THIS BLOG IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CAST MRI section of a brain affected by ALS with the front section of the brain highlighted Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a nasty disease that steadily attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It’s pretty much always fatal … Continue reading A step forward in finding a treatment for a deadly neurological disorder
Nature Neuroscience
Building a better brain (model) in the lab
Leica Picture of a brain organoid: courtesy National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH One of the biggest problems with trying to understand what is happening in a disease that affects the brain is that it’s really difficult to see what is going on inside someone’s head. People tend to object to you trying … Continue reading Building a better brain (model) in the lab
A new stem cell derived tool for studying brain diseases
Sergiu Pasca’s three-dimensional culture makes it possible to watch how three different brain-cell types – oligodendrocytes (green), neurons (magenta) and astrocytes (blue) – interact in a dish as they do in a developing human brain. Courtesy of the Pasca lab Neurological diseases are among the most daunting diagnoses for a patient to receive, because they … Continue reading A new stem cell derived tool for studying brain diseases
Stem cells reveal developmental defects in Huntington’s disease
Three letters, C-A-G, can make the difference between being healthy and having a genetic brain disorder called Huntington’s disease (HD). HD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects movement, cognition and personality. Currently more than 30,000 Americans have HD and there is no cure or treatment to stop the disease from progressing. A genetic mutation … Continue reading Stem cells reveal developmental defects in Huntington’s disease
Salk scientists explain why brain cells are genetically diverse
Recent studies show why brain is genetically diverse, and neurons in the same brain can carry slightly different DNA blueprints. These differences may give neurons distinct functions. We can see this in genetically identical twins who sometimes grow less identical over time. Some develop different appearances. Others diverge in health, with one twin developing a … Continue reading Salk scientists explain why brain cells are genetically diverse