Brain

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Scientists have known for some time that a protein called presenilin plays a role in Alzheimer's disease, and a new study reveals one intriguing way this happens.

It has to do with how materials travel up and down brain cells, which are also called neurons.

In an Oct. 8 paper in Human Molecular Genetics, University at Buffalo researchers report that presenilin works with an enzyme called GSK-3ß to control how fast materials — like proteins needed for cell survival — move through the cells.

PRINCETON, NJ—Mina Cikara found her thesis when she wore a Boston Red Sox hat to a New York Yankees baseball game. Nicknames and vulgarities were among the souvenirs she took home. And, after hearing about the name-calling and heckling her then-PhD student endured, Princeton professor Susan Fiske was compelled to join her in pursuing the phenomenon further, exploring why people fail to empathize with others based on stereotypes.

Transforming growth factor-β1 is a universal multifunctional polypeptide cytokine, which has been shown to have a protective effect against nerve cell damage. Golgi morphology may be damaged after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. Transforming growth factor-β1 exists in the Golgi apparatus of nerve cells, and further protects the Golgi apparatus. GM130 is an important matrix protein appearing on the Golgi surface, however, variation of GM130 expression during cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury has not been studied yet.

The corpus callosum is the largest white matter fiber bundle in the human brain, the major interhemispheric commissure that connects the majority of the neocortical areas, and is important for interhemispheric communication between sensory, motor, and higher-order brain regions. Brain development can be indirectly evaluated through serial monitoring of callosal developmental changes. MRI studies of children spanning from young children to adolescents have indicated that functional impairments found in prematurely born individuals are associated with smaller corpus collosa.

Autografts or allografts are commonly used in neurosurgery. Unfortunately, autografts have limitations such as body injury, repeated surgeries and disproportion of grafted nerve tissue in terms of size and structure. In addition, a similar problem, i.e., stimulation of the immune system, will be encountered in transplantation of allografts or xenografts. Some studies used artificial nerve conduits to repair nerve defects. Among the artificial nerve conduits used, nanofibrous poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) conduits exhibit several advantages.

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States and is often the result of blood vessel narrowing due to buildup of cholesterol in brain blood vessels. A new report, published in Lancet, details long-term outcomes of a study that compared aggressive medical therapy with surgically implanted stents to open narrowed brain blood vessels for the prevention of stroke. This clinical trial was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.

ORLANDO, Fla. – While many football helmet and mouth guard manufacturers claim that their equipment will lessen impact forces and reduce concussion risk, neither a specific brand nor a higher cost were associated with fewer concussions in adolescent athletes, according to an abstract presented Monday, Oct. 28 at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando.

This news release is available in French.

Brief exposure to anabolic steroids may have long lasting, possibly permanent, performance-enhancing effects, shows a study published today [28 October] in The Journal of Physiology.

Previously, re-acquisition of muscle mass – with or without steroid use – after periods of inactivity has been attributed to motor learning. However, this new data from the University of Oslo suggests that there is a cellular 'memory mechanism' within muscle of brief steroid users.

Scientists at Rutgers University studying the cause of a rare childhood disease that leaves children unable to walk by adolescence say new findings may provide clues to understanding more common neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's and developing better tools to treat them.

When you look at the hands of a clock or the streets on a map, your brain is effortlessly performing computations that tell you about the orientation of these objects. New research by UCL scientists has shown that these computations can be carried out by the microscopic branches of neurons known as dendrites, which are the receiving elements of neurons.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Dendrites, the branch-like projections of neurons, were once thought to be passive wiring in the brain. But now researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have shown that these dendrites do more than relay information from one neuron to the next. They actively process information, multiplying the brain's computing power.

"Suddenly, it's as if the processing power of the brain is much greater than we had originally thought," said Spencer Smith, PhD, an assistant professor in the UNC School of Medicine.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A concussion should not only take a student athlete off the playing field – it may also require a break from the classroom, according to a new clinical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

In the clinical report, "Returning to Learning Following a Concussion," released Sunday, Oct. 27 at the AAP National Conference & Exhibition in Orlando, the AAP offers guidance to pediatricians caring for children and adolescents after suffering a concussion.

Boulder, CO, USA – Teaching and learning science in U.S. K-12 schools just got more interesting. Working with the National Research Council (NRC), an advisory group of scientists, cutting-edge child education experts, and science teachers have developed the first set of science teaching standards in more than 15 years. This framework for science education offers students and teachers the means to engage with science through more hands-on experiences and includes a section on developing climate literacy, which has not previously been included.

The final results of a stroke prevention study in patients with narrowed brain arteries confirm earlier findings: Medication plus lifestyle changes are safer and more effective at preventing stroke than a surgical technique called stenting.

Enrollment in the trial was halted two years ago when it became apparent that stenting was associated with a higher risk of early strokes and death.