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LSD1

·November 18, 2019·3 min read

Adolescent drinking increases anxiety and alcohol abuse risk later in life

Teenage binge drinking is linked to altered gene expression in the brain, specifically the central nucleus of the amygdala. Adolescent rats exposed to alcohol had increased levels of miR-137, resulting in lower expression of proteins essential for healthy neuron growth. During adulthood, these rats displayed higher levels of anxiety and an increased preference for alcohol consumption.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 25, 2019·4 min read

Schizophrenia risk gene linked to cognitive deficits

SETD1A, a gene associated with schizophrenia, stunts the growth and branching of dendrites and reduces the number of dendritic spines. Reinstating the normal expression of SETD1A in mouse models restored working memory function.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 9, 2019·6 min read

Scientists reverse core symptom of schizophrenia in adult mice

Neuronal branches in SETD1A deficient mice are shorter and stunted. Switching off another gene, LSD1, nullifies the harmful effects of SETD1A on neuron and axon growth. After inhibiting LSD1, SETD1A deficient mice showed improved memory and axon growth. Inhibiting LSD1 not only acted on memory deficits linked to schizophrenia but also acted on the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with axonal growth.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 23, 2019·5 min read

Targeted Treatment Shrinks Deadly Pediatric Brain Cancer Tumors

Researchers report a targeted therapy that blocks LSD1 effectively shrinks tumor size in mouse models of medulloblastoma, a form of pediatric brain cancer.

Image shows a cat sitting in a taped square on a floor.

Featured Genetics Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·October 9, 2017·5 min read

New Insight Into How Brain Cells Die in Alzheimer’s and FTD

A gene that is critical in early stages of embryonic development appears to also play a key role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia, researchers say.