Alzheimer's disease may be what most people fear as they grow older, but autopsy data from a long-range study of 3,400 men and women in the Seattle region found that the brains of a third of those who had become
Leaky blood vessels that lose their ability to protect the spinal cord from toxins may play a role in the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease, according to research in Nature Neuroscience.
Mother cells" which produce the neurons affected by Parkinson's disease have been identified by scientists. The new discovery could pave the way for future treatments for the disease, including the possibility of growing new neurons, and the cells which support
Canadian researchers spent nearly 300 hours observing and carrying out interviews with staff, patients and families in an intensive care unit and a palliative care unit for people with terminal illnesses. They concluded that "combined with scientific skill and compassion,
In mice, child neglect is a product of both nature and nurture, according to a new study. Negligent parenting seems to have both genetic and non-genetic influences, and may be linked to dysregulation of the brain signaling chemical dopamine.
New research suggests that many children diagnosed with severe language disorders in the 1980s and 1990s would today be diagnosed as having autism. The research supports the theory that the rise in the number of cases of autism may be
Some seven percent of Americans have lost their sense of smell and with it their ability to enjoy the fragrance of flowers, foods and beverages. For individuals whose smell loss relates to the biochemistry of two common proteins, there is
Suitors can tell a young person's attitude to sexual relationships by the look on their face, according to new research which gives deeper insight into mate attractiveness. The study of 700 heterosexual participants also found that young men and women
Post traumatic stress disorder is commonly thought to effect victims of major trauma and those who witness violence, but a new study finds that it also can effect children who have lost a parent expectedly to diseases such as cancer.
Schoolchildren who required surgery as infants for congenital heart disease run a significant risk of having problems with inattention and hyperactivity, and often require remedial services in school. "These children are at risk for academic and behavior problems, and our
Evolution has taken another step away from being dismissed as "a theory" in the classroom. A new article documents the automation of evolution: researchers have produced a computer-controlled system that can drive the evolution of improved RNA enzymes -- biological
Researchers have developed a new algorithm for ranking abnormal genes according to their likelihood of contributing to a cancer. They also show that a gene identified by the algorithm as a likely restrainer of tumor growth does indeed play that
A new study supports the idea that depression is truly a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease rather than a subtle early sign of its underlying pathology. The study found no evidence of an increase in depressive symptoms during the prodromal
Schizophrenia is a complex type of psychotic mental illness characterized by thoughts that are uncoupled from reality. While enormous gains in the effective treatment of affected individuals have been achieved through the use of antipsychotic drugs, the medications have side
Does the language people speak influence their perception of the world? Recent findings suggest that it may well. For the first time, scientists have found patterns of brain activation that signal a positive relationship between language and color perception.
In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have provided new insight into blog readers' online habits and experiences, as well as how they perceive their roles in blog-based communities. A better understanding of the reader-blogger connection could lead to new, advanced features
A new study investigating the relationship between stress and the painful symptoms of endometriosis is currently underway. It offers, for the first time, evidence of the negative consequences of stress in the progression of endometriosis, most likely through an effect
