Author: Julie

  • Alzheimer’s disease : It takes two (proteins) to tango

    For years, neuroscientists have puzzled over how two abnormal proteins, called amyloid and tau, accumulate in the brain and damage it to cause Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Which one is the driving force behind dementia? The answer: both of them, according to a new study by researchers at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute. In the…

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  • New Western neuroscience study shows how we learn from watching others

    A new study from Western University shows that the parts of our brain that provide us with our sense of touch are activated when we watch someone else learn a manual skill. The findings by Heather McGregor and Paul Gribble from Western’s Brain and Mind Institute were published by the prestigious journal Current Biology.

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  • Canadian Researchers Help To Understand How The Brain Copes With Stress

    It’s one of the guarantees of life: stress. At its core, it’s a perception of a physical or psychological threat and is designed to help us survive. But the triggers are varied and as such, there is no single way to deal with the impending sensation of harm. For years, researchers have studied the stress…

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  • Canadian Researchers Reveal The Mental Trap of PTSD

    Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a scourge for anyone who suffers from it. The symptoms are heartbreaking – nightmares, flashbacks, poor sleep quality, irritability, and a lack of concentration. Some will feel disconnected from reality as they perceive being trapped in a mental cage from which they cannot break free.

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  • Researchers Are Learning How The Brain Tells Us To Stop Moving

    In the playground, a popular game for kids of all ages is “Freeze.” The concept is rather simple. A leader tells the participants they are free to move around until everyone is told to freeze in place. Those who don’t suddenly stop are notified they are out and the game continues. It’s a great way…

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  • Quebec Researchers Are Learning How To Rebuild The Nervous System

    Imagine repairing injured spinal cords or brains. Many may relegate this idea to the realms of science fiction yet researchers around the world continue to strive for this goal. They have developed and tested ways to rebuild the damage nervous system and bring back proper function. Some have even shown success in the lab.

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  • University of Ottawa Researchers Have Found A New “Fate” For Aging Stem Cells

    Death is a normal part of the life cycle for cells. They form, grow, perform their expected duties and then, after a while, face a predictable fate. When the time comes, the cell undergoes a programmed process, known as apoptosis http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK26873/  to break down many of the internal components and pave the way for the…

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  • McGill Researchers May Have Discovered the Neurological Basis For An Eye-Catching Mystery

    People usually find it easier to see things when they are big and bright, but there are occasionally exceptions. One example concerns moving objects: when they are small, we can identify their direction of motion easily. But this becomes much more difficult for larger objects. This phenomenon is known as spatial suppression http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v424/n6946/full/nature01800.html.

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  • Brain cells that aid appetite control identified

    Discovery opens door to development of new drugs to control weight gain and obesity It’s rare for scientists to get what they describe as “clean” results without spending a lot of time repeating the same experiment over and over again. But when researchers saw the mice they were working with doubling their weight within a…

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  • Chemical in marijuana shows promise in treating schizophrenia

    According to new research at Western University, marijuana is the ultimate contradiction; at least when it comes to schizophrenia. This first-of-its-kind study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, demonstrates that a chemical found in marijuana called cannabidiol, or CBD, affects the brain in a way that makes it an ideal treatment option for schizophrenia. This…

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