Lifeboat Foundation

A landmark study has revealed that cholesterol in the brain may play a fundamental role in catalyzing the formation of amyloid beta clusters, thought to be a central mechanism leading to the devastating degenerative symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

An international team of researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, set out to uncover what causes amyloid beta proteins to cluster into the plaques that slowly accumulate and cause the primary degenerative symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

“The levels of amyloid-beta normally found in the brain are about a thousand times lower than we require to observe it aggregating in the laboratory – so what happens in the brain to make it aggregate?” asks Michele Vendruscolo, lead on the new research.

http://toosickandnaked.com/2018/05/07/25-the-future-of-medic…-bioquark/

Summary: A new study sheds light on how the cerebellum is able to make predictions and learn from mistakes, especially when it comes to completing complex motor actions. The findings could help in the development of new machine learning technologies.

Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine.

In studies with monkeys, Johns Hopkins researchers report that they have uncovered significant new details about how the cerebellum — the “learning machine” of the mammalian brain — makes predictions and learns from its mistakes, helping us execute complex motor actions such as accurately shooting a basketball into a net or focusing your eyes on an object across the room.

Rates of HTLV-1, an ancient virus called the cousin of HIV, are exceeding 40% among adults in remote regions of central Australia. Doctors are now raising alarm about this “neglected” infection.

A relatively easy way to boost intestinal stem cell (ISC) function might simply be fasting, according to a new study by a team of MIT biologists.

Stem cells supply the specialized cells that make up our tissues and organs; every time existing cells are lost for whatever reason, stem cells that can differentiate into that particular type of cell jump into action to compensate for the loss. However, this ability declines over time as aging progresses; indeed, stem cell exhaustion is one of the hallmarks of aging, and it affects our body by decreasing the regenerative capacity of its tissues, leading to immune dysfunction, muscle wasting, and even neurodegenerative diseases.

The lining of your intestine suffers from this problem as well. It consists of a fast-renewing tissue that typically renews itself entirely in a handful of days, and it is responsible for absorbing nutrients as well as keeping away unwanted substances; maintaining its regenerative abilities is therefore important for everyone, old or young; however, for older people, this is more challenging. However, a relatively easy way to boost intestinal stem cell (ISC) function might simply be fasting, according to a new study by a team of MIT biologists [1].

Continue reading “Fasting might boost intestinal stem cell function” »

There’s a drug that can immediately minimize or even remove the trauma and fear response in human beings.

How propranolol, a drug used for years to combat high blood pressure, can actually change the fear response to PTSD, traumatic stimuli, and triggers.

Continue reading “A ‘Magic’ Pill That Can Neutralize Traumatic Memories And Fears?” »

Lightning strikes, MRI machines, and other sources of powerful electrical fields can damage medical devices and cause serious brain injury.

Time to end genetic fatalism: Lifestyle matters, even to those with APOE e4 allele. #dementia #alzheimers #apoee4 #lifestyle #genetics

Weird.

Scientists have successfully created synthetic embryos from mouse stem cells. Could the advance help human infertility research?