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dopaminergic neurons

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·April 30, 2024·4 min read

Enhancing Neurogenesis for Parkinson’s Treatment

Researchers have pioneered a method to enhance the generation of dopaminergic neurons, crucial for Parkinson’s disease treatment, by targeting specific receptors within the Wnt signaling pathway. Using synthetic antibodies, the team successfully directed stem cell differentiation in the midbrain to produce these key neurons, which are instrumental in brain health and depleted in Parkinson’s patients.

This shows capsules of fish oil laid out in the shape of a fish

Featured Neuroscience

·November 23, 2022·3 min read

Krill Oil Protects Dopaminergic Neurons From Age-Related Degeneration

Krill oil protects dopaminergic neurons from age-related degeneration, decreases alpha-synuclein aggregation, and improves dopamine-dependent cognition and behavior in lab models of Parkinson's disease.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·September 22, 2022·3 min read

Aged Neurons Generated Directly From Skin More Accurately Model Parkinson’s Disease

Researchers successfully turned skin cells from Parkinson's patients into dopaminergic neurons by introducing a combination of neural-inducing genes into the skin cells.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 11, 2022·7 min read

Designer Neurons Offer New Hope for Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Researchers have designed a new method of converting non-neural cells into functioning neurons that are able to form synapses, dispense dopamine, and restore the function of neurons undermined by Parkinson's associated destruction of dopaminergic cells.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·April 3, 2022·4 min read

Midbrain Projection to the Basolateral Amygdala Encodes Anxiety-Like Behaviors

A ventral tegmental area dopamine neuron circuit that projects to the basolateral amygdala selectively controls anxiety-like behaviors, but not depression-like behaviors.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·March 23, 2022·5 min read

Motivation to Achieve Goals May Depend on Anxiety Level

The motivation to exert sustained effort to achieve a goal following stress exposure depends on an individual's level of trait anxiety. The expression of CRHR1 in dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area connects anxiety to either boosted or diminished motivation levels.

This shows a group of friends in a field

Featured Neuroscience

·December 2, 2021·4 min read

Tracking the Neurons That Make Us Social

The motivation to invest in social interactions is closely linked to the reward system via the activation of dopaminergic neurons.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·March 29, 2021·4 min read

Experimental Antibodies for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s May Cause Harmful Inflammation

A new study reveals some experimental antibody treatments for neurodegenerative disorders increase neuroinflammation. The effect was seen in human microglia, not mouse microglia. This may explain why mouse studies have shown these treatments to be effective, but the effect has not been replicated in human studies.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·April 27, 2020·3 min read

More evidence Parkinson’s disease may start in the gut

Enteric neurons appear to play a key role in the development of Parkinson's disease. The findings support the hypothesis and previous studies that the neurodegenerative disease may start in the gut before spreading to the brain. Researchers also found oligodendrocytes were affected during the early stages of Parkinson's, even before the loss of dopaminergic neurons.

Closeup images of neurons with markers labeled shown.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·March 26, 2020·3 min read

Jumping Genes Help Make Neurons in a Dish

Converting skin cells to functional brain cells relies on precise insertion of Line-1 retrotransposons.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·January 31, 2020·5 min read

New light shed on neuronal circuits involved in behavior, learning and dysfunction

New findings about dopaminergic neurons in the striatum could have implications for treating Parkinson's disease and Tourette syndrome.

The gut and brain are highlighted in this drawing of a man

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 17, 2019·5 min read

Bacterial intestinal infections may trigger Parkinson’s disease

Mice infected with bacteria that cause mild intestinal infections exhibited Parkinson's like symptoms later in life. The findings provide a pathophysiological model in which intestinal infections may act as a trigger for Parkinson's disease.