Tag: understanding

Our ability to predict who will get cancer, how a patient will respond to treatment, or if a patient will relapse is still quite limited. Despite advances in the detection of genetic mutations and the establishment of risk factors, such as age and genetic variants, it remains a great scientific and medical challenge. University of

To understand how any given disease affects the body, scientists need a wide array of tools. One of the most valuable and indispensable instruments in their toolkit are clinical samples—small amounts of blood, urine, mucus, spit and tissue that can be used to study disease in a patient. Now, a team led by Harvard Medical

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is known to involve interactions among many different genes, making it difficult to pinpoint the specific mechanisms. But now, researchers from Japan have found a new way to identify genes implicated in neurodegeneration in AD. In a study published this month in Human Molecular Genetics, researchers from Osaka University, Niigata University, and

When insulin is secreted from beta cells in the pancreas to control glucose levels in the blood stream, GABA is also released from the cells to calm them so that the cells can prepare for the next pulse of insulin secretion. Having a stable insulin level is key to the functioning of a healthy pancreas.

For long-distance transportation within the cell, RNA molecules rely on hitchhiking. A microscopic RNA molecule might need to travel as far as a meter to get from the nucleus of a nerve cell to its tip, where it’s needed to make a protein. But exactly how RNA gets around has been “a long-standing question in

Astrocytes—the star-shaped cells of our brain—are very busy. Their job description includes maintaining the blood-brain barrier, removing excess neurotransmitters, repairing brain tissue and more. Their important role in brain function suggests astrocytes are also involved in disease. Scientists are particularly interested in uncovering how they may drive inflammation in the brain. Brain inflammation is linked

Researchers from the University of Luxembourg have discovered a molecular mechanism that is responsible for the spread of cancer cells in the body and the development of metastases in patients with colon cancer. Their findings could help to develop treatments that inhibit tumor growth. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is among the most prevalent cancer types worldwide,

A large genomic analysis has linked certain DNA mutations to a high risk of relapse in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, while other mutations were associated with better outcomes, according to researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the Baylor College of Medicine and the University of British Columbia. The knowledge could

Synapses, the structures that allow neurons to pass signals to one another, are essential to neuronal function. Proper formation and responses to stimulation of synapses both during development and in adulthood are fundamental to mammalian brains, but the molecular processes governing formation and modulation of compartmentalized synaptic assemblies are unclear. In a recent study, a

A new study by KAIST researchers identified where the mutation causing glioblastoma starts. According to the study, neural stem cells away from the tumor mass are the cells of origin that contain mutation drivers for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive brain tumor. This breakthrough research, reported in Nature on August 1, gives insights for

McLean Hospital investigators have released the results of a study that outlines how age, socioeconomic status, and other factors might contribute to social isolation and poorer mental health. In a paper published in the online version of Clinical Psychological Science, the researchers examine how individuals of all ages and walks of life seek and enjoy

A drug that reduces delirium in postoperative patients may work by preventing the overactivity of certain receptors in brain cells, according to a new study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). The researchers say the findings could lead to more widespread use

More than 2.5 million Americans are living with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib). AFib is an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. What doctors and researchers currently understand about treating AFib stems mainly from whether a patient has been diagnosed with the condition or not. University of Minnesota

Two weeks ago, the 104-year-old Australian scientist David Goodall flew from his home in Western Australia to Switzerland to access assisted suicide with the help of lifecircle and Exit International, two right-to-die societies. Goodall was part of a broader but marginal phenomenon sometimes referred to as “suicide tourism.” This occurs when a person travels to

New research charts vitamin D levels and variations in genes that determine vitamin D status in UK children diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A team of scientists has examined the vitamin D levels in children with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease over a 12 month period. The study found the majority of children in the

Recent advances in scientific understanding of how posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops and persists may lead to more effective treatment and even prevention of this debilitating disorder, according to the May/June special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry. A growing body of evidence helps psychiatrists to understand the aspects of brain structure and function involved

Advances in our understanding of the development and persistence of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) have the potential to improve treatment according to a new study by the University of Waterloo. The study found that fear of guilt evokes feelings of doubt in decision-making, with greater fear of guilt being associated with greater self-reported difficulty making decisions,

Our brains are home to a staggering 86 billion or so cells that are carefully woven into the structure that lets us think, feel and live. This awe-inspiring complexity offers a glimpse into why, after many years of research, there’s still so much to be understood about the brain. And for brain tumours, the unknowns