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Subtle differences in cognitive performance predict progression to Alzheimer's pathology

Alzheimer's disease is progressive, but slow to develop -- or at least to reveal itself. In a new study, published online February 14, 2020 in the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues elsewhere, report that early, subtle differences in cognitive performance, such as fewer words recalled on a memory test, are a sign that harmful proteins are accumulating in the brain, even if levels of those proteins do not yet qualify as dangerous.

16 Feb 2020

UIC researchers discover unique organ-specific signatures for endothelial cells

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have discovered that endothelial cells - those that create the inner lining of blood vessels - have unique genetic signatures based on their location in the body.

14 Feb 2020

New study describes inflammatory reaction in lab-developed human astrocytes

Astrocytes are neural cells with many important functions in the nervous system. The inflammation of these cells occurs in brain infections and neurodegenerative disorders, a process called astrogliosis.

14 Feb 2020

Neuronal necrosis occurs much earlier in Alzheimer’s disease progression than previously thought

Alzheimer's remains the leading cause of dementia in Western societies, with some estimates suggesting that as many as 24 million people worldwide are living with the disease.

13 Feb 2020

New study may lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is a long-term (chronic) neurological condition that affects around 12,000 people in Ireland and between 7 and 10 million people worldwide. The disease affects the way the brain co-ordinates body movements like walking and talking, but cognitive abilities are also affected.

13 Feb 2020

Light-activated protein restores mitochondrion function in fruit fly model of Parkinson’s disease

A light-sensitive protein can restore mitochondria function in fruit flies bearing a gene mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease and relieve its symptoms, report researchers at Juntendo University in the journal Communications Biology.

13 Feb 2020

New insights may guide design of light-sensitive proteins with desired properties

A team of scientists from the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University has gained insight into how electric fields affect the way energy from light drives molecular motion and transformation in a protein commonly used in biological imaging.

13 Feb 2020

P53-deficient oral cancers recruit and reprogram nerves to fuel tumor growth

Loss of an important tumor-suppressing gene allows head and neck cancer to spin off signals to nearby nerves, changing their function and recruiting them to the tumor, where they fuel growth and cancer progression, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the journal Nature today.

13 Feb 2020

Study reveals new role for gene associated with autism spectrum disorder

A UCLA-led study reveals a new role for a gene that's associated with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability and language impairment.

12 Feb 2020

Researchers identify control of a mitochondrial protective mechanism

Mitochondria are known as the "powerhouses" of cells. However, under critical pathophysiological conditions, they can use cellular energy for self-preservation.

12 Feb 2020

Unexpected findings could lead to new therapeutic intervention for ALS

A therapeutic intervention for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, could be on the horizon thanks to unexpected findings by University of Arizona researchers.

11 Feb 2020

Research shows how the brain's immune system could be activated to improve memory

When it comes to memory, immune cells are known as the "bad cops" of the brain. But new research shows they could also be turned into "good cops" to power memory and learning.

11 Feb 2020

Developmental shape-shifting is key to cancer's ability to spread and evade immune defenses

Just as people tend to become stuck in their ways as they grow older so too do cells. Neurons in the brain don't one day decide to become heart cells; skin cells repair wounds with skin cells rather than kidney cells.

11 Feb 2020

Researchers culture human blood-brain barrier on a chip

A scrupulous gatekeeper stands between the brain and its circulatory system to let in the good and keep out the bad, but this porter, called the blood-brain barrier, also blocks trial drugs to treat diseases like Alzheimer's or cancer from getting into the brain.

10 Feb 2020

Research uncovers protective role of astrocytes in sporadic motor neuron disease

Support cells in the nervous system help protect motor neurons in the early-stages of sporadic motor neuron disease, according to new research from the Crick and UCL.

10 Feb 2020

Researchers receive federal grant to evaluate potential imaging biomarker for Alzheimer's

Researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine have received a five-year grant worth approximately $2.53 million from the National Institute on Aging to evaluate whether a novel brain-imaging technique can identify Alzheimer's disease in its early stages.

9 Feb 2020

Neurons News and Research

Subtle differences in cognitive performance predict progression to Alzheimer's pathology

UIC researchers discover unique organ-specific signatures for endothelial cells

New study describes inflammatory reaction in lab-developed human astrocytes

Neuronal necrosis occurs much earlier in Alzheimer’s disease progression than previously thought

New study may lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease

Light-activated protein restores mitochondrion function in fruit fly model of Parkinson’s disease

New insights may guide design of light-sensitive proteins with desired properties

P53-deficient oral cancers recruit and reprogram nerves to fuel tumor growth

Study reveals new role for gene associated with autism spectrum disorder

Researchers identify control of a mitochondrial protective mechanism

Unexpected findings could lead to new therapeutic intervention for ALS

Research shows how the brain's immune system could be activated to improve memory

Developmental shape-shifting is key to cancer's ability to spread and evade immune defenses

Researchers culture human blood-brain barrier on a chip

Research uncovers protective role of astrocytes in sporadic motor neuron disease

Researchers receive federal grant to evaluate potential imaging biomarker for Alzheimer's

Defining neurogenic niche proteome helps identify key regulators of neurogenesis

Researchers reveal new activity above the surface in brain-cell receptors

Neurons critical for learning and forming memories found to be synchronized

Breathing pattern may help predict 'when' people begin voluntary action

eBook: Advancing neurodegenerative research with iPSC-derived microglia models eBook

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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