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University of Rochester

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·October 2, 2024·4 min read

Targeting Protein Reduces Macular Degeneration Symptoms

New research identifies a protein, TIMP3, overproduced in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that may drive the disease’s progression. By targeting the enzyme linked to inflammation and drusen formation, scientists reduced early signs of AMD in stem cell models, offering hope for new treatments.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 16, 2024·5 min read

Restoring Brain’s Waste-Clearing System Reverses Aging Effects

New research in mice reveals that aging slows the brain's ability to clear out harmful waste, contributing to neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Scientists have found that restoring function in the brain's waste-clearing system, known as the glymphatic system, can reverse these age-related effects. Using a clinically approved drug, researchers increased the efficiency of waste removal, offering a potential treatment strategy for age-related brain diseases.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 31, 2024·3 min read

Ketones May Help Reverse Cognitive Decline

As we age, our brain naturally becomes more insulin resistant, disrupting neuron communication and leading to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Researchers studied how acute insulin resistance impacts neuronal function before symptoms of chronic conditions like Alzheimer's manifest.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·April 16, 2024·5 min read

Decoding the Rainbow: New Secrets of Color Perception

Researchers made significant progress in understanding color perception by identifying non-cardinal retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the human fovea. These cells may explain complex color perceptions beyond the traditional models established by the cardinal directions of color detection.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·April 15, 2024·4 min read

Ever Wonder Why We Blink So Much?

A new study reveals the critical role of blinking in visual perception. Contrary to the common belief that blinking merely helps keep the eyes moist, the study found that blinking reshapes how visual information is processed by briefly altering the light patterns on the retina.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·April 11, 2024·6 min read

Nose vs. Gut: Unraveling Parkinson’s Toxic Origins

A pivotal hypothesis paper challenges existing theories on Parkinson's disease origins, proposing environmental toxicants as key culprits. This study suggests that Parkinson's can start from the brain's smell center or the gut, influenced by inhaled or ingested toxins.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 27, 2023·5 min read

Brain’s Role in Social Cues

Researchers uncovered a crucial role of the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) in processing social cues, expanding our understanding of this brain region beyond working memory and multisensory integration. Using a novel approach, the study found that while individual neurons in the VLPFC of macaques showed complex responses to social stimuli, their collective activity could be decoded by a machine learning model to identify expressions and identities in videos.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 23, 2023·5 min read

Gene Transfer Offers Longevity Hope

In a pioneering study, researchers transferred a longevity gene from the remarkably age-resistant naked mole rat to mice, leading to an extended lifespan for the mice. This gene is responsible for producing high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA), known for its exceptional cellular repair capabilities.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 14, 2023·5 min read

Unprecedented 3D Synapse Imaging to Combat Neurodegenerative Diseases

Researchers developed one of the most comprehensive 3D models of the synapse, the neuron juncture crucial for intercellular communication. This breakthrough allows an unprecedented view of the complex interactions between individual cells at the synapse, offering fresh insights into neurodegenerative diseases such as Huntington's disease and schizophrenia.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 14, 2023·4 min read

AI Unlocks Mysteries of Brain Fluid Flow: A Leap Forward in Alzheimer’s Research

Researchers harnessed the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to measure the fluid flow around the brain's blood vessels, a major breakthrough with far-reaching implications for treating diseases like Alzheimer's. The team developed innovative AI velocimetry measurements to calculate this fluid flow accurately.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 8, 2023·5 min read

Alzheimer’s Plaques Might Contribute to Hearing Loss

While conducting experiments in mice, researchers stumbled upon a correlation between Alzheimer's disease plaques and hearing loss. In one transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's, older mice exhibited hearing changes akin to those observed in humans with Alzheimer's.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·June 5, 2023·4 min read

Mastering Motion: How Our Brains Predict to Perfect the Catch

Researchers shed new light on our brain's ability to predict movement, aiding in seemingly simple tasks like grabbing a moving object. The study found an intricate coordination between vision and motor skills, suggesting that the brain can anticipate movement even with an 80-millisecond delay in response time.