11/15
Neuroscience
MTL deterioration can lead to impulsive decisions
MTL deterioration can lead to impulsive decisions
A study highlighting episodic memory and decision making finds that individual differences in decision making are driven by episodic memory function, and that a deteriorating medial temporal lobe may impact the ability to delay gratification.
Tips for easing back pain during isolation
Tips for easing back pain during isolation
In a Q&A, Penn Medicine's Jang Won Yoon, a neurosurgeon, offers advice on managing back pain during the pandemic.
Uncovering the neurological connections to COVID-19
Uncovering the neurological connections to COVID-19
A variety of research efforts across Penn are working to uncover the neurological implications of COVID-19, including stroke, neuroinflammation, and loss of smell.
New genetic cause of an inherited neuropathy discovered
New genetic cause of an inherited neuropathy discovered
A discovery by Penn researchers in siblings may hold answers to new gene therapies for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
Rooting out systemic bias in neuroscience publishing
Rooting out systemic bias in neuroscience publishing
An interdisciplinary research team has found statistical evidence of women being undercited in academic literature. They are now studying similar effects along racial lines.
Sensory neurons outside the brain drive autistic social behaviors
Sensory neurons outside the brain drive autistic social behaviors
A new study from Penn Medicine lends further evidence that the social behaviors tied to autism spectrum disorders (ASD) emerge from abnormal function of sensory neurons outside the brain.
New database aims to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis easier and earlier
New database aims to make Alzheimer’s diagnosis easier and earlier
A five-minute online session will allow neural health to be tracked across time, so that doctors can make an earlier diagnosis and researchers can evaluate medications and other treatments.
What do ‘Bohemian Rhapsody,’ ‘Macbeth,’ and a list of Facebook friends all have in common?
To an English scholar or avid reader, the Shakespeare Canon represents some of the greatest literary works of the English language. To a network scientist, Shakespeare’s 37 plays and the 884,421 words they contain also represent a massively complex communication network.
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
Gaze and pupil dilation can reveal a decision before it’s made
These two biomarkers may offer clues into the underlying biological processes at play in decision making, according to research from neuroscientist Michael Platt.
To err is human, to learn, divine
To err is human, to learn, divine
Researchers develop a new model for how the brain processes complex information: by striking a balance between accuracy and simplicity while making mistakes along the way.
In the News
SciTechDaily
Scientists unveil 16+ distinct nerve cell types behind human touch
A study by Wenqin Lo of the Perelman School of Medicine and colleagues used detailed analyses of the genes used by individual nerve cells to identify 16 distinct types of nerve cells in humans.
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WHYY (Philadelphia)
Free West Philly community clinic, which provided care to hundreds, is closed
Penn Medicine resident Noor Shaik and Michael Rubenstein of the Perelman School of Medicine discuss a West Philadelphia clinic that became a model for collaborations between academic health systems and community organizations.
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The Washington Post
Alzheimer’s patients and their families hear a new word: Progress
Jeffrey Maneval of the Perelman School of Medicine classifies two new drug treatments for Alzheimer’s as “a double, not a home run.”
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Medscape
The next frontier of antibiotic discovery: Inside your gut
César de la Fuente of the Perelman School of Medicine and School of Engineering and Applied Science says the main pillars that have enabled us to almost double our lifespan in the last 100 years have been antibiotics, vaccines, and clean water.
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Nature
Five ways science is tackling the antibiotic resistance crisis
César de la Fuente of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Perelman School of Medicine is using AI to identify antimicrobial peptides found in modern and extinct humans, as well as other extinct animals.
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NBC News
Wildfire smoke is probably harming your brain
A study by Holly Elser of the Perelman School of Medicine finds that wildfire smoke exposure can significantly increase the risk of dementia.
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