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Scientists identify brain cells that help zebrafishes to socialize

University of Oregon scientists have identified brain cells vital to how zebrafish socialize. When the neurons are disabled, their orientation to one another breaks down in ways similar to socialization problems seen in humans with autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia.

27 Jul 2018

Discovery of two molecules could pave way for new drugs to treat traumatic brain injury

After 10 years of research, a Rutgers-led team of scientists has identified two molecules that protect nerve cells after a traumatic brain injury and could lead to new drug treatments.

27 Jul 2018

Mutations of IRF2BPL gene associated with previously undiagnosed neurological disorder

An international team of scientists, including researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, has discovered mutations of gene IRF2BPL that are associated with a previously undiagnosed neurological disorder in seven unrelated individuals.

27 Jul 2018

Cutting-edge laboratory technique recapitulates brain development more accurately than ever

A cutting-edge laboratory technique that turns human stem cells into brain-like tissue now recapitulates human brain development more accurately than ever, according to a new study from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

26 Jul 2018

New sensor detects early-stage Parkinson's disease from the breath of patients

Symptoms of Parkinson's disease include tremor, loss of smell and neuropsychiatric problems. However, many people aren't diagnosed until their disease is well-advanced, which could limit their treatment options.

26 Jul 2018

Parkinson's therapies being developed may benefit everybody with the disease

A gene linked to 3 to 4 percent of people with Parkinson's disease could play an important role in most, if not all, people with the disease, according to new study findings from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and UPMC.

26 Jul 2018

Researchers explain the crucial role of piriform cortex in distinguishing similar odors

Can you tell the smell of a rose from the scent of a lilac? If so, you have your brain's piriform cortex to thank.

25 Jul 2018

Researchers find link between resilience to dyslexia and gray matter in the brain

Dyslexia, a reading disorder, is characterized by a difficulty in "decoding" -- navigating between the visual form and sounds of a written language.

24 Jul 2018

Scientists find abnormal gene copying in fruit fly models of tauopathies

It sounds like science fiction: Nefarious genes clone themselves and settle their rogue copies in distant outposts of the galaxy (namely, our DNA), causing disease.

24 Jul 2018

Research shows how experience alters the basics of memory formation

We know instinctively that our experiences shape the way we learn. If we are highly familiar with a particular task, like cooking for example, learning a new recipe is much easier than it was when we were a novice.

24 Jul 2018

Promising approach to stem cell therapy for treating Parkinson's disease

A major factor underlying Parkinson's Disease pathology is the loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, and thus current therapies often aim to restore dopamine signaling. However, these treatments are not curative.

24 Jul 2018

Study reveals how giant neurons in the brain may play huge role in generalized arousal

There is no shortage of wonders that our central nervous system produces--from thought and language to movement to the five senses.

23 Jul 2018

Study looks into mechanisms that control sleep and wakefulness

Sleep is an autonomic process and is not always under our direct, voluntary control. Awake or asleep, we are basically under the regulation of two biological processes: sleep homeostasis, commonly known as 'sleep pressure', and the circadian rhythm, otherwise known as the 'body clock'.

20 Jul 2018

Study: Binge drinking impairs working memory in adolescent brain

A new study from researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center found that binge drinking impairs working memory in the adolescent brain. The study, in mice, explains why teenagers who binge drink are 15 times more likely to become alcoholics during adulthood.

19 Jul 2018