neurodegenerative diseases

Studying how microglia control myelin growth and prevent its degeneration helps scientists better understand and address neurodegenerative diseases.

In FIRE mice, the lack of microglia causes myelin overgrowth and eventual degeneration, indicating that microglia may contribute to age-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Data from a highly resilient individual guided researchers to new potential therapeutic targets.

Researchers discover that neurons trade protein aggregates for microglial-derived mitochondria through tunneling nanotubes. 

Fast twitch fibers like these could one day be used to treat diseases like Parkinson’s.

Female postmortem brains contain more S-nitrosylated C3 proteins, likely linked to menopause, which instruct immune cells to kill neuronal synapses.

This year, neuroscience researchers made important discoveries related to how neurodegeneration attacks the human brain, hooked cultured neurons up to machinery to teach them to play a video game, and more.

Dialing up the activity of a protein called SYK in the brain’s “janitors” could provide an avenue to treat Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The Duke University cell biologist uses live-cell microscopy to reveal how brain cells rid themselves of damaged mitochondria and what goes wrong in neurodegenerative disease.

The APOE4 variant causes cholesterol buildup in the cells that make protective fatty sheaths for neurons, possibly helping explain its role in neurodegeneration.

The discovery of gene variants in cases of hereditary spastic dysplasia could provide a diagnosis to affected families where no genetic cause could be found before.

Damaged lysosomes are repaired by a lipid-based signaling pathway dubbed PITT that could be targeted to treat neurodegenerative disease, its discoverers say.

The MIT biologist studies how RNA molecules self-assemble and the role these accumulations may play in diseases such as ALS and Huntington’s.