A team of researchers from National Institutes of Health, in an in-depth study of how Covid-19 affects a patient’s brain, have consistently spotted hallmarks of damage caused by thinning and leaky brain blood vessels in tissue samples. These damage hallmarks were spotted in patients who died shortly after contracting the disease. In addition, they saw […]
Hidden network of enzymes accounts for loss of brain synapses in Alzheimer’s
A new study on Alzheimer’s disease by Scripps Research scientists has revealed a previously unknown biochemical cascade in the brain that leads to the destruction of synapses, the connections between nerve cells that are responsible for memory and cognition. The findings present a fresh angle for discovering drugs that treat Alzheimer’s disease, which affects roughly […]
Treating brain diseases now possible
Neurological diseases of the brain such as dementia, autism and schizophrenia are now a growing social problem. Nevertheless, studies on their definitive cause are still insufficient. Recently, a POSTECH research team has identified the mechanism in which such neurological diseases occur, thus solving the enigma to treating them. In the case of neurological diseases of […]
Brain imaging, behavioral data suggest basis for some age-related memory issues
Memory is as much about the future as it is the past. Whether experiencing something new, or something we’ve experienced a hundred times, people use memories of the past to navigate subsequent encounters. Traditionally, psychologists believed that the more ingrained a memory of something was, the more difficult it would be to update your understanding […]
New studies find financially exploited seniors show brain differences and are more frail
Scams and fraud exact a heavy toll on older adults, with estimates of yearly losses ranging from $3 billion to $36 billion in the U.S. alone. Lasting damage can occur. Because many seniors live off of resources accumulated across their working lifetimes, such as retirement savings, victims may be unable to recoup what’s taken from […]
Breakthrough in childhood brain cancer will save lives
A scientific breakthrough has enabled experts to predict relapse in a common childhood cancer and means doctors can tailor treatment for each individual child and improve prognosis. Research by Newcastle University, UK, has revealed that experts can identify the time, nature and outcome of medulloblastoma relapse from the biology of the disease at diagnosis and […]
Here’s what tarot cards really do to your brain
Have you ever had your tarot cards read? Tarot, like astrology, numerology, and palmistry, is an often-used form of divination, but it’s a frequently misunderstood one. Each card has its own particular meaning, but these have more to do with tapping into the subconscious and using imagery that is meaningful to all of us rather than […]
The unique mental health and brain impacts of COVID-19
As COVID-19 infections spike around the globe, with no end in sight for months, questions are beginning to arise around the long-term effects of the pandemic on our mental health and brain health. In a new paper published this week in Trends in Neuroscience, Judy Illes, neuroethicist and professor of neurology, and her team at […]
Brain magnetic stimulation for veterans with concussion: Need is high, but evidence is limited
Studies using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a noninvasive technique, to help veterans and active-duty service members living with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other lasting consequences of concussion have shown promise. However, there’s an urgent need for studies designed to address the unique patterns of post-concussion symptoms seen in military populations, concludes a […]
Common mutation in Parkinson’s disease increases cell calcium, may cause brain cell death
Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers have mapped out the cellular pathway that connects the most common genetic mutation associated with Parkinson’s disease to brain cell death. In a new study, they show that the mutation initiates a biological pathway that could target brain cells most susceptible to the patterns of cell death leading to Parkinson’s disease […]