Stem cells in the brain can divide and mature into neurons participating in various brain functions, including memory. In a paper published in the journal ‘Cell Stem Cell‘, scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) have shown how this works. They found that ion channels play a key role in mediating force signals...
Category: <span>Neuroscience</span>
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Moderate to high intensity exercise does not slow cognitive decline in people with dementia
Moderate to high intensity exercise does not slow cognitive (mental) impairment in older people with dementia, finds a trial published by The BMJ today. Although the exercise programme improved physical fitness, it cannot be recommended as a treatment option for cognitive impairment in dementia, say the researchers. Nearly 47.5 million people worldwide have dementia and the view that exercise might slow cognitive decline...
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Flow of cerebrospinal fluid regulates neural stem cell division
Stem cells in the brain can divide and mature into neurons participating in various brain functions, including memory. In a paper published in the journal ‘Cell Stem Cell‘, scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) have shown how this works. They found that ion channels play a key role in mediating force signals...
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Diverse Parkinson’s-related disorders may stem from different strains of same protein
(A) α-Synuclein aggregations in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients. (B) GCI-α-Syn and LB-α-Syn strains do not have cell-type preferences and they can both be initiated by the same misfolded α-Syn seeds Different Parkinson’s-related brain disorders, called synucleionpathies, are characterized by misfolded proteins embedded in cells. Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at...
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Pericytes: Capillary Guardians in the Brain
Nerve cells, or neurons, in our brains, do amazing work, from telling our hearts to beat to storing our memories. But neurons cannot operate alone. Many kinds of cells support and regulate neurons and—like neurons—they can come under attack due to injuries or disorders, such as stroke or Alzheimer’s disease. Learning what jobs these cells...
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New research puts distinct memories of similar events in their place
Neuroscientists have found new evidence on how distinct memories of similar events are represented in the brain. Its findings, which appear in the journal Neuron, correct a previous misconception of how such memories are stored in the hippocampus–a part of the brain crucial for memory and understanding space. “Previous research suggested that brain cells were ‘re-mapped’ in making...
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Neuroprotective molecule could improve memory and cognition, reduce Alzheimer’s degradation
Graphic shows how SERCA activator may improve memory and cognition for Alzheimer’s patients by preserving calcium ion balance in neurons and offering a new therapeutic strategy for neurodegeneration drug development. A Purdue University graduate and a Purdue ResearchPark of Northwest Indiana (NWI) startup have published a research study in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters that identifies a small...
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Researchers use spider venom compound to treat paralysis
The complex of the Nav1.4 channel from human muscle cells with the Hm-3 toxin extracted from the venom of the Heriaeus melloteei spider. (A) The interaction of Hm-3 (blue/purple) with the first voltage-sensing domain (D1) of the channel A team of Russian scientists together with foreign colleagues, reports that the venom of the crab spider...
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Music activates regions of the brain spared by Alzheimer’s disease
Ever get chills listening to a particularly moving piece of music? You can thank the salience network of the brain for that emotional joint. Surprisingly, this region also remains an island of remembrance that is spared from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. Diagram of brain networks involved in processing attention. Researchers at the University of Utah...
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Key factor in development of Parkinson’s disease identified
Purdue University researchers Jean-Christophe “Chris” Rochet and Dr. Riyi Shi say their discovery of a key factor in the development of Parkinson’s disease could lead to new therapies, potentially including drugs currently on the market; A molecule has been identified that appears to play an important role in the development of Parkinson’s disease, a debilitating disease that...