Nerve News and Research

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Blessed Thistle Compound Shows Promise in Nerve Repair

Cnicin, a compound found in Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus), significantly accelerates axon growth in human and animal models.

22 Apr 2024

Unveiling Cannabinoid’s Potential for Treating Age-Related Brain Degeneration

Scientists at the Salk Institute observed the neuroprotective effects of cannabinol in fruit flies and discovered cannabinoid analogs that may prove to be promising future treatments for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and traumatic brain injury.

18 Apr 2024

Unveiling the Evolutionary Origins of Bilaterian Species

700 million years ago, a remarkable creature emerged for the first time. Though it may not have been much to look at by today's standards, the animal had a front and a back, a top and a bottom.

16 Apr 2024

Cell's Garbage Disposal May Also Send Sensory Signals Beyond Recycling

The proteasome, the cell's garbage disposal mechanism, usually breaks down proteins into smaller pieces and recycles some of the pieces.

15 Apr 2024

Spinal Cord's Hidden Role in Learning Movement

A common misconception is that the spinal cord serves as a basic relay station that transmits signals from the brain to the body.

15 Apr 2024

Unraveling the Mysteries of Neuronal Communication Circuits

The basic building blocks of the central nervous system are neurons, or nerve cells, which play a crucial role in signal transduction pathways.

3 Apr 2024

Decoding the Dynamics of Multiple Sclerosis Lesions

Scientists in Sweden were able to uncover the molecular mechanisms behind the development of lesions in multiple sclerosis by employing sophisticated techniques. The latest findings are detailed in the journal Cell by a team of researchers from Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University.

21 Mar 2024

Insulin Influences Mitochondrial Recycling in Neurons

The hormone insulin controls many cellular processes and adapts them to the body's current energy supply.

20 Mar 2024

New Biomarker Offers Early Detection of ALS and FTD

Two progressively degenerative diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD, recently in the news with the diagnoses of actor Bruce Willis and talk show host Wendy Williams), are linked by more than the fact that they both damage nerve cells critical to normal functioning -; the former affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord leading to loss of movement, the latter eroding the brain regions controlling personality, behavior and language.

19 Mar 2024

How Seba's Short-Tailed Bats Navigate Their Acoustic World

The world of bats is full of sounds. They utilize vocalizations for both navigation and communication with their conspecifics. For the latter, they produce ultrasonic noises that reverberate and allow them to form a mental "image" of their environment

26 Feb 2024

Researchers Unveil New Mechanism of Immune Cell Training in Thymus Gland

Immune cells must learn not to attack the body itself. A team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) has discovered a previously unknown mechanism behind this: other immune cells, the B cells, contribute to the "training" of the T cells in the thymus gland.

22 Feb 2024

Uncovering How to Protect Nerves in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Researchers at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have led a team that has discovered a novel therapeutic strategy for treating neurodegenerative illnesses, raising the prospect of better care for conditions like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Vanishing White Matter disease.

21 Feb 2024

The Role of Associative Memory in Spatial Navigation

Human lives revolve around spatial navigation and spatial memory. Without these skills, it would be extremely difficult to remember the past and to navigate the environment. But understanding the neural underpinnings of spatial memory is still quite incomplete.

19 Feb 2024

The Role of Ancient Retroviruses in Vertebrate Brain Evolution

According to a study published in the journal Cell, ancient viruses may have contributed to the development of myelin and, consequently, the large, complex brains.

16 Feb 2024

The Intricate Network of Stick Insects’ Leg Muscles

Researchers at the University of Cologne have discovered new details on the process underlying the stick insect’s leg muscles’ rhythmic activation of nerve cells, or neurons. Unlike the neurons in the other leg muscles, the researchers demonstrated that the neurons in the leg depressor muscle are activated rhythmically.

12 Feb 2024

Investigating the Synaptic Imbalance in Retinal Nerve Cells

The processing of visual information is significantly influenced by the surroundings of retinal nerve cells.

6 Feb 2024

New Research Finds Placenta Cells May Lower Blood Pressure

Scientists from La Trobe University and the Hudson Institute have demonstrated that cells from placentas could have therapeutic benefits for patients suffering from high blood pressure.

1 Feb 2024

Study Sheds Light on a Decades-Long Mystery About How Retinal Photoreceptors Work

Working with mammalian retinal cells, neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that, unlike most light-sensing cells (photoreceptors) in the retina, one special type uses two different pathways at the same time to transmit electrical "vision" signals to the brain.

27 Jan 2024

Scientists Harness Cellular Scaffolding for New Bio-Inspired Technologies

Princeton researchers have learned to harness the gossamer scaffolding that maintains the structure of living cells and used it to develop a nanotechnology platform.

27 Jan 2024

Ancient DNA Reveals Reason for High Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Rates in Europe

Researchers have created the world’s largest ancient human gene bank by analysing the bones and teeth of almost 5,000 humans who lived across western Europe and Asia up to 34,000 years ago.

10 Jan 2024