Central Nervous System News and Research

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Researchers identify specific cells and proteins that control the sneeze reflex

A tickle in the nose can help trigger a sneeze, expelling irritants and disease-causing pathogens. But the cellular pathways that control the sneeze reflex go far beyond the sinuses and have been poorly understood.

16 Jun 2021

Study may offer an unexpected pathway for targeted treatment of brain tumors

In a new study led by Yale Cancer Center, researchers show the nucleoside transporter ENT2 may offer an unexpected path to circumventing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enabling targeted treatment of brain tumors with a cell-penetrating anti-DNA autoantibody.

15 Jun 2021

Novel biomarker effectively detects Alzheimer's disease before symptoms emerge

A newly developed radiotracer can measure increases in brain tau at least a year prior to the emergence of other symptoms.

15 Jun 2021

An analysis links COVID-19 to brain microvascular injury and inflammation

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-2 (SARS-CoV-2), an RNA virus that belongs to the family Coronaviridae. According to research, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients often suffer from neurological disorders like strokes, lost taste or smell, memory loss, confusion, and delirium.

13 Jun 2021

HEPA air purifier can significantly reduce airborne COVID-19 particles

As COVID-19 restrictions ease nationwide and more people host indoor gatherings, investing in a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier might not be a bad idea, says a University of Cincinnati College of Medicine researcher.

11 Jun 2021

Nose-to-brain: Nasal delivery of biopharmaceuticals to the brain

Placing medications as close as possible to the site of the disease: This sounds completely believable in theory, but is unfortunately not so simple in practice. While this works well for many drugs via the bloodstream or the digestive tract, it does not apply to the brain.

9 Jun 2021

New poll suggests older adults must watch their alcohol intake during pandemic

As many older adults get back to normal life across the United States thanks to high rates of vaccination and lower COVID-19 activity, a new poll suggests many should watch their alcohol intake.

9 Jun 2021

Study examines brain scans of COVID-19 patients

In a Journal of Neuroimaging analysis of data obtained from 193 patients with COVID-19 who had brain and/or spine imaging and a lumbar puncture because of neurologic symptoms, investigators found that imaging results were related to the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid.

9 Jun 2021

Cyperus rotundus medicinal plant shows promise for novel COVID-19 therapeutics

Cyperus rotundus is a plant with a history as herbal medicine, containing many chemical substances frequently found to be drug-like in character: flavonoids, terpenoids, and the like. Compounds sourced from the plant have demonstrated some inhibitory activity against HIV by modulation of the CYP3A4 enzyme, and thus in a drug lead discovery effort, Kumar et al. (July 2021) computationally screened these natural compounds against MPRO in a paper recently published to Computers in Biology and Medicine.

9 Jun 2021

Brain study may lead to new treatments for neuro-immune conditions

The immune system is the brain's best frenemy. It protects the brain from infection and helps injured tissues heal, but it also causes autoimmune diseases and creates inflammation that drives neurodegeneration.

8 Jun 2021

Researchers uncover molecular mechanism linking Parkinson’s disease with COVID-19

The study findings reveal that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection results in abnormal modification of some lung proteins, which are subsequently transported to the brain via exosomes. In the brain, these modified lung proteins disrupt the normal functioning of proteins that are related to Parkinson’s disease.

7 Jun 2021

FDA weighs approval of a lucrative Alzheimer’s drug but benefits are iffy

The Food and Drug Administration's decision next week whether to approve the first treatment for Alzheimer's disease highlights a deep division over the drug's benefits as well as criticism about the integrity of the FDA approval process.

4 Jun 2021

Alzheimer's disease increases a threefold risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and death

Neurodegenerative disorders that cause dementia increase the risk of contracting severe COVID-19 and dying from the disease.

3 Jun 2021

Study reveals how HIV prevents the maturation of myelin-making brain cells

It's long been known that people living with HIV experience a loss of white matter in their brains. As opposed to "gray matter," which is composed of the cell bodies of neurons, white matter is made up of a fatty substance called myelin that coats neurons, offering protection and helping them transmit signals quickly and efficiently.

2 Jun 2021

Methamphetamine users more susceptible to have medical, mental, and substance use issues

People who use methamphetamine are nearly twice as likely to have medical multimorbidity, and over three times as likely to have a mental illness.

2 Jun 2021

Nanoscale coordination polymers show promise for efficient dopamine delivery in Parkinson's treatment

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by the death of dopaminergic neurons in a part of the brain (known as substantia nigra pars compacta), which leads to a deficit of dopamine (DA), one of the main neurotransmitters active in the central nervous system.

1 Jun 2021

New discovery in Ewing sarcoma may prevent tumor metastasis from occurring

A new discovery in Ewing sarcoma, an aggressive and often fatal childhood cancer, has uncovered the potential to prevent cancer cells from spreading beyond their primary tumor site.

1 Jun 2021

Weaker association between brain activity and cerebrospinal fluid flow increases the likelihood of Alzheimer's disease

New imaging research shows that brain activity during sleep was less connected with cerebrospinal fluid flow in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

1 Jun 2021

Cognitive reappraisal may reduce compulsive drug-seeking behavior in cocaine-addicted individuals

An emotion regulation strategy known as cognitive reappraisal helped reduce the typically heightened and habitual attention to drug-related cues and contexts in cocaine-addicted individuals, a study by Mount Sinai researchers has found.

31 May 2021

Inflammatory brain injury higher in men with acute COVID-19, finds study

The COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with both short- and long-term neurologic complications, including stroke, brain fog and persistent tiredness. A new study concludes that the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the central nervous system (CNS) are due to the endothelial injury and inflammation that this produces in the brain.

31 May 2021