Month: February 2018
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McMaster researchers pinpoint genes causing complex brain disorders
McMaster University Scientists have published 2 studies identifying which gene is responsible for causing brain development disorders when several genes are deleted in an individual’s genome, providing a path forward for developing new therapies. In Ontario, there are more than 300,000 children and youth affected by a neurodevelopmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorders, attention…
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Research uncovers new link between head trauma, CTE and ALS
Researchers at Western University have uncovered a unique neurobiological pathway triggered by head trauma which underlies both Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease). CTE is a fatal neurodegenerative disease shown to be a result of repeated head trauma, and is associated with elite athletes involved in contact sports.…
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Not being aware of memory problems predicts onset of Alzheimer’s disease
New research could provide clinicians with insights regarding clinical progression to dementia Doctors who work with individuals at risk of developing dementia have long suspected that patients who do not realize they experience memory problems are at greater risk of seeing their condition worsen in a short time frame, a suspicion that now has been…
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Concussion stalls adolescent brains, reduces cognitive flexibility
Concussion affects the developing adolescent brain and may delay key cognitive processes, hampering the brain’s ability to change focus and pay attention. New research from Dr. Naznin Virji-Babul’s team, published today in the journal ASN Neuro, shows that concussion changes the way that different neural networks interact, stalling the brain in a state of cognitive inflexibility. Even at…
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Longer, better, faster … smaller? New genome sequencing tool promises richer biological insight
For the past three years, Dr. Terrance Snutch and research associate Dr. John Tyson have been working with Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) to develop a novel deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing tool with promising implications for personalized medicine. About the size of a mobile phone, the MinION device is a USB-powered DNA sequencer capable of mapping complex genomic…
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A mutation that causes mirrored sensations
Research from the IRCM contributes to our understanding of how our brain locates painful stimuli When you experience a painful sensation such as touching a hot stove with your hand, the pain is restricted to your hand, allowing you to remove it quickly from the source of heat. How does the brain know that the…
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Revolutionary technology allows brain surgery without breaking the skin
University of Calgary research study benefits people with severe essential tremor Elias Pharaon is 85 years old and can sign his name for the first time in five years thanks to a new way to do brain surgery. Performed by a team of University of Calgary physicians and researchers with the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, magnetic…
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UCalgary researcher leads Canada-wide clinical trial using anti-psychotic drug to treat ALS
Pimozide, known for treating certain psychiatric conditions, may stabilize progression of the disease. The University of Calgary’s Lawrence Korngut is leading a clinical trial with nine hospital centres across Canada to recruit patients for further study. If you took part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, you may have wondered where the money raised by the…
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Is your stress changing my brain?
UCalgary researchers discover stress isn’t just contagious; it alters the brain on a cellular level In a new study in Nature Neuroscience, Jaideep Bains, PhD, and his team at the Cumming School of Medicine’s Hotchkiss Brain Institute (HBI), at the University of Calgary have discovered that stress transmitted from others can change the brain in the…