General

We remember things longer if we take breaks during learning, referred to as the spacing effect. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology gained deeper insight into the neuronal basis for this phenomenon in mice. With longer intervals between learning repetitions, mice reuse more of the same neurons as […]

From the thrill of hearing an ice cream truck approaching to the spikes of pleasure while sipping a fine wine, the neurological messenger known as dopamine has been popularly described as the brain’s “feel good” chemical related to reward and pleasure. A ubiquitous neurotransmitter that carries signals between brain cells, […]

University of Queensland researchers are refuting claims that COVID-19 can enter a person’s DNA. The researchers from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute say the claims have led to “scaremongering” and people should not hesitate to be vaccinated. Professor Geoff Faulkner said his team’s research published in Cell Reports showed there was no evidence of COVID-19 – […]

A new study describes how an interdisciplinary team of Cornell researchers used a state-of-the-art microscopy technique to reveal protein structures and key steps of a CRISPR-Cas system that holds promise for developing an improved gene editing tool. Eventually, these findings could lead to a reliable CRISPR-Cas system that allows scientists […]

The gut microbiome is a diverse environment, jam-packed with up to 1,000 different species of bacteria. Human populations around the globe have significant differences in the composition of their gut microbiomes, which can impact their health in unique ways that have not been completely understood. Complicating matters, gut microbiome research […]

A new strategy for developing vaccines against cancer showed promise in a proof-of-concept study led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine, NewYork-Presbyterian and Heidelberg University Hospital. The preclinical results could eventually lead to vaccines that cause the immune system to target cancers early in their development, preventing the disease from […]

Atrial fibrillation, which basically is an irregular and rapid heart rate, is actually a quite common condition. It does increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related health problems, while the risk of Atrial fibrillation can be influenced by alcohol. But not all alcohol torments your heart equally. […]

Study provides insight on what blood pressure targets in patients with hypertension according to glucose status should be. An estimated 1.13 billion people worldwide have hypertension or high blood pressure, and two-thirds of these individuals are living in low- and middle-income countries. Blood pressure is the force manifested by circulating […]

Scientists at UC say restoring a brain protein, not removing amyloid plaques, should be the target. Experts estimate more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s dementia. But a recent study, led by the University of Cincinnati, sheds new light on the disease and a highly debated new drug […]

COVID-19 pandemic is not over and it will not be over for quite some time. The only way we can bring the ending of it closer is by vaccinating. But for how long will these vaccines provide us the necessary protection? Scientists at UCL found that the total antibody levels […]

Fraser Island (K’gari) funnel web spider can bite and kill you. Sure, we now have strong anti-venoms, but it can be deadly. However, it can also be life-saving as scientists have developed a drug candidate from a molecule found in the venom of funnel web spiders. These drugs could one […]

Mammals have a poor ability to recover after a spinal cord injury which can result in paralysis. A main reason for this is the formation of a complex scar associated with chronic inflammation that produces a cellular microenvironment that blocks tissue repair. Now, a research team led by Leonor Saude, […]

Castration is known to extend life in male sheep. Researchers here show that epigenetic clocks constructed for this species show the expected slowing of epigenetic aging following castration. This is a way to dig deeper into the question of how it is that females live longer than males in mammalian […]

Scientists have completed the largest and most diverse genetic study of Type 1 diabetes ever undertaken, identifying new drug targets to treat a condition that affects 1.3 million American adults. Several potential drugs are already in the pipeline. Drugs targeting 12 genes identified in the diabetes study have been tested […]