They’re called suicide headaches because the pain is frequent and unbearable. Commonly known as cluster headaches, they can occur up to eight times a day. They start suddenly, last for up to three hours, and can be very painful. A bout of regular attacks, known as a cluster bout, can last weeks to months. Dr....
Category: <span>Neuroscience</span>
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Life’s purpose rests in our mind’s spectacular drive to extract meaning from the world
What is the purpose of life? Whatever you may think is the answer, you might, from time to time at least, find your own definition unsatisfactory. After all, how can one say why any living creature is on Earth in just one simple phrase? Searching for meaning. Credit: agsandrew/Shutterstock For me, looking back on 18 years of research into...
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Alzheimer’s-associated tau protein disrupts molecular transport within neurons
Abnormal form of tau interacts with structure handling transport between nucleus and cytoplasm MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL A multi-institutional study led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Johns Hopkins School of Medicine has found how the abnormal form of tau that accumulates in the neurofibrillary tangles that characterize Alzheimer’s disease can disrupt the normal...
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Can memories be transferred with an injection?
Scientists believe they have utilized an injection to transplant memories between sea snails. Researchers from the University of California (CA, USA) believe that memories that trigger defensive reflexes are encoded in RNA molecules, as opposed to the widely believed hypothesis that they are instead encoded in connections between brain cells. They claim to have understood...
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Nerve pain in the legs? Medical marijuana may alter brain connections, bring relief
When medical marijuana is taken for chronic nerve pain, it may provide pain relief by reducing connections between the areas of the brain that process emotions and sensory signals, according to a study published in the September 5, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study looked specifically...
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A new theory for phantom limb pain points the way to more effective treatment
CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Dr Max Ortiz Catalan of Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has developed a new theory for the origin of the mysterious condition, ‘phantom limb pain’. Published in the journal Frontiers in Neurology, his hypothesis builds upon his previous work on a revolutionary treatment for the condition, that uses machine learning and...
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Spreading the word: Noninvasive brain stimulation may soon reach more aphasia patients
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Sometimes in research, a smaller finding can open the door to big possibilities. Neuroscientists at the University of South Carolina (USC) and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) have collaborated on a study in the field of aphasia that has successfully paved the way for a large clinical trial....
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Predicting the onset and course of Huntington’s disease
An MDC research team reports in the journal Molecular Cell that short protein fibers precede the formation of larger deposits that accumulate in the brains of those affected by the incurable Huntington’s disease, sometimes called Huntington’s chorea. These results could improve diagnosis and aid the search for new medications. Microscopic image of a fly’s brain. The huntingtin deposits that...
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Researchers harness virtual reality, motion capture to study neurological disorders
Neuroscientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) have a powerful new state-of-the-art tool at their disposal to study diseases like Autism, Alzheimer’s, and traumatic brain injury. The Mobile Brain/Body Imaging system, or MoBI, combines virtual reality, brain monitoring, and Hollywood-inspired motion capture technology, enabling researchers to study the movement difficulties that often accompany neurological disorders...
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Faulty ‘eat-me’ signal may trigger Neurodegeneration
The nervous system is a complex network of neurons that coordinate the body by transmission of electrical signals. And just like the power lines that deliver electricity to homes and businesses, the nervous system sometimes needs maintenance. During early development, animals are constantly eliminating unnecessary neuronal material; the nervous systems of insects that undergo metamorphosis...