AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·April 15, 2020·5 min readAutism in males linked to defect in brain immune cells and microgliaAn over-production of eIF4E impairs microglial cells, hampering their ability to effectively prune synapses and leading to autism-like behaviors in male mouse models of ASD.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·April 13, 2020·7 min readToxic cell atlas guides new therapies for neurodegenerationA new method called Tox-seq found only one sub-group of microglia caused oxidative stress. The gene expression signatures of this sub-group from a mouse model matched patterns observed in cells suspected of causing damage in progressive multiple sclerosis patients. The pattern of gene expression associated with oxidative stress in mouse cells included genes involved in coagulation.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeurosciencePsychology·April 2, 2020·5 min readHow T. gondii infection causes seizures, and psychiatric illness for someStudy shows how Toxoplasma parasitic infections promote the loss of inhibitory signaling in the brain by altering the behavior of microglia.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 27, 2020·7 min readA new way to study HIV’s impact on the brainHIV infection leads to increased EIF2 signaling in microglia, astrocytes, and neurons. Study reveals how HIV infection and some antiretrovirals affect cognition and the central nervous system.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 18, 2020·5 min readAlzheimer’s risk genes converge on microgliaFindings indicate a large part of the genetic risk of Alzheimer's involves a microglial response to amyloid-beta.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 17, 2020·5 min readInflammation in the brain linked to several forms of dementiaIn all three types of frontotemporal dementia, researchers found the more the inflammation in each part of the brain, the more harmful the build-up of junk proteins.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 10, 2020·4 min readStimulating immune cells to protect against Alzheimer’sStimulating activation of microglia may help eliminate Alzheimer's associated plaques, thus helping to prevent the progression of the neurodegenerative disease.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 3, 2020·6 min readVisceral fat delivers signal to the brain that hurts cognitionVisceral fat impairs memory via proinflammatory interleukin-1 beta mediated microglia activation in the hippocampus.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 28, 2020·3 min readOur own immune cells damage the integrity of the blood-brain barrierMicroglia initially protects the blood-brain barrier from damage due to systemic inflammation. However, microglia can alter their behavior and increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, thus damaging it.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·February 24, 2020·4 min read‘Resetting’ immune cells improves traumatic brain injury recoveryBy inhibiting a particular receptor microglia use to survive, researchers reduced neuroinflammation and prompted recovery following traumatic brain injury in mouse models.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·February 11, 2020·4 min readHow the brain’s immune system could be harnessed to improve memoryAltering microglia in rats helped enhance their performance in memory tasks by up to 50%. The findings could help to develop new therapies that enhance memory function and prevent cognitive decline in humans.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·February 7, 2020·3 min readBrain cells long thought of as passive play key role in memoryMicroglia, key immune cells in the brain, may play a significant role in memory retention.Read More
