Author: Julie
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Pinpointing the origins of autism
Abnormalities shown to first appear in brain networks involved in sensory processing The origins of autism remain mysterious. What areas of the brain are involved, and when do the first signs appear? New findings published in Biological Psychiatry bring us closer to understanding the pathology of autism, and the point at which it begins to…
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Could olfactory loss point to Alzheimer’s disease?
Promising finding suggests odour identification tests may help scientists track the evolution of the disease in persons at risk By the time you start losing your memory, it’s almost too late. That’s because the damage to your brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may already have been going on for as long as twenty years.…
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For Neil who is living with dystonia, fundamental research offers hope and partial relief.
Neil Merovitch is an impressive and resilient young man who has very personal reasons to believe in the importance of fundamental research. At a young age, he was diagnosed with dystonia, a devastating disease in which normal movement is impaired due to neurological dysfunction. Individuals with this condition deal with sustained or repetitive, and often…
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Muscle function regained in CRISPR-treated mice with congenital muscular dystrophy, SickKids study finds
Scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have used the gene-editing tool CRISPR to correct a disease-causing mutation in mice with a form of congenital muscular dystrophy, MDC1A. The findings, published in the July 17 online edition of Nature Medicine, show significant improvement in muscle strength and function among the mice treated with CRISPR, with no remaining…
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Brains are more plastic than we thought
Researchers train brains to use different regions for same task Practice might not always make perfect, but it’s essential for learning a sport or a musical instrument. It’s also the basis of brain training, an approach that holds potential as a non-invasive therapy to overcome disabilities caused by neurological disease or trauma. Research at the…
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Budget 2018 : Large new investments to support Canada’s researchers
The Canadian Association for Neuroscience applauds the announcement by the Canadian government of important new financial support for Investigator-led fundamental research. This budget makes significant strides towards the implementation of the recommendations of the Fundamental Science Review, commissioned by the honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, and is good news for scientists across the country,…
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Making information meaningful leads to better memory
When trying to memorize information, it is better to relate it to something meaningful rather than repeat it again and again to make it stick, according to a recent Baycrest study published in NeuroImage. “When we are learning new information, our brain has two different ways to remember the material for a short period of…
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Sick Kids Researchers Have Found An Unexpected Twist in How Our Brains Develop
One example of the latter recently came from the joint laboratory of Freda Miller and David Kaplan, at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. They found that a type of cell known for transmitting information between nerve cells also plays another vital role. It instructs stem cells that build the brain to make another…
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McGill Researchers Have Found A Possible Path For Treatment of Fragile X Syndrome
There is no denying autism spectrum disorders, commonly known as ASD, have become some of the world’s greatest health concerns. But what most people do not know is the incredible complexity of these conditions. As researchers have found, the problems are not singular in nature. Rather, they are a consequence of several changes in the…
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Brain area involved in addiction activated earlier than previously thought in recreational cocaine users
Non-dependent users also experience dopamine release in response to drug cues Even among non-dependent cocaine users, cues associated with consumption of the drug lead to dopamine release in an area of the brain thought to promote compulsive use, according to researchers at McGill University. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, suggest that people who consider…