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Study: HDAC1 enzyme modifies molecular motor that drives neuron death

A biochemistry instructor curious about an enzyme discovered in the damaged neurons of people with multiple sclerosis made a leap toward a potential cure for countless neurodegenerative ills.

7 Aug 2018

Cocaine relapse is reduced in preclinical model with BDNF administration

Cocaine relapse was significantly reduced in a preclinical model when brain-derived neurotropic factor was applied to the nucleus accumbens deep in the brain immediately before cocaine-seeking behavior, report investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina in an article published online in June 2018 by Addiction Biology.

3 Aug 2018

Map of billion brain cell connections sheds light on how memories are formed and recalled

Scientists have created an elaborate map of more than a billion brain cell connections, helping to shed light on how memories are formed and recalled.

3 Aug 2018

Alzheimer's drug may prevent disease progression if used before symptoms appear

About 50 percent of people who reach the age of 85 will develop Alzheimer's disease. Most will die within about five years of exhibiting the hallmark symptoms of the disease - severe memory loss and a precipitous decline in cognitive function.

2 Aug 2018

Researchers discover stem cell that allows geckos to create new brain cells

University of Guelph researchers have discovered the type of stem cell allowing geckos to create new brain cells, providing evidence that the lizards may also be able to regenerate parts of the brain after injury.

28 Jul 2018

New real-time cell imaging technology could pave way for transformational research

Live cell imaging captures or visualizes human tissue in action. Several methods have been developed to study living cells in greater detail and with less effort, helping scientists gain a better grasp of biological functions.

27 Jul 2018

Targeting mossy cells may offer new strategy for treating brain disorders

A small population of brain cells deep in a memory-making region of the brain controls the production of new neurons and may have a role in common brain disorders, according to a study from scientists at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine.

27 Jul 2018

Researchers explain the crucial role of piriform cortex in distinguishing similar odors

Can you tell the smell of a rose from the scent of a lilac? If so, you have your brain's piriform cortex to thank.

25 Jul 2018

Turmeric derivative could be used in eye drops to treat early stages of glaucoma

A derivative of turmeric could be used in eye drops to treat the early stages of glaucoma, finds a new study led by UCL and Imperial College London researchers.

24 Jul 2018

Researchers develop “polygenic score” that can help predict education level

An international team of researchers has identified more than 1,200 genetic variants that are associated with how much schooling a person completes and used the findings to create a “polygenic” score that is predictive of more than 11% of the variation in education level between individuals.

24 Jul 2018

Scientists find abnormal gene copying in fruit fly models of tauopathies

It sounds like science fiction: Nefarious genes clone themselves and settle their rogue copies in distant outposts of the galaxy (namely, our DNA), causing disease.

24 Jul 2018

Research shows how experience alters the basics of memory formation

We know instinctively that our experiences shape the way we learn. If we are highly familiar with a particular task, like cooking for example, learning a new recipe is much easier than it was when we were a novice.

24 Jul 2018

Study: Binge drinking impairs working memory in adolescent brain

A new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center found that binge drinking impairs working memory in the adolescent brain. The study, in mice, explains why teenagers who binge drink are 15 times more likely to become alcoholics during adulthood.

19 Jul 2018

Research shows that neurons can encode more than one signal at a time

Back in the early days of telecommunications, engineers devised a clever way to send multiple telephone calls through a single wire at the same time.

19 Jul 2018

New proteomics studies help gain more insights into Alzheimer's, cancer and listeriosis

The brains of people with Alzheimer's disease contain many protein aggregates outside of cells, known as plaques. These are mainly made of the peptide amyloid-beta, which is released from the plasma membrane when the protease BACE1 cleaves its membrane-anchored precursor protein.

19 Jul 2018