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Scientists identify key pathway that regulates 'switch' between wakefulness and sleep

Falling asleep and waking up are key transitions in everyone's day. Millions of people have trouble with these transitions - they find it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep at night, and hard to stay awake during the day. Despite decades of research, how these transitions work - the neurobiological mechanics of our circadian rhythm - has remained largely a mystery to brain scientists.

16 Apr 2016

Heavy marijuana use may lead to lower dopamine release in the brain

In a recent study, researchers found evidence of a compromised dopamine system in heavy users of marijuana. Lower dopamine release was found in the striatum - a region of the brain that is involved in working memory, impulsive behavior, and attention. Previous studies have shown that addiction to other drugs of abuse, such as cocaine and heroin, have similar effects on dopamine release, but such evidence for cannabis was missing until now.

16 Apr 2016

Slow-wave sleep may promote consolidation of recent memories

Research strongly suggests that sleep, which constitutes about a third of our lives, is crucial for learning and forming long-term memories. But exactly how such memory is formed is not well understood and remains, despite considerable research, a central question of inquiry in neuroscience.

16 Apr 2016

Inflammation after stroke may help the brain to self-repair

After a stroke, there is inflammation in the damaged part of the brain. Until now, the inflammation has been seen as a negative consequence that needs to be abolished as soon as possible. But, as it turns out, there are also some positive sides to the inflammation, and it can actually help the brain to self-repair.

16 Apr 2016

Willow herb extracts may be beneficial in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections

A common herb could help reduce antibiotic doses and result in less severe side effects in treatments against multi-drug resistant microorganisms.

16 Apr 2016

Johns Hopkins study suggests updated universal screening for hepatitis C virus

A review of blood samples for nearly 5,000 patients seen at The Johns Hopkins Hospital Emergency Department suggests that federal guidelines for hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening may be missing up to a quarter of all cases and argues for updated universal screening.

15 Apr 2016

Palovarotene drug may prevent multiple musculoskeletal problems linked with FOP

New research in laboratory animals suggests that the drug palovarotene may prevent multiple skeletal problems caused by a rare but extremely disabling genetic bone disease, and may even be a candidate for use in newborn babies with the condition.

15 Apr 2016

Safe electrical stimulation of the brain can enhance creative thinking

Safe levels of electrical stimulation can enhance your capacity to think more creatively, according to a new study by Georgetown researchers.

15 Apr 2016

Scientists find new way to defend against deadly malarial parasite

The most dangerous malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is responsible for nearly half a million deaths annually across Africa and Southeast Asia. Of increasing concern, this parasite is now developing resistance to common antimalarial drugs.

15 Apr 2016

Growth chart of brain networks could spot early signs of attention difficulties in children

Want to know if your child's height and weight are on track? Check the growth chart that the doctor gives you after each yearly checkup.

15 Apr 2016

New classifier method may improve diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders

Many doctors and scientists think they could improve the diagnosis and understanding of autism spectrum disorders if they had reliable means to identify specific abnormalities in the brain.

15 Apr 2016

Improving body clock could protect against metabolic syndrome

Essential biological processes are managed by an internal timer or body clock. When the body clock gets out of whack, conditions such as metabolic syndrome can occur.

15 Apr 2016

Low cost technique could fabricate microfluidic devices for biomedical applications

In this work, Dr. Diana and fellow researchers propose a low cost technique able to produce microfluidic devices for biomedical applications. The most common technique to fabricate biomedical microdevices is soft-lithography. However, it is a costly and time-consuming technique. Progress in manufacturing milling tools smaller than 100 µm, has enabled the use of micromilling machines to fabricate microfluidic devices capable of performing cell separation.

15 Apr 2016

High dosages of antihistamines have dulling effect on genes associated with post-exercise recovery

After vigorous exercise, some 3,000 genes go to work to aid recovery by boosting muscles and blood vessels, but in the presence of high doses of antihistamines almost 27 percent of the gene response is blunted, according to University of Oregon researchers.

15 Apr 2016

Taking antibiotics in early childhood can disrupt immune system function lifelong

Scientists want to know whether taking antibiotics early in life can disrupt your immune system function lifelong.

15 Apr 2016

M10 peptide could help protect systemic sclerosis patients against fibrotic damage

The results of preclinical studies by investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) reported in the April 2016 issue of Translational Research suggest that the M10 peptide could help protect against fibrotic damage in patients with systemic sclerosis, particularly in those who develop interstitial lung diseases (ILD), its deadliest complication.

15 Apr 2016

New research in SIV-exposed monkeys provides insights for development of HIV prevention strategies

New research in monkeys exposed to SIV, the monkey equivalent of HIV, suggests that the virus spreads rapidly in the body and triggers early host responses that suppress antiviral immunity, thus promoting viral replication.

15 Apr 2016

Newly found mechanism of color vision illustrates why people perceive color blue in dim light

The swirling skies of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night illustrate a mystery that has eluded biologists for more than a century--why do we perceive the color blue in the dimly lit night sky? A newly discovered mechanism of color vision in mice might help answer this question, Caltech researchers say.

15 Apr 2016

UNIGE researchers identify PIGG gene that plays crucial role in recessive disease

The objective of genetic medicine is to analyze all the genes that make up the human genome, in order to identify as many genetic diseases as possible. Indeed, each gene variation has the potential to trigger specific defects.

15 Apr 2016

Proliposomal ropivacaine may offer valuable new option for pain relief

A new "proliposomal" preparation of the local anesthetic drug ropivacaine may provide a valuable new option for pain relief in some clinical situations, with key advantages over other types of slow-release local anesthetics, suggest a pair of reports in Anesthesia & Analgesia.

15 Apr 2016

Medical Science News

Scientists identify key pathway that regulates 'switch' between wakefulness and sleep

Heavy marijuana use may lead to lower dopamine release in the brain

Slow-wave sleep may promote consolidation of recent memories

Inflammation after stroke may help the brain to self-repair

Willow herb extracts may be beneficial in treating multi-drug resistant bacterial and fungal infections

Johns Hopkins study suggests updated universal screening for hepatitis C virus

Palovarotene drug may prevent multiple musculoskeletal problems linked with FOP

Safe electrical stimulation of the brain can enhance creative thinking

Scientists find new way to defend against deadly malarial parasite

Growth chart of brain networks could spot early signs of attention difficulties in children

New classifier method may improve diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders

Improving body clock could protect against metabolic syndrome

Low cost technique could fabricate microfluidic devices for biomedical applications

High dosages of antihistamines have dulling effect on genes associated with post-exercise recovery

Taking antibiotics in early childhood can disrupt immune system function lifelong

M10 peptide could help protect systemic sclerosis patients against fibrotic damage

New research in SIV-exposed monkeys provides insights for development of HIV prevention strategies

Newly found mechanism of color vision illustrates why people perceive color blue in dim light

UNIGE researchers identify PIGG gene that plays crucial role in recessive disease

Proliposomal ropivacaine may offer valuable new option for pain relief

Advancing brain microphysiological systems (bMPS)

PhD researcher at LifeArc

Unveiling Hidden Potential: Organoids for Disease Modeling in Neuroscience Research

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