Research News

The drug gabapentin, currently prescribed to control seizures and reduce nerve pain, may enhance recovery of movement after a stroke by helping neurons on the undamaged side of the brain take up the signaling work of lost cells, new research in mice suggests.

The experiments mimicked ischemic stroke in humans, which occurs when a clot blocks blood flow and neurons die in the affected brain region.

People with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develop tumors on nerves throughout their bodies. These tumors are usually benign — meaning they don’t spread to other parts of the body and are not considered life-threatening — but they can still cause serious medical problems such as blindness, especially when they form in the brain and nerves.

New research from the University of Illinois suggests high levels of dietary cholesterol make mice sicker when infected with influenza. The study is the first to link cholesterol in the diet with exacerbation of a viral infection.

CSIR-CCMB has developed an ingenious mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 which has completed experiments in the lab and on mice. It is based on the Moderna model, but has been built with the information available in the open and CCMB technology and materials.

Stroke is India’s third leading cause of death and the sixth leading cause of disability. Physiotherapy is one of the few treatments available for rehabilitating stroke victims and patients with physical injuries. However, physiotherapy can take days to months depending on the severity of the disability, making it challenging for patients as well as their attendants.

UNC School of Medicine Scientists have shown for the first time that postnatal gene therapy may be able to prevent or reverse many deleterious effects of a rare genetic disorder called Pitt-Hopkins syndrome. This autism spectrum disorder features severe developmental delay, intellectual disability, breathing and movement abnormalities, anxiety, epilepsy, and mild but distinctive facial abnormalities.

Scientists have taken the first step to creating the next generation of wearable health monitors. Most research on measuring human biomarkers, which are measures of a body’s health, rely on electrical signals to sense the chemicals excreted in sweat. But sensors that rely on perspiration often require huge amounts of it just to get a reading.

Research from the Babraham Institute has developed a method to ‘time jump’ human skin cells by 30 years, turning back the ageing clock for cells without losing their specialised function. Work by researchers in the Institute’s Epigenetics research programme has been able to partly restore the function of older cells, as well as rejuvenating the molecular measures of biological age. The research is published today in the journal eLife and whilst at an early stage of exploration, it could revolutionise regenerative medicine.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas made when fossil fuels burn incompletely. It’s also a silent killer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), more than 400 deaths and 20,000 ER visits can be attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning every year. The most common carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning symptoms are headache, dizziness, weakness, upset stomach, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Because it mimics the flu, people may experience symptoms without realizing the danger.