Author: Julie
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Our earliest memories may be forgotten but not lost
TORONTO – When asked to think of their earliest memory, most would think of a time when they were four or five years old. The period from birth to kindergarten appears to be forgotten. Since the late 1800s, this phenomenon has been called “infantile amnesia” and debate on why we can’t remember our earliest years…
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Mechanisms underlying efficient coding of natural stimuli revealed
Researchers at McGill University have discovered that feedback pathways enable sensory neurons to respond to weak sensory input in order to lead to perception. Published in PLoS Biology, their study shows that feedback pathways, which are seen ubiquitously across sensory systems and account for 90-95% of input onto sensory neurons, are necessary to generate neural…
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Clinical Neuropsychologist/Clinical Psychologist, University of Saskatchewan
Applications are invited for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor or Associate Professor for a Clinical Neuropsychologist/Clinical Psychologist in the Department of Medicine (Royal University Hospital) at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada. The successful candidate should be comfortable performing psychological assessments including neuropsychological assessments, psychological assessments, and non-motor assessments used…
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Understanding the origin of Alzheimer’s, looking for a cure
Researchers at Université de Montréal look at the promising role played by the BMI1 gene, which could someday help mitigate or even reverse the disease. After a decade of work, a team led by Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont researcher and Université de Montréal associate professor Dr. Gilbert Bernier has shed promising light on the origin of the…
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Paper in Science: Analysis of shared heritability in common disorders of the brain
Psychiatric disorders share an underlying genetic basis, says landmark paper with authors from University of Toronto, University of Calgary, Université de Montréal, McGill University, Dalhousie University and other Canadian Institutions.
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As harmful as dehydration?
Researchers uncover mechanisms of overhydration leading to hyponatremia – a common condition in patients after a traumatic brain injury We are all familiar with the drawbacks of dehydration, but we rarely hear about the harmful effects of overhydration. It is known that excess fluid accumulation can lead to dangerously low sodium levels in the blood…
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Diabetes drugs show promise to treat symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Discovery of a pathway linking Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 Diabetes leads to new strategies to preserve brain health. Fernanda De Felice at Queen’s University has discovered a disease mechanism common to Alzheimer’s disease and Type 2 Diabetes. This mechanism, which consist of a pathway leading to inflammation in different parts of the brain, leads…
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Stroke: Researchers shed light on the brain recovery process and new treatment strategies.
Researchers at UBC show that two types of cells, astrocytes and pericytes, cooperate to regenerate cerebral blood vessels to restore blood flow in brain regions damaged by stroke. Stroke is one of three leading causes of death in Canada and leads to permanent disability in about half of survivors. During an ischemic stroke, there is…
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Canadian researchers find key players for building and repairing the brain
Understanding how the brain is built during development leads to new therapeutic approaches for repairing brain injury. Research by Dr. Freda Miller and her team at the Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto has determined how brain stem cells and the environment they live within collaborate to build brain circuits during development,…
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An energy dense diet changes the brain and increases urge to eat
Rats eating a “cafeteria-diet” show changes in the brain regions that integrate information about food and determines eating behaviour. Research by Stephanie Borgland at the University of Calgary shows that giving rats unrestricted access to unhealthy foods for extended periods not only leads to obesity, but also to brain changes that makes food more attractive…