The left side of the brain controls the verbal expression of our long-term semantic memory, according to a new study led by University of Manchester psychologists. The work is the first of its kind to assess the similarities and differences in how the left and right sides of the brain process semantic memory. The team,…
Category: Neurology
Head Injury, Not Concussion, May Cause CTE
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) results from head injuries, not concussions, new research suggests. The research explains why 20 percent of athletes who exhibited the early stages of the progressive brain illness postmortem never had a diagnosed concussion. “It’s the hits to the head, not concussion, that trigger CTE,” says study coauthor Lee Goldstein, an associate…
Structural Brain Alterations Seen In Global Epilepsy Study
Epilepsy is associated with thickness and volume differences in the grey matter of several brain regions, according to new research led by UCL and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. The brain abnormalities the researchers identified were subtle, and have not yet been implicated in any loss of function. The largest-ever neuroimaging study of…
Neurons Interact Abnormally In Fragile X Syndrome
Neurons in mice that have the genetic defect behind Fragile X syndrome (FXS) appear similar to those in healthy mice, however these neurons fail to interact normally, resulting in the long-known cognitive impairments, a new study demonstrates. The results suggest a new approach to address Fragile X syndrome – targeting neuronal interactions rather than the…
Being Bilingual May Be An Advantage For Kids With Autism
Being bilingual may make it easier for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to switch gears from one task to another, according to a new study. The finding has potentially far-reaching implications for the families of children with ASD. “Over the past 15 years there has been a significant debate in the field about whether…
Neural and Vascular Interactions Regulate Brain Blood Vessel Growth
Blood flow – and the vasculature which enables this – is of critical importance to most tissues and organs of the body. The health and stability of vasculature in the brain are particularly crucial to general health and cognition, with the brain consuming 20% of cardiac output despite only making up 2% of the body’s…
Microfluidics Chip Allows Modelling Of Nerve Cell Interactions
In recent years, great advancements have been made in researching technologies to study human tissues in health and disease. One area that has gathered particular interest is the field of microfluidics, which can be simply defined as a system that allows for control over delivery of small volumes of fluids. Microfluidic systems allow researchers to…
Heightened Anxiety May Be Early Indicator Of Alzheimer's
An association between elevated amyloid beta levels and the worsening of anxiety symptoms is suggested in a new study. The findings support the theory that neuropsychiatric symptoms could represent the early manifestation of Alzheimer’s disease in older adults. Past studies have suggested depression and other neuropsychiatric symptoms may be predictors of progression of Alzheimer’s Disease…
Mood Disorders And Epilepsy May Share Genetic Susceptibility
For the first time, scientists at Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Columbia University have found evidence that seizures and mood disorders such as depression may share the same genetic cause in some people with epilepsy. The finding may lead to better screening and treatment to improve patients’ quality of life. Physicians have long suspected there is…