Huntington’s disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by a genetic mutation that destroys brain cells in the basal ganglia, resulting in progressive motor, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Recent research breakthroughs out of MIT are shedding light on how this disease affects the striatum, a crucial part of the basal ganglia responsible for …
Mature Lab-Grown Neurons Hold Promise for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research
For the first time, researchers have successfully demonstrated the ability to develop highly mature neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). The team behind the breakthrough is hopeful that their research will allow researchers to improve experiments and better understand neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Study Using Transgenic Mouse Models Reveals How the APOE4 Gene Affects AD
Scientists have long known that the APOE4 gene variant is a significant risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. But until recently, little has been understood about why and how this gene causes brain damage. That may be changing, thanks to a new study conducted by neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai and a team of colleagues at the Massachusetts …
Study Sheds Light on Autism Spectrum Disorder Pathology
A new study led by a team of UCLA scientists has found that changes in the brains of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more widespread than previously thought. The study, published in Nature, found that nearly every region of the cortex is changed in some way in people with ASD, contrary to the …
Animal Model May Provide Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Breakthrough
A new biosensing technology developed by researchers from Hokkaido University and Toppan using an animal model may signal a breakthrough in early Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis. The biosensing technology developed by the team using mouse models is able to detect amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation in the brain by measuring Aβ-binding exosomes in the blood. As clinical …