Related Science News

August 16, 2017

Nerve-guiding ‘labels’ may one day help re-form broken nervous connections

Scientists have identified a large group of biological ‘labels’ that guide nerves to ensure they make the correct connections and control different parts of the body. Although their research was conducted with fruit flies, the findings offer hope that we could one day reestablish nervous connections in people living with […]
August 16, 2017

Adult brains produce new cells in previously undiscovered area

A University of Queensland discovery may lead to new treatments for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). UQ Queensland Brain Institute scientists have discovered that new brain cells are produced in the adult amygdala, a region of the brain important for processing emotional memories. Disrupted connections in the amygdala, […]
August 14, 2017

Scientists identify a new way to activate stem cells to make hair grow

UCLA researchers have discovered a new way to activate the stem cells in the hair follicle to make hair grow. The research, led by scientists Heather Christofk and William Lowry, may lead to new drugs that could promote hair growth for people with baldness or alopecia, which is hair loss […]
August 11, 2017

Link between biological clock and aging revealed

Scientists studying how aging affects the biological clock’s control of metabolism have discovered that a low-calorie diet helps keep these energy-regulating processes humming and the body younger. In a study appearing today in the journal Cell, Paolo Sassone-Corsi, director of the Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism at the University of […]
August 11, 2017

Novel Stem Cell-Derived Model Created of Inflammatory Neurological Disorder

An international team of scientists, led by University of California San Diego School of Medicine researchers, has created a human stem cell-based model of a rare, but devastating, inherited neurological autoimmune condition called Aicardi-Goutieres Syndrome (AGS). In doing so, the team was able to identify unusual and surprising underlying genetic […]
August 10, 2017

Scientists restore youthful plasticity to the brains of adult mice

Like much of the rest of the body, the brain loses flexibility with age, impacting the ability to learn, remember and adapt. Now, scientists at University of Utah Health report they can rejuvenate the plasticity of the mouse brain, specifically in the visual cortex, increasing its ability to change in […]
August 9, 2017

Blocking a key enzyme may reverse memory loss

In the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, many of the genes required to form new memories are shut down by a genetic blockade, contributing to the cognitive decline seen in those patients. MIT researchers have now shown that they can reverse that memory loss in mice by interfering with the enzyme […]
August 9, 2017

Scientists prevent neurodegeneration-associated protein clumping in lab study

Scientists report in a new study that by imitating a natural process of cells, they prevented the formation of protein clumps associated with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia. In lab cultures of human and yeast cells, the scientists stopped the harmful clumping of FUS proteins by exposing them […]
August 9, 2017

Hormone Shows Promise as Cognition Enhancer

In a study that augurs well for the therapeutic potential of klotho – a life-extending protein hormone that a minority of people naturally produce at high levels – scientists at UC San Francisco have found that administering a fragment of the klotho protein to young, aging or impaired mice rapidly […]
August 8, 2017

Midlife cardiovascular risk factors may increase chances of dementia

A large, long-term study suggests that middle aged Americans who have vascular health risk factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure and smoking, have a greater chance of suffering from dementia later in life. The study, published in JAMA Neurology, was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). “With an […]
August 4, 2017

Fight frailty with intense bursts of exercise, research shows

Growing older may not have to mean growing frail. A preclinical study has revealed that brief periods of intense physical activity can be safely administered at advanced age, and that this kind of activity has the potential to reverse frailty. Published in the Journal of Gerontology A in June by […]
August 1, 2017

They grow up so fast: Embryos rapidly outgrow mother’s genetic kick-start

Attaining independence from one’s parents is an enduring theme in the lives of many organisms. Birds must fly the nest, just as mammals must wean off their mother’s milk. Now a study from Princeton researchers sheds light on a similar sort of separation drama that unfolds almost from the moment […]
July 31, 2017

Newly discovered biomarkers may lead to promising diagnostic tool for Alzheimer’s

Diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and determining a patient’s prognosis is an inexact business, and that stands in the way of better personalized care and advances in treatment. A new study from The Ohio State University has identified a potential new way of confirming the disease and predicting a patient’s outlook. First, […]
July 31, 2017

Researchers unlock regenerative potential of cells in the mouse retina

Cells within an injured mouse eye can be coaxed into regenerating neurons and those new neurons appear to integrate themselves into the eye’s circuitry, new research shows. The findings potentially open the door to new treatments for eye trauma and retinal disease. The study appears in the July 26 issue […]
July 28, 2017

Immune system may mount an attack in Parkinson’s disease

A new study suggests that T cells, which help the body’s immune system recognize friend from foe, may play an important role in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The study, published in the journal Nature, was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes […]
July 28, 2017

UCI stem cell therapy attacks cancer by targeting unique tissue stiffness

A stem cell-based method created by University of California, Irvine scientists can selectively target and kill cancerous tissue while preventing some of the toxic side effects of chemotherapy by treating the disease in a more localized way. Weian Zhao, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and colleagues have programmed human bone […]
July 28, 2017

Scientists regenerate retinal cells in mice

Scientists have successfully regenerated cells in the retina of adult mice at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. Their results raise the hope that someday it may be possible to repair retinas damaged by trauma, glaucoma and other eye diseases. Their efforts are part of the UW […]
July 27, 2017

Risk for bipolar disorder associated with faster ageing

The study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, also shows that bipolar patients treated with lithium – the main medication for the illness – have longer telomeres (a sign of slower biological ageing) compared to bipolar disorder patients not treated with lithium. This suggests that the drug may mask the ageing effects associated with bipolar […]
July 26, 2017

Lutein may counter cognitive aging, study finds

Spinach and kale are favorites of those looking to stay physically fit, but they also could keep consumers cognitively fit, according to a new study from University of Illinois researchers. The study, which included 60 adults aged 25 to 45, found that middle-aged participants with higher levels of lutein – […]
July 24, 2017

Meditation And Yoga Change Molecular Reactions In DNA Which Cause Stress

Science reveals that meditation and yoga change molecular reactions in DNA that cause stress. According to a study by Coventry University and Radboud University Yoga, meditation, Tai Chi, relaxation response, breath regulation, mindfulness and other mind-body interventions (MBIs) produce various psychological benefits on health moreover these different techniques steer molecular […]
July 21, 2017

A healthy lifestyle increases life expectancy by up to seven years

People who do not smoke, are not obese, and consume alcohol moderately can expect to live seven years longer than the general population, and to spend most of these extra years in good health, according to a new study published in Health Affairs. A new study published in Health Affairs shows that people who […]
July 20, 2017

Engineered liver tissue expands after transplant

Many diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatitis, can lead to liver failure. More than 17,000 Americans suffering from these diseases are now waiting for liver transplants, but significantly fewer livers are available. To help address that shortage, researchers at MIT, Rockefeller University, and Boston University have developed a new way to […]
July 18, 2017

Tracking the mechanisms of artery formation

Arteriogenesis is a critical event – not only during development but also in adult life. Cardiovascular life-threatening events, triggered by disease, could be overcome by alternatives to existing therapies, for example by inducing the formation of new arteries. However, the mechanisms of artery formation are not well understood. A team […]
July 17, 2017

Advance furthers stem cells for use in drug discovery, cell therapy

Since highly versatile human stem cells were discovered at the University of Wisconsin–Madison nearly 20 years ago, their path to the market and clinic has been slowed by a range of complications. Both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells are valued for their ability to form any cell […]