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毫米级脑内给药技术
在服用药物的时候，药剂中的成分会随着血液流到我们身体的各个部位，这便会造成许多副作用的产生。而由苏黎世联邦理工学院所研发的新型给药技术却能以极高的精确度完成脑内定点给药，大大降低了副作用产生的概率。这一给药方法共由两步骤组成，首先，包裹有药物的微型小泡会被注射进生物体的血管内，当其到达大脑后便可使用低强度的超声将药物聚集在给药部位，接着，使用更高强度的超声波将药物周围的脂质包膜粉碎掉就可实现药物的定点释放。小鼠实验证明，利用这一技术进行神经抑制剂类药物的给药能成功阻断连接两个脑区的神经网络，且不会对其他周边神经系统造成影响。虽然先前已有团队尝试使用超声聚焦的方法来实现类似的药物传输，但这些方法无一例外都会对给药位置的血管细胞造成损伤，而这一新型的给药技术却能确保血管和神经组织当中的生理屏障在给药后完好如初。
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NIH科学家揭露神经元交流中的能量供给机制
我们所有的思维和感受都是依靠神经元与神经元之间的交流来实现的，而在学习和记忆的过程中，有一部分的神经元会进行极其频繁的交流，为了维持这一高强度的信号传输过程神经元必须向突触结构提供足够多的能量。在对培养皿中的谷氨酸性突触进行深入研究后美国国立卫生研究院（NIH）的实验人员发现，当神经元间的信号传输频率变高时，神经元轴突中作为动力系统的线粒体会向突触前膜进行移动，并为突触结构提供信号传递所需的大量能量。而神经元中腺嘌呤核糖核苷酸依赖的蛋白激酶（AMPK）则会起到能量传感器的作用，不断对线粒体的能量供给水平进行监管，以维持神经元内的能量平衡。使用基因阻断或化学干预的方法破坏该反馈环路会导致线粒体不再向突触前膜移动并降低突触结构的能量供给水平。由此可见，该反馈环路对神经元间的高强度交流来说是必不可少的。
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Study underscores the gut-brain connection and shows hunger hormone impacts memory
Animals and humans have the hormone ghrelin in their stomachs. Ghrelin tells animals as well as humans when they are hungry and helps regulate their metabolism, but scientists have never been certain how exactly it works. To learn more about how ghrelin influences hunger, metabolism and memory, researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, […]
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New therapy improves treatment for multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that affects millions worldwide, can cause debilitating symptoms for those who suffer from it. Though treatments exist, researchers are still searching for therapies that could more effectively treat the disease, or even prevent it altogether. Researchers at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) at […]
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College of Medicine researcher makes novel discoveries in preventing epileptic seizures
A team of researchers from the Florida State University College of Medicine has found that an amino acid produced by the brain could play a crucial role in preventing a type of epileptic seizure. Temporal lobe epileptic seizures are debilitating and can cause lasting damage in patients, including neuronal death and loss of neuron function. […]
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Enzyme SSH1 Impairs The Disposal Of Accumulating Cellular “Garbage,” Leading To Brain Cell Death
In a healthy brain, the multistep waste clearance process known as autophagy routinely removes and degrades damaged cell components – including malformed proteins like tau and toxic mitochondria. This cellular debris would otherwise pile up like uncollected trash to drive the death of brain cells (neurons), ultimately destroying cognitive abilities like thinking, remembering and reasoning […]
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New Perspectives to Treat Neuropsychiatric Diseases
Researchers at the Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary, studied the major types of neurons of the prefrontal cortex of the brain in an international collaboration. The research team has identified molecular differences in neurons that may support drug development for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or depression.
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New method to dampen nerve signals
What do the toxins from arrow-poison frogs, puffer fish and scorpions have in common with drugs against epilepsy? The answer is that they all affect the ability of nerves to transmit electrical impulses by affecting the ion channels in nerves. Ion channels are small openings in the cell membrane of nerves that open and close […]
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Nerve cell activity shows how confident we are
You are sitting in a café and want to enjoy a piece of cake with your cappuccino. The Black Forest gateau is just too rich for you and is therefore quickly eliminated. Choosing between the carrot cake and the rhubarb crumble is much trickier: The warm weather favors the refreshingly fruity cake. Carrot cake, however, […]
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Scientists Report Role for Dopamine and Serotonin in Human Perception and Decision-making
Scientists at Wake Forest School of Medicine have recorded real time changes in dopamine and serotonin levels in the human brain that are involved with perception and decision-making. These same neurochemicals also are critical to movement disorders and psychiatric conditions, including substance abuse and depression. Their findings are published in the Oct. 12 edition of […]