Category Biology/Biotechnology

Researchers have succeeded in restoring lost brain function in mouse models of stroke using small molecules that in the future could potentially be developed into a stroke recovery therapy. “Communication between nerve cells in large parts of the brain changes after a stroke and we show that it can be partially restored with the treatment,” says Tadeusz Wieloch, senior professor of neurobiology at Lund University in Sweden.

“Concomitantly, the rodents regain lost somatosensory functions, something that around 60 per cent of all stroke patients experience today. The most remarkable result is that the treatment began several days after a stroke,” Wieloch continues.

In an ischemic stroke, lack of blood flow to the brain causes damage, which rapidly leads to ner...

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have discovered how Lactobacillus, a bacterium found in fermented foods and yogurt, helps the body manage stress and may help prevent depression and anxiety.

The findings open the door to new therapies to treat anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions.

UVA researcher Alban Gaultier and collaborators say the discovery is notable because it pinpoints the role of Lactobacillus, separating it out from all the other microorganisms that natura...

A new study in mice, published recently in the journal Cell Metabolism, shows that cutting down the amount of a single amino acid called isoleucine can, among other benefits, extend their lifespan, make them leaner and less frail as they age and reduce cancer and prostate problems, all while the mice ate more calories.

There’s a popular saying in some circles that “a calorie is a calorie,” but science shows that it may not be true. In fact, it may be possible to eat more of some kinds of calories while also improving your health.

“We like to say a calorie is not just a calorie,” says Dudley Lamming, a professor and metabolism researcher at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health...

Researchers have found a bacteriocin that can help inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing global problem. Part of the solution may lie in copying the bacteria’s own weapons. The research environment in Tromsø has found a new bacteriocin, in a very common skin bacterium. Bacteriocin inhibits the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are often the cause of disease and can be difficult to treat.

One million deaths each year

The fact that we have medicines against bacterial infections is something many people take for granted.

But increasing resistance among bacteria means that more and more antibiotics do not work.

When the bacteria become resi...