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neural stem cells

Images shows new medium spiny neurons (in green) integrating into brain's existing networks

·June 6, 2013·5 min read

Scientists Coax Brain to Regenerate Cells Lost in Huntington’s Disease

Researchers mobilize the brain's native stem cells to replenish medium spiny neurons which are lost in Huntington's disease.

The image shows human neuronal stem cells. The caption best describes the image.

Electrophysiology Featured Genetics

·June 6, 2013·4 min read

Alzheimer’s, Schizophrenia & Autism Can Be Studied with Brain Cells Reprogrammed from Skin Cells

A new method for obtaining mature neuronal cells from reprogrammed skin cells allows researchers to safely and effectively study diseases such as schizophrenia and autism.

The image shows fluorescent dyes tracking the presence of RNA molecules.

Featured Genetics

·April 15, 2013·4 min read

Brain Development Is Guided by Junk DNA that Isn’t Really Junk

Researchers discover a role for long noncoding RNA in brain development and neurodegenerative diseases.

20 brain scans are shown and described well in caption..

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·April 11, 2013·5 min read

Spring Cleaning in Your Brain: Stem Cell Research Shows How Important Autophagy Is

Years of mouse research lead to discovery of how autophagy keeps neural stem cells ready to replace damaged brain and nerve cells.

The image shows a neuron which creates dopamine. The caption best describes this image.

Featured Neurology

·March 14, 2013·4 min read

Transplanted Brain Cells in Monkeys Light Up Personalized Therapy

Researchers transplanted neural cells, derived from adult skin cells, into monkeys; where they developed into several different types of brain cells. The research could eventually help provide new treatment avenues for patients with a wide range of neurological diseases.

The image shows a lego man acting as a gatekeeper for the brain activity to neuronal growth.

Featured Psychology

·February 7, 2013·4 min read

Researchers Uncover Key to Antidepressant Response

Researchers identify a protein that appears to be the target of both antidepressant drugs and electroconvulsive therapy. The experimental results explain how these therapies likely work to relieve depression by stimulating stem cells in the brain to grow and mature.

Featured Genetics Neurology

·October 25, 2012·4 min read

Researchers at the Doorstep of Stem Cell Therapies for MS, Other Myelin Disorders

Scientists report researchers are now on the threshold of human application of stem cell therapies for a class of neurological diseases known as myelin disorders – a long list of diseases that include conditions such as multiple sclerosis, white matter stroke, cerebral palsy, certain dementias, and rare but fatal childhood disorders called pediatric leukodystrophies.

Neurons are shown. Caption describes it well.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology

·October 22, 2012·3 min read

Aggressive Brain Tumors Can Originate from a Range of Nervous System Cells

Scientists have long believed that glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive type of primary brain tumor, begins in glial cells that make up supportive tissue in the brain or in neural stem cells. Researchers found that the tumors can originate from other types of differentiated cells in the nervous system, including cortical neurons.

Featured Neurology

·October 21, 2012·5 min read

Natural Process Activating Brain’s Immune Cells Could Point Way to Repairing Damaged Brain

The brain’s key “breeder” cells secrete substances that boost the numbers and strength of critical brain-based immune cells believed to play a vital role in brain health. This finding adds a new dimension to our understanding of how resident stem cells and stem cell transplants may improve brain function.

An image of stem cells is shown. Caption describes well.

Featured Neurology

·October 19, 2012·4 min read

Scientists Pinpoint Key Player in Parkinson’s Disease Neuron Loss

Stem cell study may help to unravel how a genetic mutation leads to Parkinson's symptoms. By reprogramming skin cells from Parkinson's disease patients with a known genetic mutation, researchers identified damage to neural stem cells as a powerful player in Parkinson's disease.

Featured Genetics Neurology

·September 13, 2012·3 min read

Neural Stem Cells Regenerate Axons in Severe Spinal Cord Injury

Researchers were able to regenerate an astonishing degree of axonal growth at the site of severe spinal cord injury in rats. Results were then replicated using two human stem cell lines, one already in human trials for ALS. “We obtained the exact results using human cells as we had in the rat cells,” said Tuszynski.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neurology

·August 29, 2012·5 min read

Could a Cancer Drug Potentially Prevent Learning Disabilities in Some Kids?

U-M scientists stop abnormal brain cell growth in mice with neurofibromatosis using experimental tumor drug, make new discoveries in neural stem cells.