function and muscle of aged mice

In an aging society, one of the most important and urgent tasks of scientific research is to counteract the decline in motor function and muscle weakness that accompanies the aging process.

17 Aug 2020

Calcium channel subunits play a crucial role in neurological disorders

The ability of the human brain to process and store information is determined to a large extent by the connectivity between nerve cells.

22 Jul 2020

Harvard scientists uncover the real reason behind goosebumps

If you've ever wondered why we get goosebumps, you're in good company -- so did Charles Darwin, who mused about them in his writings on evolution.

20 Jul 2020

Study reveals intricate details about the biology of huntingtin protein

A new study reveals intricate details about the biology of the huntingtin protein (HTT), which is responsible for Huntington's disease.

17 Jul 2020

Researchers discover a new class of synapse-saving proteins

Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio have discovered a new class of proteins that protect synapses from being destroyed.

17 Jul 2020

New radiotracer can directly measure synaptic changes following stroke

A new radiotracer, 18F-SynVesT-2, can directly assess synaptic density changes in the brain, providing an objective and quantitative measure of disease progression after stroke.

13 Jul 2020

Study may lead to novel therapeutic targets in certain memory disorders

To make new memories, our brain cells first must find one another. Small protrusions that bud out from the ends of neurons' long, branching tentacles dock neurons together so they can talk.

7 Jul 2020

Study uncovers algorithms and neural circuit mechanisms of escape responses

Ordered and variable animal behaviours emerge to explore and adapt to the environment. They are generally considered as the combination of a series of stereotyped motor primitives. However, how the nervous system shapes the dynamics of motor sequences remains to be solved.

29 Jun 2020

Researchers identify new molecules to study specific glial cells integral to synapses

While the brain is composed of two types of cells, glia tend to receive far less attention for their importance in brain function and disease than the more celebrated neurons.

26 Jun 2020

Study paints clear picture of how a protein that calms brain activity works

As the body goes about its daily business, molecules called neurotransmitters control the level of electrical activity within the brain.

17 Jun 2020

Early genetic rescue may be a potential therapy in autism spectrum disorder

A mouse study by Craig Powell, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues suggests that early genetic rescue may be a potential therapy in autism spectrum disorder or ASD.

16 Jun 2020

Study shows how brain synapses change over the course of life

Why do children think and behave differently from adults? Why do we become forgetful in old age? Researchers have shown for the first time how the connections between the brain's nerve cells, the synapses, change over the course of life, and likely affect our processing of information.

15 Jun 2020

Stanford researchers test the first biohybrid version of artificial synapse

In 2017, Stanford University researchers presented a new device that mimics the brain's efficient and low-energy neural learning process.

15 Jun 2020

Research suggests new approach to therapeutic intervention for ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is one of the most devastating adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases. Patients, including the late actor/playwright Sam Shepard, become progressively weaker and eventually paralyzed as their motor neurons degenerate and die.

1 Jun 2020

Study provides groundwork for restoring nerve-muscle connection in ALS

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, lose muscle control as nerve cells or neurons in the brain and spinal cord degenerate and can no longer send signals to muscles.

28 May 2020

Harnessing the formation of natural killer–tumor cell immunological synapse to treat solid cancers

There are immune cells in our bodies that directly destroy infected or cancer cells - they are called natural killer cells. Recently, a POSTECH research team has developed an integrative cancer therapy using adoptive natural killer cell therapy and chemotherapy.

13 May 2020