Neurodegenerative Diseases News and Research

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Antibiotic rifampicin attenuates C9orf72-linked dementia in genetically modified mice

What did Stephen Hawking and Mao Zedong have in common? They both suffered from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a cure for which remains elusive. Scientists from Osaka Metropolitan University took an important step toward prevention of ALS and another brain disorder called Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with their research on the effects of the antibiotic rifampicin on genetically modified mice.

23 May 2022

Researchers analyze the development and genetic profile of brain's immune cells

Thanks to over a century of modern neuroscience, we have made significant strides in our understanding of the brain. Nonetheless, we have only just begun to scratch the surface of how this amazingly complex organ works.

20 May 2022

Novel brain-permeable Cdk5 inhibitor alters neurobehavior in mice

James Bibb, Ph.D., and colleagues have described a novel preclinical drug that could have the potential to combat depression, brain injury and diseases that impair cognition. The drug, which notably is brain-permeable, acts to inhibit the kinase enzyme Cdk5.

20 May 2022

‘Sting’ protein’s response to clean up damaged brain cells may accelerate Parkinson’s disease progression

In studies with mouse and human tissue, as well as live mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report that a snag in the normal process of cleaning up broken DNA in brain cells may hasten the progression of Parkinson's disease.

19 May 2022

Researchers receive $2.7 million MERIT award to explore uncharted territory in the aging female brain

Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center for Innovation in Brain Science were awarded a $2.7 million MERIT award from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging to continue work on the impact of estrogen as a master regulator of the brain’s bioenergetic system, which promotes glucose transport and metabolism and energy generation.

19 May 2022

Consumption of cranberries could improve memory, ward off dementia, and lower 'bad' cholesterol

Adding cranberries to your diet could help improve memory and brain function, and lower ‘bad’ cholesterol – according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UK).

18 May 2022

Health and Social Care Secretary announces a new 10-Year Plan to tackle dementia

A new 10-Year Plan to tackle dementia will be published later this year, Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed today (Tuesday 17 May 2022).

17 May 2022

Targeting specific neurons modulates memory retrieval and alters anxiety-like behaviors in mice

We humans lose mental acuity, an unfortunate side effect of aging. And for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the loss of cognitive function often accompanied by mood disorders such as anxiety is a harrowing experience.

16 May 2022

Scientists investigate whether pickles can increase the health benefits of sour cream

Consumer demand for dairy foods has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with increased demand for foods that can be easily stored and maintain quality over time.

12 May 2022

Research describes how DNA damage can affect neural health and function

A new research paper in the journal EMBO Reports describes how DNA damage can affect neural health and function.

12 May 2022

New research reveals a potent weapon against Parkinson's disease

Neurodegenerative diseases damage and destroy neurons, ravaging both mental and physical health. Parkinson's disease, which affects over 10 million people worldwide, is no exception.

11 May 2022

Cells do a little cleanup before mitosis

MIT researchers have discovered that before cells start to divide, they do a little cleanup, tossing out molecules that they appear not to need anymore.

10 May 2022

Newly-discovered mechanism may help prevent the build-up toxic proteins in dementia

It's often said that a little stress can be good for you. Now scientists have shown that the same may be true for cells, uncovering a newly-discovered mechanism that might help prevent the build-up of tangles of proteins commonly seen in dementia.

6 May 2022

Developing software solutions to monitor post-stroke rehabilitation and improve patient recovery

According to the study 'The impact of stroke in Europe', by King's College for the European Stroke Alliance, between 2015 and 2035 there will be a 34% increase in the number of cases in Europe (up to 819,771).

5 May 2022

Scientists gain important insights into novel mutation behind synucleinopathies

Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia belong to a family of neurodegenerative disorders called synucleinopathies because they are caused by the pathological accumulation of protein alpha-synuclein into structures called Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites in the brain.

29 Apr 2022

Genetic cause of lupus identified

An international team of researchers has identified DNA mutations in a gene that senses viral RNA, as a cause of the autoimmune disease lupus, with the finding paving the way for the development of new treatments.

27 Apr 2022

NTU Singapore launches new research center to better understand how dementia develops in Asians

To better understand how dementia develops in Asians and to advance new strategies that will one day help to predict and delay the progression of the disease, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) today launched the Dementia Research Centre (Singapore).

25 Apr 2022

Researchers discover more needles in the haystack in the quest to unravel Alzheimer’s disease

21 million. That's the number of genetic variations in the human genome that researchers are sifting to identify patterns predisposing people to Alzheimer's disease.

20 Apr 2022

Single-cell genome sequencing provides a new way to think about Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease is marked by a loss of functional neurons in the brain. But what causes this loss? Through single-cell genome sequencing, researchers at Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Broad Institute show that people with Alzheimer's have an abundance of newly acquired mutations in their neurons - more than people of the same age without Alzheimer's, and enough to disable genes important to brain function.