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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 Neurology Neuroscience Pain

·May 14, 2019·4 min read

Common antibiotic may increase nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy risk

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Levofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin, appear to increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy by 47%. However, there is no significant increased risk of developing neuropathy associated with amoxicillin use.

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 Genetics Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 6, 2019·5 min read

Pigment-producing stem cells can regenerate myelin sheath: Mouse study

Skin-related stem cells may be key to helping restore the myelin sheath in patients with multiple sclerosis. Using mouse models, researchers discovered melanocyte stem cells can, under the right conditions, function as cells that create myelin.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 1, 2019·5 min read

Restoring brain function in mice with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

Senolytic drugs administered to mice reduced senescent cells around amyloid plaques by more than 90% and decreased neuroinflammation by 50%. Mice treated with the drug combination also showed improvements in spatial memory, compared to other Alzheimer's model mice who received no treatment. The findings could have positive implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in people with the condition.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 25, 2019·4 min read

Drugs to prevent stroke and dementia show promise in early trial

Two drugs commonly prescribed to treat heart disease and angina, are well tolerated in stroke patients. Early indications suggest the treatments may help to improve blood vessel function in the arms and brain, and may also improve cognitive skills.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 23, 2019·2 min read

Texas A&M Research Leads To First Drug For Postpartum Depression

A newly developed drug can help combat the effects of postnatal depression.

This is the chemical structure of heparan sulfate

Featured Neuroscience

·April 22, 2019·5 min read

Sugar entering the brain during septic shock causes memory loss

During sepsis, the body sheds fragments of heparan sulfate, which crossed the blood-brain barrier and enters the hippocampus. The presence of heparan sulfate in the hippocampus may cause memory loss associated with septic shock.

This shows VGLL3 expression in different skin samples

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 19, 2019·5 min read

Skin discovery may help explain why women get autoimmune diseases far more often than men

Skin cells may hold the key to explaining why women are more prone to developing autoimmune diseases, such as lupus than men. Researchers found women have more VGLL3 in their skin cells than men. VGLL3 pushes the immune system into overdrive, resulting in the 'self-attacking' autoimmune response, the mouse study revealed. Findings strongly implicate VGLL3 as a pivotal catalyst in sex-based autoimmunity.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 18, 2019·4 min read

Blood pressure drug shows promise for treating Parkinson’s and dementia in animal study

Felodipine, a common hypertension medication, induces autophagy and clears aggregate-prone proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The study reveals the drug clears mutant alpha-synuclein in the brains of mice at plasma concentrations to those seen in humans taking the medication. Felodipine appears to have some neuroprotective properties in mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases.

This shows pills and a pestle and mortar

Featured Neurology

·April 2, 2019·2 min read

A “Low Dose Aspirin” for Dementia? Drug Ready for First in-Human Testing

MW-151, a new drug that blocks 'bad' inflammation in the brain is about to be tested in a new human trial. Researchers believe the new drug could help stave off dementia.

This shows a woman listening to music on headphones

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Pain

·March 31, 2019·5 min read

Pairing music with medication offers potential therapeutic strategy to manage pain

Classical music exposure paired with ibuprofen reduced response to inflammation pain by 93%, compared to exposure to the medication alone in mouse models of pain. For those exposed to just music, researchers report a 77% reduction in surgical pain.