Fear is an important reaction that warns and protects us from danger. But when fear responses are out of control, this can lead to persistent fears and anxiety disorders.
Tag: Neurobiology
New UK Study Reveals Extent of Brain Complications in Children Hospitalized with COVID-19
Although the risk of a child being admitted to hospital due to COVID-19 is small, a new UK study has found that around 1 in 20 of children hospitalised with COVID-19 develop brain or nerve complications linked to the viral infection.
SUV39H2: A direct genetic link to autism spectrum disorders
New research from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) in Japan shows that a deficit in histone methylation could lead to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). A human variant of the SUV39H2 gene led researchers to examine…
Autism can be detected during toddlerhood using a brief questionnaire
New research led by the University of Cambridge suggests that autism can be detected at 18-30 months using the Quantitative Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (Q-CHAT), but it is not possible to identify every child at a young age who…
How micro-circuits in the brain regulate fear
Fear is an important reaction that warns and protects us from danger. But when fear responses are out of control, this can lead to persistent fears and anxiety disorders. In Europe, about 15 percent of the population is affected by…
NIH-funded study finds gene therapy may restore missing enzyme in rare disease
Results provide hope for children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency
First 3D simulation of rat’s complete whisker system acts as a tactile ‘camera’
Model gives rare insight into how rats use whiskers to actively sense their natural environments
New theory suggests blood immune and clotting components could contribute to psychosis
A scientific review has found evidence that a disruption in blood clotting and the first line immune system could be contributing factors in the development of psychosis. The article, a joint collaborative effort by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine…
Autophagy may be the key to finding treatments for early Huntington’s disease
Autophagy disruption may be at the root of early cognitive changes in Huntington’s disease and is a potential target for disease-modifying therapies, report scientists in the Journal of Huntington’s Disease
Taking the brain out for a walk
A recent study shows that spending time outdoors has a positive effect on our brains
What does the sleeping brain think about?
Thanks to a unique system that decodes brain activity during sleep, a UNIGE team is deciphering the neuronal mechanisms of memory consolidation.
Mammalian-like hippocampal activity in a food-caching songbird
Tufted titmice – tiny songbirds with exceptional memories – process spatial memory using mammalian-like neural mechanisms, researchers report. Food-caching birds like the tufted titmouse are extreme memory specialists and can remember the precise locations of thousands of hidden food stores…
Guiding principles for work shift duration published by AASM and SRS
Key factors for determining shift length will help manage fatigue-related risks while meeting operational demands
High daily screen time linked to cognitive, behavioral problems in children born extremely preterm
NIH-funded study finds deficits in overall IQ, problem solving skills and impulse control
Researchers identify signaling molecule that may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease
Interleukin-3 may reprogram immune responses in the brain that cause cell death and lead to dementia.
Molecular bridge mediates inhibitory synapse specificity in the cortex
With its breathtaking views and striking stature, the Golden Gate bridge certainly deserves its title as one of the modern wonders of the world. Its elegant art deco style and iconic towers offer visitors a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for astounding photographs.…
Pierre Vanderhaeghen awarded for his pioneering research
X EDITION OF THE REMEDIOS CARO ALMELA PRIZE
‘Neuroprosthesis’ restores words to man with paralysis
Technology could lead to more natural communication for people who have suffered speech loss
Metal-based molecules show promise against the build-up of Alzheimer’s peptides
In lab tests, Imperial researchers have created a metal-based molecule that inhibits the build-up of a peptide associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A peptide is a fragment of a protein, and one of the key hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease is the…
Think about this: Keeping your brain active may delay Alzheimer’s dementia 5 years
MINNEAPOLIS – Keeping your brain active in old age has always been a smart idea, but a new study suggests that reading, writing letters and playing card games or puzzles in later life may delay the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia…
Hydrogel composite developed to help protective gear rapidly degrade toxic nerve agents
Scientists at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois have developed a hydrogel integrated with zirconium-based robust metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that rapidly degrades organophosphate-based nerve agents used in chemical warfare. Unlike existing powdered MOF adsorbents, this hydrogel composite does not require added…
Brain organoid study highlights potential role of genetic and environmental interaction in autism spectrum disorder
Study illustrates a quicker and less expensive way to explore gene-plus-environment causes of autism spectrum disorder and other conditions
Empathy may drive rats and other mammals to help friends over strangers
A new study identifies the brain regions involved in rats’ tendency to help members of their own social group over strangers, with findings that may help scientists better understand similar social biases in humans
Combining plant-based diet and a healthy microbiome may protect against multiple sclerosis
Metabolism of isoflavone by gut bacteria protects mice from MS-like inflammation
Recent study identifies 11 candidate genetic variants for Alzheimer’s disease
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 13, 2021) — A recently published study co-authored by University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging researcher Justin Miller, Ph.D., identifies 11 rare candidate variants for Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found 19 different families in Utah that suffered…
Taming the Huntington’s disease proteome: Mass spectrometry may provide answers
Mass spectrometry has helped identify potential biomarkers and new treatment targets for Huntington’s disease report scientists in the Journal of Huntington’s Disease who reviewed 20 years of published studies
Rats prefer to help their own kind; humans may be similarly wired
New study reveals brain mechanism that drives rats to act out of kindness
‘Tuning’ for brain scanners
DZNE coordinates international research project on ultra-high field MRI
Technology that restores the sense of touch in nerves damaged as a result of injury
Cut your finger and lost your sense of touch? There’s hope yet
A redundant modular network supports proper brain communication
Recall a phone number or directions just recited and your brain will be actively communicating across many regions. It is thought that working memory relies on interactions between these regions, but how these brain areas interact and properly represent memory…
You can snuggle wolf pups all you want, they still won’t ‘get’ you quite like your dog
After 14,000 years of domestication, dogs have some of the same cognitive abilities as human babies.
How learning Braille changes brain structure over time
White matter reorganizes at specific time points to meet the needs of the brain
Brain injury lab receives additional federal funding to boost research
UC Riverside postdoc and graduate students are recipients of new awards
Gene therapy offers long-awaited hope for children with rare, incurable disorder
Patients with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s may benefit from novel treatment
Innovative gene therapy ‘reprograms’ cells to reverse neurological deficiencies
A novel method of gene therapy is helping children born with a rare genetic disorder called AADC deficiency that causes severe physical and developmental disabilities. The study, led by researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and The…
A Trojan horse could help get drugs past our brain’s tough border patrol
Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and epilepsy are but a few of the central nervous system disorders. They are also very difficult to treat, since the brain is protected by the blood-brain barrier. The blood-brain barrier works as a border wall…
New genetic driver of autism and other developmental disorders identified
A research group including Kobe University’s Professor TAKUMI Toru (also a Senior Visiting Scientist at RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research) and Assistant Professor TAMADA Kota, both of the Physiology Division in the Graduate School of Medicine, has revealed a causal gene (Necdin, NDN) in autism model mice that have the chromosomal abnormality (*1) called copy number variation (*2).
New genetic driver of autism and other developmental disorders identified
A research group including Kobe University’s Professor TAKUMI Toru (also a Senior Visiting Scientist at RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research) and Assistant Professor TAMADA Kota, both of the Physiology Division in the Graduate School of Medicine, has revealed a…
Tetanus toxin fragment may treat depression, Parkinson’s disease and ALS
Depression has been treated traditionally with inhibitors of serotonin reuptake in the central nervous system. These drugs do not come without side effects, such as lack of immediate therapeutic action, the need for daily doses and the danger of becoming…
Normal brain growth curves for children developed childhood brain disorders, infections and injuries
In the United States, nearly every pediatric doctor’s visit begins with three measurements: weight, height and head circumference. Compared to average growth charts of children across the country, established in the 1970s, a child’s numbers can confirm typical development or…
UCPH researchers prove powerhouse malfunction as the major cause of Parkinson’s Disease
12,000 people in Denmark and 7 to 10 million people worldwide suffer from Parkinson’s Disease (PD). It is the second most common neurogenerative disorder of aging and the most common movement disorder, but the cause of the disease is largely…
Researchers study anxiety differences between females and males
Feeling anxious about health, family or money is normal for most people–especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. But for those with anxiety disorders, these everyday worries tend to heighten even when there is little or no reason to be concerned. Researchers…
Team find brain mechanism that automatically links objects in our minds
When people see a toothbrush, a car, a tree — any individual object — their brain automatically associates it with other things it naturally occurs with, allowing humans to build context for their surroundings and set expectations for the world.…
Scientists show how light therapy treats depression in mice model
Light activates the circadian clock gene Period1 in a brain region that affects the mood
A novel neurological disorder associated with the Polycomb complex identified
A multi-institutional study has discovered spontaneous mutations in RNF2 (RING2) gene as the underlying cause of a novel neurological disorder. This Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) study was led by Dr. Shinya Yamamoto, investigator at the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological…
AR can improve the lives of older adults, so why are apps designed mainly with youngsters in mind?
Older people affected by memory loss have much to gain from AR technology, yet a study from the UK exploring the use of augmented reality to support older adults at home finds the user interface is sometimes confusing for those aged 50+
A peek inside a flying bat’s brain uncovers clues to mammalian navigation
Many mammals share a similar neural “GPS system” that is responsible for tracking their location in space. A new study shows that this system predominantly represents important locations in the near future.
Study sheds light on mechanism of liposome accumulation in tumors
CU Cancer Center researcher says results could impact how we diagnose, monitor, and treat tumors with liposomes.
Researchers overcome winking, napping pigs to prove brain test works
URBANA, Ill. – If you’ve ever been to an eye doctor, there’s a good chance you’ve felt the sudden puff of air to the eye that constitutes a traditional test for glaucoma. It’s no one’s favorite experience, but the puff…
New Alzheimer’s treatment targets identified
Study points to FDA-approved drugs that have potential to slow or reverse brain damage