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Novel ultrasensitive assay to measure cathepsin B in the blood

Scientists at the Walter Reed Army Institute for Research demonstrated the potential of a novel blood test for cathepsin B, a well-studied protein important to brain development and function, as an indicator for a range of disease states.

13 Apr 2021

Researchers discover a new way to prevent brain nerve cells from deteriorating after injury

Violent blows or jolts to the head can cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), and there are currently about five million people in the U.S. living with some form of chronic impairment after suffering a TBI.

13 Apr 2021

Gene therapy may offer a new approach to preserving vision in people with retinitis pigmentosa

A gene therapy protects eye cells in mice with a rare disorder that causes vision loss, especially when used in combination with other gene therapies, shows a study published today in eLife.

13 Apr 2021

Early exposure to smell can affect perception and social behavior later in life

Imprinting is a popularly known phenomenon, wherein certain animals and birds become fixated on sights and smells they see immediately after being born.

13 Apr 2021

Non-invasive neuromodulation approaches can prevent invasive surgery in Parkinson's patients

From optogenetics to sonogenetics to magnetognetics, scientists around the world are investigating new techniques to treat Parkinson's disease without the need for invasive surgery.

13 Apr 2021

Study identifies a 'window of impairment' caused by cannabis intoxication

A comprehensive analysis of 80 scientific studies has identified a 'window of impairment' of between three and 10 hours caused by moderate to high doses of the intoxicating component of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

12 Apr 2021

Study demonstrates profound anhedonia in people with frontotemporal dementia

People with early-onset dementia are often mistaken for having depression and now Australian research has discovered the cause: a profound loss of ability to experience pleasure - for example a delicious meal or beautiful sunset - related to degeneration of 'hedonic hotspots' in the brain where pleasure mechanisms are concentrated.

12 Apr 2021

Imbalanced bacterial community in the gums linked to Alzheimer's disease biomarker

Older adults with more harmful than healthy bacteria in their gums are more likely to have evidence for amyloid beta--a key biomarker for Alzheimer's disease--in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), according to new research from NYU College of Dentistry and Weill Cornell Medicine.

12 Apr 2021

Gift boosts efforts to understand and combat rare cancers

Curing cancer has been the dream of countless doctors and researchers over the decades. Yet some types of cancer, whether because they affect relatively few people or lack influential advocates, receive less attention and funding than others.

9 Apr 2021

New cell counting method offers a robust protocol for studying animal brains

Using a surprisingly simple technique, researchers in the University of Arizona Department of Neuroscience have succeeded in approximating how many brain cells make up the brains of several species of bees, ants and wasps.

9 Apr 2021

New time-lapse system helps measure membrane tension

Ion channels play an indispensable role in cellular physiology, and understanding the physical features that affect ion channel functions is a matter of considerable interest to biologists.

9 Apr 2021

Altered calcium signaling is linked to early-stage Alzheimer's pathology

Alzheimer's disease is known for its slow attack on neurons crucial to memory and cognition. But why are these particular neurons in aging brains so susceptible to the disease's ravages, while others remain resilient?

9 Apr 2021

New findings could reduce impact of traumatic memories

Scientists could be a step closer to finding a way to reduce the impact of traumatic memories, according to a Texas A&M University study published recently in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

9 Apr 2021

Study reveals link between changes of neuronal activities and dyskinesia

Many people with Parkinson's disease develop abnormal movements called L-DOPA induced dyskinesia, a major side effect of long-term medication. The mechanism underlying this side effect has been unknown. In this study, researchers have revealed relation between changes of neuronal activities and dyskinesia.

9 Apr 2021

Pig brain atlas gives a more precise view of human brain

When scientists need to understand the effects of new infant formula ingredients on brain development, it's rarely possible for them to carry out initial safety studies with human subjects.

8 Apr 2021

Researchers identify nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from plasticity to stability

Researchers exploring the developing central nervous system of fruit flies have identified nonelectrical cells that transition the brain from highly plastic into a less moldable, mature state.

8 Apr 2021

Microrna-29 molecule controls brain maturation in mammals

A team led by scientists at the UNC School of Medicine identified a molecule called microRNA-29 as a powerful controller of brain maturation in mammals. Deleting microRNA-29 in mice caused problems very similar to those seen in autism, epilepsy, and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

8 Apr 2021

Study shows how signal propagation circuit is modulated by attention

To effectively perform any daily task, the human brain needs to process information from the outside world using various cognitive functions. This cognitive processing passes through a dense interconnected network of cells whose physiology is specialized.

8 Apr 2021

Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer share the same pathway, shows study

When cells are stressed, chemical alarms go off, setting in motion a flurry of activity that protects the cell's most important players. During the rush, a protein called Parkin hurries to protect the mitochondria, the power stations that generate energy for the cell.

8 Apr 2021

Research on mysterious gene may lead to new treatments for Parkinson’s disease

More than 20 years after the discovery of the parkin gene linked to young-onset Parkinson's disease, researchers at The Ottawa Hospital and the University of Ottawa may have finally figured out how this mysterious gene protects the brain.

8 Apr 2021