The fatigue and lack of motivation that many cancer patients experience near the end of life have been seen as the unavoidable consequences of their declining physical health and extreme weight loss. But new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis challenges that long-held assumption, showing instead that these behavioral changes stem […]
A newly developed blood test for Alzheimer’s disease not only aids in the diagnosis of the neurodegenerative condition but also indicates how far it has progressed, according to a study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Lund University in Sweden. Several blood tests for Alzheimer’s disease are already clinically […]
Clinical trial of people destined to develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease shows eliminating amyloid from brain may prevent symptoms, supports need for confirmatory studies
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has received a three-year $4.5 million grant from the Carol and Gene Ludwig Family Foundation, aimed at advancing research on neuroimmunology and neurodegeneration with the ultimate goal of developing new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. Administered by WashU Medicine’s Brain Immunology & Glia (BIG) Center, the Carol and Gene […]
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has launched the Center for Rare, Undiagnosed and Genetic Diseases, supported by an $8.5 million grant from Children’s Discovery Institute (CDI), a partnership with St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation and WashU Medicine. The new center brings together WashU Medicine researchers and the rare […]
Remarkably, Doug Whitney, 75, has escaped genetic destiny. Like many members of his family, Whitney inherited a rare genetic mutation that all but guarantees he would develop early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. But Whitney, whose relatives first showed symptoms of cognitive decline in their early 50s, remains mentally sharp with no signs of the devastating disease, and […]
As a leading researcher of rare diseases that affect children’s brains, Jonathan D. Cooper, PhD, thought little about the gastrointestinal (GI) system. That is, until the parents of children with a condition that Cooper studies urged him to investigate why debilitating digestive issues troubled their kids, who suffer from an incurable and fatal neurodegenerative brain condition […]
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have been awarded $7.5 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate a form of dementia caused by cerebral small vessel disease, the second-leading cause of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. The grant funds the Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID) Center, […]
Andrew Taylor, an emeritus trustee of Washington University in St. Louis, and his wife, Barbara, have made a $50 million gift to WashU Medicine’s neurosurgery department to enhance groundbreaking research, innovative patient care and the training of the next generation of neurosurgery leaders. In recognition of the Taylors’ generosity, the department has been named the Taylor […]
Virtually every cell in the human body has an internal clock. These clocks take their cues from a central clock in the brain. In a normal, biological process called synchrony, the central clock coordinates daily rhythms around the body, so that every cell and tissue recognizes the same external time of day. Knowing local time […]
Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia are devastating disorders that emerge following the buildup of misfolded proteins in the brain. The newest generation of Alzheimer’s therapeutics targets accumulations of the protein amyloid beta with engineered antibodies, but the results have been underwhelming, with some adverse effects, not to mention using engineered antibodies can be prohibitively expensive. […]
Strategy involves placing targets on deadly cancer’s cells, potentially making them vulnerable to immunotherapies
Harnessing this process may offer therapies for neuroinflammatory diseases such as MS, mouse study suggests
When trying to understand how genetic influences factor into youth behavior, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have taken the “big trawl” approach, casting their net wide to pull in all the measured traits, behaviors and environments that make up who we are and examine associations with the genetic building blocks comprising risk for […]
Findings could point to new strategies to treat Alzheimer’s
With new technique, patient-derived neurons accurately model late-onset Alzheimer’s, point to potential treatments
Head-to-head comparison of six tests reveals which ones could replace spinal taps, brain scans
Scientists are trying to understand how cannabis may affect long-term neurodevelopment when people were exposed to it in the womb. Previous work by Washington University in St. Louis researchers Sarah Paul and David Baranger in the Behavioral Research and Imaging Neurogenetics (BRAIN) lab led by Ryan Bogdan, PhD, found associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and potential mental health conditions in childhood […]
Roughly one in five cancer patients benefits from immunotherapy – a treatment that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer. Such an approach to beating cancer has seen significant success in lung cancer and melanoma, among others. Optimistic about its potential, researchers are exploring strategies to improve immunotherapy for cancers that don’t respond well to […]
Gift from Andy Newman supports world-changing research on the gut microbiome
Study lays groundwork for clinical trial aimed at preventing brain tumors in children with NF1
Researchers aim to create treatment that promotes tissue regeneration, restores joints
There lies a paradox in sleep. Its apparent tranquility juxtaposes with the brain’s bustling activity. The night is still, but the brain is far from dormant. During sleep, brain cells produce bursts of electrical pulses that cumulate into rhythmic waves — a sign of heightened brain cell function. But why is the brain active when we […]
Could make early Alzheimer’s diagnosis, treatment accessible to more people
Breaking link between early, late stages of disease may prevent dementia
Findings could guide recommendations for treating, preventing childhood malnutrition
Chakrabarty, Cirrito to develop test with $3.6 million grant from Flu Lab
Key steps leading to such accumulation identified; could inform new therapeutic approaches
Washington University involved in clinical trials, will offer drug in collaboration with BJC HealthCare
Accurate diagnosis is a crucial step toward appropriate treatment
Alzheimer’s proteins rise sharply in response to stress in female mice
Findings point to brain areas that integrate planning, purpose, physiology, behavior, movement
Findings, in mice, open up drug development possibilities for brain diseases linked to tau protein
For older adults with clinical depression that has not responded to standard treatments, adding the drug aripiprazole (brand name Abilify) to an antidepressant they’re already taking is more effective than switching from one antidepressant to another, according to a new multicenter study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Aripiprazole originally was […]
New imaging technique reveals circulation patterns in developing brain
Findings suggest new approach to treating Alzheimer’s, other neurodegenerative diseases
Focus is on therapies for Alzheimer’s, other neurodegenerative diseases
Successful cancer treatment approach extended to autoimmune disease
Findings could help explain rare symptoms such as problems with language, vision
Findings in mice suggest new therapeutic approach to Alzheimer’s, other age-related diseases
Neurons made from Huntington’s disease patients’ skin cells shed light on cognitive decline
Research into how key molecule triggers axon death may lead to new therapies
Behavior surprisingly does not require brain’s visual cortex
Extended use of tofersen may help stabilize muscle strength, control
A new center established at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis aims to accelerate research into biomarkers of neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington’s and Parkinson’s diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and the so-called tauopathies, a group that includes Alzheimer’s disease along with rarer diseases such as frontotemporal dementia, corticobasal syndrome […]
Finding therapies for fragile X may depend on understanding the many ways protein’s loss affects brain
Improves insulin secretion, lowers blood sugar
Animal study could help ID new treatment targets for negative emotions linked to pain
For humans and animals, many aspects of normal behavior and physiology rely on the proper functioning of the body’s circadian clocks.
Research indicates problematic marijuana use is correlated with poorer COVID-19 outcomes