Summary: New research highlights neuroglia (or glia cells) as critical players in mental health, potentially influencing conditions like depression and schizophrenia. Glia cells, long considered “support cells” in the brain,…
Category: Humans
A twisted protein sheds light on chronic wasting disease in deer
The misfolded proteins responsible for a fatal neurological illness in deer have a twist. The first detailed structure of an infectious prion that causes chronic wasting disease, or CWD, reveals…
In hundreds of communities across the US, finding a dentist is like pulling teeth − but in 14 states, dental therapists are filling the gap
For more than 50 million Americans, finding a dentist is a difficult – in some cases, impossible – proposition. Many rural communities don’t have a dentist. People of color and…
Human vision restored by stem cell replacement in regenerative medicine breakthrough
Fabrication and transplantation of human iCEPSs. Credit: The Lancet (2024). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01764-1 Researchers led by Osaka University in Japan have conducted the first human trial using induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived corneal…
Eagle emblems found on battlefield site
Archaeologists from the Lublin Voivodeship Office for the Protection of Monuments in Lublin have uncovered two eagle emblems worn by Polish soldiers who fought in the Battle of Dubienka. The…
Study reveals best timing for getting the RSV vaccine during pregnancy to protect newborns
Credit: CC0 Public Domain Current guidelines recommend that pregnant people receive a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—which typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms in most adults but can be deadly…
Manipulating astrocytes affects long-term memory, researchers discover
Selective suppression of long-term memory formation through ChR2 photoactivation of amygdala astrocytes. The experiments suggest the presence of parallel processes governing short-term and long-term memory formation, respectively. Credit: Hiroki Yamao,…
Astrocytes Play Role in Deciding the Fate of Memories
Summary: Researchers have uncovered a surprising role for astrocytes—cells surrounding neurons—in deciding which memories are kept or forgotten. By manipulating astrocytes in mice using optogenetics, scientists found that acidifying these…
Triple-digit heat waves could pose danger for people with an implanted defibrillator
Thousands of Americans with heart trouble have small implanted defibrillators, to help regulate their heartbeat and keep cardiac events at bay. But new research finds that on extremely hot days,…
Secondhand clothes can be swimming in germs—what vintage shoppers need to know
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Demand for secondhand and vintage clothing has surged within the last few years. Pre-owned fashion is seen by many consumers as a cheaper, more environmentally friendly…
