Summary: Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix structures that surround specific neurons. Diets high in saturated fats and refined sugars can promote inflammation and oxidative stress that damage PNNs and the neurons they protect, which may contribute to memory loss and cognitive decline. Source: University of Western Ontario Poor diet may harm more than your … Read more

Shared Reading May Help People Living with Chronic Pain, Study Finds Summary: Shared Reading shows promise as a therapeutic approach for people with chronic pain and could be an alternative or complement to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Source: University of Liverpool Overview Researchers from the University of Liverpool, The Reader, and the Royal Liverpool University … Read more

Summary: Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered a group of neurons in the zona incerta that appear to promote sleep by inhibiting wake-promoting brain cells. This finding may point to new treatment targets for insomnia, narcolepsy and other sleep disorders. Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine Researchers identify sleep-promoting neurons in the hypothalamus Scientists at Johns Hopkins … Read more

Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, have identified a critical receptor protein, TIE2, that connects two major signaling pathways and drives the formation of dangerous brain vascular lesions called cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). CCMs affect as many as 1 in 200 people and can cause seizures, hemorrhagic strokes, and long-term neurological … Read more

Summary: Microglia exhibit DNA methylation patterns that are distinct from other central nervous system cells, and individual variability strongly influences their methylome. Source: Elsevier Microglial cells in the human brain are central to development, aging, homeostasis, and disease. While previous research has documented region-, age-, and disease-associated differences in microglial gene expression and phenotype, the … Read more

Summary: New research from Scripps Research links the severity of Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease to how much certain aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase enzymes adopt an open, extended conformation rather than to loss of their core aminoacylation activity. Source: Scripps Research Institute Overview Charcot–Marie–Tooth (CMT) disease is a genetically diverse peripheral neuropathy that damages nerves reaching into the hands … Read more

Chemical changes drive rapid copper transport in developing neurons Researchers at Johns Hopkins University report that developing neurons shift how they use copper much more rapidly than mature neurons. Using a precision fluorescent sensor in chicken embryos, the team detected dramatic changes in copper allocation as neurons mature—shifting the metal’s role from mitochondrial energy production … Read more

Summary: Researchers have engineered two linker proteins that stabilize the muscle cell basement membrane by connecting an alternative laminin to muscle fibers. In experimental models of congenital muscular dystrophy, these proteins restored muscle structure and function and markedly extended survival. Source: University of Basel The cell scaffold that protects muscle fibers Muscle tissue relies on … Read more

Summary: Researchers report that human consciousness is supported by dynamic, complex patterns of coordinated brain signals. Source: AAAS. Researchers using fMRI report reproducible brain-activity patterns that distinguish conscious from unconscious states. Detecting these patterns in real time could enable noninvasive interventions to restore awareness and improve clinical decision-making for patients with impaired consciousness. Identifying reliable … Read more

Summary: A new study pinpoints the exact moments when the brain detects the direction of another person’s gaze, improving our understanding of social perception and conditions such as autism and Alzheimer’s disease. Using EEG combined with machine-learning decoding, researchers measured brain responses while participants viewed 3D avatars with different head and eye orientations. The results … Read more