Neuroscience

Brain-doping produced by your own body

Erythropoietin, or Epo for short, is a notorious doping agent. It promotes the formation of red blood cells, leading thereby to enhanced physical performance—at least, that is what we have believed until now. However, as ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Bipolar patients' brain cells predict response to lithium

The brain cells of patients with bipolar disorder, characterized by severe swings between depression and elation, are more sensitive to stimuli than other people's brain cells, researchers have discovered.

Psychology & Psychiatry

A new path into bipolar disorder comes to light

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a multifactorial brain disorder in which patients experience radical shifts in mood and undergo periods of depression followed by periods of mania. It has been known for some time that both environmental ...

Neuroscience

First serotonin neurons made from human stem cells

Su-Chun Zhang, a pioneer in developing neurons from stem cells at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has created a specialized nerve cell that makes serotonin, a signaling chemical with a broad role in the brain.

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes

How herpesviruses awaken

Eight different herpesviruses are known to date in humans. They all settle permanently in the body after acute infection. Under certain circumstances, they wake up from this dormant phase, multiply and attack other cells. ...

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