Is Old Age Memory Decline Reversible?

jane2007 submitted, created time 11 months 5 days (www.sciam.com)

Scientists have found that a lessened supply of new nerve cells in the adult brain apparently triggers short-term memory loss typically associated with aging, setting the stage for one day developing therapies designed to maintain a steady supply of fresh neurons to keep the mind sharp.

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Diminished adult neurogenesis in the marmoset brain precedes old age

franklin submitted, created time 1 year 2 months (www.pnas.org)

With aging there is a decline in the number of newly generated neurons in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. In rodents and tree shrews, this age-related decrease in neurogenesis is evident long before the animals become aged. No previous studies have investigated whether primates exhibit a similar decline in hippocampal neurogenesis with aging.

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The microRNA miR-124 antagonizes the anti-neural REST/SCP1 pathway during embryonic CNS development

badboy submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.genesdev.org)

"Neuronal gene expression is tightly regulated in developing CNS. Here, we demonstrate the anti-neural function of phosphatase SCP1 (small C-terminal domain phosphatase 1) during development. We further show that the neuron-enriched microRNA miR-124 directly targets SCP1-3' untranslated region (UTR) to suppress SCP1 expression. In developing spinal cord, expression of miR-124 and SCP1 is complementary, and miR-124 antagonism phenocopies SCP1 overexpression and vice versa

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Genetics of Egg-Laying in Worms

BIOBOSS submitted, created time 1 year 10 months (www-biology.ucsd.edu)

[Full Text]Genetic studies of behavior in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans have provided an effective approach to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of nervous system function and development. Among the best studied behaviors is egg-laying, the process by which hermaphrodites deposit developing embryos into the environment. Egg-laying involves a simple motor program involving a small network of motorneurons and specialized smooth muscle cells, which is regulated by a variety of sensory stimuli

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Nervous system egg-laying hermaphrodite motorneuron neurogenesis cell migration synaptic patterning neuromodulation