Corneal nerve fiber assessment has great potential as a tool to diagnose and monitor peripheral neuropathy induced by HIV, say scientists. Although corneal nerve assessments have shown increasingly valuable as a replacement for epidermal nerve fiber evaluation in diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the evaluation of corneal alterations in tracking HIV-induced neuropathy has yet to be explored. ...
Humans who lack the corpus callosum, a bundle of 200 million fibers that connect the left and right hemispheres of the brain, have long fascinated physicians, neuroscientists and other curious minds. Now, a group of researchers puts an end to the Sperry's paradox, which describes major differences between individuals born with reduced or absent brain connections and those who acquire this condition...
Cerebral small-vessel disease and Alzheimer disease pathology appear to be associated, new research indicates. "Our study supports the hypothesis that the pathways of SVD and AD pathology are interconnected. Small-vessel disease could provoke amyloid pathology while AD-associated cerebral amyloid pathology may lead to auxiliary vascular damage," researchers conclude. ...
Evidence shows that subtle changes of inhibitory signaling in the reward pathway can change how animals respond to drugs such as cocaine. This is the first study to demonstrate the critical links between the levels of the trafficking protein, the potassium channels’ effect on neuronal activity and a mouse’s response to cocaine. ...
Specific genes that may lead to improved survival of glioblastoma, the most common and deadly form of cancerous brain tumor, have been identified by new research. The molecular data is expected to aid further research into genes that either help or impede the survival of patients diagnosed with the tumor, which can invade and rapidly grow in any part of the human brain. ...
It is easier to learn something new if you can link it to something you already know. A specific part of the brain appears to be involved in this process: the medial prefrontal cortex. These findings further enhance our understanding of the brain mechanisms that underlie effective learning. A researcher added a tip for secondary school students taking their final exams: 'If you don't immediately know...
The obvious cognitive symptoms of minor traumatic brain injury can dissipate within a few days, but blast-exposed veterans may continue to have problems focusing attention on one sound source and ignoring others, an ability known as "selective auditory attention.” According to a new study, such apparent "hearing" problems actually may be caused by diffuse injury to the brain's prefrontal lobe. ...
Scientists showed that people who have a variant of a longevity gene, called KLOTHO, have improved brain skills such as thinking, learning and memory regardless of their age, sex, or whether they have a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Increasing KLOTHO gene levels in mice made them smarter, possibly by increasing the strength of connections between nerve cells in the brain. ...
Researchers examine how well study participants perform spatial cognitive tasks while walking and standing still. ...
Researchers identify a possible, common source of DNA damage which could play a role in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and aging. ...
A gene essential for normal brain development, and previously linked to Autism Spectrum Disorders, also plays a critical role in addiction-related behaviors, researchers report. The team used animal models to show that the fragile X mental retardation protein, or FMRP, plays a critical role in the development of addiction-related behaviors. FMRP is also the protein that is missing in Fragile X Syndrome,...
Two rare, inherited childhood neurodegenerative disorders are being studied by researchers who have identified a new, possibly common source of DNA damage that may play a role in other neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and aging. Researchers showed for the first time that an enzyme required for normal DNA functioning causes DNA damage in the developing brain. DNA is the molecule found in nearly every...
A variant of the gene KLOTHO is known for its anti-aging effects in people fortunate enough to carry one copy. Now researchers find that it also has benefits when it comes to brain function. The variant appears to lend beneficial cognitive effects by increasing overall levels of KLOTHO in the bloodstream and brain. ...
Children with autism experience deficits in a type of immune cell that protects the body from infection. Called granulocytes, the cells exhibit one-third the capacity to fight infection and protect the body from invasion compared with the same cells in children who are developing normally. The cells, which circulate in the bloodstream, are less able to deliver crucial infection-fighting oxidative responses...
New research looks at how the two hemispheres of the brain coordinate to track moving objects. ...
Researchers have discovered a small change in a single protein which turns a cold sensitive receptor into one that senses heat. ...
Researchers discover a gene already associated with longevity also improves memory and learning. The findings could help develop new treatments for cognitive decline. ...
Scientists have found that pressure from the fluid surrounding the brain plays a role in maintaining proper eye function, opening a new direction for treating glaucoma — the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. ...
New research may help explain why multiple sclerosis is more prevalent in women than men. ...
Musical training can increase blood flow to the left hemisphere of the brain, a new study reports. ...