Neuropsychology news
An MS biomarker linked to disease progression could flag patients most likely to benefit from new drugs, researchers say. The findings were validated in mice and humans and could shape how clinical trials are run for progressive forms of the disease. The study examined “compartmentalised inflammation” (immune activity contained within the brain and spinal cord [...]
Eating more oily fish and wholegrain bread may cut the risk of multiple sclerosis, a study using UK Biobank data suggests. The findings add to evidence that diet is a modifiable factor in preventing the disease. Multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs when the immune system attacks myelin, the protective coating on nerve fibres in the brain [...]
A new ALS blood test can identify the disease from a single blood draw with 97 per cent accuracy, researchers say. The test can also rule out people who do not have ALS, potentially ending long diagnostic delays. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a paralysing disease caused by the death of motor neurones. [...]
In a recent study, Johns Hopkins University researchers used mice to explore how the visual brain system recovers following traumatic injury. The researchers monitored connections from cells in the eye to the brain after injury. They discovered that surviving cells compensated for cell death by sprouting extra branches to make connections with more neurons in the brain. This sprouting occurred to such an extent that connections between [...]
New research explains how a single mild brain injury can set off changes that increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The discovery points to a possible way to prevent the disorder by repairing the brain’s drainage system after head trauma. Scientists found that traumatic brain injuries impair lymphatic vessels that connect the brain and the [...]
The enzyme CEMIP is tied to myelin damage seen in multiple sclerosis, stroke and Alzheimer's, new research has revealed, pointing to a new target for brain repair. Researchers aim to develop ways to target the enzyme to heal or slow disease. The study, from Oregon Health & Science University, found that cell migration inducing and [...]
Researchers are developing a nasal spray that could one day treat people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The project is being led by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. The team will screen formulations and evaluate delivery methods for oxytocin, a hormone involved in bonding and stress relief. The work [...]
Energy drinks may raise stroke risk, doctors have warned after treating a man in his 50s who drank eight cans a day and nearly died. The patient has been left with permanent nerve damage in his left hand and foot following the incident. Doctors at Nottingham University Hospitals said the man arrived at hospital suffering [...]
Researchers mapped brain network differences in people at high risk of psychosis, offering clues to how the illness begins. The study used neuroimaging (detailed brain scans) to spot early, network-level changes in more than 3,000 people at varying levels of risk. Those at clinical high risk, meaning people with early warning signs of psychosis, had [...]
Concussion history predicts long-term health risks in former NFL players better than years played or position, new research suggests. A study of more than 1,500 former players found that two commonly used ways to estimate head injury risk were not linked to poorer long-term physical or mental health. Researchers say directly assessing a player's concussion [...]
