We Might Finally Understand How We Inherit Anxiety From Our Parents

Researchers have discovered an inherited brain pathway that increases the risk of anxiety in monkeys, and if the research translates to humans, it could have huge implications for treating overwhelming anxiety. 

The focus was specifically on extreme anxiety temperaments (AT) because these are a significant risk factor for anxiety disorders and depression in human children. 

"The way we measure this alteration in monkeys is very similar to the method that we use to measure this circuit in our studies of anxiety in human children, so this research is highly translational,'' said senior author and biological psychiatrist, Ned Kalin. 

Extreme early-life anxiety is one of the biggest risk factors for anxiety disorders and depression, yet most current treatments address symptoms rather than the underlying problem. 

"We are continuing to discover the brain circuits that underlie human anxiety, especially the alterations in circuit function that underlie the early childhood risk to develop anxiety and depressive disorders,'' said Kalin. Source

Journal Reference:

Andrew S. Fox, Jonathan A. Oler, Rasmus M. Birn, Alexander J. Shackman, Andrew L. Alexander and Ned H. KalinJournal of Neuroscience 30 July 2018, 0102-18; DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0102-18.2018

'Antifreeze' molecules may stop and reverse damage from brain injuries

The key to better treatments for brain injuries and disease may lie in the molecules charged with preventing the clumping of specific proteins associated with cognitive decline and other neurological problems, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania report in a new study published in Neurobiology of Disease. 

Concentrations of these brain molecules -- called N-acetylaspartate (NAA) -- are known to decrease when people suffer from brain injuries and diseases. Its possible NAA is creating "peptide backbones," the authors said -- the NAA inserts itself between layers of amyloid-beta clumps and protofibrils, preventing the formation of mature amyloid fibrils. 

"We show a new and potentially significant biological function of NAA in the brain, as a surprisingly effective agent for inhibiting and even reversing aggregation of amyloid-beta," said lead author Jean-Pierre Dolle?, PhD, of the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair. Source.

Jean-Pierre Dollé, Jeffrey M. Rodgers, Kevin D. Browne, Thomas Troxler, Feng Gai, Douglas H. Smith. Newfound effect of N -acetylaspartate in preventing and reversing aggregation of amyloid-beta in vitro. Neurobiology of Disease, 2018; 117: 161 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2018.05.023

New tools developed for brain mapping; should boost research into depression, dementia

Researchers at Florida Institute of Technology have developed the fastest method to date for creating a key molecule used by neuroscientists at Columbia University in mapping brain activity. 

Neuroscientists are working to decode the brain to understand neurological disorders including depression and dementia, in part by studying "glutamatergic receptors," where Glu is the molecule of interest. 

To aid neuroscientists in mapping the enormously complex brain circuitry, researchers have used light to activate inactive, or "caged," neurotransmitters in live brain tissue, including glutamate. Source

More Information: Charitha Guruge et al. Improved Synthesis of Caged Glutamate and Caging Each Functional Group, ACS Chemical Neuroscience (2018). DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.8b00152 

Researchers Find That Lipid Accumulation in the Brain May Be an Early Sign of Parkinson’s Disease

A collaborative team of researchers at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, and University of Oxford has found that elevated levels of certain types of lipids (fat molecules) in the brain may be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

MIT's AlterEgo headset can read words you say in your head

MIT's AlterEgo headset can read words you say in your head. This could have a real impact for people with communication-related disabilities.

Alzheimer's hope as scientists unveil blood test for early signs

Scientists are closer to rolling out a revolutionary Blood Test for Alzheimer’s after discovering a new way of detecting one of the earliest signs of the brain disease.

Prosthetic Memory System Successful in Humans, Study Finds

Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the University of Southern California (USC) have demonstrated the successful implementation of a prosthetic system that uses a person’s own memory patterns to facilitate the brain’s ability to encode and recall memory.

Boy with brain tumor named honorary Calif. cop

A young boy’s dream came true thanks to a California police department

The Society for Neuroscience-Ottawa Chapter is excited to announce our annual Brain and Mental Health Art Show! The show will take place at 6:00pm on Friday, April 6th, 2018 in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne park.

The event will showcase pieces submitted by artists of all ages with all proceeds going towards Ancoura, a not-for-profit organization that subsidizes housing for individuals living with mental illness.

Art can be submitted online at https://form.jotform.com/80354099090256/ as of February 6th, 2018.

For more information, please visit our website at http://sfn-ottawa.ca/brain-mental-health-art-show/ or email us at [email protected].

Stay tuned for more details coming up!

Scientists May Have Found The Root Cause Of Autism

Scientists think they've found out what could be at the root of autism and, no, it's not vaccines. According to a new study, it could be caused by having too many brain connections called synapses.

A Shield for Your Brain: New Enzyme Protects Against Neurodegeneration

Photo: Thomas Quine / flickr / cc by

• “NMNAT2” refers to nicotinamide mononucleotide adenylyl transferase 2, a neuronal protective factor.
• New Study realized that NMNAT 2 shows positive correlation to cognitive function, and negative correlation with degenerative factor.
• This is indicative of huge potential for persons with neurodegenerative diseases such as, but not limited to:
  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Dementia
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Huntington’s disease
• Proteinopathies is a condition caused by aggregates of proteins, whereby proteins misfold, causing clumps in the brain.
• NMNAT2 is categorized as a “chaperone” enzyme, allowing for the influx of nicotinamide dinucleotide (NAD), strengthening neuronal bodies.
• The chaperone capability of NMNAT2 reduces protein stress caused during proteinoapathies, while the enzymatic abilities provides a protection against excitotoxicity, a process by which neurons are damaged.
• Read more, at PLOS Biology.

Electrifying Your Brain: Increasing Recovery Potential from Paralysis Causing Strokes

Photo: NICHD / flickr/ cc by

• New Startup - Halo Neuroscience produced a sport headphone to aid in stimulating muscles through electrifying the brain.
• “tDCS” refers to transcranial direct current stimulation, a delivery system used in stimulating and enhancing neuronal connections, ultimately exciting muscle response.
• Halo Neuroscience, created the headphones primarily for increasing workout performances in elite athletes.
• Electrodes attached to the head bands of the device sends electric pulses to the brain through the scalp, stimulating neuronal activity
• During research performed by Halo Neuroscience, it is found that administration of electric pulses to the brain shows significant enhancement of fine motor skills in adults.
• This device could show immense potential for persons with damaged CNS function, including but not limited to patients of paralysis, caused by advents of stroke.
• Find out more, at HaloNeuro.
• Read about the research.
• Watch the demonstration.