People with schizophrenia have significantly higher rates of tandem repeats in their genome, up to 7% more than in people without the mental health disorder. The genes were primarily found in genes crucial to brain function.
The fossil of a 525-million-year-old tiny sea creature with a preserved nervous system may solve a century-long debate about how the brains of arthropods evolved.
Octopuses have a massively expanded repertoire of miRNA in their neural tissue, reflecting a similar development to that which occurred in vertebrates. Findings suggest miRNA plays a significant role in the development of complex brains.
The TOP2a gene controls a network of genes that contribute to ASD. Drugs that suppress TOP2a during development can turn on a cluster of other genes that disrupt brain development and increase autism risks. Alterations to the TOP2a gene may be responsible for the social behavioral difficulties associated with ASD.
Researchers have identified two new genes, ATP8B4 and ABCA1, that are implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The genes impact the brain's immune system and cholesterol processing, leading to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
A novel compound eliminates disease-causing segments of RNA associated with ALS and dementia, and restores the health of neurons in mouse models.
Researchers have developed a family of adeno-associated viral vectors (AAVs) that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver gene therapies directly to the brain.
A gene associated with autism overstimulates brain cells far greater in neurons without the mutation.
Children diagnosed with ADHD have a higher genetic overlap with autism spectrum disorder while adults diagnosed with ADHD have a higher genetic overlap with depression.
A new study will investigate the genetic and biological mysteries of extreme longevity and healthy aging.
It is estimated that 80% of autism is inherited, but causative genes are hard to identify. Researchers have identified the ACMSD gene as being associated with non-verbal types of ASD.
Researchers say estimates of how strongly diseases and traits share genetic signals could be over-inflated. Instead, they suggest, mating patterns may help explain the biological relationship between traits.
