Tag Archives: mice
Disrupted fat breakdown in the brain makes mice dumb
Study led by the University of Bonn elucidated a previously unknown possible cause of dementia. A study led by the University of Bonn opens a new perspective with regard to the development of dementia. The scientists blocked
Adolescent exposure of MDMA potentiates one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease
3,4 Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is an amphetamine derivative widely consumed by adolescents, which has been described that produces oxidative stress in neurons such as dopaminergic neurons. Moreover, many patients with Alzheimer’s disease develop extrapyramidal symptoms due to alterations
Infections erode transplantation tolerance
Organ transplantation is an effective means of treating patients with organ failure, but rejection of the graft remains a major challenge. The life-long use of immunosuppressants needed to prevent rejection makes transplant recipients more susceptible to infections
Genetic and non-genetic animal models for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of neurobehavioral problems with genetic and environmental origins. The major neurobehavioral changes are manifested by persistent deficits in social and communication interaction, deficits in developing, understanding and maintaining relationships,
Viable RNase H1 knockout mice: The end of an enigma
Human cells have two RNase H enzymes, HI and H2. RNase H enzymes degrade RNA but only when an RNA strand is hybridized to a DNA strand forming an RNA-DNA heteroduplex. These enzymes are present in almost
Assessment of anxiety: a matter of temperature?
Anxiety is an emotional response occurring when individuals are facing challenging situations or threats. This affective state promotes adaptive coping strategies and is associated with changes involving a variety of different, cross-species conserved, behavioral and physiological responses
Why can MDMA produce memory deficits?
MDMA is a synthetic drug belonging to the amphetamine family and has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties. These features have become MDMA in one of the most used drugs by young adolescents. Many studies have described that
Laboratory mice – ready-made for animal studies?
Laboratory animals, most of them mice, are bred and used to model human diseases. On one hand this offers great possibilities for science, one the other hand this topic is controversially debated. Beside ethical concerns, the major
Developing a sense of direction
Nervous systems continuously perform computations to create thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of the world. Circuits composed of neurons, which are the specialized cells of the nervous system, execute these calculations. To do so, neurons in a circuit receive input
Sponge toxin kills lung and breast cancer cells in mice
Peloruside A is a potent toxin that was isolated from a New Zealand marine sponge. It has a similar mechanism of action to the commonly used taxane-type anticancer drugs, including paclitaxel and docetaxel, that block the action
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs attenuate lung carcinogenesis in smoking female mice
Chronic inflammation plays a crucial role in the development of cancer in general and of cigarette smoke (CS) – related lung cancer in particular. Accordingly, anti-inflammatory drugs, among which the extensively used nonsteroidal anti – inflammatory drugs
Genetically engineered mice provide a new look at sight-threatening eye disease
A group of sight-threatening inflammatory diseases of the eye, in which the immune system inappropriately recognizes and attacks the retina and adjacent structures, is known as non-infectious, or autoimmune, uveitis. Lymphocytes of the patients in fact recognize
