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    Category Biology/Biotechnology

    Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug Reverses Genetic changes thought to spur the disease

    May 3, 2016, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    After treatment with riluzole, the brains of old rats showed more of a transporter molecule that removes excess glutamate, (green fluorescence, right) as compared to untreated rats (left). Credit: Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology at The Rockefeller University/Molecular Psychiatry

    After treatment with riluzole, the brains of old rats showed more of a transporter molecule that removes excess glutamate, (green fluorescence, right) as compared to untreated rats (left). Credit: Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology at The Rockefeller University/Molecular Psychiatry

    In new research a drug, riluzole, is capable of reversing key genetic changes associated with these conditions. “In aging and Alzheimer’s, the chemical signal glutamate can accumulate between neurons, damaging the circuitry,” Pereira says. “When we treated rats with riluzole, we saw a suite of changes. Perhaps most significantly, expression of molecules responsible for clearing excess glutamate returned to more youthful levels...

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    1st Structural views of the NMDA receptor in action will aid Drug development

    May 2, 2016, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Furukawa and colleagues have obtained images showing for the first time how different domains of the NMDA receptor move when the receptor is in active, non-active, and inhibited states. Understanding how NMDA receptors activate is critical in designing novel therapeutic compounds for potential use in schizophrenia, depression and other disorders. Credit: Furukawa Lab, CSHL

    Furukawa and colleagues have obtained images showing for the first time how different domains of the NMDA receptor move when the receptor is in active, non-active, and inhibited states. Understanding how NMDA receptors activate is critical in designing novel therapeutic compounds for potential use in schizophrenia, depression and other disorders. Credit: Furukawa Lab, CSHL

    Researchers have obtained images of the NMDA receptor in active, non-active, and inhibited states. Understanding how NMDA receptors activate is critical in designing novel therapeutic compounds for schizophrenia, depression, Alzheimer’s and other illnesses...

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    Adult Brain Prunes Branched Connections of New Neurons

    May 2, 2016, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    A new Salk study is the first to closely follow the development of new neurons in the adult brain, giving insight into neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. By genetically engineering new neurons to fluoresce green, researchers were able to see when the new cells grew and branched surrounded by other cell nuclei (blue) in the brain. Credit: Salk Institute

    A new Salk study is the first to closely follow the development of new neurons in the adult brain, giving insight into neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. By genetically engineering new neurons to fluoresce green, researchers were able to see when the new cells grew and branched surrounded by other cell nuclei (blue) in the brain. Credit: Salk Institute

    A new study is first to closely follow development of new neurons in the adult brain, giving potential new insight into neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. New brain cells began with a period of overgrowth, sending out a plethora of neuronal branches, before the brain pruned back the connections. “We were surprised by the extent of the pruning we saw,” says Prof. Rusty Gage.

    While most o...

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    High-Fat Diet Starves the Brain

    May 1, 2016, Categories  Health/Medical, Biology/Biotechnology

    Cross-section through the brain of a mouse: regions with reduced uptake of glucose after three days of a high-fat diet (blue: slightly reduced, white: greatly reduced). [less] © MPI f. Metabolism Research

    Cross-section through the brain of a mouse: regions with reduced uptake of glucose after three days of a high-fat diet (blue: slightly reduced, white: greatly reduced). © MPI f. Metabolism Research

    A high-fat diet of 3 days in mice leads to a reduction in the amount of glucose that reaches the brain. The mouse brain restored its sugar uptake after 4 weeks, albeit at the cost of the rest of the body. High-fat-content foods throw our bodies out of kilter. Obesity and diseases such as type 2 diabetes can be the result. But what does a high-fat diet actually do to our brain? Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne have looked into the brains of mice to understand how obesity and diabetes develop.

    “A high-fat diet reduces the uptake of blood glucose into the ...

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