Imagine working on your computer and typing the same long password you have used for years to access your email. By habit, you perform this sequence almost unconsciously. But then, one day, you stumble upon a shortcut. It's faster but involves learning and remembering a new set of keystrokes. In a study of rodents, scientists […]
In the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, neurons degenerate and die, slowly eliminating memories and cognitive skills. However, not all neurons are impacted equally. Some types of neurons in certain brain regions are more susceptible, and even among those subtypes—mysteriously—some perish and some do not. Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have uncovered molecular clues […]
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a form of progressive dementia interfering with daily living. It is caused by the decline in the number of brain cells resulting in the deterioration of our mental abilities. One of the main reasons for the worsening brain cells condition and even the brain shrinkage are molecules having a specific structure […]
Job descriptions for the thousands of types of neurons in the brain typically include a common function: release chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate across circuit connections called synapses. In a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health, the lab of MIT Professor Troy Littleton will seek to understand how neurons construct synapses of […]
When central nervous system cells in the brain and spine are damaged by disease or injury, they fail to regenerate, limiting the body’s ability to recover. In contrast, peripheral nerve cells that serve most other areas of the body are more able to regenerate. Scientists for decades have searched for molecular clues as to why […]
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed well over 2.4 million lives, but its long-term sequelae are still being identified. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produces an infection that may be associated with a wide spectrum of disease, from asymptomatic to critical or terminal respiratory failure or multi-organ dysfunction. A new […]
SORLA is a protein trafficking receptor that has been mainly studied in neurons, but it also plays a role in cancer cells. Professor Johanna Ivaska's research group at Turku Bioscience observed that SORLA functionally contributes to the most reported therapy-resistant mechanism by which the cell-surface receptor HER3 counteracts HER2 targeting therapy in HER2-positive cancers. Removing […]
As anyone who’s ever mindlessly munched through an entire bag of chips can attest, it’s easy to keep eating once you start. Just putting something tasty in your mouth makes you want more. New research in mice identifies a group of brain cells that may be responsible for this behavior. The cells are part of […]
A team of researchers from the Institute of Neurosciences (UBneuro) and Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS) of the University of Barcelona has demonstrated that neurons can be generated from skin cells of a human donor using a cellular reprogramming technology. According to the obtained results, these neurons are able to integrate into human brain tissue […]
Lactation temporarily changes how a mother’s neurons behave, according to new research in mice published in JNeurosci. Mothers experience profound changes in their body after giving birth, many of which are controlled by the hormone prolactin. Neurons in the hypothalamus called TIDA neurons regulate prolactin secretion as it fluctuates during the estrous cycle. However, during […]
