Natural Process Activating Brain’s Immune Cells Could Point Way to Repairing Damaged Brain
The brain’s key “breeder” cells secrete substances that boost the numbers and strength of critical brain-based immune cells believed to play a vital role in brain health. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of how resident stem cells and stem cell transplants may improve brain function.
Scientists Pinpoint Key Player in Parkinson’s Disease Neuron Loss
Stem cell study may help to unravel how a genetic mutation leads to Parkinson’s symptoms. By reprogramming skin cells from Parkinson’s disease patients with a known genetic mutation, researchers identified damage to neural stem cells as a powerful player in Parkinson’s disease.
Using the Eye as a Window into the Brain
An inexpensive, five-minute eye scan can accurately assess the amount of brain damage in people with the debilitating autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS), and offer clues about how quickly the disease is progressing.
Less Invasive Method of Brain Stimulation Helps Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Electrical stimulation using extradural electrodes—placed underneath the skull but not implanted in the brain, is a safe approach with meaningful benefits for patients with Parkinson’s disease according to new research.
A Molecular Scissor Related to Alzheimer’s Disease
An international research team revealed the atomic‐level structure of the human peptidase enzyme meprin β (beta).
Drug Reverses Abnormal Brain Function in Rett Syndrome Mice
in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, researchers were able to reverse abnormalities in brain activity and improve neurological function by treating animals with an FDA-approved anesthesia drug, ketamine.
New Research Model to Aid Search for Degenerative Disease Cures
Efforts to treat disorders like Lou Gehrig’s disease, Paget’s disease, inclusion body myopathy and dementia will receive a considerable boost from a new research model created by UC Irvine scientists.
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to More Severe Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Low blood levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased number of brain lesions and signs of a more active disease state in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study finds, suggesting a potential link between intake of the vitamin and the risk of longer-term disability from the autoimmune disorder.
Researchers Halt Autoimmune Disease Myasthenia Gravis in Mice
Working with mice, Johns Hopkins researchers say they have developed a gene-based therapy to stop the rodent equivalent of the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis by specifically targeting the destructive immune response the disorder triggers in the body.
New Findings on Protein Misfolding
Researchers identified 21 proteins that specifically bind to a protein called ataxin-1. Twelve of these proteins enhance the misfolding of ataxin-1 and thus promote the formation of harmful protein aggregate structures, whereas nine of them prevent the misfolding.
