Health News

Serotonin Mediates Exercise-Induced Generation of New Neurons
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 10:58

Mice that exercise in running wheels exhibit increased neurogenesis in the brain. Crucial to this process is serotonin signaling. These are the findings of a study by Dr. Friederike Klempin, Daniel Beis and Dr. Natalia Alenina from the research group led by Professor Michael Bader at the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin-Buch. Surprisingly, mice lacking brain serotonin due to a genetic mutation exhibited normal baseline neurogenesis. However, in these serotonin-deficient mice, activity-induced proliferation was impaired, and wheel running did not induce increased generation of new neurons.

 

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Scientists discover how Alzheimer's drugs sharpen the brain's performance
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 10:32

The discovery published this week in The Journal of Neuroscience was made by a team of researchers led by Rosalyn Moran, an assistant professor at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute. Her study indicates that cholinesterase inhibitors — a class of drugs that stop the breakdown of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine — allow signals to enter the brain with more precision and less background noise.

 

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Researchers Identify Four New Genetic Risk Factors for Testicular Cancer
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 09:58

A new study looking at the genomes of more than 13,000 men identified four new genetic variants associated with an increased risk of testicular cancer, the most commonly diagnosed type in young men today. The findings from this first-of-its-kind meta-analysis were reported online May 12 in Nature Genetics by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

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Scientists show how nerve wiring self-destructs
Monday, May 13, 2013 - 09:49

Many medical issues affect nerves, from injuries in car accidents and side effects of chemotherapy to glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. The common theme in these scenarios is destruction of nerve axons, the long wires that transmit signals to other parts of the body, allowing movement, sight and sense of touch, among other vital functions.

 

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Endometrial cancer findings emerge from genome sequencing study
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 11:23

Investigators from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network, including several scientists from the Broad Institute, have published the most comprehensive genomic analysis of endometrial cancer to date. Their study, which appeared in the May 2 issue of Nature, classified the tumors into four novel sub-types and identified molecular similarities between some of these sub-types and other forms of cancer, including ovarian, breast, and colorectal cancers. The findings provide new clues about the molecular pathways that may contribute to the disease, and could help identify which patients might benefit from aggressive treatment.

 

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Experience leads to the growth of new brain cells
Friday, May 10, 2013 - 11:16

How do organisms evolve into individuals that are distinguished from others by their own personal brain structure and behaviour? Scientists in Dresden, Berlin, Münster, and Saarbrücken have now taken a decisive step towards clarifying this question. Using mice as an animal model, they were able to show that individual experiences influence the development of new neurons, leading to measurable changes in the brain.

 

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