Eat less, live longer
Calorie restricted diets reduce inflammation, delay the onset of age-related diseases, and extend lifespan, a new study reports.... Read More...
Salk Institute
Altered potassium levels in neurons may cause mood swings in bipolar disorder
Increased potassium currents were responsible for hyperactivity of CA3 neurons. When exposed to potassium channel blockers, the hyperactivity disappeared. However, when exposed to lithium, the drug not only reversed hyperactivity but reduced potassium currents at the same time. The findings strengthen the case that potassium currents play a role in bipolar disorder.... Read More...
Study links rapid brain growth in autism to DNA damage
Neural progenitor cells generated from skin cell samples of people on the autism spectrum had heightened levels of DNA damage. The damage clustered in 36 of the same genes which had also been damaged in healthy cells exposed to replication stress. Twenty of the genes have previously been linked to the development of autism.... Read More...
Alzheimer’s drug candidates reverse broader aging
CMS121 and J147, two drug candidates that improve memory and slow neurodegeneration associated with Alzheimer's disease, also slow aging in healthy, older mice. The compounds block damage to neurons caused by general aging and restore levels of specific molecules to those seen in younger animals.... Read More...
How emotion affects action
Researchers have identified a comprehensive circuit mechanism that governs how emotional states can influence movement through connections in the basal ganglia. The mechanism represents a way in which emotional states relate to changes in action control in depression, anxiety, and OCD.... Read More...
Scratching the surface of how your brain senses an itch
Researchers identified a set of neurons in the spinal cord that transmits a light-touch signal from the skin to the brain. NPY-Y1 signaling regulates the transmission of innocuous tactile information by establishing thresholds for touch discrimination and mechanical itch reflexes. The findings shed new light on the neurobiological basis of chronic itching.... Read More...
How mammals’ brains evolved to distinguish odors is nothing to sniff at
Study reveals at least six types of mammals distinguish odors in similar ways, using neural networks that are evolutionarily preserved across species.... Read More...
Deciphering how the brain encodes color and shape
Visual neurons selectively respond to color and shape along a continuum. While some neurons are only activated by either a specific color or shape, others are responsive to color and shape simultaneously. The findings contradict previous beliefs about how visual processing works.... Read More...
When neurons are out of shape, antidepressants may not work
Differences in serotonergic neuron morphology, along with altered gene expression have been identified in patients with MDD. The findings shed light on why some patients do not respond to SSRI antidepressants.... Read More...
How Attention Helps the Brain Perceive an Object
Low-frequency optogenetic stimulation of the visual region of the brain impairs an animal's ability to make fine sensory discriminations. ... Read More...
Guardians of the Synapse: A New Role For Schwann Cells Identified
Schwann cells help protect nerves against blood clotting factors that cause degeneration, researchers report. ... Read More...
Native California Medicinal Plant May Hold Promise for Treating Alzheimer’s
Salk researchers have discovered a possible neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory compound in the Californian shrub, Yerba santa, that may help in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.... Read More...