Medical research

Ketamine lifts depression via a byproduct of its metabolism

A chemical byproduct, or metabolite, created as the body breaks down ketamine likely holds the secret to its rapid antidepressant action, National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists and grantees have discovered. This metabolite ...

Neuroscience

Dendrites may help neurons perform complicated calculations

Within the human brain, neurons perform complex calculations on information they receive. Researchers at MIT have now demonstrated how dendrites—branch-like extensions that protrude from neurons—help to perform those ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Researchers studying ketamine as suicide prevention drug

(Medical Xpress)—University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) researchers think ketamine, an anesthesia medication in use since the 1970s, might be a valuable tool in treating severe depression and reducing suicidal urges; ...

Neuroscience

How excitatory/inhibitory balance is maintained in the brain

Just as a thermostat is used to maintain a balanced temperature in a home, different biological processes maintain the balance of almost everything in our bodies, from temperature and oxygen to hormone and blood sugar levels. ...

Neuroscience

Hearing deficits in schizophrenia tied to specific brain receptor

The inability to hear subtle changes in pitch, a common and debilitating problem for people with schizophrenia, is due to dysfunctional N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) brain receptors, according to a study by Columbia University ...

Medical research

Chemical reaction keeps stroke-damaged brain from repairing itself

Nitric oxide, a gaseous molecule produced in the brain, can damage neurons. When the brain produces too much nitric oxide, it contributes to the severity and progression of stroke and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's. ...

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