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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Pros and cons of gene editing technology

CRISPR technology has greatly facilitated gene editing. Associate Professor Thorsten Müller from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and Dr. Hassan Bukhari from Harvard Medical School discuss its pros and cons in a review article in the journal "Trends in Cell Biology" from 12 September 2019.

17 Sep 2019

Social isolation in adolescence disrupts brain development, mice study shows

Female mice housed alone during adolescence show atypical development of the prefrontal cortex and resort to habitual behavior in adulthood, according to new research published in eNeuro.

From Society for Neuroscience 17 Sep 2019

Researchers identify potential target for diabetes-associated Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have identified a protein that may contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in type-2 diabetes, reports a new study of male mice and human brain tissue. The research could have implications for future drug development.

From Society for Neuroscience 17 Sep 2019

Strongest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease impairs function of human microglia

A study carried out with a new human stem cell-derived model reveals that the most prevalent genetic risk factor of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), impairs the function of human brain immune cells, microglia. These findings pave the way for new, effective treatment approaches for AD. The results were published in Stem Cell Reports.

17 Sep 2019

Chemist explores link between Alzheimer's and copper protein molecules in brain cells

A University of Houston chemist is exploring the link between copper protein molecules in brain cells and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

17 Sep 2019

Range of Valley fever expected to increase substantially, say UCI scientists

Valley fever is endemic to hot and dry regions such as the southwestern United States and California's San Joaquin Valley, but scientists at the University of California, Irvine predict that climate change will cause the fungal infection's range to more than double in size this century, reaching previously unaffected areas across the western U.S.

17 Sep 2019

Cure for Rett Syndrome a step closer as scientists successfully reactivate 'back-up’ genes

A team headed by Vincent Pasque at his Lab at KU Leuven alongside researchers from the Jean-Christophe Marine lab and the Edith Heard lab have made a significant step towards developing a treatment for Rett syndrome and other X chromosome linked disorders.

17 Sep 2019

Stopping cold viruses dead by blocking replication

The common cold virus (and its more deadly cousins, the viruses that cause polio and acute flaccid myelitis) may just have met its nemesis. In a recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology on September 16, 2019, scientists reported a potentially successful new approach to stop cold viruses from replicating inside human cells – by blocking the formation of a protein that is vital to this process.

17 Sep 2019

Tea improves brain circuits, structure and memory

A recent study showed that people who drink tea regularly have brains which function better and also show a greater degree of organization. This could strengthen the case for drinking tea to help prevent dementia. The study is important because, unlike most others which look only at tests of mental ability, it also examined structural brain changes with tea drinking.

16 Sep 2019

New biomarkers help predict response to treatment in common brain tumor

Many scientists have noted that there is a link between inflammation or the immune response, and patient survival. One such possible relationship is the association of blood markers and the prognosis in the brain tumor called medulloblastoma.

16 Sep 2019

Gut bacterial changes influence lupus treatment results in pregnancy

The course of pregnancy, like that of true love, doesn’t always run smooth when you have lupus, correctly called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This autoimmune disease is an occasionally violent, occasionally subdued, chronic inflammation that constantly smolders within multiple tissues in the body.

16 Sep 2019

Stanford-UCSF researchers report new cure for common cold in human cells and mice

Temporarily disabling a single protein inside our cells might be able to protect us from the common cold and other viral diseases, according to a study led by researchers at Stanford University and University of California-San Francisco.

16 Sep 2019

Brain activity intensity appears to increase our need for sleep

The intensity of brain activity during the day, notwithstanding how long we've been awake, appears to increase our need for sleep, according to a new UCL study in zebrafish.

16 Sep 2019

Climate change likely to accelerate spread of valley fever

Valley fever is endemic to hot and dry regions like the southwestern United States and California's San Joaquin Valley, but a new study predicts climate change will cause the fungal infection's range to more than double in size this century, reaching previously unaffected areas across the western U.S.

16 Sep 2019

Researchers eliminate need for anti-rejection drugs in mice with transplanted glial cells

In experiments in mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have developed a way to successfully transplant certain protective brain cells without the need for lifelong anti-rejection drugs.

16 Sep 2019

Slower working memory growth associated with young driver crashes

Research into why adolescent drivers are involved in motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of injury and death among 16- to 19-year-olds in the United States, has often focused on driving experience and skills.

13 Sep 2019

Researchers identify changes in retinal layers of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid have identified changes in retinal layer thickness, inflammation or thinning in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease, confirming that the retina is one of the most important biomarkers for early diagnosis of the disease.

13 Sep 2019

Foods rich in LH dipeptide may help maintain good mental health

A research group led by Professor Tomoyuki Furuyashiki and Associate Professor Shiho Kitaoka (Graduate School of Medicine) in collaboration with researcher Yasuhisa Ano of Kirin Holdings have made discoveries regarding the effect of the dipeptide Leucine-Histidine in suppressing microglial activation and depression-associated emotional disturbances.

13 Sep 2019

Fight or flight response may originate in our bones

A new study suggests that the main coordinator of the body’s fight-or-flight response is a hormone called osteocalcin, which is secreted by bone.

13 Sep 2019

Clinicians and leading experts come together to address regional stroke divide

Australian clinicians and researchers are coming together with leading experts from across the globe to drive innovation and access to break-through blood clot dissolving and clot removal treatment.

13 Sep 2019