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Study identifies molecular alterations in brain tissue and blood of people who committed suicide

Researchers analyzed molecular data from brain tissue and blood of individuals who committed suicide, identifying risk markers for novel therapeutic targets. The study found alterations in the prefrontal cortex and inhibitory neurotransmitters, highlighting potential new approaches for preventing suicidal behavior.

Exposure to Agent Orange damages brain tissue in ways similar to Alzheimer’s disease

A new study reveals that Agent Orange damages frontal lobe brain tissue in laboratory rats, causing molecular and biochemical abnormalities similar to early-stage Alzheimer's disease. This research has important implications for the long-term brain health of aging veterans and people exposed to biologically similar herbicides.

SourceBrown University·JournalJournal of Alzheimer’s Disease·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 14, 2024

Johns Hopkins researchers make progress toward developing blood tests for psychiatric and neurological disorders

Johns Hopkins researchers have made progress toward developing a blood test to identify disease-associated changes in the brain linked to postpartum depression and other psychiatric disorders. They identified 26 placental mRNAs present in maternal blood only during pregnancy, which reflected changes occurring inside the tissues.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateFeb 7, 2024

A new way to visualize brain cancer

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and MIT unveiled a new microscopy technology called decrowding expansion pathology (dExPath) that provides novel insights into brain cancer development. The technology enables scientists to study neurological diseases at a never-before-achieved nanoscale level on conventional clinical samples.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalScience Translational Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateJan 31, 2024

Smoking causes brain shrinkage

A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry: Global Open Science found that smoking causes brain shrinkage and increases the risk of age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Quitting smoking can prevent further loss of brain tissue, but stopping does not restore the brain to its original size.

SourceWashU Medicine·JournalBiological Psychiatry·TypeObservational study·DateDec 12, 2023

Can brain stimulation benefit individuals with schizophrenia?

Researchers found that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improved event-based prospective memory in patients with schizophrenia, but not time-based prospective memory. The study suggests rTMS as a potential therapeutic option for prospective memory impairments in individuals with schizophrenia.

SourceWiley·JournalNeuropsychopharmacology Reports·DateDec 6, 2023

Cell atlases of the human brain presented in Science

Two parallel projects publish detailed cell atlases of the adult human brain and brain development, revealing over 3,000 cell types, including new insights into brain diseases and potential therapeutic targets. The freely available brain atlases will enable researchers to compare healthy brains with diseased ones.

SourceKarolinska Institutet·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 12, 2023

New methodology to study the intricacies of amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have developed a new microscopy technique using STED technology to visualize individual fibers in amyloid plaques, providing higher resolution than conventional light microscopy. This breakthrough allows for better understanding of the structure and morphology of Aβ aggregates and their role in Alzheimer's disease progression.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalCell & Bioscience·TypeImaging analysis·DateOct 11, 2023

Microplastics infiltrate all systems of body, cause behavioral changes

A new study by University of Rhode Island Professor Jaime Ross found microplastics infiltrate all systems of the body, causing behavioral changes and potentially leading to serious health consequences, including Alzheimer's disease. The researchers discovered microplastics accumulate in every organ, including the brain, and alter immun...

SourceUniversity of Rhode Island·JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateAug 28, 2023

A new ally in fighting brain diseases: our very own skull

Scientists discover unique immune cells in skull's bone marrow, facilitating movement of immune cells between brain and skull, offering new possibilities for diagnosing and treating neurological diseases. Non-invasive skull imaging may enable early detection and monitoring of conditions like Alzheimer's and stroke.

Human vs machine

A Pitt Professor believes oligodendrocytes, the nerve insulating cells, hold the solution to BCI's nagging problem. By understanding and preserving these cells, researchers aim to improve BCI's performance and expand its applications beyond paralysis.

Innovative stem cell research takes aim at origins of human cancers

A collaborative study by researchers at the University of Ottawa and McMaster University has made a groundbreaking discovery linking different types of cancers to their embryonic origins. The team found that drugs targeting specific embryonic pathways can effectively treat various tumors, including brain, colon, and leukemia cancers.

SourceUniversity of Ottawa·JournalCell Chemical Biology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 28, 2023

Flexible nanoelectrodes can provide fine-grained brain stimulation

Rice University engineers developed ultraflexible nanoelectrodes that can deliver high-resolution stimulation therapy with minimal scarring and degradation. The devices showed precise spatiotemporal stimulus control, enabling the development of new brain stimulation therapies for patients with impaired sensory or motor functions.

SourceRice University·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 30, 2023

Infarction growth, penumbral consumption after reperfusion in COVID vaccine-naïve patients

A recent study found that COVID-19 infection can lead to increased infarct growth and ongoing tissue consumption even after successful reperfusion through angiography. This suggests a potentially aggressive clinical course for patients with COVID-19 and large-vessel occlusion acute ischemic stroke.

SourceAmerican Roentgen Ray Society·JournalAmerican Journal of Roentgenology·TypeCase study·DateMay 18, 2023

Brain images just got 64 million times sharper

Researchers at Duke University have successfully improved the resolution of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), capturing images of a mouse brain with unprecedented sharpness. The breakthrough allows for the visualization of microscopic details within the brain, enabling new insights into neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's an...

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeImaging analysis·DateApr 17, 2023

Dedicated protocol of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is more effective than the drug treatment available today for fibromyalgia caused by head injury

Researchers at Tel Aviv University found that dedicated hyperbaric oxygen therapy is more effective in reducing pain and healing patients with fibromyalgia caused by traumatic brain injury. The treatment resulted in significant improvements in 2 out of 5 patients, including improved pain threshold tests and quality of life indicators.

SourceTel-Aviv University·JournalPLOS ONE·DateMar 22, 2023

Electrodes grown in the brain – paving the way for future therapies for neurological disorders

Researchers have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body's molecules as triggers, paving the way for fully integrated electronic circuits in living organisms. This breakthrough method allows for substrate-free organic bioelectronics and targets specific biological substructures for nerve stimulation.

SourceLinköping University·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2023

Healing the brain: Hydrogels enable neuronal tissue growth

Researchers at Hokkaido University used hydrogel materials in combination with neural stem cells to grow new brain tissue in areas of brain damage. The study showed that immune cells and blood vessels grew within the hydrogels, leading to some degree of integration between the hydrogel and host brain tissue.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2023

Measuring changes in brain tissue oxygenation for personalized cancer radiotherapy

Researchers developed a method to measure individual biological response to therapy using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, enabling real-time evaluation of radiotherapy's impact on patients. This technique allows for tailored radiation doses to optimize treatment and improve outcomes.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Biomedical Optics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 31, 2023

Researchers unveil new collection of human brain atlases that chart postnatal development

Researchers created monthly infant brain atlases to track normative trends in brain development. The atlases reveal changes in brain structure, cortical geometry, and tissue contrast, shedding light on conditions like ADHD and dyslexia. The study aims to facilitate discovery of new insights into child cognition and social behavior.

SourceUniversity of North Carolina Health Care·JournalNature Methods·TypeImaging analysis·DateJan 26, 2023

New USC study challenges previous ideas regarding Alzheimer’s disease

A new USC study found that the buildup of amyloid beta protein in the brain is not directly linked to Alzheimer's disease, but rather a general change associated with aging. Researchers discovered higher levels of soluble Aβ protein in healthy brains, while insoluble fibrillary amyloid was more closely tied to poor brain health.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalAlzheimer s & Dementia·TypeObservational study·DateJan 6, 2023

Inflammatory trigger a new clue in Alzheimer’s

Researchers at UT Health San Antonio identified a new inflammatory trigger in Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, involving 'jumping genes' that form double-stranded RNA mimicking viral infections. This discovery opens new doors for understanding astrocyte biology and their role in transposable element control.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 6, 2023

A soft, stimulating scaffold supports brain cell development ex vivo

A new type of electrically conductive hydrogel scaffold has been developed to support brain cell growth and differentiation. The scaffold mimics the soft conditions of brain tissue and enables the creation of implantable biohybrid BCIs that integrate with a patient's brain tissue.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalAdvanced Healthcare Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 5, 2023