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Category: neuroscience – Page 328

What are the capabilities of a commercially available p-tau217 immunoassay to identify Alzheimer disease pathophysiology?

In a recent study published in JAMA Neurology a group of researchers determined the utility of a novel and commercially available immunoassay for plasma phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) to detect Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology and evaluate reference ranges for abnormal amyloid β (Aβ) and longitudinal change across three selected cohorts.

Blood biomarkers have become key in AD diagnosis, offering a more scalable option than cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or positron emission tomography (PET) scans. They are particularly beneficial in settings with limited access to advanced testing, paving the way for early and precise diagnosis and better patient management. p-tau, especially p-tau at threonine 217 (p-tau217), stands out as a leading blood biomarker. It excels in differentiating AD from other conditions and detecting AD in mild cognitive impairment cases, often outperforming other tau biomarkers.

As the medical community moves towards anti-Aβ therapies for dementia, validated blood biomarkers like p-tau217 are crucial for guiding treatment. Further research is necessary to validate plasma p-tau217 across diverse memory clinic populations, addressing comorbidities to enhance its clinical utility for AD.

Microgravity Masters: Expedition 70 and Ax-3 Crews Working Together on Space Station

Eleven astronauts and cosmonauts from around the world are living and working together aboard the International Space Station (ISS) today, January 22. The four Axiom Mission 3 (Ax-3) private astronauts met the seven Expedition 70 crew members on Saturday beginning two weeks of dual operations.

The Ax-3 crew spent the weekend getting familiar with space station systems and emergency procedures before starting Monday with a full schedule of science and media activities. Ax-3 Commander Michael López-Alegría joined Pilot Walter Villadei and studied how microgravity affects the biochemistry of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s to improve health on Earth and in space. The duo later inserted samples into a fluorescence microscope for a study seeking to prevent and predict cancer diseases to protect crews in space and humans on Earth.

Researchers design new open-source technology for interfacing with living neurons

Mind In Vitro Platforms: Versatile, Scalable, Robust, and Open Solutions to Interfacing with Living Neurons.

Neurons intricately communicate and respond to stimuli within a vast network, orchestrating essential functions from basic bodily processes to complex thoughts. Traditional neuroscience methods, relying on in vivo electrophysiology (within a living organism), often have difficulty addressing the complexity of the brain as a whole.

An alternative approach involves extracting cells from the organism and conducting studies on a culture dish instead (in vitro), providing researchers with enhanced control and precision in measuring neural processes.

In a new study featured in Advanced Science, researchers unveil a cost-effective, open-source in vitro system for interfacing with neurons, offering a more accessible avenue for researchers interested in neural interactions.

Anxiety and Testosterone Linked to Brain Receptor

Summary: A new study identified a crucial link between anxiety disorders and the brain receptor TACR3, as well as testosterone. This groundbreaking research found that rodents with high anxiety had low TACR3 levels in the hippocampus, a key area for learning and memory.

Notably, the study showed that testosterone deficiency-related anxiety could be addressed by targeting TACR3. This discovery opens new therapeutic possibilities for treating anxiety disorders, especially in individuals with hypogonadism.

Large Head in Asymptomatic Child: A Subtle Presentation of Connective Tissue Disorder With Spontaneous Significant Intracerebral Bleed

Three years old boy with reassuring development had presented to the Pediatric Neurology clinic with a referral due to a large head. Occipito-frontal circumference was more than 97th centile with an unremarkable neurological examination. MRI brain exhibited an acute on chronic large right frontoparietal subdural hematoma with prominent mass effect. Consequentially, the hematoma was evacuated by the neurosurgeon. Postoperative recovery stayed satisfactory. Hematology workup showed normal coagulation and clotting factors levels. Whole exome sequencing (WES) study revealed heterozygous variant c.5187G>A p.(Trp1729• in gene FBN1 — pathogenic for Marfan syndrome. However, this variant has not yet been reported in association with cerebral arteritis/intracerebral bleed. On follow-up, the child remained asymptomatic clinically with static head size.

Harvard Scientists Discover Surprising Hidden Catalyst in Human Brain Evolution

The study hypothesizes that ‘pre-digested’ foods contributed to the development of larger brains. The large, capable human brain is a marvel of evolution, but how it evolved from a smaller primate brain into the creative, complex organ of today is a mystery. Scientists can pinpoint when our evolutionary ancestors evolved larger brains, which roughly tripled in size as human ancestors evolved from the bipedal primates known as Australopithecines.

Re-frame of mind: Do our brains have a built-in sense of grammar?

In a new article published in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience, researchers make the case that the human brain also develops a cellular template soon after birth which defines who we are and how we perceive the world.

For centuries, a prevailing theory in philosophy has asserted that at birth the human mind is a blank slate. More recently, the same notion has also held sway in the field of neurobiology, where it is commonly held that neural connections are slowly created from scratch with the accumulation of sensory information and experience.

Eventually, the theory goes, this allows us to create memories in space and time and to then learn from those experiences.

But after spending more than a decade studying activity in the hippocampus, the area of brain which forms memory, Yale’s George Dragoi began to have his doubts.