New research shows neonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment

Very early exposure to even a very small dose of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in infant mice can lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to new findings. This is significant because of emerging data in human studies showing an association between HSV and Alzheimer’s disease in humans.

Seeing more in expansion microscopy

In biology, seeing can lead to understanding, and researchers in Edward Boyden’s lab at MIT’s McGovern Institute are committed to bringing life into sharper focus. With a pair of new methods, they are expanding the capabilities of expansion microscopy—a high-resolution imaging technique the group introduced in 2015—so researchers everywhere can see more when they look… Continue reading Seeing more in expansion microscopy

Innovative blood test shows potential to replace spinal tap for Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Up to half of all people living with Alzheimer’s Disease in Ireland remain undiagnosed. Now, a new blood test may have the potential to transform patient care, allowing for better diagnosis, earlier interventions and more targeted treatments. Researchers at Trinity College Dublin, the Tallaght Institute of Memory and Cognition and St James’s Hospital, Dublin are exploring… Continue reading Innovative blood test shows potential to replace spinal tap for Alzheimer’s diagnosis

Donepezil-Based Rational Design of N-Substituted Quinazolinthioacetamide Candidates as Potential Acetylcholine Esterase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: In vitro and In vivo Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as one of the most outstanding progressive neurodegenerative disorders. Obviously, acetylcholine esterase (AChE) is the primary enzyme responsible for breaking down acetylcholine (ACh) with a much more prominent effect than butyrylcholine esterase (BuChE). Hence, novel quinazoline derivatives (3a-p) were designed and synthesized as AChE inhibitors for AD treatment. The newly synthesized… Continue reading Donepezil-Based Rational Design of N-Substituted Quinazolinthioacetamide Candidates as Potential Acetylcholine Esterase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease: In vitro and In vivo Studies

Mapping mRNA through its life cycle within a cell

When Xiao Wang applied to faculty jobs, many of the institutions where she interviewed thought her research proposal — to study the life cycle of RNA in cells and how it influences normal development and disease — was too broad. However, that was not the case when she interviewed at MIT, where her future colleagues… Continue reading Mapping mRNA through its life cycle within a cell

New biomarker test detects early tau tangles in Alzheimer’s disease

Years before tau tangles show up in brain scans of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, a biomarker test developed at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine can detect small amounts of the clumping-prone tau protein and its misfolded pathological forms that litter the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and potentially blood, new research published today in Nature… Continue reading New biomarker test detects early tau tangles in Alzheimer’s disease

TWiV 1190: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin and Vincent Racaniello discuss changes in access to public health information and aid mechanisms such as the return of MMWR, the largest tuberculosis outbreak in the US ever, lack of USAID in fighting Marburg and Ebola outbreaks in Africa, discussing if avian influenza virus is airborne, how eggs… Continue reading TWiV 1190: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin

Research unveils synergistic effects of tau and beta-amyloid in Alzheimer’s

A research team from the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (INc-UAB) has discovered that the two key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s-tau protein and beta-amyloid-affect brain circuits in distinct yet synergistic ways, particularly those linked to memory and emotions. The study was conducted in collaboration with the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en… Continue reading Research unveils synergistic effects of tau and beta-amyloid in Alzheimer’s