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immune system

·May 17, 2019·4 min read

Adult-onset inflammatory bowel disease linked to higher mortality

Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis during adulthood has been linked to a 50% higher mortality rate and shorter life expectancy in those over 50. The increased risk of death remained after the introduction of therapies aimed at treating the conditions but decreased over time.

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·May 17, 2019·3 min read

Groundbreaking genetic discovery shows why Lupus develops

Rare gene variants BLK and BANK1 are present in a substantial percentage of people with Lupus. The genetic variants suppress 1RF5 and type-1 1Fn in B cells, causing dysfunction in the immune cells.

This shows a person sneezing into a tissue

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 17, 2019·3 min read

Being sick in the morning can be different from being sick at night

Our circadian rhythm may explain why we are more prone to different health conditions at different points throughout the day.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Psychology

·May 16, 2019·5 min read

Is the brain parasite Toxoplasma manipulating your behavior, or is your immune system to blame?

Immune system response to chronic infection may be more directly to blame for health and behavioral changes associated with Toxoplasma gondii infections.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 15, 2019·3 min read

Inflammation induces anhedonia in women but not men

Inflammation appears to reduce reward response in females. Reduced activity in the brain's reward system is a key component of anhedonia, the loss of enjoyment in activities, a core feature of depression. The findings may explain why depression is more prevalent in women than in men.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 14, 2019·4 min read

How stressed-out gut bacteria may trigger autoimmune response

Chronic social stress in mice induces the expression of virulent genes in the gut microbiota. The altered microbiota increases the presence of effector T helper cells in the lymph nodes and induces myelin autoreactive cells. Exposure to chronic stress, therefore, may increase the risk of developing autoimmune diseases for some individuals with a susceptibility.

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Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 14, 2019·4 min read

Probiotic-derived molecule may suppress fatal brain inflammation

Capsular polysaccharide A (PSA), an envelope molecule, may help to boost the immune system and protect against potentially fatal neuroinflammation associated with Herpes Simplex Encephalitis (HSE). Mice given PSA survived exposure to a lethal herpes simplex viral infection, while those not treated with the probiotic did not, despite both groups being treated with a common antiviral used to treat HSE.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 13, 2019·3 min read

How mutations lead to neurodegenerative disease

Genetic mutations which lead to abnormal RNA in regions of repeat DNA sequences set off anti-viral like inflammatory responses. This leads to apoptosis and ultimately trigger the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 10, 2019·6 min read

Statins’ potential to treat MS unrelated to lowering cholesterol

The common statin drug Simvastatin reduces brain atrophy and slows the progression of secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS). The effects appear to be independent of the drug's cholesterol-lowering effects.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·May 9, 2019·3 min read

Anger more harmful to health of older adults than sadness

Experiencing daily anger increases inflammation and raises the risk of developing chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and cancer, in those aged 80 and over.

This diagram shows how ms affects the body

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 8, 2019·4 min read

A new culprit for multiple sclerosis relapses

Injecting extracellular vesicles from healthy mice into mice that had an MS-like disease resulted in the development of a relapse-remitting disease and active CD8+ cells, similar to that seen in human patients with multiple sclerosis. Examining the EVs in mice and humans with MS, researchers identified they contained fibrinogen, a protein normally associated with blood clotting and wound healing. According to researchers, the EVs with fibrinogen appear to activate the CD8+ immune cells. The findings could help with the development of new treatments for RRMS.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 7, 2019·3 min read

Scientists pinpoint potential new target for regulating inflammation

SARM, an ancient immune protein previously implicated in apoptosis, is a key immune regulator in peripheral immune cells. The finding could help in the development of treatments for a range of diseases, including Alzheimer's, cancer and diabetes.