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Researchers exploit Japanese supercomputer to achieve largest general neuronal network simulation

By exploiting the full computational power of the Japanese supercomputer, K Computer, researchers from the RIKEN HPCI Program for Computational Life Sciences, the Okinawa Institute of Technology (OIST) in Japan and Forschungszentrum J-lich in Germany have carried out the largest general neuronal network simulation to date.

3 Aug 2013

Protein linked to learning induces cocaine addiction, say researchers

A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study, published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Cell, describe how the learning-related protein works with other proteins to forge new pathways in the brain in response to a drug-induced rush of the “pleasure” molecule dopamine.

2 Aug 2013

Researchers find a crucial on-off switch in visual development

A discovery by a University of Maryland-led research team offers hope for treating "lazy eye" and other serious visual problems that are usually permanent unless they are corrected in early childhood.

2 Aug 2013

Statins: A class of cholesterol-lowering drugs may help treat Rett Syndrome

Statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs found in millions of medicine cabinets, may help treat Rett Syndrome, according to a study published today in Nature Genetics. The Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) funded this work with generous support from the Rett Syndrome Research Trust UK and Rett Syndrome Research & Treatment Foundation.

30 Jul 2013

Astrocytes can protect brain tissue and reduce disability due to stroke

One of regenerative medicine's greatest goals is to develop new treatments for stroke. So far, stem cell research for the disease has focused on developing therapeutic neurons - the primary movers of electrical impulses in the brain - to repair tissue damaged when oxygen to the brain is limited by a blood clot or break in a vessel. New UC Davis research, however, shows that other cells may be better suited for the task.

24 Jul 2013

Physical activity reduces stress and promotes growth of new neurons

Physical activity reorganizes the brain so that its response to stress is reduced and anxiety is less likely to interfere with normal brain function, according to a research team based at Princeton University.

5 Jul 2013

Chemical hormone released due to stress can trigger mechanism for late onset of Alzheimer's disease

A chemical hormone released in the body as a reaction to stress could be a key trigger of the mechanism for the late onset of Alzheimer's disease, according to a study by researchers at Temple University.

20 Jun 2013

Scientists discover key mechanism that boosts signalling function of neurons in the brain

Scientists working under the leadership of neurobiologists Nils Brose and Erwin Neher at the Max Planck Institutes of Experimental Medicine and Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen have now discovered an important molecular mechanism that turns neurons into true masters of adaptation.

14 Jun 2013

Findings have implications for potential gene therapies for autism spectrum disorders

A gene linked to autism spectrum disorders that was manipulated in two lines of transgenic mice produced mature adults with irreversible deficits affecting either learning or social interaction.

6 Jun 2013

Calyx of Held: The largest synapse could shed light on neuropsychiatric disorders

Humans and most mammals can determine the spatial origin of sounds with remarkable acuity. We use this ability all the time -- crossing the street; locating an invisible ringing cell phone in a cluttered bedroom.

27 May 2013

Researchers successfully test new anti-cocaine vaccine in primates

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have successfully tested their novel anti-cocaine vaccine in primates, bringing them closer to launching human clinical trials.

13 May 2013

Study results support new view of molecules important for nerve cell signaling

National Institutes of Health researchers used the popular anti-wrinkle agent Botox to discover a new and important role for a group of molecules that nerve cells use to quickly send messages.

3 May 2013

Novel strategy for characterizing RNAs transported from nerve cell to synapse

Despite decades of research, relatively little is known about the identity of RNA molecules that are transported as part of the molecular process underpinning learning and memory.

26 Apr 2013

Advanced microscope reveals process where mutations lead to autism and other diseases

Using spinning disk microscopy on barely day-old zebra fish embryos, University of Oregon scientists have gained a new window on how synapse-building components move to worksites in the central nervous system.

22 Apr 2013

Reports showcase potential of scientists working together to find breast cancer predictors

Two new reports issuing in Science Translational Medicine today showcase the potential of teams of scientists working together to solve increasingly complex medical problems.

18 Apr 2013

TSRI scientists shed light on major toxic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have shed light on one of the major toxic mechanisms of Alzheimer's disease. The discoveries could lead to a much better understanding of the Alzheimer's process and how to prevent it.

11 Apr 2013

Exosomes can transfer membrane proteins, study reveals

Important new research from UMass Medical School demonstrates how exosomes shuttle proteins from neurons to muscle cells where they take part in critical signaling mechanisms, an exciting discovery that means these tiny vehicles could one day be loaded with therapeutic agents, such as RNA interference, and directly target disease-carrying cells.

28 Mar 2013

Two genes associated with rare autism-related disorders linked to general forms of autism: Study

A new study finds that two genes individually associated with rare autism-related disorders are also jointly linked to more general forms of autism. The finding suggests a new genetic pathway to investigate in general autism research.

22 Mar 2013

New research project on systems biology of synapse proteins and ageing launched

The AgedBrainSYSBIO project on systems biology of synapse proteins & ageing was officially launched March18th in Paris, France.

20 Mar 2013

Scientists pinpoint neural basis for stress-related relapse in rat models

All too often, stress turns addiction recovery into relapse, but years of basic brain research have provided scientists with insight that might allow them develop a medicine to help. A new study in the journal Neuron pinpoints the neural basis for stress-related relapse in rat models to an unprecedented degree.

7 Mar 2013