Summary: New research links more than twenty genes to suicide risk that appears across generations in families. Source: University of Utah Every 11 minutes an American dies by suicide—about 132 people a day and more than 48,000 each year. For bereaved families and clinicians, understanding why remains urgent. Family history is an important and increasingly … Read more

A new study examining fruit fly brains reveals a previously unrecognized stem cell mechanism that may illuminate how diverse neurons form in humans. The research by scientists at the University of Oregon was published online in Nature ahead of the June 27 issue. “The question we confronted was, ‘How does a single kind of stem … Read more

Summary: Results from a mouse study identify the specific neurons and peptide that drive the sneeze reflex. Source: WUSTL A tickle in the nose triggers sneezing to expel irritants and pathogens, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind this reflex extend beyond the sinuses and have been incompletely understood. Researchers at Washington University School of … Read more

Young adults who display hostile attitudes or who struggle to cope with stress may face a higher risk of memory and thinking problems decades later, according to research published online March 2, 2016, in Neurology. Researchers found that certain personality traits measured in early adulthood — specifically hostility and a pattern the authors call “effortful … Read more

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