BRAIN and BEHAVIOR INITIATIVE WEEKLY DIGEST
March 4, 2019
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News
Scientists may need to seriously reconsider the cast-aside hypothesis that pathogens can play a part in diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, since a number of recent studies suggest that viral infections can contribute to neurodegenerative disorders.
Self-healing fabric, abrasion-resistant coatings, precision drug delivery and smart textiles are among the potential applications of squid ‘ring tooth’ protein. Materials from this protein are eco-friendly and biodegradable, with sustainable large-scale production achieved using laboratory culture methods.
The ability to take turns is a hallmark of social interaction among animals. By studying the songs of mice from the cloud forests of Costa Rica, researchers have discovered a brain circuit that may enable the high-speed back and forth of conversation.
Data from 1.2 million people reveal how tobacco and alcohol use may be linked to your genes and to various diseases. Interestingly, a genetic risk for alcohol was associated with lower disease risk, implying not that consuming more alcohol improves health but rather the existence of mechanistic complexity in need of further investigation.
A growing collection of anecdotal stories raises the possibility that nerve injury in an arm or a leg can act as a trigger for the development ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease. In some, the disease seems to start after an injury: muscle weakness at the site of the injury slowly spreads to new areas until weakness in the muscles responsible for breathing causes suffocation.
Researchers have found that brain areas responsible for limb movement and sensation alter their functional communication after amputation. The fact that there is a functional imbalance even in the absence of pain may help to understand why some patients report phantom sensations and others do not.
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