AI SummaryMutations in the gene Foxp2 have been linked to speech disorders, specifically apraxia. Researchers from MIT and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University conducted a study on mice and found that these mutations disrupt the formation of dendrites and neuronal synapses in the brain, affecting the ability to produce high-frequency sounds. The mutations prevent… Continue reading Scientists discover how mutations in a language gene produce speech deficits
Tag: Neural Diseases and Disorders
Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s
AI SummaryNeurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease affects different brain regions unequally, with one of the first regions to show damage being the mammillary body in the hypothalamus. MIT researchers have identified a subset of neurons in the mammillary body that are most susceptible to neurodegeneration and hyperactivity, which leads to memory impairments. The findings suggest that… Continue reading Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s
A new peptide may hold potential as an Alzheimer’s treatment
AI SummaryMIT neuroscientists have discovered a peptide that can reverse neurodegeneration and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease by interfering with an enzyme called CDK5 that is overactive in Alzheimer’s patients. In mice, the peptide led to reductions in neurodegeneration, DNA damage, and improvements in cognitive abilities, leading researchers to believe it could serve as a… Continue reading A new peptide may hold potential as an Alzheimer’s treatment
Researchers map brain cell changes in Alzheimer’s disease
AI SummaryResearchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard have developed a new method called STARmap PLUS to study the relationship between protein buildup and the death of neurons in Alzheimer’s disease using a mouse model. The technique allows for the simultaneous mapping of gene expression and the spatial distribution of proteins in intact… Continue reading Researchers map brain cell changes in Alzheimer’s disease
Portable cap can measure cognition with pulsed laser light
AI SummaryTo address the challenges of measuring brain activity, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, and Boston University are developing a high-performance brain imaging method called time-domain diffuse correlation spectroscopy (TD-DCS) that uses fiber optics to transmit laser light to and from the brain. By measuring the rate of fluctuation of the returning… Continue reading Portable cap can measure cognition with pulsed laser light
How Huntington’s disease affects different neurons
AI SummaryIn patients with Huntington’s disease, neurodegeneration of two distinct cell populations in the striatum, the striosomes and the matrix, contribute to motor impairments and mood disorders, respectively. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, researchers at MIT have mapped these cell populations and their vulnerability to Huntington’s disease, hoping to develop new treatments that target specific cells.… Continue reading How Huntington’s disease affects different neurons
New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease
After decades of fundamental scientific and drug discovery research, Alzheimer’s disease has remained inscrutable and incurable, with a bare minimum of therapeutic progress. But in a new review article in Nature Neuroscience, MIT scientists write that by employing the new research capability of single-cell profiling, the field has rapidly achieved long-sought insights with strong potential for both… Continue reading New technologies reveal cross-cutting breakdowns in Alzheimer’s disease
Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman, influential figure in translational research, dies at 86
AI SummaryRichard Wurtman, a prominent neurochemist and neuropharmacologist who was a member of the MIT faculty for 44 years, has died at the age of 86. Wurtman’s research on neurotransmitters and the impact of nutrition on brain function has made significant contributions to our understanding of conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and premenstrual syndrome. He… Continue reading Professor Emeritus Richard Wurtman, influential figure in translational research, dies at 86
Five from MIT named 2023 Quad Fellows
AI SummaryFour MIT alumni and a Harvard-MIT doctoral student have been selected for the inaugural class of the Quad Fellowship, a joint initiative of the governments of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. The fellowship aims to support exceptional individuals pursuing STEM graduate study in the United States and provides a $50,000 award for… Continue reading Five from MIT named 2023 Quad Fellows
Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits
AI SummaryEarly-stage clinical studies have found that 40-hertz sensory stimulation was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse effects and produced neurological and behavioral benefits among participants with Alzheimer’s disease. The studies are preliminary and more extensive research is needed to determine the efficacy of 40-hertz sensory stimulation as a potential therapeutic for Alzheimer’s.A pair of early-stage… Continue reading Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits