The network connection between nerve cells in the spinal cord seems to play a critical role in the development of the severe disease ALS, a new study suggests. The study, which is based on a mouse model, may change the way we think about the disease, says researchers. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen…

A cutting-edge MRI technique to detect iron deposits in different brain regions can track declines in thinking, memory and movement in people with Parkinson’s disease, finds a new study. The findings, published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry, suggest that measures of brain iron might eventually help predict which people with Parkinson’s will…

Psychologists and physicists investigated the neurobiological processes in different types of decision-making. They report that variations in the ratio of two messenger substances affects short-term and long-term strategic decisions in a different manner. As indicated by other studies, different parts of the brain play a key role in different types of decisions. A research team…

Researchers find that the presence of adult social support is linked to less violence among at-risk teen boys. The study, published today in JAMA Network Open, suggests that prevention efforts that focus on adult support can mitigate patterns of co-occurring violent behavior. «Teen boys in urban neighborhoods are disproportionately exposed to violence and consequently are…

Better care and more research into treatments for people experiencing a first manic episode are urgently needed, according to researchers. The study describes patchy and inconsistent care, widespread failure to detect bipolar disorder early enough, and a lack of guidance on how to treat people experiencing mania for the first time. The study, published today…

People who have had a heart attack are at increased risk of stroke and vascular dementia; however, a new study found they may be less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease. A large, nationwide study in Denmark found that the risk of Parkinson’s disease was moderately lower among people who have had a heart attack than…

Investigators report that there was no association between oral contraceptive use and depressive symptom severity in the entire population they studied (ages 16 through 25). However, they found that 16-year-old girls reported higher depressive symptom severity compared with 16-year-old girls not using oral contraceptives. Depressive symptoms — such as crying, sleeping excessively, and eating issues…

By mapping all the protein interactions of a dementia-linked protein in the brain called Tau, a team of investigators has created a road map for identifying potential new treatment targets for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia. Tau protein has long been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases. Mutations in the gene that encodes the Tau protein result…

Once it has spread (metastasized), uveal (intraocular or eye) melanoma — an unusual form of cancer — has a very high mortality rate. Researchers and doctors show that, in a small group of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, a new combination treatment can bring about tumor shrinkage and prolonged survival. Uveal melanoma, an infrequent form…

Pregnant women from sub-Saharan Africa with malaria and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have a higher prevalence of anemia than pregnant women without infections, according to researchers. The findings may have implications for reducing the risk of death in pregnant women and preventing low birth weights and neurocognitive impairment in their children as a result of…