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Scientists develop human stem cell disease model of Parkinson's disease in a dish

A team of scientists led by The New York Stem Cell Foundation Research Institute successfully created a human stem cell disease model of Parkinson's disease in a dish. Studying a pair of identical (monozygotic) twins, one affected and one unaffected with Parkinson's disease, another unrelated Parkinson's patient, and four healthy control subjects, the scientists were able to observe key features of the disease in the laboratory, specifically differences in the patients' neurons' ability to produce dopamine, the molecule that is deficient in Parkinson's disease.

6 Nov 2014

New study finds link between conflict and reinforcement learning

We celebrate our triumphs over adversity, but let's face it: We'd rather not experience difficulty at all. A new study ties that behavioral inclination to learning: When researchers added a bit of conflict to make a learning task more difficult, that additional conflict biased learning by reducing the influence of reward and increasing the influence of aversion to punishment.

6 Nov 2014

UTSA professor selected to receive NSF grant to study complex brain processes

Fidel Santamaria, associate professor of biology in the UTSA College of Sciences, is one of 36 researchers in the nation selected to receive a two-year $300,00 National Science Foundation (NSF) Early Concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER). The funding supports President Obama's BRAIN Initiative, a federal effort to support researchers to create new technology that will demystify complex brain processes.

5 Nov 2014

Light-activated diabetes drug: an interview with Dr David Hodson

We've known about chemicals that can be light-activated for about five to ten years now. They’ve mainly all been applied to neurons and, more specifically, the retina. Nobody has ever really looked at any tissues outside of the nervous system.

5 Nov 2014

Even brief workouts can reduce risk of relapse during meth withdrawal

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that even brief workouts can reduce the risk of relapse in rats withdrawing from methamphetamine. In addition, the team found that exercise affected the neurons in a brain region that had never before been associated with meth withdrawal, suggesting a new direction for drug development.

5 Nov 2014

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease share common risk factors

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) appear to have a lot in common. They share risk factors such as obesity and they often occur together. If they also share the same genetic underpinings, then doctors could devise a way to treat them together too.

4 Nov 2014

3D brain-like tissue: an interview with Professor David Kaplan, Tufts University

In 2D, neurons tend to form limited connectivity reflective of the 3D complexity in the brain and have more limited cultivation time before reduction in functions.

4 Nov 2014

Tau proteins spur neuron death in Alzheimer's disease

New research points to tau, not amyloid-beta (Abeta) plaque, as the seminal event that spurs neuron death in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The finding, which dramatically alters the prevailing theory of Alzheimer's development, also explains why some people with plaque build-up in their brains don't have dementia.

3 Nov 2014

Scratching itchy skin causes the brain to release serotonin, intensifies itchy feeling

Turns out your mom was right: Scratching an itch only makes it worse. New research from scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that scratching causes the brain to release serotonin, which intensifies the itch sensation.

31 Oct 2014

SCN clock isn't necessary to align body rhythms with light-dark cycle, study reveals

Circadian clocks regulate functions ranging from alertness and reaction time to body temperature and blood pressure. New research published in the November 2014 issue of The FASEB Journal further adds to our understanding of the circadian rhythm by suggesting that the suprachiasmaticus nucleus (SCN) clock, a tiny region of the hypothalamus considered to be the body's "master" timekeeper, is not necessary to align body rhythms with the light-dark cycle.

31 Oct 2014

Aging astrocytes lose ability to protect motor neurons, reveal Cedars-Sinai ALS researchers

Lou Gehrig's disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, attacks muscle-controlling nerve cells – motor neurons – in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord, leading to progressive weakness and eventual paralysis of muscles throughout the body. Patients typically survive only three to five years after diagnosis.

31 Oct 2014

Nanostructures around brain cells may have role in central nervous system function

An accumulation of a protein called amyloid-beta into large insoluble deposits called plaques is known to cause Alzheimer's disease. One aspect of this illness that has not received much attention is which role the structure of the brain environment plays.

30 Oct 2014

TSRI scientists discover signaling pathway that contribute to Huntington's disease

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a major contributor to Huntington's disease, a devastating progressive neurological condition that produces involuntary movements, emotional disturbance and cognitive impairment.

29 Oct 2014

Dietary cocoa flavanols can reverse age-related memory decline in healthy older adults

Dietary cocoa flavanols—naturally occurring bioactives found in cocoa—reversed age-related memory decline in healthy older adults, according to a study led by Columbia University Medical Center scientists.

27 Oct 2014

Digoxin drug may be adaptable for ALS treatment, study suggests

Digoxin, a medication used in the treatment of heart failure, may be adaptable for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive, paralyzing disease, suggests new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

27 Oct 2014

Study sheds light on why we remember some things and not others

Why do we remember some things and not others? In a unique imaging study, two Northwestern University researchers have discovered how neurons in the brain might allow some experiences to be remembered while others are forgotten. It turns out, if you want to remember something about your environment, you better involve your dendrites.

27 Oct 2014

Cornell University chemists uncover new insight into the underlying causes of ALS

Using a technique that illuminates subtle changes in individual proteins, chemistry researchers at Cornell University have uncovered new insight into the underlying causes of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

27 Oct 2014

Scientists use innovative exome sequencing strategy to identify new gene associated with ALS

Using an innovative exome sequencing strategy, a team of international scientists led by John Landers, PhD, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School has shown that TUBA4A, the gene encoding the Tubulin Alpha 4A protein, is associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurological disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

23 Oct 2014

Nonmotor predictors of Parkinson’s dementia revealed

Researchers have identified nonmotor and nondopaminergic motor features that predict incident dementia in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

22 Oct 2014

Research: MHCI protein moonlights in nervous system to regulate synapses

When it comes to the brain, "more is better" seems like an obvious assumption. But in the case of synapses, which are the connections between brain cells, too many or too few can both disrupt brain function.

21 Oct 2014

Neurons News and Research

Scientists develop human stem cell disease model of Parkinson's disease in a dish

New study finds link between conflict and reinforcement learning

UTSA professor selected to receive NSF grant to study complex brain processes

Light-activated diabetes drug: an interview with Dr David Hodson

Even brief workouts can reduce risk of relapse during meth withdrawal

Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease share common risk factors

3D brain-like tissue: an interview with Professor David Kaplan, Tufts University

Tau proteins spur neuron death in Alzheimer's disease

Scratching itchy skin causes the brain to release serotonin, intensifies itchy feeling

SCN clock isn't necessary to align body rhythms with light-dark cycle, study reveals

Aging astrocytes lose ability to protect motor neurons, reveal Cedars-Sinai ALS researchers

Nanostructures around brain cells may have role in central nervous system function

TSRI scientists discover signaling pathway that contribute to Huntington's disease

Dietary cocoa flavanols can reverse age-related memory decline in healthy older adults

Digoxin drug may be adaptable for ALS treatment, study suggests

Study sheds light on why we remember some things and not others

Cornell University chemists uncover new insight into the underlying causes of ALS

Scientists use innovative exome sequencing strategy to identify new gene associated with ALS

Nonmotor predictors of Parkinson’s dementia revealed

Research: MHCI protein moonlights in nervous system to regulate synapses

Neuroscience - Second Edition eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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