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Morphine inhibits BDNF protein, whereas cocaine enhances BDNF

Chronic morphine exposure has the opposite effect on the brain compared to cocaine in mice, providing new insight into the basis of opiate addiction, according to Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers. They found that a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is increased in cocaine addiction, is inhibited in opioid addiction. The research is published in the October 5 issue of Science.

8 Oct 2012

Researchers discover new group of nerve cells that regulate processes of learning and memory

Swedish researchers at Uppsala University have, together with Brazilian collaborators, discovered a new group of nerve cells that regulate processes of learning and memory. These cells act as gatekeepers and carry a receptor for nicotine, which can explain our ability to remember and sort information.

8 Oct 2012

Anesthetics and protein interactions: an interview with José A. Fernández

For a long time there was a controversy about how anesthetics work. The large number of molecules that have anesthetic properties (from benzodiazepines to nitrous oxide) and their very different structures...

8 Oct 2012

New insight into basis of opiate addiction

8 Oct 2012

Countering neuroinflammation is indeed a potential therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer's

New research proves the validity of one of the most promising approaches for combating Alzheimer's disease (AD) with medicines that treat not just some of the symptoms, but actually stop or prevent the disease itself, scientists are reporting. The study, in the journal ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, also identifies a potential new oral drug that the scientists say could lead the way.

5 Oct 2012

Heavy caffeinated coffee consumption may increase risk of exfoliation glaucoma

A new study suggests caffeinated coffee drinkers should limit their intake to reduce their chances of developing vision loss or blindness. According to a scientific paper in Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, heavy caffeinated coffee consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing exfoliation glaucoma, the leading cause of secondary glaucoma worldwide.

4 Oct 2012

Stereocilia not only move sideways but also change in length: Study

The sensory cells of the inner ear have tiny hairs called stereocilia that play a critical part in hearing. It has long been known that these stereocilia move sideways back and forth in a wave-like motion when stimulated by a sound wave. After having designed a microscope to observe these movements, a research team at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has discovered that the hairs not only move sideways but also change in length.

4 Oct 2012

Modulating immune response to injury could accelerate regeneration of peripheral nerves

Modulating immune response to injury could accelerate the regeneration of severed peripheral nerves, a new study in an animal model has found. By altering activity of the macrophage cells that respond to injuries, researchers dramatically increased the rate at which nerve processes regrew.

4 Oct 2012

UMass Amherst biophysicist receives 2013 Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Award

University of Massachusetts Amherst biophysicist Jenny Ross has won one of the top national honors in her field, the 2013 Margaret Oakley Dayhoff Award, from the Biophysical Society of Rockville, Md. It is given to a woman who has achieved prominence for "substantial contributions to science," while showing very high promise for ideas and leadership in the early stages of her biophysical research career.

3 Oct 2012

DFG-funded project to research into complex regional pain syndrome

German Research Foundation funds a three-year joint project of the Mainz University Medical Center and the University of Münster to the tune of about EUR 460,000.

3 Oct 2012

Multiple sclerosis symptoms worse in those with low vitamin D levels

Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased number of brain lesions and signs of a more active disease state in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study finds, suggesting a potential link between intake of the vitamin and the risk of longer-term disability from the autoimmune disorder.

3 Oct 2012

Statins linked to reduced glaucoma risk

Cholesterol-lowering medications in the statin class could significantly reduce the risk for developing open-angle glaucoma, show data for more than 500,000 older-age US individuals with hyperlipidemia.

2 Oct 2012

Statins may protect against glaucoma

People who take statins to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease are less likely to be diagnosed with the most common form of glaucoma, according to a nationwide study of more than 300,000 patients.

2 Oct 2012

Thermal imaging camera monitors pain processing in patients suffering from small fiber neuropathy

Early results from the NeuroSIPE* programme 'Beyond Pain' project, in research funded by the Dutch Technology Foundation STW, demonstrate how a FLIR SC5600 thermal imaging camera has been used as an effective, non-invasive tool for monitoring of pain processing in the central nervous system of patients suffering from small fiber neuropathy.

2 Oct 2012

Trial evidence is mixed regarding digital nerve reconstruction

Evidence supporting various surgical and postsurgical interventions in digital nerve reconstruction is inconsistent or imprecise, research shows.

1 Oct 2012

People with SIRT1 genetic variation more likely to develop vibration-induced white finger disease

Vibration-induced white finger disease (VWF) is caused by continued use of vibrating hand held machinery (high frequency vibration >50 Hz), and affects tens of thousands of people. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Clinical Epigenetics finds that people with a genetic polymorphism (A2191G) in sirtuin1 (SIRT1), a protein involved in the regulation of endothelial NOS (eNOS), are more likely to suffer from vibration-induced white finger disease.

1 Oct 2012

Gentle chiropractic care improves child's overall health and well-being

Irritation to a young person's nervous system can begin in utero. The baby's position during delivery (natural or cesarean) can create stress on their nervous system. Even a "normal, healthy" birth can induce 40-50 pounds of pressure on a newborn's neck and spine.

29 Sep 2012

Optics Express publishes new paper on smart micromanipulation aided robotic-surgical tool

Even the most skilled and steady surgeons experience minute, almost imperceptible hand tremors when performing delicate tasks. Normally, these tiny motions are inconsequential, but for doctors specializing in fine-scale surgery, such as operating inside the human eye or repairing microscopic nerve fibers, freehand tremors can pose a serious risk for patients.

28 Sep 2012

Lessons on the journey to commercialisation

One of the Asia Pacific region’s best known biotech leaders, Dr Greg Collier, says successful commercialisation of a new drug or therapy takes, “discipline, a strong set of nerves and a stroke of luck.”

28 Sep 2012

Efavirenz drug may play a key role in brain damage

The way the body metabolizes a commonly prescribed anti-retroviral drug that is used long term by patients infected with HIV may contribute to cognitive impairment by damaging nerve cells, a new Johns Hopkins research suggests.

28 Sep 2012