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Category: neuroscience

Hydraulic brain: Body motion linked to fluid movement in the brain

The brain is more mechanically connected to the body than previously appreciated, scientists report in Nature Neuroscience. Through a study using mice and simulations, the team found a potential biological mechanism underlying why exercise is thought to benefit brain health: abdominal contractions compress blood vessels connected to the spinal cord and the brain, enabling the organ to gently move within the skull. This swaying facilitates the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid to flow over the brain, potentially washing away neural waste that could cause problems for brain function.

According to Patrick Drew, professor of engineering science and mechanics, of neurosurgery, of biology and of biomedical engineering at Penn State, the work builds on previous studies detailing how sleep and neuron loss can influence how and when cerebrospinal fluid flushes through the brain.

“Our research explains how just moving around might serve as an important physiological mechanism promoting brain health,” said Drew, corresponding author on the paper. “In this study, we found that when the abdominal muscles contract, they push blood from the abdomen into the spinal cord, just like in a hydraulic system, applying pressure to the brain and making it move.

Frontiers: Introduction:

Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is marked by beta-amyloid plaque accumulation and cognitive decline. The limited efficacy and significant side effects of anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody therapies have prompted exploration into innovative treatments like focused ultrasound therapy. Focused ultrasound shows promise as a non-invasive technique for disrupting the blood–brain barrier, potentially enhancing drug delivery directly to the brain and improving the penetration of existing therapeutic agents.

Oxidative stress causes a reversible decrease of deubiquitylases activity in old vertebrate brains

Activity-based proteomics reveals a conserved decline in deubiquitylating enzyme activity in the aging vertebrate brain driven by oxidative stress. Antioxidant treatment restores activity, identifying redox-sensitive DUBs as early drivers of proteostasis decline.

🧠 The Emotional Brain Under Stress: How the Amygdala Connects Chronic Stress to Chronic Disease

We often think of stress as something that just “gets on our nerves,” but what if it’s actually reshaping our brain — and our long-term health?A recent scientific review published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy by Juhyun Song (2023) highlights a fascinating and urgent connection between the brain’s emotional hub — the amygdala — and our rising burden of metabolic diseases, dementia, and mental health disorders. This tiny almond-shaped structure deep in our brain does more than generate fear or

Scientists Reveal The Optimal Amount of Sleep to Lower Dementia Risk

A lack of good quality sleep has long been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, but new research goes further – giving us an optimal amount of overnight slumber to minimize dementia risk later in life.

Using data gathered and pooled from 69 previous studies, a team from York University in Canada ran a statistical analysis to look for associations with dementia for three different factors: physical activity, time spent sitting, and sleep duration.

These are all variables we can control ourselves, up to a point, and the number crunching showed that between 7 and 8 hours of slumber each night was the sweet spot when it came to minimizing dementia risk.

Microfluidic device tracks cell ‘squishiness’ faster and more reliably than standard methods

Researchers from Brown University and their collaborators have developed a new way to measure the properties of cells—an important development, they say, because accurate measurements of changes in cell elasticity can be used to better understand diseases, diagnose patient symptoms and provide more accurate prognoses.

For example, cancer cells from tumors typically soften as they become more dangerous and likely to spread, while blood diseases like malaria and sickle cell can cause red blood cells to stiffen. Mechanical changes on a cellular level are also seen in neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and chronic inflammatory illnesses.

As detailed in a study in the journal Lab on a Chip, the researchers developed what they call a “mechanophenotyping cytometer”—a microfluidic device designed to measure a cell’s physical size and squishiness, known as its mechanical phenotype.

HEPA air purifiers may boost brain power in adults over 40

Using an in-home HEPA purifier for one month spurs a small but significant improvement in brain function in adults age 40 and older. That’s the result of a new study we co-authored in the journal Scientific Reports.

HEPA purifiers—HEPA stands for high efficiency particulate air— remove particulate matter from the air. Exposure to particulate matter has been connected to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses as well as neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Environmental health researchers increasingly recommend that people use HEPA air purifiers in their homes to lower their exposure to particulate matter, but few studies have examined whether using them boosts mental function.

We analyzed data from a study of 119 people ages 30 to 74 living in Somerville, Massachusetts. Somerville sits along Interstate 93 and Route 28, two major highways, resulting in relatively high levels of traffic-related air pollution. This makes it an especially good location for testing the health effects of air purifiers.

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein, leading to degeneration of anterior motor neurons and resulting in progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. Given that SMA has a single, well-defined genetic cause, gene-targeted therapies have been developed, aiming to increase SMN production in SMA patients. The SMN protein is likely involved in the synthesis of microRNAs (miRNAs), and dysregulated miRNA expression is increasingly associated with the pathophysiology of SMA. Currently, there is a lack of reliable biomarkers to monitor SMA; therefore, the search for novel SMA biomarkers, including miRNAs, is crucial as reliable tools are needed to track disease progression, predict the response to therapy and understand the different clinical outcomes of available treatments.

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