Articles tagged with Neurons
A study published in the journal Neuron reveals that a gene called CD33 contributes to Alzheimer's disease by inhibiting immune cells' ability to remove toxic molecules. Inactivation of CD33 has been shown to enhance microglia's clearance of beta-amyloid plaques, potentially reversing the disease's progression.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a new regulator of the proteasome's activity, tankyrase, which uses ADP-ribosylation to modify PI31. This discovery has significant implications for treating multiple myeloma and other diseases, offering a potential therapeutic target.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center found that new astrocytes produced from stem cells after brain injury are effective in promoting recovery. These cells make their way to the injured area to form an organized scar, which stops bleeding and allows tissue recovery.
Researchers at the University of Luxembourg have developed a computer-based method to analyze biological data and identify unique factors for 166 different human cell types. These master regulators determine cell development and distinguish between cell types, paving the way for potential cell replacement therapies.
Researchers discover that expanded DNA regions in Fragile X-associated Tremor syndrome cause the production of an abnormal FMR1polyG protein, leading to neurodegeneration. The protein's translation is critical to elicit toxicity, and blocking its production can suppress neuron damage.
Giant axonal neuropathy is caused by mutations in the gigaxonin gene, leading to accumulation of neurofilament proteins. The study shows that gigaxonin regulates neurofilament protein degradation, shedding light on the molecular pathology of GAN.
Researchers at CWRU School of Medicine discover a technique to directly convert skin cells into myelinating brain cells, potentially treating multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. The new method enables rapid production of functional oligodendrocytes, which provide insulation for neurons.
Research found that mutations in neuroligin-3 protein block endocannabinoid signals, affecting brain excitability and communication between neurons. The study suggests targeting the endocannabinoid system may help reverse autism symptoms.
Researchers found that playing sounds synchronized with slow brain oscillations during sleep enhances these oscillations and boosts memory. The approach is non-invasive and easy to apply, making it a potential tool for improving sleep and enhancing memory.
Researchers propose that the brain automatically assesses its environment, making trade-offs in resource allocation. This adaptation process can lead to improved sensitivity for one stimulus at the expense of another.
Autophagy, a type of internal 'spring cleaning', helps maintain neural stem cells' readiness to become new brain and nerve cells. Without this process, these crucial stem cells suffer damage from waste products and their ability to differentiate diminishes.
Researchers are developing implantable electrical devices to target specific cells in the body and control diseases like inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Initial results show that it is possible to manipulate neural signals specific to different inflammatory mediators.
Researchers identified an enzyme called ACOT7 that helps neurons get rid of excess fats that can be toxic. In a study, mice with non-working ACOT7 gene showed signs of neurodegeneration when fasting, highlighting the enzyme's role in protecting against fat toxicity.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia have identified a population of stem cells capable of generating new appetite-regulating neurons in the brains of young and adult rodents. This discovery could lead to a permanent intervention for obesity, potentially offering a solution that lasts beyond dieting.
Researchers at UC Davis have discovered that whole cells and cell fragments orient and move in response to electric fields, with two distinct pathways identified. These findings could lead to new ways to heal wounds and deliver stem cell therapies.
Researchers at Yale University have found that AgRP neurons, which regulate appetite, also impact immune cell function. Suppressing these neurons can lead to increased inflammation and vulnerability to autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Research by David Alexander and Cees van Leeuwen reveals that brain activity is not limited to specific areas, but rather follows a wave-like pattern across the entire cortex. This challenges traditional views of brain function and highlights the complex, dynamic nature of brain activity.
Researchers found that individuals with autism have broader tuning of neurons in the fusiform face area, leading to difficulties in recognizing faces. This impairment affects social interactions and limits facial expression understanding.
Researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine found that modifying astrocyte signals can limit the spread of damage after an ischemic brain stroke. By regulating neurotransmitter pathways, astrocytes play a critical role in the spread of damage following stroke.
A team of Chilean researchers, with collaboration from Carnegie's Wolf Frommer, has devised a molecular sensor to detect lactate levels in individual cells in real-time. This breakthrough provides an unprecedented sensitivity and range of detection for non-invasively detecting cancer.
Heavy drinkers show enhanced brain acetate metabolism, which may provide an energetic reward to compensate for drops in blood glucose levels. Additionally, planar cell polarity genes guide the formation of gut neurons, and their dysfunction is linked to gastrointestinal motility disorders.
Researchers found that the brain prioritizes neural diversity over number of neurons when faced with limited nutrients, a strategy essential for survival. This discovery may have implications for understanding human brain development and addressing intrauterine growth restriction.
Researchers implanted human brain cells into mice, finding enhanced learning and memory compared to normal mice. The study suggests that human-specific glial form and function contribute to the evolution of human cognition.
Scientists have found that mild traumatic brain injuries can lead to swelling, reduced blood flow, and death of neurons. Astrocytes, which supply nutrients to neurons, swell quickly and significantly, smothering them and their branches. This secondary damage can occur within hours of the initial injury.
Researchers discovered that CALHM1 channel plays a key role in transmitting signals from Type II taste cells to the brain. Mice lacking this gene have difficulty detecting sweet and bitter tastes, highlighting its importance for our sense of taste.
Researchers discovered that brain waves are shaped to selectively track sound patterns from a single speaker while excluding competing sounds. This finding could have important implications for individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and aging.
A new study from Princeton University provides evidence for how the brain performs this feat. Grid cells are neurons that become electrically active as animals travel in an environment, and their activity ramping up and down corresponds with a proposed mechanism of neural computation called an attractor network.
A team of researchers discovered that ATP release is key to transmitting sweet, bitter, and umami taste information to the brain. The CALHM1 channel protein plays a crucial role in releasing ATP, allowing taste buds to send signals to the brain for these three primary taste types.
Research reveals that age-related dementia may begin with neurons' inability to dispose of unwanted proteins, leading to their accumulation. This decline in protein disposal mechanisms contributes to the development and progression of dementia, making it a promising area for novel therapies.
Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered that the brain adds new cells during puberty to help navigate complex social cues, a process previously thought to be limited to two brain regions. The findings suggest that these new cells play a crucial role in adult reproductive function and behavior.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University developed a new method called CETS to identify heterogeneous brain cells through epigenetic variation analysis. This will simplify the study of brain pathologies such as depression and age-associated disorders.
Scientists have discovered a new class of molecular compounds capable of killing the influenza virus. The compounds work by clogging up an enzyme that helps the virus spread, and are more effective because they are water-soluble. This breakthrough could buy scientists time to develop new vaccines for emerging strains of influenza.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have identified a signaling pathway that may determine genetic susceptibility for the development of FASD. The study found that phosphorylation events inside cells can render L1 adhesion molecules more vulnerable to alcohol's inhibitory effects, providing new targets for diagnosis and therapy.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have identified two opposing behaviors triggered by salt concentrations in mammals, allowing them to avoid high-salt diets. The discovery may lead to the development of taste modulators to control appetite and reduce the effects of excessive sodium intake.
Researchers have identified a novel abnormal protein, C9RANT, that builds up in the brains of patients with ALS and FTD due to genetic abnormalities. Detecting C9RANT in cerebrospinal fluid may provide a valuable diagnostic tool for these diseases.
Researchers at Rice University created a computer model to study the growth of tiny blood vessels in the brain after a stroke. They found that individual cells respond to stimuli using rules and patterns, which can be replicated to guide vessel structure development.
Scientists have identified a natural trigger that enables stem cells to develop into different cell types in the body, including liver and brain cells. The discovery of protein Tcf15 could help improve techniques for turning stem cells into other cell types in the laboratory.
A molecule called Dickkopf-1 accumulates with age and inhibits the formation of new neurons in the brain. Researchers found that blocking production of Dkk1 can restore youthful levels of neurogenesis and improve memory performance.
Researchers successfully created human brain cells from skin cells, which are highly effective in treating myelin disorders such as multiple sclerosis. The study opens the door to potential new treatments using these cells for neurological diseases characterized by the loss of myelin.
Researchers mapped brain regions where individual differences occur, finding variability in areas integrating information and controlling attention. This study provides insights into brain evolution and development, potentially linking diversity of human abilities to specific brain region expansions.
Researchers at Washington State University have made a breakthrough in repairing damaged brain cells using the active compound of chili peppers. The discovery has potential to provide relief for concussions and other health effects seen in athletes and head-injury victims.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center have identified progenitor cells in taste tissue that can differentiate into functional taste cells, potentially helping treat clinical taste dysfunction. The discovery opens up new areas for studying taste cell renewal and contributes to stem cell biology.
Scientists have visualized molecular changes in a critical protein involved in cell death, providing new insights into apoptosis and its role in disease. The discovery could lead to the development of new medicines that control cell life or death.
Researchers identify new gene associated with Hirschprung Disease and demonstrate how deficiencies in two candidate genes synergize to halt gut nervous system formation. Understanding this genetic basis may lead to better diagnostics and treatment for the condition.
Researchers at BUSM demonstrate that tissues derived from patient-specific induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are not rejected when transplanted back into genetically identical recipients. The study finds that differentiated iPS cells can mature into various cell types, including neuronal, hepatocyte, and endothelial cells, without i...
Research reveals glial cells regulate blood vessel development, leading to potential insights into Alzheimer's and hemorrhagic stroke. A chance finding in a mouse study uncovered a previously unknown crosstalk between the nervous system and blood vessels.
Two new studies identify inherited genetic mutations linked to autism spectrum disorders, suggesting that 5% of autism risk is due to complete gene function disruption. Researchers also found partial loss of gene function and variability in autism severity despite similar genetic mutations.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly resuscitated activity in damaged brains, even years after initial injury. The treatment increased oxygen levels in the body, supplying energy for rebuilding neuronal connections and stimulating inactive neurons.
Researchers exposed fruit flies to daily temperature changes to understand how temperature affects the circadian clock. They found that different brain cells play a crucial role in synchronising the clock at warmer and cooler temperatures.
Researchers at North Carolina State University found that the lack of Sp2 protein disrupts neural stem cell division and leads to a decline in neurons in the developing and postnatal brain. This discovery could have implications for understanding neurodevelopmental diseases and regenerative medicine.
Scientists at University of California, San Diego, discovered that repressing a single protein in fibroblasts is enough to convert them into functional neurons. This finding has far-reaching implications for developing new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Scientists have successfully regenerated sound sensing cells in mice with noise-induced deafness, partially reversing their hearing loss. The technique involves inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway to promote hair cell differentiation from surrounding supporting cells.
A study by USF and VA researchers found that traumatic brain injury leads to progressive brain deterioration, causing elevated inflammation and suppressed cell regeneration. Therapeutic intervention can still help prevent cell death in the chronic stage of TBI.
A new study on guppies reveals that bigger brains come at a cost, with larger brain sizes associated with reduced reproductive output and smaller guts. The research supports the idea that relative brain sizes among species are shaped by a balance between selection for increased cognitive ability and the costs of a big brain.
Researchers mapped out how 1,705 distinct object and action categories are represented across the brain's surface, finding a continuous semantic space that organizes similar categories together. The study's results demonstrate an efficient way for the brain to represent diverse categories in a compact spatial manner.
A new study reveals that mini-strokes result in prolonged periods of brain damage and cognitive impairment, with neurons being lost due to delayed processes. The research suggests a longer therapeutic window to protect cells after these tiny strokes, potentially extending to days and weeks after the initial injury.
A clinical trial has shown that a diuretic can reduce the severity of autistic disorders in three-quarters of children. The treatment, which involves administering bumetanide to children with autism or Asperger's syndrome, has been found to improve symptoms such as social interaction and communication.
A team of researchers has identified KNDy neurons as a likely control switch of hot flushes, suggesting that hormonal changes in menopause trigger vasodilation and increased body temperature. The discovery provides a crucial step towards developing more effective treatments for hot flushes.
Researchers discovered a dedicated olfactory circuit in flies that detects harmful microbes, enabling them to avoid feeding on toxic substances. The circuit is sensitive to low concentrations of geosmin, an earthy odor produced by harmful fungi and bacteria.
Researchers discover at least four different modules in the brain dedicated to self-location, each with its own internal GPS-like mapping system. The discovery challenges previous understanding of how the brain organizes abstract functions and opens up new possibilities for memory formation.