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Science News for July 8, 2011


Study offers new clues about hereditary spastic paraplegia

A study from Rice University and Italy's Eugenio Medea Scientific Institute has shed light on the biochemical workings of atlastin, a protein linked to HSP. The research suggests that atlastin plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of long nerve cells affected by HSP.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 8, 2011

How memory is read out in the fly brain

A team of scientists identified the MB-V2 nerve cells as crucial for recalling associative memories in fruit flies. The study showed that these cells receive information from the mushroom body and relay it to other nerve cells, enabling memory 'read-out' and guiding behavior.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJul 8, 2011

A change of heart: Penn researchers reprogram brain cells to become heart cells

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have demonstrated direct conversion of a non-heart cell type into a heart cell by RNA transfer. This breakthrough approach, called Transcriptome Induced Phenotype Remodeling (TIPeR), offers potential for cell-based therapy for cardiovascular diseases and personalized scre...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 8, 2011

Advances in research into Alzheimer's disease

Researchers found that vitamin D injections improved the removal of amyloid beta from the brain of mice, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for preventing Alzheimer's disease. Transporter proteins at the blood CSF barrier also play a crucial role in removing amyloid beta from the brain.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalFluids and Barriers of the CNS·DateJul 8, 2011