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·July 25, 2019·4 min read

Researchers discover new cause of cell aging

Findings have applications for senolyics, the development of drugs that could eliminate aging cells.

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Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 25, 2019·4 min read

Brain protein mutation from child with autism causes autism-like behavioral change in mice

Researchers implanted a genetic mutation that encodes the DAT protein from a child with ASD into mice. The mice began to exhibit autism-like behavioral deficits. Mice with the DAT T356M mutation had reduced social interaction and a loss in social dominance. The mice also demonstrated an increase in hyperactivity. At the physiological level, the researchers found impaired striatal dopamine transmission and clearance.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 24, 2019·5 min read

Pupil dilation and heart rate, analyzed by AI, may help spot autism early

A machine learning algorithm can accurately detect abnormalities in pupil dilation, which are predictive of ASD, in mouse models. The AI can also detect if a female has Rett syndrome with 80% accuracy. The system could be used to detect autism in infants and toddlers.

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Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 23, 2019·3 min read

Fingerprint of Multiple Sclerosis Immune Cells Identified

T helper cells in the blood of patients with multiple sclerosis infiltrate the central nervous system, causing inflammation and neural damage.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 23, 2019·3 min read

Study looks at stem cells for answers to how a type of autism develops

Stem cell study reveals a genetic defect associated with fragile X syndrome delays the production of neurons during a critical stage of embryonic development.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·July 22, 2019·5 min read

Gut microbes may affect the course of ALS

Researchers have isolated a molecule that may be under-produced in the gut of those with ALS. Using mouse models of the disease, researchers identified 11 microbial strains that became altered as the disease progressed, or before the development of symptoms.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 22, 2019·4 min read

Exosomes may hold the answer to treating and diagnosing developmental brain disorders

Exosomes carry signaling information required to regulate neural circuit development.

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Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 22, 2019·3 min read

Study finds Nunavik Inuit are genetically unique

Canada's Nunavik Inuit population are genetically distinct from any other known population. Certain genetic variants identified in this population are associated with a higher risk of brain aneurysms. Nunavik Inuit have distinct genetic signatures in pathways linked to lipid metabolism, allowing them to adjust to higher-fat diets and the extreme temperature of the Canadian Arctic.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 20, 2019·3 min read

Lower childhood IQ linked to Alzheimer’s later in life

Children with the APOE E4 gene perform lower on verbal and general IQ tests than their peers without the genetic risk factor. APOE E4 is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests the effects of the gene manifests before adulthood and could be the earliest biomarker for later vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 19, 2019·3 min read

Taking out the Protein Garbage Becomes More Difficult as Neurons Age

In aging mice, the number of autophagosomes is significantly decreased, and pronounced defects in the structure of autophagosomes increased. Turning on the WIPI2B protein restores autophagosome formation in aged neurons.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·July 19, 2019·6 min read

Study hints at why an aggressive form of brain cancer is hard to treat

Genetics and microenvironment influence the frequency of glioblastoma cells. Researchers provide a new blueprint for glioblastoma, integrating the malignant cell programs, cancer cell plasticity, and modulation by genetic drivers. The findings shed light on why this form of cancer is so hard to treat effectively.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·July 18, 2019·4 min read

Romantic partnerships mitigate influence of genetic predisposition to alcohol consumption

For those with a genetic predisposition for alcohol use disorder (AUD), being in a romantic relationship appears to reduce the high risk to succumbing to alcohol abuse. This protective effect is limited to males only, suggesting males with a genetic risk for AUD may benefit more from romantic relationships.