Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by communication disorders, altered social interactions and sensory and behavioral abnormalities. Research in genetics and brain imaging suggests that abnormalities in the development of the brain concerning, in particular, the formation of neural networks and the functioning of synapses could be involved in the onset of ASD....
Category: <span>Neuroscience</span>
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Breakthrough in treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome
New research published in the Journal of Physiology presents a breakthrough in the treatment of Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS). RLS is a common condition of the nervous system that causes an overwhelming irresistible urge to move the legs. Patients complain of unpleasant symptoms such as tingling, burning and painful cramping sensations in the leg. More...
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Stroke: Preventing the damage by acting on the neuronal environment?
To protect neurons and limit the damage after a stroke, researchers from the CNRS, the University of Caen-Normandie, University Paris-Est Créteil, and the company OTR3 have pursued an innovative path: targeting the matrix that surrounds and supports brain cells. Their results, just published in the journal Theranostics, have confirmed this strategy on rats and will...
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Multiple sclerosis: Accumulation of B cells triggers nervous system damage
TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MUNICH (TUM) B cells are important in helping the immune system fight pathogens. However, in the case of the neurological autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS) they can damage nerve tissue. When particular control cells are missing, too many B cells accumulate in the meninges, resulting in inflammation of the central nervous system....
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Neurons that fire together, don’t always wire together
As the adage goes “neurons that fire together, wire together,” but a new paper published today in Neuron demonstrates that, in addition to response similarity, projection target also constrains local connectivity. IMAGE: PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX NEURONS PROJECTING TO HIGHER VISUAL AREA AL. CREDIT: SAINSBURY WELLCOME CENTRE Researchers from the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre have been looking to elucidate...
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Autism is associated with zinc deficiency in early development — now a study links the two
Researchers have discovered a mechanistic link between zinc, autism risk genes and abnormal neuronal connections associated with autism spectrum disorders FRONTIERS The emergence of autism in children has not only been linked to genes encoding synaptic proteins – among others – but also environmental insults such as zinc deficiency. Although it is unclear whether zinc deficiency...
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Scientists solve century-old neuroscience mystery; answers may lead to epilepsy treatment
Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have solved a 125-year-old mystery of the brain, and, in the process, uncovered a potential treatment for acquired epilepsy. Since 1893, scientists have known about enigmatic structures called perineuronal nets wrapped around neurons, but the function of the nets remained elusive. IMAGE: A RESEARCH TEAM LED BY HARALD SONTHEIMER...
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What to know about focal (partial) seizures
Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, occur in only one part of the brain. There are two types of focal seizure: Partial and complex. In this article, we look at the types, causes, symptoms, and treatment of focal seizures. What is a focal seizure? The human brain contains neurons, or brain cells, that use electrical...
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Playing high school football changes the teenage brain
A single season of high school football may be enough to cause microscopic changes in the structure of the brain, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The researchers used a new type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)...
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New insights into the neural risks and benefits of marijuana use
Research released today underscores both the dangers and the therapeutic promise of marijuana, revealing different effects across the lifespan. Marijuana exposure in the womb or during adolescence may disrupt learning and memory, damage communication between brain regions, and disturbing levels of key neurotransmitters and metabolites in the brain. In Alzheimer’s disease, however, compounds found in...