Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and retinitis pigmentosa all have different manifestations and affect different body functions, but they are all connected by one mechanism: neurodegeneration.
Neurodegenerative
In the lab where sign language advances science: A spotlight on Phu Duong
Epigenetics – the study of how environment can change and affect how genes function – was a new field for Phu Duong, PhD.
Alexander disease: A lifetime’s work in the hope of saving lives
Messing wanted to study if the overexpression of GFAP resulted in a certain reactive response in the brain.
A college degree may protect against neurodegeneration in genetically at-risk populations
Obtaining a college degree may be protective against neurodegenerative symptoms in women with an elevated genetic risk.
Weight loss may be early predictor of Alzheimer’s disease in Down syndrome
Unintentional weight loss in people with Down syndrome may predict the onset of Alzheimer’s disease long before typical cognitive symptoms like memory loss and dementia are apparent.
Lab-grown retinal eye cells make successful connections, open door for clinical trials to treat blindness
Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders.
Cells with a superhero alter ego: Schwann cells transform into repair cells after nerve injury with help of transcription factor JUN and Sonic Hedgehog gene
When nerves are injured, Schwann cells—a key cell in peripheral nerve function and nerve insulation—assume a new role and identity as repair cells.
Pioneering research brings potential Parkinson’s disease treatment one step closer
Over two decades of fundamental research in Parkinson’s disease led by Su-Chun Zhang, MD, PhD, professor of neuroscience and neurology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Waisman investigator, has culminated in the development of a promising stem cell-based treatment for the disease.
CMT biomarkers for future treatments
A new test may spur advances in drug discovery for a rare and debilitating neurological disorder. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a rare inherited neurological disorder, affects more than 2.8 million people around the globe.
Studying the connection between Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome for Down syndrome awareness month
By Emily Leclerc, Waisman Science Writer The month of October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and is dedicated to not only raising awareness about Down syndrome but also to celebrating the abilities and accomplishments of …