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Positive childhood experiences can negate harmful health effects in traumatized children

New research shows just how important positive childhood experiences are for our long-term health -- especially for those who experience significant adversity as a child.

17 Sep 2019

A gene that acts as master regulator of schizophrenia identified

Using computational tools to investigate gene transcription networks in large collections of brain tissues, a scientific team has identified a gene that acts as a master regulator of schizophrenia during early human brain development.

11 Sep 2019

Pupil dilation provides clues to future Alzheimer’s risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the quality of life of those affected by the disease. The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease negatively impacts thinking, memory, behavior. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease but treatments can slow its progression.

11 Sep 2019

How tuberculosis progresses: genetic factors play a major role

There are almost 1.8 billion people with tuberculosis bacilli in their body, but only about 5% to 15% develop overt infection, usually within 18 months of initial exposure. The reason behind this selective progression has been sought for decades by scientists from a variety of fields.

5 Sep 2019

Discovery may help identify signs of type 1 diabetes earlier

A new study showed that there are significant differences in the MHC class II antigens on the insulin peptide that is deficient in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). These determine the response of the T cells to the insulin peptide that causes destruction of insulin.

2 Sep 2019

UQ researchers discover how our genes, environment influence BMI and height

Environmental conditions influence our body mass index by increasing or decreasing the effect of inherited genetic variations, University of Queensland researchers have discovered.

23 Aug 2019

Alzheimer's disease attacks brain regions responsible for wakefulness

Researchers and caregivers have noted that excessive daytime napping can develop long before the memory problems associated with Alzheimer's disease begin to unfold.

13 Aug 2019

Excessive daytime sleeping could be an early sign of Alzheimer’s

Excessive daytime napping often develops long before the memory problems associated with Alzheimer's disease occur. Now, researchers may have found the striking new biological explanation for this phenomenon.

12 Aug 2019

Maternal behavior in mice linked to oxytocin-sensitive cells in the female brain

A startling new study shows that cells that are exquisitely sensitive to oxytocin are found in a tiny region in the brains of female but not male mice. This could be of great importance in explaining maternal behavior in females and eventually in treating social disorders like postpartum depression and autism spectrum disorder.

25 Jul 2019

Unpleasant experiences could be countered with a good night’s REM sleep

A team of Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience researchers have found that a restful night with good REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep could counteract the effects of unpleasant experiences and memories. They have found the reason behind such an adaptation. Their study titled, “Restless REM sleep impedes overnight amygdale adaptation,” was published in the latest issue of the journal Current Biology.

14 Jul 2019

Study solves mysteries of complex microRNA oncogenes

MicroRNAs are tiny molecules of nucleic acid that control gene expression, acting like a dimmer switch to tone down gene output at key positions in the network of information that governs a cell's function.

28 Jun 2019

New radiation technique shows promise for treating patients with essential tremor

Tyrus Agee thought his promising new career was doomed. He had only one year left to finish his Doctor of Optometry degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry.

16 Jun 2019

Genetic variations linked with persistence of immunity after routine childhood vaccination

A genome-wide search in thousands of children in the UK and Netherlands has revealed genetic variants associated with differing levels of protective antibodies produced after routine childhood immunizations.

12 Jun 2019

'Eye-in-a-dish' model helps scientists to uncover 'surprising' AMD gene variant

Researchers have discovered a new genetic variant responsible for blood vessel dysregulation in the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

29 May 2019

Five new genetic risk loci associated with maximum habitual alcohol use identified

A genome-wide association study has identified five new genetic risk loci that can pass on risk for harmful alcohol use from parents to children, and confirmed one previously identified risk locus.

28 May 2019

Researchers identify first gene that predisposes to fainting

Fainting is not solely caused by external factors. Your genes also play a part. This has recently been documented by research team from the University of Copenhagen, Statens Serum Institut and Rigshospitalet.

16 May 2019

DNA rearrangement may predict poor outcomes in multiple myeloma

A certain type of DNA marker predicts poor outcomes in multiple myeloma, researchers at Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University have found.

24 Apr 2019

Study identifies novel loci contributing to asthma susceptibility in adults

A large, multi-ethnic genome-wide association study (GWAS) of asthma identified novel associations with potential relevance for asthma susceptibility in older adults of diverse racial backgrounds.

17 Apr 2019

New research on psychological and neural basis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Dr. Stephen Maren, University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, recently published significant research on the psychological and neural basis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

12 Apr 2019

New resource accelerates use of FISH techniques to study spatial organization of DNA in cells

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet present a publicly available resource that can accelerate the use of so-called FISH techniques for studying how the genome is spatially organised in the cell nucleus.

9 Apr 2019