Life and death in the living brain
Like clockwork, brain regions in many songbird species expand and shrink seasonally in response to hormones. Now, for the first time, University of Washington neurobiologists have interrupted this natural "annual remodeling" of the brain and have shown that there is a direct link between the death of old neurons and their replacement by... view more... (2009-08-11)
Newborn brain cells show the way
Although the fact that we generate new brain cells throughout life is no longer disputed, their purpose has been the topic of much debate. view more (2009-07-10)
Gene activity reveals dynamic stroma microenvironment in prostate cancer
As stroma - the supportive framework of the prostate gland - react to prostate cancer, changes in the expression of genes occur that induce the formation of new structures such as blood vessels, nerves and parts of nerves. view more (2009-06-09)
New mouse model of depression/anxiety enhances understanding of antidepressant drugs
A recent study finds that the antidepressant effects of drugs like Prozac involve both neurogenesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms, a finding that may lead to development of better treatments for depression and anxiety. view more (2009-05-28)
Brain chemical reduces anxiety, increases survival of new cells
New research on a brain chemical involved in development sheds light on why some individuals may be predisposed to anxiety. view more (2009-05-13)
CCNY, CSHL biologists find birdsong of isolates reverts to norm over several generations
In an experiment that points to a role for genetics in the development of culture, biologists at The City College of New York (CCNY) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have discovered that zebra finches raised in isolation will, over several generations, produce a song similar to that sung by the species in the wild. view more (2009-05-04)
Growth of new brain cells requires 'epigenetic' switch
New cells are born every day in the brain's hippocampus, but what controls this birth has remained a mystery. Reporting in the January 1 issue of Science, neuroscientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have discovered that the birth of new cells, which depends on brain activity, also depends on a protein that is involved in... view more... (2009-01-09)
Prostate cancer spurs new nerves
Prostate cancer - and perhaps other cancers - promotes the growth of new nerves and the branching axons that carry their messages, a finding associated with more aggressive tumors, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in the first report of the phenomenon that appears today in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. view more (2008-12-01)
Memory mission explores new territory in neuroscience
Astrophysicists peer into the far corners of deep space for dark matter, but for neuroscientists at the Queensland Brain Institute (QBI) exploring the unknown is much closer to home. view more (2008-11-21)
Exercise increases brain growth factor and receptors, prevents stem cell drop in middle age
A new study confirms that exercise can reverse the age-related decline in the production of neural stem cells in the hippocampus of the mouse brain, and suggests that this happens because exercise restores a brain chemical which promotes the production and maturation of new stem cells. view more (2008-11-18)
Protein can nurture or devastate brain cells, depending on its 'friends,' researchers find
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have uncovered new insights into the "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" nature of a protein that stimulates stem-cell maturation in the brain but, paradoxically, can also lead to nerve-cell damage. view more (2008-11-12)
Potential new targets for antidepressant medications
The news about antidepressant medications over the past several years has been mixed. The bad news from large multicenter studies such as STAR*D is that current antidepressant medications are effective, but not as effective as one might hope. Thus, there is a significant need for new treatment mechanisms for depression. view more (2008-08-27)
Sensitivity to antidepressants linked with TrkB-mediated neural proliferation
Scientists have unveiled a functional link between production of new neurons and the effectiveness of antidepressants (ADs) in an animal model. The study, published by Cell Press in the August 14 issue of the journal Neuron, provides exciting insight into a mechanism that might underlie a poor response to antidepressive medications for anxiety or... view more... (2008-08-14)
UNC study ties ending moderate drinking to depression
Scientific evidence has long suggested that moderate drinking offers some protection against heart disease, certain types of stroke and some forms of cancer. view more (2008-07-09)
Mammalian neurogenesis breaks into the most static brain region
ifteen years ago, the discovery of adult neurogenesis (the production of new neurons) in the highly static, non-renewable mammalian brain was a breakthrough in neuroscience. view more (2008-06-04)
Blueberry and green tea containing supplement protects against stroke damage
A unique dietary supplement called NutraStem ® has been shown to have beneficial effects following experimental stroke. A nutritional supplement product, NutraStem also known as NT-020, is a proprietary formulation of blueberry, green tea, vitamin D3 and carnosine extracts- a combination of nutritional ingredients thought to be potent in... view more... (2008-03-04)
Building brains: Mammalian-like neurogenesis in fruit flies
A new way of generating brain cells has been uncovered in Drosophila. The findings, published this week in the online open access journal Neural Development, reveal that this novel mode of neurogenesis is very similar to that seen in mammalian brains, suggesting that key aspects of neural development could be shared by insects and mammals. view more (2008-02-19)
Trainor Lab characterizes gene essential for prenatal development of nervous system
The Stowers Institute's Trainor Lab has demonstrated the role of a gene important to the embryonic development of the nervous system, a process that requires coordination of differentiation of immature neural cells with the cycle of cell division that increases their numbers. Until now, the mechanisms regulating these distinct cellular activities... view more... (2008-02-04)
Brain cell growth diminishes long before old age strikes, animal study shows
Even early in adulthood, aging begins to slow the mind's growth -- but it does not have to stop it altogether, suggests a Princeton University study on the brains of adult monkeys. view more (2007-10-16)
Schizophrenia-linked gene keeps new adult brain cells under control
A gene with reported links to schizophrenia and other mood disorders plays a broader role in the brain than scientists had previously suspected. view more (2007-09-07)
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