US researchers have discovered two genes that appear to work together as master switches to turn on hundreds of other genes that drive the most aggressive forms of brain cancer: they hope their findings will help develop completely new approaches to treat these incurable tumors…
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New research from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has found that an alternative therapy may be possible for treating some types of hypertension using an enzyme called ACE2. The research, conducted on mice in the laboratory of Daniel Batlle, M.D…
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Using disinfectants could help superbug bacteria become resistant not only to the disinfectant itself but to antibiotics, even if they have not been exposed to them, according to a new study from Ireland: the findings could be important step in the fight to prevent superbugs spreading in hospitals…
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Several structurally similar small molecules appear capable of protecting cells from alpha-synuclein toxicity in multiple models of Parkinson’s disease, according to Whitehead Institute researchers. Misfolded copies of the alpha-synuclein protein in brain cells are a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease…
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The early stages of Alzheimer’s disease are thought to occur at the synapse, since synapse loss is associated with memory dysfunction. Evidence suggests that amyloid beta (Aβ) plays an important role in early synaptic failure, but little has been understood about Aβ’s effect on the plasticity of dendritic spines…
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The premise that hunger makes food look more appealing is a widely held belief just ask those who cruise grocery store aisles on an empty stomach, only to go home with a full basket and an empty wallet. Prior research studies have suggested that the so-called hunger hormone ghrelin, which the body produces when it’s hungry, might act on the brain to trigger this behavior…
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Ardipithecus ramidus, or “Ardi,” receives the top honor as the Breakthrough of the Year, named by Science and its publisher, AAAS, the world’s largest science society. The Dec. 18 issue of Science (http://www.sciencemag.org) takes a look back at the big science stories over the past 12 months and presents its selections for the 10 major scientific breakthroughs of 2009…
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Maternal behavior itself can trigger the development of new neurons in the maternal brain independent of whether the female was pregnant or has nursed, according to a study released by researchers at Tufts University’s Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. These findings performed in adult, virgin rats were published in Brain Research Bulletin and are available online at http://dx.doi.org/10…
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Scientists at Harvard University have used light and genetic trickery to trace out neurons’ ability to excite or inhibit one another, literally shedding new light on the question of how neurons interact with one another in live animals. The work is described in the journal Nature Methods…
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Diabetics may soon be able to wear contact lenses that continuously alert them to variations in their glucose levels by changing colours - replacing the need to routinely draw blood throughout the day…
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