Neurons News and Research

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MIT neuroscientists identify memory cells that help us interpret novel situations

Imagine you are meeting a friend for dinner at a new restaurant. You may try dishes you haven't had before, and your surroundings will be completely new to you.

6 Apr 2020

Compound in fruit peels can reduce and reverse neuronal damage in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, characterized by increasing muscle weakness and paralysis, has a number of treatments that help stall progression of the disease when used early on in the disease.

6 Apr 2020

Newborn screening for spinal muscular atrophy promises a benefit

On behalf of the Federal Joint Committee, the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care investigated whether it is meaningful to test newborns in Germany for spinal muscular atrophy in combination with earlier diagnosis and treatment.

6 Apr 2020

Discovery of novel brain-digestive link

Scientists across the globe have long studied the link between the brain and the digestive system. Previous studies have tied brain networks and how they influence the gastrointestinal tract or vice versa. Food has a unique effect on humans as food tastes or flavors often dictate food-seeking behaviors. So is the palate the only thing that controls food choices among humans?

6 Apr 2020

Alzheimer's disease: high amyloid levels linked to early disease

A new study published in the journal JAMA Neurology in April 2020 seems to indicate that higher brain amyloid levels represent early Alzheimer's disease (AD).

6 Apr 2020

Memory cells that help to interpret new situations discovered

Neurons that store abstract representations of past experiences are activated when a new, similar event takes place

6 Apr 2020

Therapeutic cooling could mitigate damage to concussed cells

In the future, treating a concussion could be as simple as cooling the brain.

2 Apr 2020

Study shows how Toxoplasma infection causes seizures, psychiatric illness for some

Think about traffic flow in a city - there are stop signs, one-way streets, and traffic lights to organize movement across a widespread network. Now, imagine what would happen if you removed some of the traffic signals.

2 Apr 2020

Research shows entire brain responds to the gut through neuronal connections

You know that feeling in your gut? We think of it as an innate intuition that sparks deep in the belly and helps guide our actions, if we let it. It's also a metaphor for what scientists call the "gut-brain axis," a biological reality in which the gut and its microbial inhabitants send signals to the brain, and vice versa.

2 Apr 2020

New study offers clues to why autism is more common in boys than in girls

A new study in Neuron offers clues to why autism spectrum disorder is more common in boys than in girls. National Institutes of Health scientists found that a single amino acid change in the NLGN4 gene, which has been linked to autism symptoms, may drive this difference in some cases.

2 Apr 2020

Tracking tau protein yields insight into possible treatments for neurodegenerative diseases

In the fight against neurodegenerative diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, the tau protein is a major culprit.

1 Apr 2020

MRI sensor reveals how dopamine drives brain activity

Using a specialized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensor, MIT neuroscientists have discovered how dopamine released deep within the brain influences both nearby and distant brain regions.

1 Apr 2020

GABA is a key regulator to metamorphosis, shows study

Metamorphosis, or a dramatic change in physical appearance, is a normal part of the life cycle of many animals, carried out to take advantage of different ecological niches.

1 Apr 2020

Researchers uncover novel role for autophagy in the brain

Scientists from the laboratory of Dr. Natalia Kononenko at the CECAD Center of Excellence in Aging Research at the University of Cologne have found out that autophagy - the process of cellular self-recycling, or waste clearance - is dispensable for the survival of the neurons in mice.

31 Mar 2020

Study reveals how hormone leptin contributes to weight loss

Some call it baby fat. But recent research has shown that adults have it too--which is a good thing. Brown fat, the so-called good fat that can protect against obesity and associated health risks, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes, is located in small pockets throughout the body.

31 Mar 2020

Unraveling gut-to-brain communication paves way for targeted treatments

Scientists at Flinders University have, for the first time, identified a specific type of sensory nerve ending in the gut and how these may 'talk' to the spinal cord, communicating pain or discomfort to the brain.

30 Mar 2020

MIT engineers develop soft, flexible neural implants

The brain is one of our most vulnerable organs, as soft as the softest tofu. Brain implants, on the other hand, are typically made from metal and other rigid materials that over time can cause inflammation and the buildup of scar tissue.

30 Mar 2020

Gene that could affect the progress of ALS discovered

Researchers from the Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University have successfully found a gene that could work towards accelerating the progression of ALS or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The study titled, "The loss of TBK1 kinase activity in motor neurons or in all cell types differentially impacts ALS disease progression in SOD1 mice," was published in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.

29 Mar 2020

Newly developed laboratory model helps reveal how HIV infection affects the brain

Though many negative repercussions of human immunodeficiency virus infection can be mitigated with the use of antiretroviral therapy, one area where medical advances haven't made as much progress is in the reduction of cognitive impacts.

27 Mar 2020

Genetic mutation found to improve cognitive flexibility in mice

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have discovered in mice what they believe is the first known genetic mutation to improve cognitive flexibility--the ability to adapt to changing situations.

27 Mar 2020