Single Protein Rewires the Brain to Adapt to Motherhood

The presence of the MECP2 protein in parvalbumin (PV) neurons is crucial for newly-mothering mice to rapidly learn and respond to their pups’ distress cries, hinting at how the brain rewires during pivotal adult learning phases. When MECP2 is absent, maternal mice show neglectful behavior toward their young, illuminating how the protein’s dysfunction could contribute to communication and interpretation deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders like Rett syndrome in humans.

from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/qTNUo5h

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Menopause Symptoms Reduced by Cold Water Swimming

Cold water swimming significantly eases menopausal symptoms. Surveying 1114 women, with 785 experiencing menopause, researchers found improvements in anxiety, mood swings, low mood, and hot flushes among participants. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/9AqHsEa

UPI: Kids with psych disorders most likely to take dangerous viral challenges

The “choking game” — and other clearly ill-advised and dangerous internet challenges — leave many parents wondering what drives teens to take the bait and participate. Now, a new study suggests that an underlying psychological disorder may be one reason why some kids jump at online dares such as the “Bird Box” challenge, where people walk around blindfolded, and the Tide Pod challenge, daring people to eat laundry detergent. (January 28, 2019) Read the full article here from Brain Health Daily http://bit.ly/2DIWHbD

The emerging influential role of microglia in neurology

In her most catchily titled book, The Angel and the Assassin , Donna Jackson Nakazawa highlighed nerve cells which have hitherto been very little acknowledged – microglia . Long ignored as bit players in the big league of the nervous system, Nakazawa colourfully illustrated what many neuroscientists are beginning to realise: the small size of microglia belies their huge influence ; m icroglia are, after all, the defence force of the nervous system, protecting the brain from microbial invaders . In keeping with their small size, their role is to surreptitiously present the antigens of invading bugs to T cells , the toffs who actually carry out the final hatchet job . It is therefore not surprising that any dysfunction of microglia will come with significant clinical consequences . By GerryShaw – Own work , CC BY-SA 3.0 , Link The most important clinical fallout of dysfunctional microglia appears to be the emergence of dementia. It is indeed spec...

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