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Scientists identify timing of major metabolic shift in developing neurons

Our brains can survive only for a few minutes without oxygen. Salk Institute researchers have now identified the timing of a dramatic metabolic shift in developing neurons, which makes them become dependent on oxygen as a source of energy.

13 Jul 2016

Neuroscientists identify two distinct populations of dopamine neurons involved in movement, reward

Two Northwestern University neuroscientists have identified the neurochemical signal likely missing in Parkinson's disease by being the first to discover two distinctly different kinds of neurons that deliver dopamine to an important brain region responsible for both movement and learning/reward behavior.

12 Jul 2016

Study shows miR-19 helps new neurons in the adult brain stay on track

A small stretch of ribonucleic acid called microRNA could make the difference between a healthy adult brain and one that's prone to disorders including schizophrenia.

8 Jul 2016

Scientists use stem cell techniques to unravel biology of autism

The brains of some people with autism spectrum disorder grow faster than usual early on in life, often before diagnosis.

8 Jul 2016

Activation of D2 neurons may help decrease alcohol consumption, research shows

By activating particular neurons, we may be able to influence alcohol drinking behavior, according to new findings published by researchers at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

7 Jul 2016

Scientists discover key cellular mechanism behind side-effects of antipsychotics

Since their development in the 1950s, antipsychotic drugs have been widely used to treat psychoses and neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. A debilitating side-effect of these drugs called parkinsonism limits their efficacy.

7 Jul 2016

AMPK protein activated during fasting regulates hunger neurons in the brain

Neurons in the brain that control hunger are regulated by AMPK, a protein activated during fasting, report researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Neuron on July 6, 2016.

6 Jul 2016

Tiny micro-vesicle structures may help predict probability of developing Alzheimer's dementia

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say tiny micro-vesicle structures used by neurons and other cells to transport materials internally or dispose of them externally carry tell-tale proteins that may help to predict the likelihood of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) developing into full-blown Alzheimer's disease (AD).

6 Jul 2016

Neuroscientists map neural connections over long distances in the brain

A team of neuroscientists at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Lisbon, has been able to map single neural connections over long distances in the brain.

4 Jul 2016

Scientists reveal how new adult-born neurons evolve in olfactory bulb of mice

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur and the CNRS were able to make real-time observations over a period of several months that reveal how new adult-born neurons are formed and evolve in the olfactory bulb of mice.

4 Jul 2016

Mice studies reveal new insights into neurons that cause symptoms of Rett syndrome

Two studies in mice from Baylor College of Medicine, Texas, reveal new insights into neurons that mediate symptoms typical of the postnatal neurological disorder Rett syndrome.

29 Jun 2016

Researchers develop new technology to capture images of the brain

In a partnership melding neuroscience and electrical engineering, researchers from UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State University have developed a new technology that will allow neuroscientists to capture images of the brain almost 10 times larger than previously possible - helping them better understand the behavior of neurons in the brain.

28 Jun 2016

Scientists discover link between two genes involved in PD and autoimmune diseases

A study publish in the journal CELL indicates that two genes associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) are key regulators of the immune system, providing direct evidence linking Parkinson's to autoimmune disease.

27 Jun 2016

Mutant fruit flies provide insight into origins of Parkinson's disease

The neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson’s disease is a result of stress on the endoplasmic reticulum in the cell rather than failure of the mitochondria as previously thought, according to a study in fruit flies.

24 Jun 2016

Study reveals surprising diversity in single neuronal transcriptomes of the brain

A team of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, University of California, San Diego and Illumina, Inc., has completed the first large-scale assessment of single neuronal "transcriptomes."

24 Jun 2016

Scientists provide new insights into role of star-shaped brain cells in memory, learning

A molecule that enables strong communication between our brain and muscles appears to also aid essential communication between our neurons, scientists report.

23 Jun 2016

New optogenetic manipulation technique could possibly reduce migraine headaches

Despite decades of research, migraines are often not well controlled with medication. For those prone to this type of debilitating headache, it sometimes seems nothing can stop the pain and the sensitivity to light. But what if light itself was key to their relief?

23 Jun 2016

Researchers aim to explore whether cell transplantation can treat temporal lobe epilepsy

Researchers at Cardiff University's School of Medicine are about to explore whether it's possible to treat human temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) by transplanting immature neuron cells into the brain.

16 Jun 2016

Stroke can cause long-term damage to blood-spinal cord barrier, study finds

A team of researchers at the University of South Florida investigating the short and long-term effects of ischemic stroke in a rodent model has found that stroke can cause long-term damage to the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB), creating a "toxic environment" in the spinal cord that might leave stroke survivors susceptible to motor dysfunction and disease pathology.

14 Jun 2016

CD36 receptor in nasal sensory neurons may be linked to preference for fatty food

A paper by Brazilian researchers published in the journal Scientific Reports describes a study showing that a subgroup of olfactory neurons in the nasal cavity express a cellular receptor specializing in the transport of lipid molecules.