Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Philippines declares return of Polio after 19 years

The eradication of polio or poliomyelitis has been a success story for many countries across the globe, including the Philippines. For nearly two decades, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the country’s Department of Health (DOH) declared the nation polio-free, thanks to immunization programs and efforts.

20 Sep 2019

Turtle study offers insight into where and how movements are actually generated

With a study of the network between nerve and muscle cells in turtles, researchers from the University of Copenhagen have gained new insight into the way in which movements are generated and maintained.

19 Sep 2019

New uses for CBD in genetic brain disorder

A new study has revealed that cannabidiol can help people with a rare brain condition called Angelman syndrome to improve their behavioral traits and to control seizures.

19 Sep 2019

AAN recommends assessment of people aged 65 and older for memory problems

People with mild cognitive impairment have thinking and memory problems but usually do not know it because such problems are not severe enough to affect their daily activities.

19 Sep 2019

Scientists pinpoint cause of fatal genetic disorder in children

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appear to have solved a decades-long mystery regarding the precise biochemical pathway leading to a fatal genetic disorder in children that results in seizures, developmental regression and death, usually around age 3.

17 Sep 2019

Chemist explores link between Alzheimer's and copper protein molecules in brain cells

A University of Houston chemist is exploring the link between copper protein molecules in brain cells and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

17 Sep 2019

Foods rich in LH dipeptide may help maintain good mental health

A research group led by Professor Tomoyuki Furuyashiki and Associate Professor Shiho Kitaoka (Graduate School of Medicine) in collaboration with researcher Yasuhisa Ano of Kirin Holdings have made discoveries regarding the effect of the dipeptide Leucine-Histidine in suppressing microglial activation and depression-associated emotional disturbances.

13 Sep 2019

Fight or flight response may originate in our bones

A new study suggests that the main coordinator of the body’s fight-or-flight response is a hormone called osteocalcin, which is secreted by bone.

13 Sep 2019

Surgery crucial for people with drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy is a chronic, central nervous system or neurological disorder wherein the brain activity becomes impaired, leading to seizures. In some cases, it leads to periods of unusual behavior, loss of awareness, or altered sensations.

12 Sep 2019

LMRI scientists discover cause of debilitating eye disease

Scientists at the Lowy Medical Research Institute have discovered one cause of a progressive, debilitating eye disease called macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel).

11 Sep 2019

Brain changes may help track people most likely to develop dementia

Even before dementia diagnosis, people with mild cognitive impairment may have different changes in the brain depending on what type of dementia they have, according to a study published in the September 11, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Sep 2019

Researchers identify mechanism responsible for spatial issues in people with Down syndrome

Researchers reveal that an imbalance of gene Grik1 is behind the spatial issues that people with Down syndrome experience.

11 Sep 2019

Developing next generation treatment to counteract opioid addiction

There are many moments in the human experience when tragedy elicits not only compassion, but inspiration. When Mike Zhang heard the story of a mother whose son died of an opioid overdose just one month after the teenager's introduction to the drug at a party, the Virginia Tech researcher wanted to help.

11 Sep 2019

Brain-computer interface: huge potential benefits and formidable challenges

A new Royal Society report called “iHuman: blurring lines between mind and machine” is for the first time systematically exploring whether it is “right” or not to use neural interfaces – machines implanted in or worn over the body to pick up or stimulate nervous activity in the brain or other parts of the nervous system.

11 Sep 2019

Fatty food changes the brain to affect homeostasis and metabolism

While we all know that eating fatty food pushes up our body weight, a new study now shows it also affects the way the brain keeps track of and corrects all metabolic irregularities in the body. Soon after tucking into a high-fat, high-carb meal – as soon as three days later – the hypothalamus shows inflammation.

10 Sep 2019

Study offers hope for people suffering from chronic pain

When you experience severe pain, like breaking or shattering a bone, the pain isn't just felt at the sight of the injury.

9 Sep 2019

High-fat diets contribute to irregularities in hypothalamus region of the brain

Much research has pointed to how an unhealthy diet correlates to obesity, but has not explored how diet can bring about neurological changes in the brain.

9 Sep 2019

Message transfer between mammal neurons regulated by 'clamp'

A fundamental question in nerve biology brings to mind a race car at the starting line: The engine is revving, but the brake is on. The system is ready to go, but under tight control.

9 Sep 2019

First potential biomarker identified for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome

New research from The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences strongly suggests postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is an autoimmune disorder and may help pave the way for a simple blood test that could help physicians diagnose the condition.

9 Sep 2019

Higher levels of serotonin after a seizure linked to lower incidence of breathing problems

Could a chemical produced by the brain that regulates mood, sleep and breathing also be protective in people with epilepsy? New research has found that higher levels of serotonin in the blood after a seizure are linked to a lower incidence of seizure-related breathing problems called apneas, when a person temporarily stops breathing.

5 Sep 2019