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USC

·February 5, 2018·4 min read

The Toxic Relationship Between ALS and Frontotemporal Dementia

Researchers report the C9ORF72 genetic mutation can lead to toxicity in neurons, causing 10 percent of all ALS cases and 10 percent of FTD cases.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 20, 2017·2 min read

Songbirds May Hold the Secret to How Babies Learn to Speak

Zebra finches may hold the key to understanding how babies learn to talk, researchers say.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 13, 2017·5 min read

Increased Air Pollution Linked to Bad Teenage Behavior

USC researchers report air pollution could have an impact on teenage behavior. The study found particle matter 2.5 can enter the brain, causing inflammation and damage to brain networks associated with emotion and decision making.

Image shows a person with their head in their hands.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 14, 2017·6 min read

Music Training Changes Children’s Brain Structure and Boosts Decision Making Network

In as little as two years of learning, music can change the structure of the brain's white matter and boost networks implicated in decision making in children, USC researchers report.

Image shows fiber pathways in the brain.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·October 17, 2017·4 min read

Schizophrenia Disrupts Brain’s Entire Communication System

USC researchers reveal schizophrenia may be due to a disruption in the brain's entire communication system, not just the temporal and prefrontal lobes.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 6, 2017·4 min read

How the Brain Learns to Interpret What the Body Touches

Findings could lead to exciting new treatments for spinal cord injury and stroke patients, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·October 5, 2017·4 min read

Found in Translation: Universal Brain Activity When People Find Meaning in Stories, Regardless of Language

Regardless of our origin or native language, researchers discover universal patterns of brain activity when people find meaning in a story.

Autism Featured Genetics Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 19, 2017·6 min read

Eight Autism Related Mutations in One Gene

USC researchers have identified eight autism associated mutations within the TRIO gene.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·September 6, 2017·7 min read

Swings in Dad’s Testosterone Affect Family, For Better or Worse, After Birth

A new study supports previous findings that show men have biological responses to becoming a parent. The study revealed men whose testosterone levels dropped during 9 months following birth were at higher risk of developing post partum depression. By contrast, those who experienced high testosterone were at higher risk of experiencing stress and tended to be more aggressive toward their partner.

Featured Genetics Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·September 4, 2017·8 min read

Which Genetic Marker Is the Ring Leader in the Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Researchers have implicated TOMM40, a gene adjacent to APOE on chromosome 19, in the development of Alzheimer's disease. TOMM40, researchers report, plays a significant role in the decline of verbal learning after the age of 60.

Featured

·July 24, 2017·3 min read

New Map May Lead to Drug Development for Complex Brain Disorders

Researchers have created a new map that highlights protein associations through brain networks. The map is available through a software platform that allows users to visualize disease risk factors.

Image shows an infographic with 9 ways to decrease dementia risk.

Featured Neurology

·July 20, 2017·4 min read

1 in 3 Cases of Dementia Are Preventable

Researchers have identified nine risk factors during different stages in life that may increase a person's likelihood of developing dementia. At least 35% of dementia cases, researchers say, may be directly linked to these risk factors. By taking steps to reduce risks and by improving education, it is estimated that the incidence of dementia can be reduced by as much as 20%.