Neuroscience

Scientists sniff out unexpected role for stem cells in the brain

For decades, scientists thought that neurons in the brain were born only during the early development period and could not be replenished. More recently, however, they discovered cells with the ability to divide and turn ...

Neuroscience

Researchers uncover steps in synapse building, pruning

Like a gardener who stakes some plants and weeds out others, the brain is constantly building networks of synapses, while pruning out redundant or unneeded synapses. Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory led by Assistant ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

Hearing loss is associated with subtle changes in the brain

Hearing loss affects more than 60 percent of adults aged 70 and older in the United States and is known to be related to an increased risk of dementia. The reason for this association is not fully understood.

Medical research

How chronic pain threatens a good night's sleep

Ask anyone who is in pain how their much-needed sleep was, and there's a good chance they will say it was not great. And, it appears they may not be too far off as chronic pain and poor sleep can become a vicious cycle, according ...

Alzheimer's disease & dementia

Visual impairment may up risk for dementia in older women

(HealthDay)—In older women, objectively measured visual impairment is associated with a twofold to more than fivefold increased risk for dementia, according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Neuroscience

Stimulation and deprivation alter vascular structure in the brain

(Medical Xpress)—Nerves and blood vessels lead intimately entwined lives. They grow up together, following similar cues as they spread throughout the body. Blood vessels supply nerves with oxygen and nutrients, while nerves ...

Neuroscience

How different flavors of inhibition save the day

During development, lack of sensory experience elicits powerful plasticity mechanisms that alter brain circuitry. Many inhibitory neuron subtypes are known to influence circuit dynamics, but how they interact with plasticity ...

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