Protein that boosts memory identified Research findings of a group of neurobiologists could lead to new treatment approaches for anxiety disorders, a new report says. Mouse experiments showed that the Dnmt3a2 protein can boost memory performance in the animals
Biochemical clues may predict who develops Alzheimer's disease -- and who doesn't Investigators have wondered why the brains of some cognitively-intact elderly individuals have abundant pathology on autopsy or significant amyloid deposition on neuroimaging that are characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers have investigated biochemical factors and identified differences in proteins from parietal cortex synapses between patients with and those without manifestation of dementia
Mental time travel: An exclusively human capacity? Are humans the only ones who are able to remember events that they had experienced and mentally time travel not only into the past but also the future? Or do animals have the same capacity? To a certain extent they do, according to three researchers who are contributing a new theoretical model to this long-standing discussion.
How the brain wakes you up A mechanism that is responsible for the rapid arousal from sleep and anesthesia in the brain has been discovered by researchers. The results of their study suggest new strategies for the medical treatment of sleep disorders and recovery of consciousness in vegetative states.
Playing 3-D video games can boost memory formation Playing three-dimensional video games -- besides being lots of fun -- can boost the formation of memories, according to neurobiologists. Along with adding to the trove of research that shows these games can improve eye-hand coordination and reaction time, this finding shows the potential for novel virtual approaches to helping people who lose memory as they age or suffer from dementia.
Potential biochemical mechanism underlying long-term memories identified During the holidays, we often remember the past and create new memories. But, why do some memories fade away while others last forever? Scientists have identified a possible biochemical mechanism by which the specialized brain cells known as neurons create and maintain a long-term memory from a fleeting experience.
Discovery puts designer dopamine neurons within reach Parkinson's disease researchers have developed a way to ramp up the conversion of skin cells into dopamine neurons. They have identified -- and found a way to overcome -- a key obstacle to such cellular conversions
Contact sports played by amateurs increase risk of degenerative disorder Scientists have recently found evidence that professional football players are susceptible to a progressive degenerative disease, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is caused by repetitive brain trauma. Now, researchers have discovered a significant and surprising amount of CTE in males who had participated in amateur contact sports in their youth.
Brain connectivity changes with working memory after TBI Scientists compared information flow in the brain in traumatic brain injury and controls using neuroimaging and a novel working memory task, CapMan, which measures capacity and mental manipulation. This is the first study to show causal relationship between these tasks of working memory and fronto-parietal regions
Researchers develop drug delivery technique to bypass blood-brain barrier Researchers have successfully prevented the development of Parkinson's disease in a mouse using new techniques to deliver drugs across the naturally impenetrable blood-brain barrier. Their findings lend hope to patients around the world with neurological conditions that are difficult to treat due to a barrier mechanism that prevents approximately 98 percent of drugs from reaching the brain and central nervous system.
Stimulating specific brain area could help defrost arms frozen by stroke Little can be done to help the hundreds of thousands of people whose severe strokes have left them with one arm stuck close to the sides of their bodies like a broken wing. A 30-patient study, however, has found that magnetically stimulating a specific part of their brains can affect arm movements -- raising hope that, in the future, a short course of therapy targeting this area could help to free the arm and restore some use of the stroke-affected limb
The body and the brain: Impact of mental, physical exertion on fatigue development Do you ever notice how stress and mental frustration can affect your physical abilities? When you are worried about something at work, do you find yourself more exhausted at the end of the day? This phenomenon is a result of the activation of a specific area of the brain when we attempt to participate in both physical and mental tasks simultaneously.
Take a Trip Through the Brain: New Imaging Tool A new imaging tool could do for the brain what the telescope did for space exploration. In the first demonstration of how the technology works, the researchers look inside the brain of an adult mouse at a scale previously unachievable, generating images at a nanoscale resolution. The inventors' goal is to make the resource available to the scientific community in the form of a national brain observatory.
Where memory is encoded and retrieved: New findings in a long-standing debate Are the same regions and even the same cells of the brain area called hippocampus involved in encoding and retrieving memories or are different areas of this structure engaged? This question has kept neuroscientists busy for a long time. Researchers have now found out that the same brain cells exhibit activity in both processes.
Key factor for stability of capillaries in brain identified The brain needs a lot of oxygen – so every last corner of the brain’s tissue is served by a dense network of fine blood vessels. When these capillaries are damaged by high blood pressure or age, doctors call the condition cerebral small vessel disease. They estimate this is the cause of around one in five strokes, and that the condition may also lead to certain forms of dementia.
Study finds brain chemicals that keep wakefulness in check Mice that have a particular brain chemical switched off become hyperactive and sleep for just 65 per cent of their normal time, a new study shows. This discovery could help researchers to develop new drugs that promote better sleep, or control hyperactivity in people with the medical condition mania
Low-dose lithium reduces side effects from most common treatment for Parkinson's disease Low-dose lithium reduced involuntary motor movements -- the troubling side effect of the medication most commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) -- in a mouse model of the condition that is diagnosed in about 60,000 Americans each year. The third in a series of studies from involving PD and low-dose lithium, the results add to mounting evidence that low-doses of the psychotropic drug could benefit patients suffering from the incurable, degenerative condition.
National study of deep brain stimulation for depression fails to demonstrate efficacy Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and treatment-resistant symptoms of depression have a terrible personal and societal cost. They can devastate lives, careers, and families. Some severely ill patients may be unable to attend to even the basic elements of self-care, while others attempt or complete suicide. Now researchers report the results of the first large-scale, randomized, sham-controlled trial of deep brain stimulation treatment for treatment-resistant symptoms of depression.
Iron-containing inflammatory cells seen in Alzheimer's brains Examining post-mortem tissue from the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, investigators identified what appear to be iron-containing microglia in a particular part of the hippocampus, a key brain structure whose integrity is critical to memory formation.
New treatment avenue to prevent serious retinal detachment Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in older individuals. AMD and other serious chronic eye problems that affect younger individuals result when fluid accumulates abnormally under or within the retina. A new study shows for the first time that the release of substances from mast cells may be a causal factor in this type of eye pathology, and inhibitors of this release may offer new ways to treat serous retinal detachment.
Poor diabetes control found in older Americans Only one in three older Americans has their diabetes under control as measured by guidelines set by the American Diabetes Association, new research suggests. Some argue that ADA guidelines may be too stringent for some older adults. But even using less stringent measures, the researchers found, there are still many older Americans whose diabetes is not well managed, a condition that can lead to multiple long-term health problems ranging from kidney disease to blindness.
A new wrinkle: Geometry of brain's outer surface correlates with genetic heritage The three-dimensional shape of the cerebral cortex -- the wrinkled outer layer of the brain controlling many functions of thinking and sensation -- strongly correlates with ancestral background, . The study opens the door to more precise studies of brain anatomy going forward and could eventually lead to more personalized medicine..
Scientists ‘watch’ rats string memories together By using electrode implants to track nerve cells firing in the brains of rats as they plan where to go next, scientists say they have learned that the mammalian brain likely reconstructs memories in a way more like jumping across stepping stones than walking across a bridge. The research sheds light on what memories are and how they form.
Memory-loss man case 'like nothing we have ever seen before' A psychologist has described a unique case, new to science. A 38-year-old fit and healthy man suffered memory loss after a local anesthetic and root-canal treatment at his dentist. There is no evidence that the treatment at the dentist can be blamed for his condition. He is fully aware of his identity and his personality did not change -- but every day the man thinks it is the day of his dental appointment.
Researchers stimulate human amygdala to gain key insight into sudden unexpected death in epilepsy Researchers have identified areas of the human brain in which breathing is controlled and, in some cases, impaired. Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy is becoming increasingly recognized as a very real and devastating problem in which impaired breathing is thought to play a critical role. Researchers believe breathing may be impaired during and after seizures, without the patient's knowledge.
Strokes steal eight years' worth of brain function Having a stroke ages a person's brain function by almost eight years, robbing them of memory and thinking speed as measured on cognitive tests. In both black and white patients, having had a stroke meant that their score on a 27-item test of memory and thinking speed had dropped as it would have if they had aged 7.9 years.
Preventive neural radiology: Brain imaging bolsters efforts to lower Alzheimer's risk Armed with new knowledge about how neural degenerative diseases alter brain structures, increasing numbers of neurologists, psychiatrists and other clinicians are adopting quantitative brain imaging as a tool to measure and help manage cognitive declines in patients. These imaging findings can help spur beneficial lifestyle changes to reduce risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Scientists discover a protein that silences the biological clock A protein associated with cancer cells is a powerful suppressor of the biological clock that drives the daily ('circadian') rhythms of cells throughout the body. The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting a link between cancer and disruption of circadian rhythms, while offering new insights into the molecular mechanisms of the biological clock.
End game: Sport can ease the transition into retirement Adjusting to the many changes retirement brings can mean the difference between a positive quality of life and one that struggles under the weight of change. A new study examined sport and its ability to impact the quality of life of a person as he or she transitions to retirement.
Changing activity in the aging brain Normal aging affects our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks. But exactly how our brain functions change during this process is largely unknown. Now, researchers have demonstrated that aging changes the activity patterns in specific brain regions involved in memory and cognition.
Molecules involved in Alzheimer's have a role in weakening of connections between neurons Molecules that are strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease are important players in a process called long-term depression (LTD), researchers have discovered. LTD is a process through which the strength of synapses, the connections between neurons, is selectively reduced. This new research suggests improperly regulated LTD could cause the degeneration of the connections between neurons that is a core feature of Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
New mechanism for Alzheimer's disease confirmed Decreased removal of toxic peptides in the brain causes the onset and first clinical signs of Alzheimer's disease, rather than overproduction as has previously been assumed. This information can now be used to target specific genes to enhance their function in the brain of elderly or people at risk.
New insights could result in changes to the therapeutic strategy to combat Alzheimer's, reduce animal testing A typical characteristic of the brain of an Alzheimer sufferer is the presence of insoluble Tau protein aggregates. Scientists have demonstrated that the distribution of these aggregates through the brain is facilitated by synaptic connections between brain cells. This news is highly significant because the focus is increasingly on repairing synaptic connections as a therapeutic strategy in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. In fact, it is generally accepted that a loss of synaptic connections leads to a loss in cognitive skills.
Omega-3 fatty acids enhance cognitive flexibility in at-risk older adults A study of older adults at risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease found that those who consumed more omega-3 fatty acids did better than their peers on tests of cognitive flexibility -- the ability to efficiently switch between tasks -- and had a bigger anterior cingulate cortex, a brain region known to contribute to cognitive flexibility
Proteins may slow memory loss in people with Alzheimer's Certain proteins may slow the devastating memory loss caused by Alzheimer’s disease, according to a groundbreaking new study. The researchers found evidence that an elevated presence of a protein called neuronal pentraxin-2 may slow cognitive decline and reduce brain atrophy in people with Alzheimer's disease.
Novel approach blocks amyloid production in Alzheimer's mouse model Offering a potential early intervention for Alzheimer's disease (AD), researchers have identified compounds that block the production of beta amyloid peptides in mice. The build-up of beta amyloid plaques is widely believed to cause irreversible brain damage, associated with AD, which accounts for about 60 to 80 percent of all cases of dementia in the U.S.
Why one of three people aged over 70 are discharged with functional decline One in three patients aged 70 and older who are independent in their daily functioning and are admitted for acute conditions, like pneumonia, are discharged from the hospital with functional decline and around one in two report a decline in functioning a month after their discharge,
Strength training still advisable in older age Many over-65-year-olds are frail, or in a preliminary stage of frailty. A new study aims to raise fitness levels and quality of life for older people whose nutritional condition is inadequate. The first results show that regular strength training is particularly beneficial for increasing hand strength, and thus enabling people to live independently,.
New treatment for dementia discovered: Deep brain stimulation New brain cells can be formed through deep brain stimulation, improving memory retention, researchers report. For decades, scientists have been finding ways to generate brain cells to boost memory and learning, but more importantly, to also treat brain trauma and injury, and age-related diseases such as dementia. By stimulating the front part of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex, they have no discovered that new brain cells are formed in the hippocampus although it had not been directly stimulated.
Older people can learn to spend less time sitting down Older adults spend 8.5 waking hours a day sitting or lying down -- time linked to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and death -- even if they're physically active at other times. A new study showed it was feasible to coach older people to spend less time sitting: an average of a half hour less per day. They reported feeling more able to accomplish everyday tasks -- and they walked faster and had fewer depression symptoms.
Clues to aging from long-lived lemurs Researchers combed through more than 50 years of medical records on hundreds of lemurs for clues to their longevity. They found that how long these primates live and how fast they age correlates with the amount of time they spend in a state of suspended animation known as torpor. The research may eventually help scientists identify 'anti-aging' genes in humans.
Eating green leafy vegetables keeps mental abilities sharp Something as easy as adding more spinach, kale, collards and mustard greens to your diet could help slow cognitive decline, according to new research. The study also examined the nutrients responsible for the effect, linking vitamin K consumption to slower cognitive decline for the first time.
Alzheimer's: The killer protein, properly explained Researchers hope to be able, one day, to fight the pathogenic action of the amyloid-beta protein, whose buildup is associated with Alzheimer's disease. In the meantime, scientists have synthesized the knowledge acquired about this protein over the last few decades in a review paper that is destined to become a milestone for future research.
