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Researchers discover neural progenitor cells in the optic nerve

Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) have for the first time identified stem cells in the region of the optic nerve, which transmits signals from the eye to the brain.

30 Jul 2020

Pimavanserin reduced psychotic symptoms in people with dementia in phase 3 study

A large-scale trial has found a treatment with pimavanserin substantially reduced psychotic symptoms and reduced risk of relapse of those symptoms compared to placebo in people with dementia, a condition for which no treatments are currently licensed.

29 Jul 2020

Unexpected neurologic complication identified in severe COVID-19

Physicians working at Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have reported that a significant proportion of patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who required intensive care developed unanticipated disabling neurological deficits that were related to a mononeuritis multiplex.

29 Jul 2020

Investigational drug for Alzheimer's disease may help autistic children

An extensive international study led by Prof. Illana Gozes of Tel Aviv University's Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry found deposits of the tau protein typically found in Alzheimer's patients in tissues taken from the postmortem brain of a 7-year-old autistic child.

28 Jul 2020

Study reveals molecular cause underlying rare genetic disorder

Virginia Tech scientists have revealed how a nonfunctioning version of an ordinary gene impairs brain structure and function. The findings help explain a genetic form of microcephaly -- a condition where babies' heads are small and grow more slowly than their peers.

27 Jul 2020

Continuous survival of neurons is intrinsically programmed during development

When our neurons -- the principle cells of the brain -- die, so do we.Most neurons are created during embryonic development and have no "backup" after birth. Researchers have generally believed that their survival is determined nearly extrinsically, or by outside forces, such as the tissues and cells that neurons supply with nerve cells.

25 Jul 2020

Study: Sensitivity of neuronal network influences the brain’s response to stimulus

Rustling leaves, light rain at the window, a quietly ticking clock - muffled sounds, just above the threshold of hearing.

24 Jul 2020

Novel research determines the prevalence of chronic kidney disease

A new study looking at nearly three decades of data from some 54,000 people has determined that the overall prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) for several racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups in the United States has stabilized in recent years, except Mexican Americans.

24 Jul 2020

Study offers fundamental insights about sensory thalamic subnetworks

The thalamus is a "Grand Central Station" for sensory information coming to our brains. Almost every sight, sound, taste and touch we perceive travels to our brain's cortex via the thalamus.

23 Jul 2020

Mouse orthotopic model was used to determine personalized therapy for relapse sarcoma

A team from IDIBELL and ICO, using a mouse orthotopic model, conducted a real-time personalized oncology study to test the best therapeutic option to treat a type of relapse sarcoma. Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor are very aggressive and do not usually have a good prognosis, especially if complete surgical excision cannot be achieved.

23 Jul 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

Lego could be used to train doctors in anesthetic skills

Lego could be used as a practical tool to train doctors in anaesthetic skills according to new research that has shown a simple task using the building bricks can help improve technical skills - a finding that could improve medical training and patient safety.

21 Jul 2020

Research suggests a possible new approach to treating neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have shown for the first time that when one optic nerve in the eye is damaged, as in glaucoma, the opposite optic nerve comes to the rescue by sharing its metabolic energy.

21 Jul 2020

RUB neuroscientists assess neuronal activity during stimulation-based learning process

Stimulating the fingertip rhythmically for a sustained period of time, markedly improves touch sensitivity of this finger. A research team led by Associate Professor Dr. Hubert Dinse at Ruhr-Universität Bochum analyzed the impact of this process in the brain.

21 Jul 2020

Study shows spinal cord stimulators improve control of prosthetic hand

Imagine tying your shoes or taking a sip of coffee or cracking an egg but without any feeling in your hand.That's life for users of even the most advanced prosthetic arms.

21 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

Using AI to pinpoint neurons involved in gait reacquisition

Researchers at EPFL are able to get paralyzed rodents walking again by stimulating the animals' damaged spinal cords.

20 Jul 2020

Brains of all mammals exhibit equal connectivity, study finds

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Yaniv Assaf of the School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Sagol School of Neuroscience and Prof. Yossi Yovel of the School of Zoology, the Sagol School of Neuroscience, and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, conducted a first-of-its-kind study designed to investigate brain connectivity in 130 mammalian species.

20 Jul 2020

A new method for mechanical stimulation of neural cells

In addition to responding to electrical and chemical stimuli, many of the body's neural cells can also respond to mechanical effects, such as pressure or vibration.

20 Jul 2020

Age-related hearing loss mainly caused by damage to hair cells, study shows

In a new study of human ear tissues, hearing scientists have demonstrated that age-related hearing loss, also called presbycusis, is mainly caused by damage to hair cells, the sensory cells in the inner ear that transform sound-induced vibrations into the electrical signals that are relayed to the brain by the auditory nerve.

20 Jul 2020