Neurons News and Research

RSS

Prefrontal cortex in the brain damaged by both alcoholism and chronic smoking

Alcoholism is commonly associated with chronic smoking, and both alcohol and nicotine are believed to act on the same brain region. Research builds upon previous research that identified four potential alcohol-sensitive genes in the prefrontal cortex, finding that smoking also influences the expression of these genes.

26 Apr 2006

Study shows drugs work differently in the brains of men and women

A Johns Hopkins discovery could lead to tailored treatments for drug abuse and neurological diseases after providing what is believed to be the first evidence in people that amphetamines have a greater effect on men's brains than women's.

24 Apr 2006

Yale researchers show how smell works within the brain

Yale scientists have systematically plotted the responses of the entire Drosophila (fruit fly) olfactory system, providing the first multi-dimensional map of the range of odorants sensed and the regions of the brain that are stimulated.

23 Apr 2006

Research sheds light on eating disorders, compulsive gambling and drug abuse

Researchers at Harvard Medical School (HMS) report in the April 23 issue of Nature that they have identified neurons that encode the values that subjects assign to different items. The activity of these neurons might facilitate the process of decision-making that occurs when someone chooses between different goods.

23 Apr 2006

Scientists gain greater understanding of how embryos differentiate left from right

Researchers at the Forsyth Institute have discovered a new mechanism responsible for early left/right patterning, the process by which organs locate themselves on the left or right side of the body.

19 Apr 2006

New research shows specific mechanisms may not exist for facial recognition

New research from Georgetown University Medical Center suggests that the brain may not have developed a specific ability for "understanding faces" but instead uses the same kind of pattern recognition techniques to distinguish between people as it uses to search for differences between other groups of objects, such as plants, animals and cars.

19 Apr 2006

Promising treatment for Huntington's disease soon to be tested clinically

At the Institut Curie, CNRS and Inserm researchers have shown that cysteamine, which is already used to treat a rare disease called cystinosis, prevents the death of neurons in Huntington's disease. Like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, is characterized by the abnormal death of neurons.

19 Apr 2006

Researchers identify novel agent that protects neurons involved in Parkinson's disease from being destroyed by rotenone

Researchers at the University at Buffalo affiliated with the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences have identified a novel agent that can protect neurons involved in Parkinson's disease from being destroyed by the pesticide rotenone.

18 Apr 2006

Ketogenic diet may prevent the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A recent study directed by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine suggests a ketogenic- high caloric diet may prevent the progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

18 Apr 2006

Johns Hopkins researchers discover gene that reduces retinal degeneration in fruit flies

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered a gene in fruit flies that helps certain specialized neurons respond more quickly to bright light.

18 Apr 2006

Sticky proteins for neuro-chip chat

EU-funded researchers have taken the firsts steps towards future technologies combining silicon circuits and the nervous systems of mammals. Applications could include advanced drug screening and, perhaps one day, implants to help combat neurological disorders.

18 Apr 2006

Hap1 protein could lead to future drug targets for eating disorders

Researchers have discovered how the protein Hap1, which is abundant in the brain's hypothalamus, serves as the link between circulating insulin in the blood and the neural circuitry that controls feeding behavior in mice.

16 Apr 2006

Cystamine and cysteamine increase brain levels of BDNF in Huntington disease via HSJ1b and transglutaminase

Huntington disease (HD) is a degenerative brain disease in which brain cells called neurons die as a result of aggregations of the polyQ-huntingtin protein.

13 Apr 2006

Research provides clues to obesity's cause

Hot fudge sundaes and french fries aside, new research suggests obesity is due at least in part to an attraction between leptin, the hormone that signals the brain when to stop eating, and a protein more recently associated with heart disease.

13 Apr 2006

New insights into how anti-rejection drug daclizumab (Zenapax) helps MS patients

A research team led by the University of Cincinnati's Bibiana Bielekova, MD, report new insights into the role of the MS drug daclizumab (Zenapax) in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

11 Apr 2006

Single dose of stem cells produce robust behavioral recovery in animal models for stroke, cerebral palsy

A single dose of adult donor stem cells given to animals that have neurological damage similar to that experienced by adults with a stroke or newborns with cerebral palsy can significantly enhance recovery from these types of injuries, researchers say.

11 Apr 2006

Targeted mutations in mice uncover two key molecular events linked to learning

Johns Hopkins researchers have used mouse mutants to define critical steps involved in learning basic motor skills. The study focuses on the behavior of two proteins and the specific steps they take to control a neuron's ability to learn by adapting to signals from other nerve cells.

11 Apr 2006

Researchers identify new disorder called cortical dysplasia-focal epilepsy syndrome

Researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the Clinic for Special Children (CSC) in Strasburg, PA, have described a new childhood-onset disorder characterized by severe epilepsy and autistic traits, and identified its genetic basis.

11 Apr 2006

Leptin may lead to new approaches for curbing appetite

11 Apr 2006

Scientists find that growth hormone is produced in the brain

Scientists have found that growth hormone, a substance that is used for body growth, is produced in the brain, according to an article published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

11 Apr 2006

Neurons News and Research

Prefrontal cortex in the brain damaged by both alcoholism and chronic smoking

Study shows drugs work differently in the brains of men and women

Yale researchers show how smell works within the brain

Research sheds light on eating disorders, compulsive gambling and drug abuse

Scientists gain greater understanding of how embryos differentiate left from right

New research shows specific mechanisms may not exist for facial recognition

Promising treatment for Huntington's disease soon to be tested clinically

Researchers identify novel agent that protects neurons involved in Parkinson's disease from being destroyed by rotenone

Ketogenic diet may prevent the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Johns Hopkins researchers discover gene that reduces retinal degeneration in fruit flies

Sticky proteins for neuro-chip chat

Hap1 protein could lead to future drug targets for eating disorders

Cystamine and cysteamine increase brain levels of BDNF in Huntington disease via HSJ1b and transglutaminase

Research provides clues to obesity's cause

New insights into how anti-rejection drug daclizumab (Zenapax) helps MS patients

Single dose of stem cells produce robust behavioral recovery in animal models for stroke, cerebral palsy

Targeted mutations in mice uncover two key molecular events linked to learning

Researchers identify new disorder called cortical dysplasia-focal epilepsy syndrome

Leptin may lead to new approaches for curbing appetite

Scientists find that growth hormone is produced in the brain

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

Latest News