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Protein that plays key role in neurological diseases regulates neuronal communication by self-association

The protein alpha-synuclein is a well-known player in Parkinson's disease and other related neurological conditions, such as dementia with Lewy bodies. Its normal functions, however, have long remained unknown.

30 Sep 2014

Synapse Biomedical completes enrollment in post-approval study of NeuRx DPS for ALS patients

Synapse Biomedical Inc. announced today it has completed the enrollment of the post-approval study of its NeuRx DPS System for ALS patients.

30 Sep 2014

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to honor 8 scientists for achievements in psychiatric research

The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation will honor eight scientists with its 2014 Outstanding Achievement Prizes for work delving into psychiatric disorders that affect one in four people. The awards, which celebrate the transformative power of neuroscience and psychiatric research to improve the lives of people with mental illness, will be presented at the Foundation's National Awards Dinner at the Pierre Hotel.

30 Sep 2014

International researchers identify novel causes for severe childhood epilepsies

In the largest collaborative study so far, an international team of researchers, including scientists from VIB and Antwerp University identified novel causes for severe childhood epilepsies.

26 Sep 2014

Understanding neuron development: an interview with Dr. Brock Grill, The Scripps Research Institute

There’s a big difference between understanding coordination and actually building connectivity. In terms of building connectivity, several molecules have been identified that control this process and a lot has been learned from both genetic and biochemical research in a variety of different systems, particularly studies in the nematode C. elegans, the fruit fly Drosophila and mice.

22 Aug 2014

Children and adolescents with autism have surplus of synapses in brain

Children and adolescents with autism have a surplus of synapses in the brain, and this excess is due to a slowdown in a normal brain "pruning" process during development, according to a study by neuroscientists at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

22 Aug 2014

Rare mutation in suspect gene disrupts brain circuitry in complex psychiatric disorders

Researchers have long suspected that major mental disorders are genetically-rooted diseases of synapses - the connections between neurons.

18 Aug 2014

Illness-linked genetic variation affects connections among neurons in the developing brain

A genetic variation linked to schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression wreaks havoc on connections among neurons in the developing brain, a team of researchers reports.

16 Aug 2014

Huntingtin protein plays critical role in long-term memory development

It has been more than 20 years since scientists discovered that mutations in the gene huntingtin cause the devastating progressive neurological condition Huntington's disease, which involves involuntary movements, emotional disturbance and cognitive impairment.

13 Aug 2014

Neuroscientists shed new light on how the brain works

Neuroscientists in Bonn and Heidelberg have succeeded in providing new insights into how the brain works. Researchers at the DZNE and the German Cancer Research Center analyzed tissue samples from mice to identify how two specific proteins, ‘CKAMP44’ and ‘TARP Gamma-8’, act upon the brain’s memory center.

26 Jul 2014

Protein once seen as promising anti-cancer compound helps to stabilize neural circuits

Researchers at UC San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered that endostatin, a protein that once aroused intense interest as a possible cancer treatment, plays a key role in the stable functioning of the nervous system.

25 Jul 2014

Deleting enzyme favorably impacts behaviors associated with autistic behaviors

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder that causes obsessive-compulsive and repetitive behaviors, and other behaviors on the autistic spectrum, as well as cognitive deficits. It is the most common inherited cause of mental impairment and the most common cause of autism.

24 Jul 2014

Study finds microglia increase neuronal firing and enhance brain cell survival after injury

A type of immune cell widely believed to exacerbate chronic adult brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis (MS), can actually protect the brain from traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, according to Cleveland Clinic research published today in the online journal Nature Communications.

22 Jul 2014

Astrocytes play role in forming inhibitory synapses

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil- In the brains of all vertebrates, information is transmitted through synapses, a mechanism that allows an electric or chemical signal to be passed from one brain cell to another.

11 Jul 2014

New study sheds light on role of RPM-1 protein in neuron development

In a new study, scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have shed new light on these complex processes, showing that a particular protein plays a far more sophisticated role in neuron development than previously thought.

11 Jul 2014

Thyroid hormone protects cholinergic neurons in hippocampus of naturally aged mice

Can thyroid hormone protect neuronal function and increase the survival rate of naturally aged animals? Prof. Ailing Fu and her team, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, China performed an animal experiment in which aged mice were administered with low dose of levothyroxine for 3 consecutive months.

9 Jul 2014

Cocoa-extract may reduce damage to nerve pathways in Alzheimer's patients' brains

A specific preparation of cocoa-extract called Lavado may reduce damage to nerve pathways seen in Alzheimer's disease patients' brains long before they develop symptoms, according to a study conducted at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published June 20 in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (JAD).

24 Jun 2014

Researchers uncover several gene networks with potentially important roles in autism

A large new analysis of DNA from thousands of patients has uncovered several underlying gene networks with potentially important roles in autism.

9 Jun 2014

Gene networks may offer attractive targets for developing new autism drugs

A large new analysis of DNA from thousands of patients has uncovered several underlying gene networks with potentially important roles in autism.

6 Jun 2014

Study: The brain controls cellular process that leads to glaucoma

Findings from a new study published in Translational Vision Science & Technology show the brain, not the eye, controls the cellular process that leads to glaucoma. The results may help develop treatments for one of the world's leading causes of irreversible blindness, as well as contribute to the development of future therapies for preserving brain function in other age-related disorders like Alzheimer's.

6 Jun 2014

Synapse News and Research

Protein that plays key role in neurological diseases regulates neuronal communication by self-association

Synapse Biomedical completes enrollment in post-approval study of NeuRx DPS for ALS patients

Brain & Behavior Research Foundation to honor 8 scientists for achievements in psychiatric research

International researchers identify novel causes for severe childhood epilepsies

Understanding neuron development: an interview with Dr. Brock Grill, The Scripps Research Institute

Children and adolescents with autism have surplus of synapses in brain

Rare mutation in suspect gene disrupts brain circuitry in complex psychiatric disorders

Illness-linked genetic variation affects connections among neurons in the developing brain

Huntingtin protein plays critical role in long-term memory development

Neuroscientists shed new light on how the brain works

Protein once seen as promising anti-cancer compound helps to stabilize neural circuits

Deleting enzyme favorably impacts behaviors associated with autistic behaviors

Study finds microglia increase neuronal firing and enhance brain cell survival after injury

Astrocytes play role in forming inhibitory synapses

New study sheds light on role of RPM-1 protein in neuron development

Thyroid hormone protects cholinergic neurons in hippocampus of naturally aged mice

Cocoa-extract may reduce damage to nerve pathways in Alzheimer's patients' brains

Researchers uncover several gene networks with potentially important roles in autism

Gene networks may offer attractive targets for developing new autism drugs

Study: The brain controls cellular process that leads to glaucoma

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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