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Study Finds Link Between Chemical "Marks" on DNA in Father’s Sperm and Autistic Traits in Children

Among families with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Johns Hopkins University researchers say they have found a link between chemical "marks" on DNA in the sperm of fathers and autistic traits in their 3-year-old children.

28 Apr 2023

Researchers Illuminate How Neurons Consume and Metabolize Glucose

The human brain has a sweet tooth, burning through nearly one quarter of the body's sugar energy, or glucose, each day.

21 Apr 2023

Astrocytes Pull the Handbrake to Drive the Brain to a More Relaxed State

A brimming inbox on Monday morning sets your head spinning. You take a moment to breathe and your mind clears enough to survey the emails one by one.

5 Apr 2023

SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Induces Memory Loss After COVID-19

Patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 syndrome often experience cognitive and memory impairments.

4 Apr 2023

Astrocytes in the Brain may Play a Key Role in Regulating Information

Long thought of as "brain glue," the star-shaped cells called astrocytes-;members of a family of cells found in the central nervous system called glial that help regulate blood flow, synaptic activity, keep neurons healthy, and play an important role in breathing.

3 Apr 2023

Inhibiting astrocyte hyperactivity can reverse cognitive deficits associated with social deprivation

Here is an important reason to stay in touch with friends and family: social isolation causes memory and learning deficits and other behavioral changes.

15 Feb 2023

Interpretable framework to investigate the spatial organization of cells

In cells that are similar in form and function throughout tissues and organs, genes that are activated and expressed produce patterns. Identifying these patterns increases the understanding of cells, which could lead to the discovery of disease mechanisms.

18 Jan 2023

New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease

A figure from the paper depicts pathways perturbed in Alzheimer's disease. Below examples are listed for each pathway by major brain cell type. Image Credit: The Picower Institute.

4 Jan 2023

Cell illumination and targeted cell editing using RNA-based editing technology

An RNA-based editing tool has been developed by Duke University researchers, which targets specific cells rather than genes. Any cell type can be precisely targeted, and any protein of interest can be added only to that cell type.

6 Oct 2022

Researchers analyze how clusters of molecules meet inside cells

A developing area studies how clusters of molecules gather inside of cells, similar to how oil droplets form and separate from the water in a vinaigrette.

From New York University (NYU) 15 Sep 2022

AI tools forecast DNA’s regulatory region and 3D structure

According to two recent research published in Nature Genetics, recently created artificial intelligence (AI) tools effectively identified the function of DNA’s regulatory regions and three-dimensional (3D) structure based only on its raw sequence.

9 Aug 2022

Astrocyte abnormalities may play a pivotal role in causing ASD symptoms

Abnormalities in a type of brain cell called astrocytes may play a pivotal role in causing some behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, according to a preclinical study by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators.

22 Apr 2022

Critical signaling pathways in immune cells could reduce Alzheimer’s progression

According to Weill Cornell Medicine researchers, inhibiting a critical signaling route in brain-resident immune cells may reduce brain inflammation and hence halt the progression of the disease in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.

15 Apr 2022

Scientists identify factors that regulate the development of brain cells in a specific order

Researchers have identified the complete series of 10 factors that regulate the development of brain cell types in the visual system of fruit flies-; including in what order these neurons develop.

From New York University (NYU) 7 Apr 2022

Transcriptomic analysis of Alzheimer's patients reveals early organelle dysfunction in astrocytes

An international group of researchers led by the UAB analyzed the genes that are expressed in neurons and astrocytes based on data from 800 individuals and compared what happens in Alzheimer's patients and in people without diagnosed dementia.

21 Mar 2022

Salk researchers present novel technology to assist in examining single brain cells

Researchers at the Salk Institute have created a novel genomic technology that enables them to study DNA, RNA, and chromatin from a single cell at the same time.

11 Mar 2022

Protein appears key to the function and survival of brain cells most impacted by glaucoma

A ubiquitous protein called sigma 1 receptor, which is known to protect cells from stress, appears key to the function and survival of the neurons most impacted by glaucoma, scientists report.

2 Mar 2022

Macrophages restore normal functions when transported back to the body, says research

New research shows that some immune cells could reinstate their regular functions when they are introduced back into the body.

28 Feb 2022

New technique uses microscopic magnetic particles to remotely activate brain cells

Scientists at UCL have developed a new technique that uses microscopic magnetic particles to remotely activate brain cells; researchers say the discovery in rats could potentially lead to the development of a new class of non-invasive therapies for neurological disorders.

From University College London 24 Feb 2022

Research shows how bacteria silence potentially deadly genes

Humans are all made of collections of cells, where each cell contains instructions in the DNA to become another cell.

7 Jan 2022