Category: General Neuroscience

2016-17, Neuroscience

Scientists Discover Postnatal Migratory Neurons

by Patrick Yang   The cerebral cortex is the outermost layer of the brain and is responsible for advanced processes, such as complex emotion, that distinguish humans from other animals. A key component in cortex development is prenatal neural migration, the movement of neurons before birth, which begins early on in the embryo. These migratory neurons, or Arc neurons, originate near areas of initial development … Continue reading Scientists Discover Postnatal Migratory Neurons

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2016-17, Biology, Genetics, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

Memory and the Stages of a Women’s Menstrual Cycle

    by Rideeta Raquib Previous psychological studies have suggested that women have a good memory, but a new study implies that this may be due to the impact of hormones. Other studies that tested rodents showed that there was a correlation between low estradiol (E2) levels and an increase in striatal mediated response strategies. The striatum is a region of the forebrain associated with … Continue reading Memory and the Stages of a Women’s Menstrual Cycle

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience, Psychology

‘Super-agers’ Retain Youthful Memories

  By Jalwa Alfroz As humans age, it is normal for cognitive skills, such as memory, to decline. However, some people seem to escape this fate, and are subsequently categorized as super-agers. Investigators at the Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, led by Dr. Bradford Dickerson, revealed that certain areas of the brains of older adults with extraordinary memory performance looked similar to those of young adults. Previously, … Continue reading ‘Super-agers’ Retain Youthful Memories

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Degenerative Disease, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

A Promising Therapeutic Compound for Huntington’s Disease

By Jalwa Alfroz There is currently no available treatment that can promisingly cure the neurodegenerative disorder Huntington’s disease (HD). HD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by an inherited defect in a single gene encoding the highly conserved protein, Huntington. It is also an autosomal dominant defect, which means that a person only needs one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder. The … Continue reading A Promising Therapeutic Compound for Huntington’s Disease

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2016-17, Neuroscience

October Feature: Neuroscience Axis

This past week, one of our Cabinet Members, Benjamin Kerner, sat down with the President and Vice President of Neuroscience Axis, Joseph Arena and Katherine Maiorisi, in order to shine light on their endeavors and mission at Stony Brook. Neuroscience Axis works to facilitate the interactions between undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty in the field of Neuroscience. B: What is your role in the … Continue reading October Feature: Neuroscience Axis

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2016-17, Health, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

Antibody-Based Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

by Jalwa Afroz The antibody aducanumab reduces amyloid-β plaques, helping to prevent the cognitive decline of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic type of dementia that affects a person’s memory and behavior. Ultimately, cognitive decline and behavioral disturbances lead to a person’s inability to perform daily activity. Through pathophysiological evidence, researchers have shown that amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque buildup in the brain causes neurotoxicity. … Continue reading Antibody-Based Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

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2016-17, Medicine and Physiology, Neuroscience

A New Method For Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease

by Sahil Rawal (’19) Parkinson’s disease is a condition that causes lower levels of dopamine in the brain, leading to neurodegeneration. Parkinson’s is commonly seen in older patients, and causes a loss of muscle control. Till now, there was no test for Parkinson’s that would guarantee its diagnosis; rather, physicians analyzed medical histories and conducted neurological tests to look for signs of Parkinson’s. However, Dr. … Continue reading A New Method For Diagnosing Parkinson’s Disease

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2016-17, Neuroscience

A Step Forward in Parkinson’s Disease

by Sahil Rawal (’19) Parkinson’s Disease is a very deadly condition with unknown origins, as scientists have been unable to pinpoint an exact explanation for its occurrence. Previous studies have shown that patients with Parkinson’s lack dopamine-producing cells, which causes attenuation of motor skills. Furthermore, it has been shown that mitochondrial toxicity causes mutations in PINK1 and PARKIN genes in patients with Parkinson’s. However, these … Continue reading A Step Forward in Parkinson’s Disease

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2016-17, Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology

The Role of Social Stress in Cocaine Addiction

by Aaron Gochman (’18) This week, scientists from the University of Texas at Austin contributed a novel idea to addiction research. Focusing on glutamatergic synaptic transmission, the primary mode of excitatory signaling in the central nervous system, the group hypothesized that social stress would lead to increased vulnerability to cocaine addiction. Specifically, the ventral tegmental area (VTA) of the brain, a prime location for dopamine … Continue reading The Role of Social Stress in Cocaine Addiction

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2016-17, Biology, Health, Neuroscience

Restoring Function after Traumatic Brain Injuries

by Julia Newman (’19) Although there is currently no successful treatment for traumatic brain injuries, researchers at the University of California recently tested a new and promising method using human neural stem cells (hNSC), which have been found to be multipotent. Experiments in the past were performed solely on rats using immunosuppressant drugs in order to prevent transplant rejection, but this study found it more … Continue reading Restoring Function after Traumatic Brain Injuries

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2016-17, Biology, Neuroscience

Complexin induces a conformational change of the SNARE complex

by Aaron Gochman (’18) Intercellular communication in the central nervous system occurs at a synapse, the gap between two neurons. The presynaptic neuron releases a chemical messenger known as a neurotransmitter, which diffuses across the synapse and relays the signal to the postsynaptic cell. The process of releasing the neurotransmitter from the presynaptic cell is quite complicated. The mechanism includes packing the neurotransmitter inside a … Continue reading Complexin induces a conformational change of the SNARE complex

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2016-17, Biology, Neuroscience

Dual Threat: DLK as a Novel Role Player in Axonal Regeneration

by Aaron Gochman (’18) Axonal regeneration is a branch of neuroscience on the cutting edge; re-growing injured neurons is a technique that, once refined, will fundamentally change the landscape of nervous system therapies. A team of researchers from University of Michigan, Washington University in St. Louis, and University of Pennsylvania have discovered a key intracellular pathway in axonal regeneration that is conserved in both Drosophila, … Continue reading Dual Threat: DLK as a Novel Role Player in Axonal Regeneration

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