An international group of more than 190 scientists who analyzed the genomes of 298,420 individuals have found genetic variants that may influence our sense of well-being, depression and neuroticism. The study is one of the largest genomic studies to date on behavioural genetics. “We have known for a long time that these traits have a…
IL-33 Protein Clears Alzheimer’s Disease-like Symptoms
A potential breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease has been made in new research. The study, led by scientists at the University of Glasgow and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has discovered that a protein called IL-33 can reverse Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology and cognitive decline in mice. Alzheimer’s disease is…
Shifted Sleep-wake Cycles Affect Women More Than Men
Shifted sleep-wake cycles affect men and women’s brain function differently, a new study from the Surrey Sleep Research Centre at the University of Surrey, has found. Researchers placed 16 male and 18 female participants on 28-hour days in a controlled environment without natural light-dark cycles, at the Surrey Clinical Research Centre. This effectively de-synchronised the…
How Widescreen Is Our Visual Perceptual Experience?
Peek out the window and then close your eyes. What did you see? Maybe you noticed it’s raining and there was a man carrying an umbrella. What color was it? What shape was its handle? Did you catch those details? Probably not. Some neuroscientists would say that, even though you perceived very few specifics from…
Actin Filament Effects Aggregating Protein In Long-term Memory
Thank the little “muscles” in your neurons for allowing you to remember where you live, what your friends and family look like and a lot more. New research at Rice University suggests actin filaments that control the shape of neuron cells may also be the key to the molecular machinery that forms and stores long-term…
What Is Krabbe Disease?
Krabbe disease is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder in which harmful amounts of lipids (fatty materials such as oils and waxes) build up in various cells and tissues in the body and destroys brain cells. Krabbe disease, also known as globoid cell leukodystrophy, is characterized by the presence of globoid cells (cells that have more…
What Is Gene Therapy?
Gene therapy is an experimental technique that uses genes to treat or prevent disease. In the future, this technique may allow doctors to treat a disorder by inserting a gene into a patient’s cells instead of using drugs or surgery. Researchers are testing several approaches to gene therapy, including: Replacing a mutated gene that causes…
Could the Smell of Sweat Make Your Happy?
We may be able to communicate positive emotions like happiness through the smell of our sweat, says new research published recently in Psychological Science. The study indicates that we produce chemical compounds, or chemosignals when we experience happiness that are detectable by others who smell our sweat. While earlier research has demonstrated that negative emotions related…
Dysfunctional Endosomes Are Early Neurodegeneration Sign
Abnormalities in a protein that helps transport and sort materials inside cells are linked to axonal dysfunction and degeneration of neurons in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS), researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say. Said Chengbiao Wu, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Neurosciences at UC San Diego…