Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Flinders University study provides new insights into how the colon functions

New insights into how the colon functions and actually expels its contents have been revealed for the first time following decades of study by Flinders University researchers.

29 Oct 2019

Pro-inflammatory protein could play key role in protecting against herpes virus

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix have discovered a function in a pro-inflammatory protein that could play an important part in improving current and future therapeutics for the herpes virus.

29 Oct 2019

Some plant foods causing paralysis, death, in malnourished populations

There are a lot of plants eaten for food that may also contain toxins that harm the brain and the nervous system, when present in amounts that cross the limit of individual tolerance. This happens when such toxin-containing foods are the chief or only source of nutrition.

26 Oct 2019

Nerve cell protection without side effects on erythropoiesis

The hormone erythropoietin (Epo) is a well-known doping substance that has a long history of abuse in endurance sports, such as cycling. In addition to promoting red blood cell production (erythropoiesis), which improves the oxygen supply in the organism, Epo also protects nerve cells from cell death.

25 Oct 2019

White and brown fat cells send very different signals to rest of the body

Many people might not realize that they have different types of body fat. Most of it is white fat that sits on your stomach, hips and thighs, for example. White fat is an energy storage that our body can use when food is scarce.

25 Oct 2019

Rutgers professor discusses children’s vulnerabilities to pesticides and how to reduce exposure

Studies show that exposure to pesticides – specifically those containing chlorpyrifos, which attack an insect's nervous system – can harm a child's physical and mental development.

23 Oct 2019

High levels of dietary salt can activate a brain pathway to cause cognitive impairment

High levels of dietary salt can activate a pathway in the brain to cause cognitive impairment, according to a new study. The paper, which was published in Nature, shows that this effect is not due to a loss in blood flow to the brain as originally thought, but rather to clumps of a protein linked to several forms of dementia in humans.

23 Oct 2019

Polymerized estrogen can protect nervous system cells and promote regeneration

Spinal cord damage that causes paralysis and reduced mobility doesn't always stop with the initial trauma, but there are few treatment options to halt increased deterioration -- and there is no cure.

23 Oct 2019

Electrical stimulation of vagus nerve on the ear reduces postoperative atrial fibrillation risk

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common complications following heart surgery, affecting one in three patients. This adverse side-effect, with symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest, can normally be suppressed with sometimes strong medication.

23 Oct 2019

Celiac disease may now be curable with biodegradable nanoparticles

A phase 2 trial just concluded shows that people with celiac disease may now be able to hope for a cure, through a treatment that makes the immune system tolerant towards gluten. This could eventually make it possible for such individuals to eat gluten-containing foods without fear.

22 Oct 2019

Long-term exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment impairs brain function in mice

Human-made toxic chemicals that linger indefinitely in the environment disrupt the performance of critical helper cells in the mouse brain, leading to impaired function over long-term exposures, say neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center.

22 Oct 2019

Columbia researchers capture new detailed images of a temperature-sensing molecule

Columbia University researchers have captured new detailed images of a temperature-sensing molecule in its open, intermediate, and closed states.

21 Oct 2019

Immune cells rewire, repair brain while we sleep, study shows

Science tells us that a lot of good things happen in our brains while we sleep - learning and memories are consolidated and waste is removed, among other things.

21 Oct 2019

Pluripotent stem cells help advance understanding of how Huntington's disease develops

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal hereditary disease for which there is no cure. A novel study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, using pluripotent stem cells advances understanding of how the disease develops and may help pave the way for identifying pathways for future treatments.

21 Oct 2019

Patterns unique to the striatum observed in people with Huntington's disease

The part of the brain that selectively degenerates in people with Huntington's disease (HD), called the striatum, is almost entirely destroyed in the late stages of the disease. Brain samples from mutant HD gene positive individuals who had not yet developed symptoms by time of death are extremely rare. As a consequence, very little is known about the active disease process that causes the devastating symptoms of HD.

21 Oct 2019

Timing of food may be nearly as important as how much we eat

Most of what we believe about eating and health stems from decades of research based on a simple premise: The amount of calories consumed affects one's ability to maintain a healthy weight and live longer.

21 Oct 2019

Salk scientists receive NIH funding to map brain circuitry for movement

A team of Salk scientists led by Professor Martyn Goulding has been awarded $14.3 million over five years by the National Institutes of Health to create a high-resolution atlas of how the mouse brain generates and controls skilled forelimb movements, such as reaching and grasping.

18 Oct 2019

NIH offers support to address ethical challenges associated with clinical research advances

With support from the National Institutes of Health's Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, scientists are developing powerful new devices and technologies to monitor and regulate brain activity.

18 Oct 2019

New NIH BRAIN Initiative awards accelerate the pace of neuroscience research

Scientists have been developing astounding new tools for exploring neural circuits that underlie brain function throughout the first five years of the National Institutes of Health's Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies Initiative.

18 Oct 2019

Lyme vaccine on the horizon, says new study

Lyme disease is a dreaded disease caused by the bite of an infected tick. The only way to prevent it is by not getting bitten by the tick. However, this is not a practical recommendation, since even today about 300,000 thousand people are diagnosed with this infection, in the US alone, and over 100,000 in Europe, each year.

17 Oct 2019