Summary: Researchers have determined the molecular structure of the amyloid nucleus—the initial, rate-limiting assembly that triggers amyloid formation in neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington’s. This discovery points to a new therapeutic strategy: prevent the very first nucleation event. The team found that the nucleus forms within a single protein molecule and that blocking this formation … Read more

Summary: Researchers at the Max Planck Institute report that variation in mood, sleep patterns, smoking behavior, and how easily people tan can be traced in part to Neanderthal DNA. Source: Max Planck Institute. Neanderthal DNA contributes to variation in skin tone, hair color, sleep patterns, mood and other traits in people today When modern humans … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified how working memory is formatted, showing that visual memory can be stored in a flexible, abstract form. Source: NYU A team of scientists has uncovered how working memory is “formatted,” advancing our understanding of how visual information is stored and used. “For decades researchers have sought to understand the neural representations … Read more

Summary: For decades, researchers have asked how people can pick out a single conversation in a noisy room—a puzzle called the “cocktail party problem.” New work from MIT neuroscientists supplies a clear computational explanation for how the brain achieves selective listening. Using a modified neural network that simulates auditory processing, the researchers show that a … Read more

Summary: Johns Hopkins researchers applied artificial intelligence to build a comparative map of T-cell surface receptors, revealing patterns that may predict and inform responses to immunotherapy and vaccine strategies. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine. Johns Hopkins scientists have developed an AI-driven mapping tool, called ImmunoMap, to compare and visualize types of T-cell receptors—the chemical “antennas” on … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified 22 new genetic risk factors for stroke. Source: University of Oxford. MEGASTROKE Study Identifies 22 New Genetic Risk Factors for Stroke A large international genetic study led by researchers involved in the MEGASTROKE collaboration, and published in Nature Genetics, has identified 22 previously unknown genetic loci associated with stroke. The analysis … Read more

Summary: Researchers have identified how the brain prioritizes immediate versus distant goals. Their study shows that the hippocampus processes urgent, present goals more quickly and in a different region than goals set for the past or future. This finding sheds light on the neural and behavioral mechanisms behind goal prioritization and may help explain difficulties … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that human growth hormone preparations derived from human pituitary tissue before 1985 contained seeds of the amyloid‑beta protein. In laboratory tests, archived vials of this hormone induced amyloid pathology when injected into mice, demonstrating that amyloid‑beta seeds can remain active after decades of storage. The results strengthen the hypothesis that Alzheimer’s‑related protein … Read more

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and biotechnology company Cenna Biosciences have identified small peptides that block production of beta amyloid peptides in mice, offering a potential early intervention strategy for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A study published April 29 in PLOS ONE reports that a peptide called P8 — and … Read more

Summary: A new study finds that violence within Italian mafia groups spreads in a contagious way: individuals who commit violent acts together are far more likely to carry out further violence than those who act alone. Researchers analyzed the criminal careers of 9,819 people convicted of organized crime and report that prior violent co-offending substantially … Read more