Neurons News and Research

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Jet lag disrupts sleep by throwing two neural centers out of sync

New research by scientists in the U.S. has revealed that the disrupted sleep which results from jet lag and shift work occurs in two separate but linked groups of neurons below the hypothalamus at the base of the brain.

19 Apr 2009

Disruption of copper regulation key to prion diseases

An investigation of a rare, inherited form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease suggests that disrupted regulation of copper ions in the brain may be a key factor in this and other prion diseases.

16 Apr 2009

Shedding some light on Parkinson's treatment

A research team lead by Karl Deisseroth in the bioengineering department at Stanford University has developed a technique to systematically characterize disease circuits in the brain.

16 Apr 2009

Scientists use RNA to reprogram 1 cell type into another

For the past decade, researchers have tried to tweak cells at the gene and nucleus level to reprogram their identity.

16 Apr 2009

New nucleotide could revolutionize epigenetics

Anyone who studied a little genetics in high school has heard of adenine, thymine, guanine and cytosine - the A,T,G and C that make up the DNA code.

16 Apr 2009

Jet lag disturbs sleep by upsetting internal clocks in 2 neural centers

Jet lag is the bane of many travelers, and similar fatigue can plague people who work in rotating shifts.

16 Apr 2009

Rochester scientist wins major award for Alzheimer's research

A Rochester researcher whose work has opened up a whole new avenue in Alzheimer's disease research has received a major prize from the American Academy of Neurology.

15 Apr 2009

Neurodegenerative diseases target healthy brain's intrinsic networks

New research suggests that neurodegenerative diseases are neither diffuse nor random but specifically target large-scale functional networks in the human brain.

15 Apr 2009

Neurodegeneration study reveals targets of destruction

Scientists are reporting the strongest evidence to date that neurodegenerative diseases target and progress along distinct neural networks that normally support healthy brain function.

15 Apr 2009

Conserved gene expression reveals our 'inner fish'

A study of gene expression in chickens, frogs, pufferfish, mice and people has revealed surprising similarities in several key tissues.

15 Apr 2009

Brain mechanisms for behavioral flexibility

New research provides insight into how the brain can execute different actions in response to the same stimulus.

15 Apr 2009

Alzheimer's controversy solved

For a decade, Alzheimer's disease researchers have been entrenched in debate about one of the mechanisms believed to be responsible for brain cell death and memory loss in the illness.

15 Apr 2009

Researchers show how PCBs may alter in utero, neonatal brain development

In three new studies - including one appearing online in the Public Library of Science - Biology (PLoS - Biology) - UC Davis researchers provide compelling evidence of how low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) alter the way brain cells develop.

13 Apr 2009

Creating ideal neural cells for clinical use

Investigators at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have developed a protocol to rapidly differentiate human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into neural progenitor cells that may be ideal for transplantation.

13 Apr 2009

Baby's first dreams

After about seven months growing in the womb, a human fetus spends most of its time asleep.

13 Apr 2009

Research defines neurons that control sociability in worms

Ants colonize. Fish shoal. Flamingos flock and caribou herd. Earth is populated by inherently social beings. Even lowly worms seek out the benefits of companionship.

12 Apr 2009

RNA interference can be used to silence genes selectively - potential for Huntington's disease therapy

Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers have designed tiny RNA molecules that shut off the gene that causes Huntington's disease without damaging that gene's healthy counterpart, which maintains the health and vitality of neurons.

12 Apr 2009

New insights into perception - sensory processing of visual and tactile motion use overlapping neural circuits

In the classic waterfall illusion, if you stare at the downward motion of a waterfall for some period of time, stationary objects - such as rocks - appear to drift upward.

12 Apr 2009

New common pathway in neurodegenerative disease is a possible door to a point of no return

A just-out study suggests that what keeps chronic nervous system diseases such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's and ALS going - until they overcome the internal protective mechanisms a body can throw at them - may largely come down to poor conversational skills.

9 Apr 2009

Genetic variation found to increase risk of schizophrenia

Rutgers geneticist Linda Brzustowicz and her colleagues have identified a specific DNA change that is likely to increase risk for developing schizophrenia in some people.

8 Apr 2009