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Scientists identify protein that heightens neurodegenerative disease
UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have identified a gene that appears to act as a master control switch for reactive gliosis, a prominent feature of many neurodegenerative diseases that is thought to contribute to their pathology.
Electrical stimulation offers hope for treating spinal injuries
A grid of electrodes placed on the backs of study participants delivered enough low-voltage electrical stimulation through the skin to change the short-term function of spinal cord neurons, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers showed.
Common analgesic gas aids in opening of blood-brain barrier
Nitrous oxide, a commonly used analgesic gas, improved temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and gene therapy delivery in mouse models using focused ultrasound (FUS), UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in a new study.
Lifelong physical activity may slow cognitive decline
High levels of physical activity may mitigate brain loss in adults and help maintain long-term cognitive health, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report in a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Immune protein STING key for repairing, generating lysosomes
– The STING protein, known for helping cells fight viral infections by generating inflammation, also appears to function as a quality control sensor for organelles that serve as cellular waste disposal systems, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers found. Their study, published in Molecular Cell, helps explain critical features of diseases called lysosomal storage disorders and could eventually lead to new treatments for these and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers create ‘wiring diagram’ for key songbird brain region
Much like human beings, songbirds learn how to vocalize from their parents. Males imitate songs from their fathers and then sing to attract mates. Although the circuits that generate human speech are more complicated to decipher, the brains of songbirds offer a viable model for better understanding how humans learn to speak and what goes wrong in communication disorders such as autism.
Grant worth up to $5 million aids research for cerebellar disorders
A multidisciplinary team of UT Southwestern Medical Center specialists, led by Nader Pouratian, M.D., Ph.D., and Peter Tsai, M.D., Ph.D., has received a grant worth up to $5 million from the Raynor Cerebellum Project to develop neuromodulation therapies for patients with cerebellar disorders of the brain.
UTSW Research: Mosquito saliva and malaria, brain tumors, and more
Malaria, responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year worldwide, is caused by a parasite transmitted through the salivary glands of female Anopheles mosquitoes. Understanding the biology of these tissues is critical to developing new treatments for the disease, found mostly in tropical countries.
Social media may heighten depression severity in youth
An emotional overattachment to social media may be associated with increased severity of mental health symptoms among young people being treated for depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, according to researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Faster clot-busting drug works as well as traditional drug for stroke
– A “clot-busting” drug recently approved to treat acute ischemic strokes (AIS) that can be delivered quickly works as well as a decades-old medication used by most hospitals in the U.S. and could hold significant advantages for some patients, a study led by a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher shows. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, could encourage more hospitals to use the newer drug, tenecteplase.