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Northwestern University

This shows an abstract drawing of a bald man and stem cells.

·June 5, 2023·3 min read

Stem Cell Breakthrough: A Potential Cure for Baldness

In a new study, researchers discovered that age-related stiffness in hair follicle stem cells can inhibit hair growth. By enhancing the production of a tiny RNA, miR-205, they managed to soften these cells, encouraging hair growth in both young and old mice.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 7, 2023·6 min read

Study Using AI Reveals Secondary Bacterial Pneumonia, Not Cytokine Storm, Found as Key Factor in COVID-19 Fatalities

AI study found secondary bacterial pneumonia, rather than the "cytokine storm," is a significant factor in COVID-19-related fatalities.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 4, 2023·5 min read

Reproductive Aging May Be Slowed by SSRI Antidepressants

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly used to treat depression and anxiety can improve the quality of aging females' egg cells in roundworms and fruit flies. The study found that the exposure to SSRIs decreased embryonic death and chromosomal abnormalities in surviving offspring. The researchers said that these findings could lead to new opportunities to explore pharmacological interventions that could combat infertility issues in humans by improving egg quality and delaying the onset of reproductive aging.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 30, 2023·3 min read

Fight-Or-Flight Neurotransmitter Octopamine’s Role in Neurodegeneration

Octopamine, the major neurotransmitter responsible for the "fight-or-flight" response in invertebrates, can communicate with mammalian brain cells to prevent cell death. By introducing octopamine to cultures of astrocytes, the scientists found that it prompts the production of lactate, which promotes cell survival, and this discovery could lead to future therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The study also raises questions about the role of octopamine in healthy brains and its impact on learning, memory, and aging.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·March 24, 2023·5 min read

New Discovery Reveals Sex-Specific Causes of Depression Triggered by Stress Hormones Dysfunction

Men are more likely to have a dysregulated HPA axis that is associated with depressive symptoms, while women have higher levels of binding proteins for stress hormones that may prevent dysregulation of the HPA axis. The findings shed new light on how stress hormones impact dopamine transmission and how this impacts depression on a sex-specific basis.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 20, 2023·4 min read

Americans’ IQ Scores Are Lower in Some Areas, Higher in One

While scores for verbal reasoning and matrix reasoning have decreased, scores for spatial reasoning have improved, researchers report.

This shows the outline of a head and brain

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·February 28, 2023·4 min read

Social Deficits and Seizures in Autism Type Tied to Overexcited Brain Circuits

A genetic subtype of ASD and schizophrenia have a duplicate gene that triggers overactivity in neural circuits, leading to social deficits and seizures. When researchers reduced the level of the PRRT2 gene in mouse models of 16p11.2 duplication syndrome, social behaviors were restored and seizure activity decreased.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 20, 2023·8 min read

First Wearable Device for Vocal Fatigue Senses When Your Voice Needs a Break

A newly developed sensor tracks a person's vocal use and alerts them to overuse before vocal fatigue and potential injury occur.

Featured Psychology

·February 10, 2023·4 min read

Restricted Abortion Access Will Cause Psychiatric Harm

Women seeking abortions are three times more likely to suffer from a mental health disorder, and restrictive abortion rights will only cause more women to experience mental health problems, researchers say. Additionally, the physical and emotional stress caused as a result of forced pregnancy will have a detrimental impact on the brain development of the fetus, raising the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·February 7, 2023·4 min read

Potential Therapeutic Target for Schizophrenia Identified

Calcium signaling was found to be a central abnormality in schizophrenia neurons. Targeting calcium signaling in neurons could be a potential new way to treat the 16p11.2 duplication variation of schizophrenia.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain

·January 30, 2023·5 min read

Calcium Channels Regulate Neuroinflammation and Neuropathic Pain

The Orai1 class of calcium channels regulates sex differences in the functioning of immune cells associated with neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain.