From figuring out where memories are stored to how sensory information translates to behavior, new technologies are helping neuroscientists better understand how the brain works.
From thalidomide to resveratrol, molecules with the exact same chemical properties can have drastically different effects in the body depending on how they’re arranged in space.
People reported having frequent bad dreams at the beginning of the study were twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s compared with those who had them less than once a week.
Brain changes including shrinkage, weakened connections and poorer performance on thinking and memory tests could explain ‘brain fog’ after COVID – even after ‘mild’ cases.
Tay-Sachs is a rare and fatal neurodegerative disorder that most commonly affects children. Researchers have developed the first Tay-Sachs treatment to reach clinical trials.
Understanding when and how neurons die is an important part of research on neurodegenerative diseases like Lou Gehrig’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Our research suggests the multiplication of protein aggregates in individual regions of the brain, rather than their spread between regions, is key to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
An extract of a plant’s fruit in Nigeria could protect against seizure and prevent brain degeneration. It could therefore be studied further for the development of a new antiepileptic drug.
Philip Mosley, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute
About one in six people who take the most common medication for Parkinson’s disease will develop addictive behaviours. We found whether this happens depends on a person’s unique brain structure.
Not all drug development needs to start from scratch. Sometimes researchers discover that a drug developed for one disease can be used for another. Here a cancer drug may show promise for dementia.
Many pieces leading to Alzheimer’s disease have been identified. To put the pieces together, one scholar argues that the government should launch a Manhattan Project-scale effort to find a cure.
A new type of drug blocks the destruction of neurons in the eye, preventing blindness. The researchers hope that the same therapy can be applied to other common neurodegenerative diseases.
From aggressive patients with Alzheimer’s to frustrated caregivers, dementia is increasingly entwined with violence in private homes and residential facilities.
A toxic chemical produced by algae and linked to motor neuron disease has been detected in NSW rivers. Its presence - long suspected but now confirmed - could be linked to a disease hotspot in the Riverina.