Review of imaging studies finds specific brain regions process types of word meanings separately. A new review explores the different areas of the brain that process the meaning of concrete and abstract concepts. The article print in the Journal of Neurophysiology (JNP). The words that make up our language can divided into two categories of…
The somatosensory nerve detects sensory stimuli in the periphery and relays the information to the central nervous system (CNS). To ensure sensory information is rapid and uninterrupted; glial cells and axons coordinate at the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ); the CNS/peripheral nervous system (PNS) interface where sensory axons establish their dual domain nature. The nerve…
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is known for its neurorestorative and neuroprotective effects in nonhuman primate models of Parkinson’s disease. However, despite promising results in early open-label clinical studies, placebo-controlled trials testing GDNF as a disease-modifying treatment for this relentlessly progressing disease have not shown a significant clinical benefit to date. In particular, as…
In a study of older people with no clinical diagnosis or signs of dementia when hospitalized to repair hip fractures; Johns Hopkins researchers say they biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in most of the patients’ spinal fluid samples. The researchers say results of their study add to evidence that brain alterations that lead to poor balance…
The blood vessel wall serves as a selective; semipermeable barrier separating blood constituents from tissue parenchyma. The functional interactions between neighboring vascular endothelial cells (vECs); their adhesion to the basement membrane; and the apical/luminal glycocalyx all contribute to barrier architecture and function. Researchers from the University of British Columbia have discovered how blood vessels protect…
The occurrence of a covert stroke after elective noncardiac surgery is common for older patients and may lead to increased risk for cognitive decline; new research suggests. Results from the prospective NEUROVISION trial; which included more than 1100 patients from nine countries; presented here at the International Stroke Conference (ISC) 2019. Perioperative acute stroke occurred in…
Women are at higher risk of the tau-related neurologic changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD); possibly explaining why more women than men develop the disorder; new research shows. Investigators studied close to 300 clinically normal individuals between the ages of 55 and 94 years, with an average age of 74; drawn from 2 studies the…
A growing collection of anecdotal stories raises the possibility that nerve injury in an arm or a leg can act as a trigger for the development amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; or ALS a progressive neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The connection between ALS and athletes runs deeper than a single ballplayer; people who…
It is well known that the circuits in this part of our nervous system; which travel down the length of our spine; control seemingly simple things like the pain reflex in humans; and some motor control functions in animals. Now, new research from Western University has shown that the spinal cord is also able to…
Extracellular fluid from the brain Microdialysis is a sampling technique that is used to collect extracellular fluid from the brain. It is used to study a range of conditions, including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, addiction, behavior in relation to fear, neuroactivity following the consumption of alcohol and so on. In biomedical research, microdialysis often carried out in…
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. As the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms become increasingly common. The symptoms generally come on slowly over time. Early in the disease, the most obvious are shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement, and difficulty with walking. Thinking and behavioral problems may also occur. Dementia becomes common in the advanced stages of the disease. Depression and anxiety…
Shutterstock Senior author of the study from Zuckerman Institute at Columbia University said, “The researcher voices help connect us to our friends; family and the world around us; which is why losing the power of one’s voice due to injury or disease is so devastating. With today’s study, they have a potential way to restore…