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Delivery of drugs within the brain can be improved by utilizing LAT1

According to a new study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland, the distribution of drug molecules within the brain can be improved by utilizing LAT1, which is expressed highly in the brain.

24 Sep 2019

New peptides improve memory in mice with Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) affects over 44 million people the world over. But now, neurologist Jack Jhamandas and his team have found two short peptides which, on daily injection into mice with symptoms of AD for just five weeks, led to a significant improvement.

18 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

Calcium channel blockers may help effectively treat memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia but the changes in brain cell function underlying memory loss remains poorly understood.

11 Sep 2019

Genetic engineering could open possibilities for patients with Parkinson’s disease

People with Parkinson’s disease experience loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, leading to tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, the primary symptoms of the disease.

11 Sep 2019

Lab-grown brain organoids and the brains of preemie babies generate similar electrical impulses

Brain organoids — also called mini-brains — are 3D cellular models that represent aspects of the human brain in the laboratory. Brain organoids help researchers track human development, unravel the molecular events that lead to disease and test new treatments.

30 Aug 2019

Researchers identify how neurons in the mouse neocortex form billion synaptic connections

The structure of synaptic connections between neurons shapes their activity and function. Measuring a comprehensive snapshot of this so-called connectome has so far only been accomplished within tiny volumes, smaller than the head of a pin.

30 Aug 2019

Study findings raise new concerns about vulnerability of preterm brain to hypoxia

Nearly 15 million babies are born prematurely, or before 37 weeks of pregnancy, around the world each year. When born too early, a baby's immature respiratory center in the brain often fails to signal it to breathe, resulting in low oxygen levels, or hypoxia, in the brain.

29 Aug 2019

Loss of cells in the brain found to be associated with stuttering

Researchers believe that stuttering - a potentially lifelong and debilitating speech disorder - stems from problems with the circuits in the brain that control speech, but precisely how and where these problems occur is unknown.

19 Aug 2019

Bile pigment may play an unexpected role in protecting the brain

In studies in mice, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report they have found that bilirubin, a bile pigment most commonly known for yellowing the skin of people with jaundice, may play an unexpected role in protecting brain cells from damage from oxidative stress.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 13 Aug 2019

Neuronal gene mutations may be linked to seizures associated with Long QT Syndrome

Researchers identified a gene in fruit flies that helps prevent the hyperexcitability of specific neurons that trigger seizures. In humans, mutations in the gene may be linked to seizures associated with Long QT Syndrome.

From PLOS ONE 13 Aug 2019

New research suggests another possible mechanism for Alzheimer’s

Neurofibrillary plaques and tau protein are among the most widely known pathological entities characterizing Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but new research at the University of California, Riverside, has come up with another plausible explanation for this debilitating disorder.

13 Aug 2019

Johns Hopkins researchers use nanotechnology to repair faulty brain circuits

Working with mouse and human tissue, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers report new evidence that a protein pumped out of some — but not all — populations of “helper” cells in the brain, called astrocytes, plays a specific role in directing the formation of connections among neurons needed for learning and forming new memories.

31 Jul 2019

Research team to create new technology for tackling concussion

Badri Roysam, chair of the University of Houston Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is leading a $3.19 million project to create new technology that could provide an unprecedented look at the injured brain.

12 Jul 2019

Study reveals how protein mutation is involved in Christianson syndrome

Rearing its head in infancy, Christianson Syndrome is a rare disorder whose symptoms include intellectual disability, seizures and difficulty standing or walking.

4 Jul 2019

Measuring blood protein levels in diabetic patients to predict risk of stroke

Having diabetes is a risk factor for many other health conditions, including stroke.

26 Jun 2019

Early life adversity and high levels of FKBP5 protein amplify anxiety-like behavior

Researchers continue to dig for molecular clues to better understand how gene-environment interactions influence neuropsychiatric disease risk and resilience.

11 Jun 2019

CAPON protein may facilitate link between two most well-known Alzheimer's culprits

A new protein involved in Alzheimer's disease has been identified by researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science.

7 Jun 2019

Neonatal exposure to nicotine alters neurons, predisposes brain to addiction in adulthood

Neonatal exposure to nicotine alters the reward circuity in the brains of newborn mice, increasing their preference for the drug in later adulthood, report researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine in a study published "in press" April 24, 2019 in Biological Psychiatry.

22 May 2019

Scientists revive pig brain cells four hours after death, providing hope for stroke patients

In a breakthrough research study, scientists at Yale University have restored cellular activity in the brains of dead pigs.

18 Apr 2019