Researchers developed a gene-delivery system that converts reactive astrocytes into functional neurons, improving motor recovery in mice and rats. The system, TRANsCre-DIONE, selectively targets scar-forming cells and reprograms them into neurons, which generate nerve impulses and receive signals from other neurons.
Researchers have mapped the complete neural wiring behind taste in an animal, tracing taste signals from sensory neurons to motor neurons that drive feeding. The study reveals neural pathways that could explain how taste triggers anticipatory insulin release before a single calorie is absorbed.
Salk Institute researchers found microglia's novel way to contribute to ALS progression and death, using TAM receptors to find and kill motor neurons in spinal cords of mice with ALS. The study suggests a new target for therapy innovation, but notes the complexity of variables involved.
Researchers at University of Arizona have found a promising new approach to slow fatal nerve disease ALS by blocking a small part of a key protein. The experimental drug XL20 protects nerve cells and reduces muscle weakness in mice and human nerve cells, representing a potential breakthrough.
A new study reveals that ALS unfolds through a domino-like sequence of events starting with an early breakdown in motor neurons, followed by a damaging inflammatory response. The findings suggest that targeting these immune signatures could slow down disease progression.
A new study reveals that astrocytes actively participate in motor-learning circuit rewiring by eliminating synapses in the striatum. The research identifies MEGF10 as a key molecular mediator of this process, which is regulated by dopamine signaling and neural activity.
A case-control study found that even low-level air pollution in Sweden may increase the risk of developing motor neuron disease. Long-term exposure was also associated with poorer disease prognosis after diagnosis.
Scientists have identified a previously unknown genetic disease, MINA syndrome, which damages motor neurons and affects movement and muscle control. The disease is caused by a rare genetic mutation in the NAMPT protein, leading to symptoms such as muscle weakness, loss of coordination, and foot deformities.
Researchers found that mutations in the CFAP410 gene change its interaction with another protein, making motor neuron cells more vulnerable to DNA damage and cell death. This discovery provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying Motor Neurone Disease and highlights potential targets for new therapies.
Researchers at Uppsala University have created a model of human nerve tissue using 3D printing, enabling the testing of new drug treatments in a lab environment. This innovation allows for more precise medicine and could potentially lead to improved treatment options for ALS patients.
Researchers discovered that specific neurons in the basal ganglia make precise decisions about when to allow and stop movements, licensing the timing of movement. This fine-grained movement control has important implications for understanding neurological disorders like Parkinson's disease.
Researchers at Stockholm University and UK DRI have identified a common disease signature across all ALS-causing mutations in motor neurons, revealing early mitochondrial dysfunction. This discovery opens up new avenues for early treatment methods, targeting the energy factories of nerve cells before other signs of disease appear.
A UC San Francisco-led study found that delivering medicine for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) via the amniotic fluid was safe and helped prevent damage to nerve cells. The therapy used molecules called antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which can alter gene expression, and was tested in mice and sheep with promising results.
Researchers found that ATP regulates protein condensation and cytoplasm viscosity, preventing harmful protein aggregates. Boosting ATP production decreases viscosity, dispersing existing and preventing future protein aggregations.
A team of researchers from Goethe University and Kiel University has discovered a way to prevent the formation of harmful protein aggregates in cultured cells. The study found that linking TDP-43 with SUMO prevents its aggregation, suggesting a potential new approach for treating ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers analyzed brain tissue from individuals with severe Tourette syndrome and identified three key changes: altered gene activity, regulatory element modifications, and interneuron loss. These findings provide unprecedented insights into the disorder's biology and may explain why individuals experience involuntary movements and ...
A new Northwestern University study finds that NU-9 improves neuron health in animal models of Alzheimer's disease by addressing the underlying mechanisms of misfolded proteins. The drug reduces protein buildup and prevents inflammation, showing potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have discovered that the adult brain can generate new neurons that integrate into key motor circuits, potentially reversing damage in Huntington's disease. These newly generated cells replace lost neural networks and connect with complex brain networks responsible for motor control.
The ALL ALS Consortium has recruited over 300 participants across two studies, ASSESS and PREVENT, aiming to disrupt traditional ALS research by making data and samples available worldwide. The consortium seeks to discover new drug targets and approaches for effective treatments.
Researchers have mapped the long-range synaptic connections involved in vocal learning in zebra finches, uncovering new details about how the brain organises learned vocalisations. The study provides a framework for understanding how the brain integrates sensory and motor information to guide learned vocal behaviour.
Researchers at MIT have devised a simplified process to convert skin cells directly into neurons, bypassing the stem cell stage and achieving yields of over 10 neurons from a single skin cell. This approach could potentially be used to treat patients with spinal cord injuries or diseases that impair mobility.
Binghamton University researchers have created a hydrogel electrode that includes conductive carbon nanotubes to monitor nerve activity in spinal cord neurons and leg muscles in mice. The technology solves the problem of rigid materials causing damage during movement, allowing for long-term functionality and single-cell signal detection.
Researchers at USC Stem Cell discovered a gene called KCTD20 that suppresses glutamate toxicity, leading to enhanced tau protein clearance. This approach offers a promising therapeutic strategy for patients with tau-related neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at the University of Missouri have identified a small molecule drug that targets a specific serotonin receptor, showing promise as a treatment for sarcopenia. The study suggests that this neurotherapeutic can improve muscle strength by activating motor neurons to fire more effectively.
Researchers discovered a horizontally distributed and modular organization of cortical movement units, with different types of neurons forming functional clusters in distinct regions. The study also found that the brain re-networks and adapts to learn new motor skills.
A pioneering study demonstrates the feasibility of treating SMA prenatally using risdiplam, a drug administered to an expectant mother during pregnancy. No identifiable features of SMA have been observed in a 2.5-year-old child, suggesting a promising outcome for future research.
Researchers discovered that mismatch repair genes are critical in eliciting damages to neurons vulnerable to Huntington's disease, triggering downstream pathologies and motor impairment. Targeting these genes may offer novel therapeutic approaches, including improving locomotor and gait deficits and reducing neuronal cell death.
A new drug-free intervention targets the root cause of progressive loss of neural function in SMA by gradually reawakening functionally silent motor neurons. Early results show improved leg muscle strength and walking in adults with SMA, regardless of symptom severity.
A brain-computer interface has enabled a person with tetraplegia to control a virtual quadcopter by thinking about moving their unresponsive fingers. This technology provides unprecedented control, allowing the user to maneuver through a virtual obstacle course and potentially enabling remote work and social interactions.
Researchers created a whole-brain atlas to visualize regions of the brain connected to V1 interneurons, a group of cells necessary for movement. The findings provide a framework to further understand the anatomical landscape of the nervous system and how the brain communicates with the spinal cord.
A recent study suggests that tiny antenna-like structures on cells called primary cilia could be a potential therapeutic target for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Researchers have identified mutations in the C21orf2 gene, which impair primary cilia formation and structure, leading to motor neuron death.
A new method has been developed to create motor neurons from stem cells taken directly from ALS patients, allowing for fast and individualized drug testing. The cultured ALS motor neurons had increased susceptibility to cell death, underscoring the utility of this system to identify potential drugs.
Researchers at Nagoya University have discovered a unique motor control system in frogfish's first dorsal fin, enabling their 'fishing' behavior. The study reveals how motor neurons changed location as their function shifted from swimming to hunting.
A groundbreaking study reveals that macrophages within muscle spindles actively participate in motor control through fast neurotransmitter-mediated mechanisms. These immune cells help fine-tune muscle contractions, providing essential feedback to the nervous system and optimizing energy use during physical activity.
Researchers at McMaster University have identified a potential treatment for Sandhoff and Tay-Sachs diseases, two rare lysosomal storage disorders that cause progressive damage to nerve cells. The FDA-approved drug 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) showed significant improvements in motor function, lifespan, and healthy motor neurons.
A new study by MIT engineers reveals that exercise can stimulate nerve growth, with neurons growing four times farther in the presence of myokines released during muscle contractions. Physical effects of exercise, such as repeated stretching and pulling, also promote nerve growth, challenging previous biochemical-only theories.
A team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has identified a key pathway leading to neurodegeneration in early stages of ALS. The study suggests that targeting this pathway may prevent or slow disease progression, offering new hope for therapies.
Researchers at Rockefeller University identified a three-neuron circuit connecting hunger-signaling hormone to jaw movements of chewing. Inhibiting these BDNF neurons leads animals to consume more food and triggers unnecessary chewing motions, while stimulating them reduces food intake and stops chewing motions.
Researchers at MIT have discovered additional brain pathways that modulate dopamine release, influencing movement and emotional decisions. The newly identified pathways appear to relay emotional information that helps shape motivation to take action.
A new study found that toxic SOD1 protein trimers interact with various proteins in different tissues, contributing to cellular dysfunction and degeneration in ALS. Septin-7 is identified as a potential therapeutic target, potentially slowing or disrupting ALS progression.
Scientists have developed novel magnetic nanodiscs that can remotely stimulate parts of the brain, potentially treating neurological and psychiatric conditions. The devices were injected into specific brain regions in mice and triggered by a weak electromagnet, demonstrating precise control over neural activity.
Researchers discovered two distinct neural mechanisms, 'Walk-OFF' and 'Brake', that control halting behavior in flies. The 'Walk-OFF' mechanism inhibits forward walking by suppressing neurons driving movement, while the 'Brake' mechanism increases leg joint resistance to prevent stepping.
Researchers at UCSF have identified a molecular pathway that controls the formation of scar tissue in spinal cord injuries. By activating this pathway, they were able to reduce scarring and promote healing in mice with spinal cord injuries.
Neuroscientists have discovered a global process across the brain that coordinates sensory input with motor action through learning. In trained mice, neurons link sensory evidence to action initiation, integrating information across multiple brain regions.
New research reveals that downregulating the enzyme EGLN2 can protect motor neurons and mitigate ALS symptoms in animal models. This discovery brings hope to understanding how to slow or prevent this devastating disease.
Researchers have identified two proteins, PARP1 and histone H1.2, that interact with an ALS-causing mutant FUS protein, leading to pathological changes. Inhibiting these proteins may be a possible therapeutic target for familial ALS cases caused by mutations in the FUS gene.
Chong Xie and his team at Rice University have won a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop an implantable neural electrode system for high-resolution, long-term neural recording and stimulation. The project aims to improve the resolution of existing devices by increasing the density of neurons sampled.
A recent study found that the cerebellum plays a crucial role in regulating thirst, with the hormone asprosin activating Purkinje neurons to enhance water intake. This discovery has significant implications for managing thirst disorders such as polydipsia and hypodipsia, for which current treatments are scarce.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a nanosized sensor that records the electrical activity of spinal neurons in action. The sensor, called spinalNET, can track individual neurons over multiple days, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms controlling movement and sensation in the spinal cord.
Scientists at the University of Washington and Harvard Medical School have discovered the neural circuits that coordinate leg and wing movements in fruit flies. The study uses X-ray holographic nanotomography to map motor neurons controlling legs and wings, revealing pre-motor neurons coordinating motor neuron function.
Researchers create detailed wiring diagram of motor circuits in fruit flies, revealing complex nerve coordination for leg and wing movements. The study advances understanding of how the central nervous system coordinates individual muscles for various behaviors.
Researchers discovered that command-like DNs in fruit flies recruit additional networks of neurons to orchestrate complex behaviors. The study shows that these networks work together to produce coordinated actions, transforming the way we understand brain signals and behavior.
Researchers found that repetitive practice leads to changes in working memory circuits, making them more stable and refined. The study's findings have implications for addressing memory-related disorders.
Researchers have discovered that activating the locus coeruleus, a brain structure producing norepinephrine, improves visual sensitivity in non-human primates. The study used optogenetics to selectively boost LC activity, resulting in drastic enhancements in performance on a visual attention task.
Researchers at German Primate Center investigated how rhesus monkeys encode target positions in arm movements, finding that brain areas can switch between body- and object-related spatial reference systems depending on the task. This flexible coding is essential for developing neuroprostheses that can interpret brain signals correctly.
A study in the Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases found that disease-modifying gene therapy treatments improve motor function, bulbar function, and pulmonary function in infants with spinal muscular atrophy. The real-world data from a large patient registry confirms improved safety profiles for early treatment opportunities.
Researchers at Neuro-Electronics Research Flanders discovered two neuronal populations in the spinal cord that enable learning and remembering movements. The dorsal neurons facilitate learning, while the ventral neurons ensure recall and performance.
Researchers at RIKEN Center for Brain Science discovered neural circuitry in the spinal cord that enables brain-independent motor learning and recall. The study found two critical groups of neurons: one necessary for new adaptive learning and another for recalling adaptations once learned.
Researchers identify 'junk proteins' as possible cause of ALS, a degenerative disease characterized by motor neuron death. The accumulation of these proteins is linked to the aging process, suggesting a new hypothesis for understanding ALS.
A recent study published in Cell reveals significant similarities between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), two distinct neurological disorders. The research found shared gene expression patterns across various brain regions, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for both conditions.