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Pulse pressure: A game changer in the fight against dementia

Elevated pulse pressure in blood traveling to the brain causes inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in the blood-brain barrier that leads to brain damage. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2BGaBMX

New genetic mutations linked to ASD discovered

Mutations of the CNOT1 gene affect brain development, impairing memory, and learning. The CNOT1 gene also interacts with several known autism-related genes. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2Z7WuIq

Promotion and Tenure

We are so proud of our three amazing faculty who were promoted to Associate Professor effective July 1, 2020: Diego Rincon-Limas (tenure), Miguel Chuquilin, and Christina Wilson. Dr. Diego Rincon-Limas obtained his PhD degree in Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering from the University of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey,Mexico  and performed his postdoctoral training in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. He uses fruit fly models to investigate the molecular basis of several neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer disease, ALS and prion disorders. He has brought more than $5 million in research funds to UF and has mentored more than 25 individuals at different stages of training and different career trajectories. In addition, he directs a transformative and influential graduate course on NIH grant writing and is the recipient of several UF Exemplary Teacher Awards. Lastly, his research, teaching and service efforts were rece...

Degenerative dementia with proximal radial and lower vertical spatial neglect

Congratulations Drs. Kulrithra Pisanuwongrak, Parunyou Jalayanont and Kenneth Heilman, on the publication of your research “Degenerative dementia with proximal radial and lower vertical spatial neglect,” in the June issue of  Neurocase, The Neural Basis of Cognition. ABSTRACT A 75 year-old man had a two-year history of progressive memory loss, trouble with finances and getting lost. On examination, he scored 16/30 in MoCA test, noticeably impaired on the attentional tasks. His screening bloodtests werenormal. Brain imaging revealed hippocampal atrophy and bilaterallarge areas of leukoaraiosis below posterior parietal lobes. On vertical line bisection he revealed a large upward bias and on radial bisection, a distal bias. Degeneration of his posterior parietal cortex may have caused both the leukoaraiosis and vertical-radial neglect. Unawareness of portions of space can be a source of disability and cause injury. Therefore, patients with degenerative dementia, especially those ...

One-time treatment generates new neurons and eliminates Parkinson’s disease

Researchers administered PTB antisense oligonucleotide treatment directly to the midbrain of mice. In the mouse models exposed to the treatment, a small subset of astrocytes converted to neurons, increasing the number of neurons by 30%. Three months after treatment, mice were completely free of Parkinson's disease symptoms and remained in remission for the rest of their lives. from Neuroscience News https://ift.tt/2Z45Rcj