11/15
Neuroscience
Finding patterns in a class of neurological disorders
Finding patterns in a class of neurological disorders
Research from Penn Engineering and the Perelman School of Medicine has found that the shared pattern is misfolded in Fragile X Syndrome, a member of the class of disorders that also includes ALS and Huntington’s disease
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
People who don’t read the news foresee which articles will go viral
In an upcoming article in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers tracked activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex, and found that avid readers of the news had little change in brain activity from story to story, making them less accurate predictors of viral content.
Brain stimulation decreases intent to commit assault
Brain stimulation decreases intent to commit assault
Research from Penn Medicine and the Criminology department shows that using minimally invasive electrical currents on the prefrontal cortex can reduce the desire to carry out such violence and increase the perception that it’s morally wrong.
Uncovering the biological basis of aesthetics
Uncovering the biological basis of aesthetics
The new Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, led by Anjan Chatterjee, will investigate the neural activity that dictates aesthetic experiences and choices
Sharing space to support ‘better science’
Sharing space to support ‘better science’
Across disciplines, Penn researchers in the Computational Neuroscience Initiative put their heads together to better understand the brain.
Bioengineer takes big step forward in radical approach to treating neurodegeneration
Bioengineer takes big step forward in radical approach to treating neurodegeneration
Research by D. Kacy Cullen, an associate professor of neurosurgery in the Perelman School of Medicine, could aid patients with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease.
Hormones flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviors
Hormones flatten social hierarchy and synchronize behaviors
Findings from a study of male rhesus macaques from PIK professor Michael Platt and postdoc Yaoguang Jiang could lead to treatment options for social impairments in disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
Addressing unseen scars of a traumatic brain injury head on
Addressing unseen scars of a traumatic brain injury head on
Research at Penn Med explores the lasting effect of traumatic brain injuries on the nervous system to expand how we understand physical injury to the brain and behavior.
Risk tolerance linked to amygdala and prefrontal cortex brain regions
Risk tolerance linked to amygdala and prefrontal cortex brain regions
New research links willingness to take risks to brain structure and function, specifically the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and connections between the two.
Being hungry shuts off perception of chronic pain
Being hungry shuts off perception of chronic pain
Finding food is a necessary survival skill, but so is avoiding pain. Research led by J. Nicholas Betley and postdoctoral researcher Amber Alhadeff showed that being hungry activates a neural pathway that inhibits the sensing and responding to chronic pain. The findings offer up new targets for treating pain.
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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