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Study: The brain controls cellular process that leads to glaucoma

Findings from a new study published in Translational Vision Science & Technology show the brain, not the eye, controls the cellular process that leads to glaucoma. The results may help develop treatments for one of the world's leading causes of irreversible blindness, as well as contribute to the development of future therapies for preserving brain function in other age-related disorders like Alzheimer's.

6 Jun 2014

Researcher receives $1.5M grant from NIH to find clues into causes of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease that affects older adults, slowly destroys their memories and may cause dementia. According to estimates from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the disease may affect as many as 5.1 million Americans.

22 May 2014

Six-way jet-in-air sorter from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences delivers simultaneous high-speed cell sorting and sub-micron particle detection

MoFlo Astrios EQ, a six-way jet-in-air sorter from Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, delivers patent pending enhanced dual forward scatter (eFSC) technology for simultaneous sorting and detection of particles from 200 nm to 30 µm in diameter. The instrument sets a new standard for flow cytometry core facilities, delivering high-speed cell sorting and micro-particle detection in a single package. Featuring detailed and precise forward scatter resolution, beadless drop sample handling and increased biosafety, Astrios EQ meets a range of analysis needs.

2 May 2014

Researchers develop new ways to prevent repetitive sports related brain injuries

A new study has provided insight into the behavioral damage caused by repeated blows to the head. The research provides a foundation for scientists to better understand and potentially develop new ways to detect and prevent the repetitive sports injuries that can lead to the condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

30 Apr 2014

Astrocytes malfunction may contribute to neurodegenerative disorders

Scientists studying brain diseases may need to look beyond nerve cells and start paying attention to the star-shaped cells known as "astrocytes," because they play specialized roles in the development and maintenance of nerve circuits and may contribute to a wide range of disorders, according to a new study by UC San Francisco researchers.

29 Apr 2014

Drug used to treat hypertension prevents post-traumatic epilepsy in rodent model

Between 10 and 20 percent of all cases of epilepsy result from severe head injury, but a new drug promises to prevent post-traumatic seizures and may forestall further brain damage caused by seizures in those who already have epilepsy.

23 Apr 2014

Researchers develop novel tools to learn how astrocytes listen in on neuronal communication

Everything we do - all of our movements, thoughts and feelings - are the result of neurons talking with one another, and recent studies have suggested that some of the conversations might not be all that private.

17 Apr 2014

AES released list of new fellowship awardees for organization's early-career awards

Today, the American Epilepsy Society (AES) released its list of new fellowship awardees, naming 15 recipients for the organization's early-career awards.

15 Apr 2014

Comprehensive genomic analysis of low-grade brain tumors sorts into three categories

Comprehensive genomic analysis of low-grade brain tumors sorts them into three categories, one of which has the molecular hallmarks and shortened survival of glioblastoma multiforme, the most lethal of brain tumors, researchers reported at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2014.

10 Apr 2014

Neuroinflammation levels higher in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, in collaboration with Osaka City University and Kansai University of Welfare Sciences, have used functional PET imaging to show that levels of neuroinflammation, or inflammation of the nervous system, are higher in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome than in healthy people.

4 Apr 2014

Potassium boost improves walking, prolongs survival in mouse model of Huntington's disease

Tweaking a specific cell type's ability to absorb potassium in the brain improved walking and prolonged survival in a mouse model of Huntington's disease, reports a UCLA study published March 30 in the online edition of Nature Neuroscience. The discovery could point to new drug targets for treating the devastating disease, which strikes one in every 20,000 Americans.

31 Mar 2014

Study points to potential culprit that kills motor neurons in ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is marked by a cascade of cellular and inflammatory events that weakens and kills vital motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. The process is complex, involving cells that ordinarily protect the neurons from harm. Now, a new study by scientists in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital points to a potential culprit in this good-cell-gone-bad scenario, a key step toward the ultimate goal of developing a treatment.

27 Mar 2014

Research provides insight into biologic mechanisms that individual cancer cells use to metastasize to brain

New research from Memorial Sloan Kettering provides fresh insight into the biologic mechanisms that individual cancer cells use to metastasize to the brain.

4 Mar 2014

Researchers create new nerve cells in brains and spinal cords of living mammals

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers created new nerve cells in the brains and spinal cords of living mammals without the need for stem cell transplants to replenish lost cells.

27 Feb 2014

Tel Aviv University researchers win two prestigious melanoma research awards from MRA

Tel Aviv University researchers won two out of three prestigious melanoma research awards granted this year by The Melanoma Research Alliance and The Saban Family Foundation. The Team Science Awards are the centerpiece of the MRA research fund, which seeks to promote transformational melanoma research for swift clinical implementation.

18 Feb 2014

Research provides new insight into the effect of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative disorders

Research by the University of Southampton has provided new insight into the consequence of accumulated 'misfolded proteins' in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Prion and Alzheimer's disease.

16 Feb 2014

Chronic stress generates long-term changes in brain that lead to mental problems

University of California, Berkeley, researchers have shown that chronic stress generates long-term changes in the brain that may explain why people suffering chronic stress are prone to mental problems such as anxiety and mood disorders later in life.

12 Feb 2014

Body regulates hormone crucial for motivation and stress response, reveals research

New research has revealed a previously unknown mechanism in the body which regulates a hormone that is crucial for motivation, stress responses and control of blood pressure, pain and appetite. The breakthrough could be used to design drugs to help fight health problems connected with these functions in the future.

11 Feb 2014

Researchers examine how toxin triggers motor neuron death

In most cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, a toxin released by cells that normally nurture neurons in the brain and spinal cord can trigger loss of the nerve cells affected in the disease, Columbia researchers reported today in the online edition of the journal Neuron.

7 Feb 2014

UC Irvine researchers receive $1.54M for stem cell research

Two UC Irvine research teams will receive $1.54 million to further studies on the fundamental structure and function of stem cells. Their work will aid efforts to treat and cure a range of ailments, from cancer to neurological diseases and injuries.

31 Jan 2014