- Could targeting Parkinson's outside of the brain improve symptoms?
Parkinson's doesn't just affect movement and the brain -- it may also impact the heart, according to new research. Scientists suggest that targeting a key protein outside of the brain could help manage Parkinson's-related heart issues.
- 17 modifiable risk factors shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression
In a new extensive systematic review, researchers identified 17 modifiable risk factors that are shared by stroke, dementia, and late-life depression. Modifying any one of them can reduce your risk of all three conditions. The findings provide evidence to inform novel tools such as the Brain Care Score.
- Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer's discovered
Differences in the distribution of certain proteins and markers in the brain may explain why some people first experience vision changes instead of memory loss in Alzheimer's disease, finds a new study.
- How the brain evaluates rewards
Researchers have gained a new understanding of how the brain processes reward and risk information. Neuroscientists show how nerve cells in the so-called amygdala not only encode the probability and magnitude of rewards, but also dynamically process this information to predict value and risk. The findings provide new insights into the neural basis of decision-making and could also be important for understanding mental illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression.
- Exposure to air pollution in childhood is associated with reduced brain connectivity
A new study has found that children exposed to higher levels of air pollution in early and mid childhood have weaker connections between key brain regions. The findings highlight the potential impact of early exposure to air pollution on brain development.
- New study links lower proportions of certain sleep stages to brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease
New research reveals that lower proportions of specific sleep stages are associated with reduced brain volume in regions vulnerable to the development of Alzheimer's disease over time.
- Discrimination-related depression, anxiety pronounced among multiracial, White, Asian populations
A new study found that over half of US adults experienced some form of discrimination, and individuals with high exposure to discrimination have more than five times the chances of screening positive for depression, and five times the chances of screening positive for anxiety. Compared to adults who do not experience discrimination, adults who do experience this mistreatment have nearly nine times the odds of screening positive for both depression and anxiety.
- PET imaging confirms direct involvement of dopamine in cognitive flexibility
Scientists have confirmed a neurobiochemical link between dopamine and cognitive flexibility. PET imaging shows that the brain increases dopamine production when completing cognitively demanding tasks, and that the more dopamine released, the more efficiently the tasks are completed. Armed with this information, physicians may soon be able to develop more precise treatment strategies for neurological and psychiatric disorders.
- Early signs of heart problems linked to smaller brain volumes
People who have early signs of heart problems may also have changes in brain health that can be early signs of dementia, such as loss of brain volume, according to a meta-analysis. The meta-analysis does not prove that early heart problems cause loss of brain cells; it only shows an association.
- Study unlocks how diabetes distorts memory and reward processing
A research team says high blood sugar levels appear to weaken function in key part of brain, mimicking Alzheimer's.
- How did the large brain evolve?
Two specific genes that evolve exclusively in humans jointly influence the development of the cerebrum. Researchers have provided evidence that these genes contribute together to the evolutionary enlargement of the brain.
- Neurons in brain that regulate energy levels and body temperature
Scientists have gained greater clarity in the brain regions and neurons that control metabolism, body temperature and energy use. A team of researchers discovered which chemicals influence the signals that control how much energy the body uses. Researchers laid out the pathways, chemicals, neurons and brain regions that are activated.
- How movement affects the way the brain processes sound and sight
A research team has uncovered a fundamental principle of how the brain prioritizes vision and hearing differently depending on whether we are still or in motion. The study provides new insights into how movement alters the brain's sensory decision-making process.
- Study identifies Shisa7 gene as key driver in heroin addiction
Researchers have found a unique molecular signature and genes in the orbitofrontal cortex associated with heroin-seeking behavior. A preclinical rodent model implicated a gene called Shisa7 as the key predictor. A new study provides valuable insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying heroin addiction and may have implications for the development of innovative strategies to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic.
- How cells respond to stress is more nuanced than previously believed
The body's cells respond to stress -- toxins, mutations, starvation or other assaults -- by pausing normal functions to focus on conserving energy, repairing damaged components and boosting defenses. If the stress is manageable, cells resume normal activity; if not, they self-destruct. Scientists have believed for decades this response happens as a linear chain of events: sensors in the cell 'sound an alarm' and modify a key protein, which then changes a second protein that slows or shuts down the cell's normal function. But researchers have now discovered a cell's response is more nuanced and compartmentalized -- not fixed or rigid, as previously thought.
- Biological pathway in the brain could help explain why teenage girls are more depressed than boys
Research has shown that a biological brain mechanism called the 'kynurenine pathway' is imbalanced in adolescents with depression, and this imbalance is more pronounced in teenage girls than boys.
- ADHD may be associated with an increased risk of dementia
An adult brain affected by attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) presents modifications similar to those observed in individuals suffering from dementia. These are the findings of a study which shows that, compared with healthy individuals, patients with an ADHD diagnosis have more iron in certain regions of their brain along with higher levels of neurofilaments[1] (NfL) in their blood. These markers have been consistently reported to be characteristic of old age-related dementias such as Alzheimer's disease and can be measured in its early stages. The study confirms that ADHD may be linked to an increased risk of developing dementia later in life and it provides first evidence for a neurological mechanism possibly involved.
- At-home smell test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers developed olfactory tests -- in which participants sniff odor labels that have been placed on a card -- to assess people's ability to discriminate, identify and remember odors. They found that participants could successfully take the test at home and that older adults with cognitive impairment scored lower on the test than cognitively normal adults.
- How the brain links related memories formed close in time
If you've ever noticed how memories from the same day seem connected while events from weeks apart feel separate, a new study reveals the reason: Our brains physically link memories that occur close in time not in the cell bodies of neurons, but rather in their spiny extensions called dendrites.
- Boosting brain's waste removal system improves memory in old mice
Aging compromises the lymphatic vessels surrounding the brain, disabling waste drainage from the brain and impacting cognitive function. Researchers boosted lymphatic vessel integrity in old mice and found improvements in their memory compared with old mice without rejuvenated lymphatic vessels.
- Insomniac fruit fly mutants show enhanced memory despite severe sleep loss
Fruit fly mutants that have severe sleep deficits perform better at olfactory learning and memory tasks, according to a new study. The paradox of enhanced memory despite sleep loss could be explained by protein kinase A (PKA) signaling in the mushroom body of the fly brain.
- Parts of the brain that are needed to remember words identified
The parts of the brain that are needed to remember words, and how these are affected by a common form of epilepsy, have been identified by a team of neurologists and neurosurgeons at UCL.
- Brain imaging reveals surprises about learning
By revealing for the first time what happens in the brain when an animal makes a mistake, researchers are shedding light on the holy grail of neuroscience: the mechanics of how we learn. The team pinpointed the exact moment mice learned a new skill by observing the activity of individual neurons, confirming earlier work that suggested animals are fast learners that purposely test the boundaries of new knowledge.
- Stroke rehabilitation drug repairs brain damage
A new study has discovered what researchers say is the first drug to fully reproduce the effects of physical stroke rehabilitation in model mice, following from human studies.
- Study finds unique brain changes linked to witnessing trauma
Researchers discovered distinct molecular differences in how the brain processes directly experienced versus witnessed trauma -- a finding that could lead to more targeted treatments for PTSD.