Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Cerebrospinal fluid autoantibodies target the brain in some COVID-19 patients

A study conducted by German researchers has shown that the neurological symptoms observed in some patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be caused by autoantibodies targeting the brain.

7 Jul 2020

New nanoparticle-based artificial retina prosthesis restores vision in blind rats

An international team of scientists, of which the University of Granada (UGR) is a member, has developed a new nanoparticle-based artificial retina prosthesis that can be injected into the eye.

7 Jul 2020

$5 million gift aims to propel Lyme disease research and education

To the Fairbairns, the symptoms--debilitating fatigue, joint pain, cognitive problems--were as worrisome as they were mystifying. All four members of the family had them.

6 Jul 2020

New vitamin K-based drug eliminates medication-resistant epileptic seizures in mice

In the cover article of the June 11 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, a team of researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina, led by Sherine Chan, Ph.D., and James Chou, Ph.D., reports that a new vitamin K-based drug has proved effective in mouse models of medication-resistant seizures.

6 Jul 2020

New treatment approach for Alzheimer's disease

A new study published in The Journal of Physiology has shown that misfolded protein build-up in the gut could contribute to the development of Alzheimer's-like symptoms in mice.

3 Jul 2020

New technology can increase the quality of stem cells used in regenerative medicine

Stem cells have been holding great promise for regenerative medicine for years. In the last decade, several studies have shown that this type of cell, which in Spanish is called "mother cell" because of its ability to give rise to a variety of different cell types, can be applied in regenerative medicine for diseases such as muscular and nervous system disorders, among others.

2 Jul 2020

Researchers develop a potential treatment approach for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease

A team led by Case Western Reserve University medical researchers has developed a potential treatment method for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease (PMD), a fatal neurological disorder that produces severe movement, motor and cognitive dysfunction in children.

1 Jul 2020

Researchers receive innovative grants to understand the biological underpinnings of blood cancers

Seeking to ignite the next major breakthroughs to treat blood cancers, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), The Mark Foundation, and The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group today announced more than $6.75 million awarded to nine of the most exceptional scientists in the field.

1 Jul 2020

Walking backward could help stroke patients to walk again

Walking backward may seem counterintuitive, but to athletes in training, doing so on a treadmill builds strength and agility.

1 Jul 2020

Study shows how the brain's auditory system is affected by HIV

Even with effective antiretroviral therapy, patients infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) sustain central nervous system damage.

30 Jun 2020

Study uncovers algorithms and neural circuit mechanisms of escape responses

Ordered and variable animal behaviours emerge to explore and adapt to the environment. They are generally considered as the combination of a series of stereotyped motor primitives. However, how the nervous system shapes the dynamics of motor sequences remains to be solved.

29 Jun 2020

Study shows why ApoE4 increases risk of Alzheimer's disease

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is kind of like a delivery service for the human brain. It supplies neurons with important nutrients, including with polyunsaturated fatty acids - which are building blocks of the membranes surrounding the neurons.

26 Jun 2020

Researchers identify new molecules to study specific glial cells integral to synapses

While the brain is composed of two types of cells, glia tend to receive far less attention for their importance in brain function and disease than the more celebrated neurons.

26 Jun 2020

Irritable bowel disease heightens the risk of dementia

Scientists have long explored the link between the gut and the brain. Now, a new study shows that older adults with chronic inflammation of the digestive tract may develop dementia more than seven years earlier than those who do not have the condition.

26 Jun 2020

Protein profile in serum reflects COVID-19 severity

The wide range of manifestations of COVID-19 has continued to baffle investigators. Now, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that blood proteins in COVID-19 patients change over time, and these can possibly predict or reflect the severity of disease. More, they may present targets for treatment.

25 Jun 2020

Neuroscientists shed new light on mechanisms responsible for familial migraine

Neuroscientists of the University of Zurich shed a new light on the mechanisms responsible for familial migraine: They show that a genetic dysfunction in specific brain cells of the cingulate cortex area strongly influences head pain occurrence.

24 Jun 2020

Members of Vivli announce commitment to share COVID-19 trial data

Members of Vivli, the Center for Clinical Research Data, announce today their commitment to share their COVID-19 trials through Vivli.

23 Jun 2020

New method for producing tsetse fly attractants using biotechnology

The tsetse fly occurs in large regions of sub-Saharan Africa. The flies feed on human and animal blood, transmitting trypanosoma in the process - small, single-cell organisms that use the flies as intermediate host and cause a dangerous inflammation of the lymph and nervous system in both animals and humans.

22 Jun 2020

Killifish model helps unravel molecular events that lead to loss of protein homeostasis during brain aging

Aging is the main risk factor for dementia and Parkinson's disease. As age progresses, toxic protein aggregates pile up in the brain and impair neuronal function.

21 Jun 2020

New therapy provides relief in patients with chronic low back pain

A new study has found that tanezumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits nerve activity, provides relief in patients with chronic low back pain, one of the leading reasons why people seek medical care and the number one cause of disability worldwide.

19 Jun 2020