Neural Stem Cells News and Research

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Study sheds new light on human brain development

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have shed new light on how our brains develop, revealing that the very last step in cell division is crucial for the brain to reach its proper size and function.

29 May 2021

Newly identified small molecule can be used to rejuvenate the brain, counteract memory loss

Alzheimer's disease is the main cause of dementia and current therapeutic strategies cannot prevent, slow down or cure the pathology.

25 May 2021

Stem cells of the nervous system age rapidly, shows study

In a new study published in Cell Stem Cell, a team led by USC Stem Cell scientist Michael Bonaguidi, PhD, demonstrates that neural stem cells - the stem cells of the nervous system - age rapidly.

12 Apr 2021

Real-time imaging shines light on the coordination of neural stem cell activation

In all adult vertebrates, neural stem cells can be recruited to produce new neurons in the brain. However, little is known about these so-called "activation" processes.

8 Apr 2021

Introducing a neuro regenerative gene into mice with spinal cord injury improves motor function

Nagoya University researchers have identified a gene that plays a crucial role in regenerating neurons of African clawed frog tadpoles, which has an unusually high capacity for nerve regeneration.

31 Mar 2021

Researchers discover a novel marker of adult human neural stem cells

The mammalian center for learning and memory, hippocampus, has a remarkable capacity to generate new neurons throughout life. Newborn neurons are produced by neural stem cells (NSCs) and they are crucial for forming neural circuits required for learning and memory, and mood control.

24 Mar 2021

Researchers use layered double hydroxide to increase neuronal growth in mice with spinal cord injuries

Researchers from the Department of Orthopedics of Tongji Hospital at Tongji University in Shanghai have successfully used a nanobiomaterial called layered double hydroxide (LDH) to inhibit the inflammatory environment surrounding spinal cord injuries in mice, accelerating regeneration of neurons and reconstruction of the neural circuit in the spine.

23 Mar 2021

Researchers discover a mechanism linked to stem cell aging

As people get older, their neural stem cells lose the ability to proliferate and produce new neurons, leading to a decline in memory function.

24 Feb 2021

A brain enzyme plays an important role in waking up neural stem cells

Researchers studying an enzyme in fruit fly larvae have found that it plays an important role in waking up brain stem cells from their dormant 'quiescent' state, enabling them to proliferate and generate new neurons.

12 Feb 2021

New research examines how alcohol exposure impacts aspects of neuroplasticity

New research and analysis examine how alcohol exposure impacts many aspects of neuroplasticity in a special issue of Brain Plasticity

11 Feb 2021

Free radicals may be important for the brain to remain adaptable

Reactive oxygen molecules, also known as "free radicals", are generally considered harmful. However as it now turns out, they control cellular processes, which are important for the brain's ability to adapt - at least in mice.

5 Dec 2020

New drug lures stem cells to damaged tissue, improves treatment efficacy

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have created a drug that can lure stem cells to damaged tissue and improve treatment efficacy--a scientific first and major advance for the field of regenerative medicine.

25 Nov 2020

Widely used antibiotic shows promise for fighting against Zika infections

In 2015, hundreds of children were born with brain deformities resulting from a global outbreak of Zika virus infections.

24 Nov 2020

Study indicates the role of Polβ enzyme in cognitive development

It's a fact of life that things break down. And when they do, whether it's your car, the roof, or a blocked artery, there are people who we can call to help with the repairs.

11 Nov 2020

Flinders University receives funding for new brain cancer research project

The human brain’s biochemistry may be a stumbling block that has been preventing an effective cure for brain cancer.

10 Nov 2020

Natural component of ayahuasca tea promotes neurogenesis

One of the main natural components of ayahuasca tea is dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which promotes neurogenesis --the formation of new neurons-- according to research led by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM).

6 Nov 2020

UC Davis leads a consortium to develop new treatments for spinal cord injuries

Engineers at the University of California, Davis, will lead a consortium of universities, biomedical startups and nonprofit organizations to develop interventions for spinal cord injuries that can be applied within days of injury to improve long-term outcomes.

30 Sep 2020

Study reveals how loss of protein arginine methyltransferase affects proper brain development

Normal brain development requires a precise interplay between neuronal and non-neuronal (also called glial) cells.

24 Sep 2020

Fly brain structure governed by lineage-dependent repulsion mechanism between neurons

The brain's structure has columnar features, which are hypothesized to arise from nerve cells (neurons) stemming from the same parent cell, initially forming radial units. How exactly this process unfolds at the molecular level remains unexplained, however.

5 Sep 2020

Study identifies important regulator of neuron function and survival

Scientists studying neuronal energy metabolism found evidence that the loss of an important energy regulator called AMPK in neural stem cells or glial cells called astrocytes causes neuronal death in laboratory rodents.

1 Sep 2020