Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

New way to slow and reverse fibrosis identified

In cell and mouse models, Mayo Clinic researchers and collaborators have identified a way to slow and reverse the process of uncontrolled internal scarring, called fibrosis.

30 Oct 2019

Rilpivirine drug used for HIV treatment also suppresses Zika virus infection

Like an adjustable wrench that becomes the "go-to" tool because it is effective and can be used for a variety of purposes, an existing drug that can be adapted to halt the replication of different viruses would greatly expedite the treatment of different infectious diseases.

30 Oct 2019

Researchers develop new leucocyte markers

An article entitled "Human Peripheral Blood Eosinophils Express High Levels of the Purinergic Receptor P2X4" written by an international immunology research group was recently published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Immunology.

30 Oct 2019

New technique could replace conventional methods of testing paralytic neurotoxins

Animal testing will no longer be required to assess a group of deadly neurotoxins, thanks to University of Queensland-led research.

30 Oct 2019

New TB vaccine: mid-phase trials confirm safety, long-term prevention

A new study published on October 29, 2019, in the New England Journal of Medicine, reports a new vaccine which could change the face of tuberculosis prevention. The disease kills 1.5 million people worldwide each year.

30 Oct 2019

Researchers investigate whether aspirin can decrease rate of intracranial aneurysm growth

Researchers conducted a database search to investigate whether aspirin can aid in the prevention of intracranial aneurysm rupture by hindering aneurysm growth. The researchers identified 146 patients harboring multiple intracranial aneurysms, five millimeters or less in diameter, that had been observed for at least five years.

29 Oct 2019

Flinders University study provides new insights into how the colon functions

New insights into how the colon functions and actually expels its contents have been revealed for the first time following decades of study by Flinders University researchers.

29 Oct 2019

Pro-inflammatory protein could play key role in protecting against herpes virus

Researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix have discovered a function in a pro-inflammatory protein that could play an important part in improving current and future therapeutics for the herpes virus.

29 Oct 2019

Some plant foods causing paralysis, death, in malnourished populations

There are a lot of plants eaten for food that may also contain toxins that harm the brain and the nervous system, when present in amounts that cross the limit of individual tolerance. This happens when such toxin-containing foods are the chief or only source of nutrition.

26 Oct 2019

Nerve cell protection without side effects on erythropoiesis

The hormone erythropoietin (Epo) is a well-known doping substance that has a long history of abuse in endurance sports, such as cycling. In addition to promoting red blood cell production (erythropoiesis), which improves the oxygen supply in the organism, Epo also protects nerve cells from cell death.

25 Oct 2019

White and brown fat cells send very different signals to rest of the body

Many people might not realize that they have different types of body fat. Most of it is white fat that sits on your stomach, hips and thighs, for example. White fat is an energy storage that our body can use when food is scarce.

25 Oct 2019

Rutgers professor discusses children’s vulnerabilities to pesticides and how to reduce exposure

Studies show that exposure to pesticides – specifically those containing chlorpyrifos, which attack an insect's nervous system – can harm a child's physical and mental development.

23 Oct 2019

High levels of dietary salt can activate a brain pathway to cause cognitive impairment

High levels of dietary salt can activate a pathway in the brain to cause cognitive impairment, according to a new study. The paper, which was published in Nature, shows that this effect is not due to a loss in blood flow to the brain as originally thought, but rather to clumps of a protein linked to several forms of dementia in humans.

23 Oct 2019

Polymerized estrogen can protect nervous system cells and promote regeneration

Spinal cord damage that causes paralysis and reduced mobility doesn't always stop with the initial trauma, but there are few treatment options to halt increased deterioration -- and there is no cure.

23 Oct 2019

Electrical stimulation of vagus nerve on the ear reduces postoperative atrial fibrillation risk

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common complications following heart surgery, affecting one in three patients. This adverse side-effect, with symptoms such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath or tightness in the chest, can normally be suppressed with sometimes strong medication.

23 Oct 2019

Celiac disease may now be curable with biodegradable nanoparticles

A phase 2 trial just concluded shows that people with celiac disease may now be able to hope for a cure, through a treatment that makes the immune system tolerant towards gluten. This could eventually make it possible for such individuals to eat gluten-containing foods without fear.

22 Oct 2019

Long-term exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment impairs brain function in mice

Human-made toxic chemicals that linger indefinitely in the environment disrupt the performance of critical helper cells in the mouse brain, leading to impaired function over long-term exposures, say neuroscientists at Georgetown University Medical Center.

22 Oct 2019

Columbia researchers capture new detailed images of a temperature-sensing molecule

Columbia University researchers have captured new detailed images of a temperature-sensing molecule in its open, intermediate, and closed states.

21 Oct 2019

Immune cells rewire, repair brain while we sleep, study shows

Science tells us that a lot of good things happen in our brains while we sleep - learning and memories are consolidated and waste is removed, among other things.

21 Oct 2019

Pluripotent stem cells help advance understanding of how Huntington's disease develops

Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal hereditary disease for which there is no cure. A novel study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, using pluripotent stem cells advances understanding of how the disease develops and may help pave the way for identifying pathways for future treatments.

21 Oct 2019