From The Conversation… Have you ever wondered why, in most species, males are larger and more ornamented than females? It’s an evolutionarily determined aspect of biology, but what does it mean for human health and disease? What are the implications of needing one chart to describe normal growth in boys, and another to describe normal growth […]
Findings shed light on chronic diseases, aging From the WashU School of Medicine News… Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified a previously unknown route for cellular fuel delivery, a finding that could shed light on the process of aging and the chronic diseases that often accompany it. With age, […]
From NPR’s All Things Considered… Scientists have found a biological clue that could help explain why African-Americans appear to be more vulnerable than white Americans to Alzheimer’s disease. A study of 1,255 people, both black and white, found that cerebrospinal fluid from African-Americans tended to contain lower levels of a substance associated with Alzheimer’s, researchers […]
Genetically engineered mice mimic common sleep problems From the WashU School of Medicine News… Mice that sleep fitfully could help researchers unravel the mystery of insomnia. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis studied mice genetically modified to mimic the genetic disease neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), which is associated with sleep problems. […]
“Automatic labeling of cortical sulci for the human fetal brain based on spatio-temporal information of gyrification” (2019) NeuroImage Automatic labeling of cortical sulci for the human fetal brain based on spatio-temporal information of gyrification (2019) NeuroImage, 188, pp. 473-482. Yun, H.J.a b , Chung, A.W.a b , Vasung, L.a b , Yang, E.c , Tarui, T.a b d e […]
Findings suggest possible race-linked variations on how disease arises, develops From the WashU School of Medicine News… African-Americans may be twice as likely as Caucasian Americans to develop Alzheimer’s disease, but nobody knows why because studies investigating the underlying causes of illness have historically drawn from a nearly all-white pool of research participants. Consequently, little […]
From the WashU Newsroom… A team of neuroscientists and engineers has developed a tiny, implantable device that has potential to help people with bladder problems bypass the need for medication or electronic stimulators. The team — from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Feinberg School […]
Tailoring treatment to men, women may improve survival From the WashU School of Medicine News… For decades, scientists have recognized that more males get cancer and die of the disease than females. This is true for many types of cancer, including the deadly brain tumor glioblastoma. Now, a team of researchers led by Washington University […]
“Automatic labeling of cortical sulci for the human fetal brain based on spatio-temporal information of gyrification” (2019) NeuroImage Automatic labeling of cortical sulci for the human fetal brain based on spatio-temporal information of gyrification (2019) NeuroImage, 188, pp. 473-482. Yun, H.J.a b , Chung, A.W.a b , Vasung, L.a b , Yang, E.c , Tarui, T.a b d e […]
The National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded two grants, totaling about $3.7 million each, to study the link between sugar breakdown and the aging brain. One study, led by Andrei Vlassenko, MD, PhD, assistant professor of radiology, and Manu Goyal, MD, assistant professor of radiology, both at the School of Medicine, will […]
“Perioperative gabapentin and post cesarean pain control: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials” (2019) European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology Perioperative gabapentin and post cesarean pain control: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (2019) European Journal of Obstetrics Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, 233, pp. 98-106. Felder, L.a , Saccone, G.b , […]
From the WashU Newsroom… The Source looks back at some of our most read and most shared stories of 2018. Highlights include good news (a new chancellor), bad news (even light drinking increases risk of death) and who knew news (“collective narcissism” is real and Virginians have it). Read more at the Source.
Eugene Oltz, professor of pathology and immunology, and Marco Colonna, MD, the Robert Rock Belliveau, MD, Professor of Pathology, both at the School of Medicine, received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study how immune cells balance the need for a robust […]
Award celebrates key discoveries made by physician-scientists From the WashU School of Medicine News… Michael S. Diamond, MD, PhD, an infectious diseases specialist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been chosen as the recipient of the American Society for Clinical Investigation’s 2019 Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award. He is being honored for his contributions […]
Ilya Monosov, assistant professor of neuroscience at the School of Medicine, received a three-year, $300,000 McKnight Memory and Cognitive Disorders Award to study how the brain seeks, values and uses information to resolve uncertainty about the future. This work can help shed light on disorders that arise from maladaptive decision-making and poor risk/reward assessment. Read more.
“Effect of apolipoprotein E4 on clinical, neuroimaging, and biomarker measures in noncarrier participants in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network” (2019) Neurobiology of Aging Effect of apolipoprotein E4 on clinical, neuroimaging, and biomarker measures in noncarrier participants in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (2019) Neurobiology of Aging, 75, pp. 42-50. Bussy, A.a b , Snider, B.J.a b , Coble, D.a […]
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)‘s National Institute on Aging has awarded a $3.3 million grant to Susan Stark, associate professor of occupational therapy, and Beau Ances, MD, PhD, the Daniel J. Brennan, MD, Professor of Neurology, both at the School of Medicine, to assess whether falls can be used to predict onset of Alzheimer’s […]
Culprit is lone error in one gene, but researchers find many potential therapeutic targets From the School of Medicine News… Unlike the more common Alzheimer’s disease, frontotemporal dementia tends to afflict young people. It accounts for an estimated 20 percent of all cases of early-onset dementia. Patients with the illness typically begin to suffer memory […]
Phenomenon linked to Parkinson’s, dementia, other serious neurodegenerative diseases From the WashU School of Medicine News… Picture this: A soccer referee, dreaming he’s on the pitch, flings his arm up with an imaginary red card and accidentally smacks his sleeping partner in the face. Funny? Maybe on TV. In real life, acting out dreams is […]
Jason Hassenstab, assistant professor of neurology at the School of Medicine, has received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)‘s National Institute on Aging to develop a smartphone app to assess cognition in people at risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Read more.
“Common binding sites for cholesterol and neurosteroids on a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel” (2019) Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids Common binding sites for cholesterol and neurosteroids on a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel (2019) Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Molecular and Cell Biology of Lipids, 1864 (2), pp. 128-136. Budelier, M.M.a , Cheng, W.W.L.a , […]
Injured neurons temporarily revert to immature state From the WashU School of Medicine News… Neurons in the brain and spinal cord don’t grow back after injury, unlike those in the rest of the body. Cut your finger, and you’ll probably be back to using it in days or weeks; slice through your spinal cord, and […]
Undergraduate research experience supports science education and innovation From the WashU Newsroom… Washington University in St. Louis has received a new grant from the Amgen Foundation to provide hands-on laboratory experiences to undergraduate students through the Amgen Scholars Program. This marks the ninth year the university is participating in the program, which aims to inspire […]
Could improve early diagnosis, precision medicine for cancer, atherosclerosis, other diseases From the WashU Newsroom… PET scans can reveal subtle signs of diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and atherosclerosis not detectable through other imaging tools. The technology holds enormous promise for improving early diagnosis, monitoring the effectiveness of treatment, and tailoring therapy to each individual’s […]
From NPR’s St. Louis Public Radio… The early development of the human brain begins in utero and continues into a person’s early-to-mid-20s. In that time, various environmental factors such as poverty, toxins and violence can influence that development. Among adolescent youth, who are susceptible to engaging in risky behavior, the impact of such stressors can […]
Research aims to show how immune system may drive neurodegenerative diseases From the WashU School of Medicine News… A team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has been funded by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)to study the root causes of neurodegenerative disorders. The project at the School of Medicine will analyze […]
“Ambient PM2.5 and O3 and their combined effects on prevalence of presbyopia among the elderly: A cross-sectional study in six low- and middle-income countries” (2019) Science of the Total Environment Ambient PM2.5 and O3 and their combined effects on prevalence of presbyopia among the elderly: A cross-sectional study in six low- and middle-income countries (2019) Science […]
From the Times of Northwest Indiana… I recently visited an elementary school to lead a neuroscience demonstration for fifth-graders. The activities were going splendidly: my station demonstrating the brain’s plasticity (its ability to change and adapt with the environment) saw enthusiastic students who were also able to learn about proprioception (knowing where your body is […]
From Spectrum News… Children who have repetitive behaviors, a core autism trait, show particular patterns of brain activity as early as 1 year of age, according to a new study1. Autistic people have brain activity patterns that differ from those of their typical peers. These differences emerge early in life: A study last year showed […]
From the St. Louis American… The Center for Disease Control’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network most recently reported that 1 in 59 children, or about 1.7 percent, have an autism spectrum disorder. Historically, African-American children have being identified with autism spectrum disorder at a significantly lower rate than Caucasian children, but this gap has […]
Faculty, residents given Distinguished Service Teaching Awards From the WashU School of Medicine News… Washington University School of Medicine students recently honored faculty and residents with Distinguished Service Teaching Awards for the 2017-18 academic year. The awards, which were first given in 1991, reflect the students’ appreciation for dedication, patience and skill in training aspiring […]
From the WashU Newsroom… Eleven faculty members at Washington University in St. Louis — the most in a decade-and-a-half — are among 416 new fellows selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. Samuel Achilefu; Victoria J. Fraser, MD; Robert W. Gereau; Kathleen B. Hall; Joseph […]
Key alcoholism gene influences how quickly body metabolizes alcohol From the WashU School of Medicine News… In the largest study of genetic factors linked to alcohol dependence, an international team of researchers identified a gene known to affect risk and determined that many other genes also contribute to risk for alcohol dependence to a lesser […]
"Touch engages visual spatial contextual processing" (2018) Scientific Reports Touch engages visual spatial contextual processing (2018) Scientific Reports, 8 (1), art. no. 16637, . Pérez-Bellido, A.a b , Pappal, R.D.a c , Yau, J.M.a a Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, United States b Radboud University, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Nijmegen, Netherlands […]
From the WashU Newsroom… At the Washington University in St. Louis Board of Trustees meeting Oct. 5, the following faculty were appointed with tenure or promoted with tenure, effective that day. Appointment with tenure John Gorcsan III, MD, as professor of medicine at the School of Medicine; Jianjun Guan as professor of mechanical engineering and […]
Brain changes evident in scans before memory, cognitive decline From the WashU School of Medicine News… One day, MRI brain scans may help predict whether older people will develop dementia, new research suggests. In a small study, MRI brain scans predicted with 89 percent accuracy who would go on to develop dementia within three years, […]
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a $3.5 million grant to study how live bacteria can be used for drug delivery to Gautam Dantas, professor of pathology and immunology, and Thaddeus Stappenbeck, the Conan Professor of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, both at the School of Medicine, and Tae Seok Moon, associate professor of […]
“Conformational preferences and phase behavior of intrinsically disordered low complexity sequences: insights from multiscale simulations” (2019) Current Opinion in Structural Biology Conformational preferences and phase behavior of intrinsically disordered low complexity sequences: insights from multiscale simulations (2019) Current Opinion in Structural Biology, 56, pp. 1-10. Ruff, K.M., Pappu, R.V., Holehouse, A.S. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Center for Biological […]
Light activity, electronics OK during recovery From the WashU Newsroom… The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has updated its concussion recommendations to support children and teens engaging in light physical activity and returning to school as they recover. The report, revised for the first time in eight years, also advises against complete removal of electronic […]
From the WashU’s Campus Voices… In the new book “The Fragmented Personality,” Dragan Svrakic, MD, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine, and Mirjana Divac-Jovanovic, of Sigidunum University in Serbia, introduce a new model for diagnosing and caring for patients with personality disorder. The approach yields a diagnosis sensitive to fluctuations in mental […]
“Pain And Opioid Systems, Implications In The Opioid Epidemic” (2019) Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences Pain And Opioid Systems, Implications In The Opioid Epidemic (2019) Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 26, pp. 69-74. Massaly, N.a b c , Morón, J.A.a b c d a Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63110, United States b Washington University […]
James DuBois, the Steven J. Bander Professor of Medical Ethics and Professionalism at the School of Medicine, received a five-year, $2.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Institute on Aging for a research project titled “Implementing Evidence-based Informed Consent Practices to Address the Risk of Alzheimer’s Dementia and Cognitive Impairment in […]
Managing cholesterol, triglycerides may reduce Alzheimer’s risk, study suggests From the WashU Newsroom… Studying DNA from more than 1.5 million people, an international team of researchers — led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the University of California, San Francisco — has identified points of DNA that increase the risk of […]
Jin-Moo Lee, MD, PhD, professor of neurology, and Peter D. Panagos, MD, professor of emergency medicine, both at the School of Medicine, received a $1.2 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to establish the Mid-America Regional Coordinating Center as part of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke’s StrokeNet. StrokeNet is a group of 25 leading […]
From the Association for Psychological Science… APS Past President Henry L. “Roddy” Roediger, III has spent his illustrious career studying human learning and memory, particularly those processes involved in memory retrieval. His research has included examinations of memory illusions and false memories, people with exceptional memory abilities; and collective memory or how people remember events for […]
Andrea Soranno, assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biophysics at the School of Medicine, received a one year $46,296 New Investigator Award in Alzheimer’s Disease from the American Federation for Aging Research Inc. for his work titled “Identifying Neurotoxic Conformers in the Structural Ensemble of apoE.”
From Reuters… Even as alcohol and tobacco use continue to decline among pregnant women in the U.S., a new study offers fresh evidence that more American mothers are using cannabis during pregnancy. Other recent studies have also documented a rise in cannabis use among pregnant women of all ages, with some evidence of particularly sharp […]
From WBUR (Boston) & NPR… Most of the country switched their clocks back an hour over the weekend, ending daylight saving time. And even though one hour might not sound like a lot, it has a noticeable impact. “In the long term, this one hour cumulatively can really have effects on our health,” says Erik Herzog, […]
Mikhail Berezin, associate professor of radiology at the School of Medicine, received a $300,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Cancer Institute for research titled “Neuro-muscular junction based mechanism of chemotherapy-induced cachexia.” Cachexia-related changes reduce physical, emotional and social well-being and significantly decrease the chances of survival in millions of cancer patients. […]
From CBS News… Brian Noblitt says it only took one week for his son Brandon’s health to deteriorate in 2016. “One Saturday we played baseball, everything was normal,” he told correspondent Adriana Diaz. “Tuesday into Wednesday, cold-like symptoms. And then as the week progressed, had a headache and neck pain.” Days later, Brandon couldn’t use […]