Nerve

Scientists have identified a key protein in the development of Alzheimer's disease which could prove critical in slowing or even halting the condition's progress.In tests on mice, a research team led by University of Colorado pharmacologist Tyler Martinez found that blocking a protein called murine double-minute 2 (Mdm2) stopped the destruction of the protrusions or 'dendritic spines' and junctions (synapses) that aid communication between brain cells.This degeneration is triggered by the build-up of a substance called…

Researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University have developed a groundbreaking genome-editing technique to treat Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease by reducing PMP22 protein levels, showing potential for a new clinical therapy in a field with limited existing treatments. AAV gene therapy-based genome editing recovered myelination in human CMT1A patient nerve differentiated from iPS cells. Credit: Department of Neuropathology, TMDUScientists at Tokyo Medical and Dental University have created a new genome-editing method that…

Researchers have discovered a non-opioid compound that, in mice, effectively reduced the pain hypersensitivity associated with chronic and often debilitating nerve pain caused by diabetes or chemotherapy drugs. It’s opened the door to developing a drug to treat the condition for which existing painkillers do little.Diabetes, chemotherapy drugs, multiple sclerosis, injuries and amputations have all been associated with neuropathic pain, usually caused by damage to nerves in various body tissues, including the skin, muscles…

Thought only to infect the respiratory tract, new research has proved for the first time that the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), very common in young children, can also penetrate nerve cells directly, triggering excessive inflammation and potentially leading to nerve damage. The findings underscore the potential long-term effects of RSV and highlight the importance of preventive measures.Infecting up to 90% of children in the first two years of life, RSV is highly contagious, causing mild, cold-like symptoms. In older…

When most of us grew up with films, shows, and stories that all indicated that college professors were these intellectual dynamos, unparalleled wits who had mastered the ins and outs of their field, the reality of actually going to school has shown that is quite often not the case at all. College students shared stories and screenshots of the unhinged experiences they have had with college professors. From bizarre emails and strange rules to just chaotic vibes and hilarity, get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote…

Can a condition as gnarly and disparate as long COVID be treated without drugs? Social media is buzzing over an experimental therapy that taps the vagus nerve, which acts as the body’s “information superhighway” by carrying crucial signals between the brain and various internal organs. A mild electrical zap to this long cranial nerve triggers a rush of autonomic responses associated with relaxation—and may confer health benefits well beyond this.Researchers are increasingly recognizing that long COVID is as much a…

Effective targeted treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and even the repair of damaged nerves caused by the disease could soon be within grasp, thanks to yet another breakthrough in the field of small molecule drug research.Researchers led by a team at Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have focused their work on a small molecule drug that targets the glutamate receptor AMPA, and results from the study show great promise in its new approach to treating MS.Working with three newly synthesized compounds,…

If you're the one in every ten adults who experiences incessant ringing in your ears, you already know how disruptive tinnitus can be.A new study led by researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear has uncovered evidence of this phantom noise being generated by hyperactive nerves the nervous system can no longer tune out.As widespread as it is, tinnitus has long remained a medical mystery, but now researchers have tracked down evidence that supports a leading theory of the origins of that pesky buzz. A quick explainer for…

Researchers at Mass Eye and Ear have linked tinnitus, a condition affecting over 10% of adults worldwide, to undetectable auditory nerve loss. Their study suggests that even individuals with normal hearing tests can suffer from this hidden hearing loss, paving the way for new treatments focused on nerve regeneration. A groundbreaking study by Mass Eye and Ear associates tinnitus with undetected auditory nerve damage, challenging previous beliefs and opening new paths for treatment through auditory nerve regeneration. A…

Have you felt butterflies in your stomach or hunger pangs? Those “gut feelings” happen thanks to the vagus nerve, which is a superhighway that connects the brain and the gut. In recent years the vagus nerve has become an intriguing target for researchers looking to cure disorders of both the brain and the body. Vagus nerve stimulation—usually achieved with an electrode implanted in the neck to deliver electrical pulses directly to the nerve—is an approved treatment for epilepsy and some forms of depression. Scientists…