Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Study reveals the persistence of neurologic symptoms among non-hospitalized COVID-19 "long-haulers"

Most non-hospitalized COVID-19 "long-haulers" at the Northwestern Medicine Neuro COVID-19 Clinic continued to experience symptoms such as brain fog, numbness and tingling, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus and fatigue an average of 15 months after disease onset, according to a new study published in Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.

24 May 2022

NIH awards first part of $30 million grant to USC team for stroke project

When administered soon after the onset of acute ischemic stroke, current approved treatments for the condition can dramatically improve patient outcomes.

24 May 2022

Gabapentin treatment may enhance recovery of movement after a stroke

The drug gabapentin, currently prescribed to control seizures and reduce nerve pain, may enhance recovery of movement after a stroke by helping neurons on the undamaged side of the brain take up the signaling work of lost cells, new research in mice suggests.

23 May 2022

Reduced exercise capacity is common in long COVID patients

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers illustrated cardiac findings in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-recovered individuals more than a year after infection.

22 May 2022

Researchers analyze the development and genetic profile of brain's immune cells

Thanks to over a century of modern neuroscience, we have made significant strides in our understanding of the brain. Nonetheless, we have only just begun to scratch the surface of how this amazingly complex organ works.

20 May 2022

Novel brain-permeable Cdk5 inhibitor alters neurobehavior in mice

James Bibb, Ph.D., and colleagues have described a novel preclinical drug that could have the potential to combat depression, brain injury and diseases that impair cognition. The drug, which notably is brain-permeable, acts to inhibit the kinase enzyme Cdk5.

20 May 2022

NIH team documents various types of neuropathy after COVID vaccination

In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers investigated if coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination could result in neuropathic symptoms.

19 May 2022

Male pheromones may be the fountain of youth for aging females' eggs

Male pheromones just might be the fountain of youth for aging female animals' eggs, according to a new Northwestern University study.

19 May 2022

Epilepsy drug inhibits the growth of NF1 tumors in mice

People with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develop tumors on nerves throughout their bodies. These tumors are usually benign -; meaning they don't spread to other parts of the body and are not considered life-threatening -; but they can still cause serious medical problems such as blindness, especially when they form in the brain and nerves.

19 May 2022

Study supports the use of age-specific risk prediction scores for dementia

Which vascular risk factors are associated with the risk of developing dementia may vary with age. A new study shows that among people around age 55, the risk of developing dementia over the next 10 years was increased in those with diabetes and high blood pressure.

19 May 2022

Study explores neurologic complications in pediatric COVID-19 cases

Researchers evaluated neurologic complications in pediatric cases of COVID-19.

18 May 2022

Acoustic holograms enable efficient, selective opening of the blood brain barrier

The holograms designed by the team of researchers from UPV and CSIC allow the opening of the blood brain barrier selectively, efficiently and in a highly focused manner, facilitating the administration of therapeutic drugs to treat pathologies that affect the central nervous system.

17 May 2022

Exercise increases dopamine signaling in the mouse brain

Exercise increases dopamine signaling in the motor areas of mice, according to research recently published in JNeurosci.

16 May 2022

New drug inhibits growth of the most aggressive meningiomas

When a specific non-metastatic brain tumor — a meningioma — recurs after surgery and radiation treatment, a patient is normally out of options. No drugs are approved for these aggressive tumors, which occur in up to 20 percent of cases and can lead to patient disability or even death.

16 May 2022

Nerve gas sarin largely responsible for Gulf War illness, study shows

For three decades, scientists have debated the underlying cause of Gulf War illness (GWI), a collection of unexplained and chronic symptoms affecting veterans of the Persian Gulf War.

12 May 2022

Research describes how DNA damage can affect neural health and function

A new research paper in the journal EMBO Reports describes how DNA damage can affect neural health and function.

12 May 2022

Study assesses the effect of extreme heat on workforce health

Working outdoors during periods of extreme heat can cause discomfort, heat stress, or heat illnesses – all growing concerns for people who live and work in Southwestern cities like Las Vegas, where summer temperatures creep higher each year.

11 May 2022

Maternal antidepressant use during pregnancy does not increase epilepsy risk in babies

A new study suggests that antidepressant use by mothers during the first trimester of pregnancy does not increase the chances of epilepsy and seizures in babies.

11 May 2022

Rutgers study identifies key protein for brain stem cell longevity

A receptor that was first identified as necessary for insulin action, that also is located on the neural stem cells found deep in the brains of mice, is pivotal for brain stem cell longevity, according to a Rutgers study, a finding that has important implications for brain health and future therapies for brain disorders.

11 May 2022

Children exposed to maltreatment present a response-to-stress pattern like that of adolescents

The acute psychosocial stress states stimulate the secretion of an antibody type protein which is decisive in the first immune defence against infection, but only after puberty. However, children with a history of maltreatment present a similar response to that of adolescents, which suggests there is an early maturation of the immune system in these cases.

11 May 2022