Can the brain be targeted to treat type 2 diabetes?
Successfully treating type 2 diabetes may involve focusing on brain neurons, rather than simply concentrating on obesity or insulin resistance, according to a study published today in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
An overlooked cell type orchestrates brain rewiring during states of heightened attention
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have upended the decades-old dogma of how connections between brain cells are rearranged during states of heightened vigilance or attention. The team found that a brain chemical associated with alertness, attention and learning alters brain connectivity and function not by acting directly on neurons, the cells known for their quick transmission of information, but through the work of astrocytes, another, slower-acting type of brain cell that is often overlooked in the field of neuroscience.
Violence between parents or in the community increases risk of child punishment
Exposure to higher rates of violence in the larger social context may spill over to family violence, including caregivers’ use of physical child abuse, according to a new University of Michigan study published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect.
Genome mapping of Brazil’s diverse population uncovers new variants linked to health
For the first time, an international study has deciphered the genome of the population of Brazil. Published in the journal Science, the research includes the African, Native American, and European ancestries making up this population, which has the world’s highest level of recent genetic admixture.
A key neural pathway reveals how the brain forms fear memories from psychological threats
Fear memories can form in the brain following exposure to threatening situations such as natural disasters, accidents, or violence. When these memories become excessive or distorted, they can lead to severe mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, and depression. However, the mechanisms underlying fear memory formation triggered by affective pain rather than direct physical pain have remained largely unexplored—until now.
A brief history of federal funding for basic science
Biomedical science in the United States is at a crossroads.
Researchers develop recommendations to improve neonatology staffing
Staffing challenges related to patient safety, physician well-being and workforce sustainability are a growing concern in the subspecialty of neonatology that call for reform.
Inflammation in reproductive tract linked to infertility, hormone therapy may help
Inflammation in the female reproductive tract may make it difficult to conceive a child, but replenishing a key hormone could keep inflammation in check, according to researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine.
Low-cost blood test can measure proteins for early Alzheimer’s detection
Researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC have developed a blood test that can identify early signs of Alzheimer’s disease by measuring proteins linked to the condition. The new test, known as Penta-Plex Alzheimer’s Disease Capture Sandwich Immunoassay (5ADCSI), detects five biomarkers simultaneously, which is more than existing blood tests and runs on equipment commonly used in many laboratories.
Type 2 diabetes and brain health are linked in older adults from various populations
A new USC-led study has uncovered a significant link between type 2 diabetes mellitus and cortical thickness in older adults from various populations.