Neurodegeneration – News and Features

With aging, the tightly packed structure of the silent X chromosome is gradually loosened, allowing for genes to be read again, influencing health and disease.

The work, published in JCI Insight, marks the first time a microRNA has been shown to both indicate and potentially maintain small blood vessel function in the kidney following injury.

Salk Institute researchers captured real-time interactions between Lis1 and dynein, showing how Lis1 activates dynein’s motor function. This discovery offers critical insights into neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative diseases.

Researchers have distinguished the nerve cells in the brain that control the beneficial effects of GLP-1R agonists – such as reduced food intake and fat loss – from those that contribute to side effects.

Historically, most research in neurodegenerative disease has focused on targeting neurons in the brain. In a new study, researchers instead identified a new target: the blood–brain barrier.

A study involving 263 middle-aged Japanese adults found that muscle quality, measured by phase angle, is strongly linked to cognitive function. This research suggests that phase angle could be used as a tool for early detection of cognitive decline.

Researchers have identified how autophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA) drive the unconventional secretion of PARK7, a protein linked to Parkinson's disease. Their findings suggest new therapeutic avenues for regulating PARK7 levels.

Researchers have identified a small molecule that can reverse oxidative damage to mitochondria, helping to address many human diseases.

Researchers have answered a a long-standing question in cell biology, uncovering how the cell’s main energy currency, ATP, is transported into the endoplasmic reticulum.

Using CRISPR gene editing and stem cell-derived motor neurons, scientists from Stockholm University and UK Dementia Research Institute uncovered that mitochondrial dysfunction occurs early in ALS, before other disease signs appear.