Monthly Archives: September 2011

The brain responds to stress by activating the sympathetic nervous system in the “fight or flight” response. Studies have suggested that chronic stress leads to DNA damage and that this may contribute to ageing and various disorders. However, how stress … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Stress regulates DNA damage through beta2 adrenergic receptors

Stressful events are known to increase the risk of depression but predisposing factors are not clearly understood. This study describes the efforts of Blugeot and colleagues to characterize vulnerability traits for the development of depressive disorders in adult animals. Four … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Vulnerability to Depression: Brain Neuroplasticity and Identification of Biomarkers

Beta-amyloid levels are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease lesions. One therapeutic strategy has been to reduce amyloid-β levels to limit its accumulation. Since it is known that amyloid-β metabolism can be regulated by different neurotransmitter receptors, the authors studied the effects … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Serotonin signaling is associated with lower beta-amyloid levels: implications for Alzheimer’s disease treatment

Age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases are a growing concern for society in general. Accumulation of DNA damage is thought to contribute to these impairments, but direct proof that DNA damage results in impaired neuronal plasticity and memory is lacking. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Accelerated Age-Related Cognitive Decline and Neurodegeneration, Caused by Deficient DNA Repair

The probiotic bacteria in the gut indirectly influence the central nervous system, but scientists have not identified specific mechanisms. In this study, Bravo and coworkers introduced the gut bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus into normal, healthy mice and looked for changes in … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on What happens in the vagus affects emotion in the brain