An algorithm which analyses MRI images and automatically detects small changes in knee joints over time could be used in the development of new treatments for arthritis. A team of engineers, radiologists and physicians, led by the University of Cambridge, developed the algorithm, which builds a three-dimensional model of an individual’s knee joint in order…

Biomedical scientists reports a drug — an estrogen receptor ligand called indazole chloride (IndCl) — has the potential to improve vision in patients with multiple sclerosis, or MS. The study was performed on mice induced with a model of MS and the first to investigate IndCl’s effect on the pathology and function of the complete…

Results from a new study reinforce the notion that dementia with Lewy bodies can be pathologically classified into two different disease types. Dementia with Lewy bodies is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s disease, and it affects millions of people globally. This type of progressive memory disorder has features associated with both Alzheimer’s…

Researchers have found a correlation between deficits in facial emotion recognition and poor community integration in individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Their findings have implications for the development of rehabilitative interventions to reduce social isolation in this population, improve outcomes, and increase quality of life. The article, «Community integration in traumatic brain…

In mice, the drug bortezomib preserved muscle growth and prevented loss of elbow and shoulder motion in conditions resembling cerebral palsy and newborn brachial plexus injury, the most common causes of childhood paralysis. Over time, these muscle contractures disrupt skeletal growth, leading to pain, loss of mobility, and heavy reliance on costly health care and…

Intimate partner homicide — that is women who are killed by their partner — constitutes a significant proportion of the homicide statistics. This is shown by a survey carried out by The Department of Forensic Medicine at Aarhus University, Denmark. As part of his PhD dissertation, forensic pathologist Asser Hedegard Thomsen from the department has…

Scientists have developed a new gene therapy approach that offers promise for one day treating an eye disease that leads to a progressive loss of vision and affects thousands of people across the globe. The study also has implications for a much wider suite of neurological disorders associated with aging. The study, which involved a…

Our brain tells us where parts of the body are in space. We know without looking if our arm is in the air, our foot is in front of the other or beside it. It is called proprioception or body localization and helps us locate our body parts. We also know that our foot/hand/tongue is…

Until recently, it was unclear how and why cancer cells adapt to their environment. A team has now developed a technology that can be used to observe the molecular processes in living cells. Researchers investigating glioblastoma tissue always find immune cells inside the tumor. They have therefore long suspected that these cells strengthen the tumor,…

Researchers have identified brain circuitry differences that might be associated with suicidal behavior in individuals with mood disorders. The study provides a promising lead toward tools that can predict which individuals are at the highest risk for suicide. Suicide rates are rising steadily among young adults, especially those with mood disorders such as depression. More…