Control of goal-directed and inflexible actions by dorsal striatal melanocortin systems, in coordination with the central nucleus of the amygdala

This academic paper, authored by researchers Elizabeth C. Heaton, Esther H. Seo, Laura M. Butkovich, Sophie T. Yount, and Shannon L. Gourley, primarily explores the role of the melanocortin system in the dorsal striatum in controlling goal-directed behavior and inflexible behavior, particularly in inhibiting habitual behavior in the dorsolateral st...

Genome-Wide Repeat Landscapes in Cancer and Cell-Free DNA

Genome-Wide Repeat Landscapes in Cancer and Cell-Free DNA

A Panoramic View of Whole Genome Repetitive Sequences in Cancer and Circulating Free DNA Research Background and Significance Throughout the development of cancer and other diseases, genetic changes in repetitive sequences within the genome are a significant characteristic. However, standard sequencing methods struggle to effectively characterize t...

Multimodal MRI Reveals Brainstem Connections That Sustain Wakefulness in Human Consciousness

Multimodal MRI Reveals Brainstem Connections That Sustain Wakefulness in Human Consciousness

Major Breakthrough in Brain Science: Multimodal MRI Reveals Brainstem Connectivity Maintaining Human Consciousness and Wakefulness Background Introduction Consciousness comprises two fundamental components: wakefulness and awareness. Despite significant progress in understanding the cortical networks related to consciousness over the past two decad...

Nociceptor Spontaneous Activity is Responsible for Fragmenting Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep in Mouse Models of Neuropathic Pain

Research Background and Motivation Neuropathic pain is a complex and common clinical issue, accompanied by persistent spontaneous pain. Patients often report symptoms such as spontaneous pain, electric shock sensations, and burning pain. The physiological mechanisms behind this type of pain are complex, and reliable research models or biomarkers ar...

Neuronal population activity in the olivocerebellum encodes the frequency of essential tremor in mice and patients

Encoding of Cerebellar-Olivary Neuronal Ensemble Activity for Tremor Frequency in Mice and Patients with Essential Tremor Research Background Essential Tremor (ET) is a common movement disorder characterized primarily by action tremor, affecting about 20% of the elderly population. The frequency and intensity of tremor are core features of ET. Howe...

Attenuation of Fibroblast Activation and Fibrosis by Adropin in Systemic Sclerosis

Reducing Fibroblast Activation and Fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis through Adropin Fibrotic diseases of the skin and other organs have become significant socioeconomic challenges in modern society, and current treatment options are limited. This background for this study seeks to address the problem of fibrosis in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc), with the ...

Gain-of-Function Mutations of TRPV4 Acting in Endothelial Cells Drive Blood-CNS Barrier Breakdown and Motor Neuron Degeneration in Mice

This article is written by Jeremy M. Sullivan et al. and published in the journal “Science Translational Medicine” on May 22, 2024, titled “Gain-of-function TRPV4 Mutations in Endothelial Cells Disrupt the Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier and Cause Motor Neuron Degeneration in Mice.” Academic Background The research background of this article revolves aro...

Transcriptomic Sex Differences in Postmortem Brain Samples from Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

Transcriptomic Sex Differences in Postmortem Brain Samples from Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

Analysis of Gender Differences in Transcriptomes of Postmortem Brain Tissues from Psychiatric Patients Background Gender differences in psychiatric patients are a well-documented phenomenon. Disorders such as Schizophrenia (SCZ), Bipolar Disorder (BD), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) all exhibit significant gender differences. However, the speci...

Integrated Analysis of Blood DNA Methylation, Genetic Variants, Circulating Proteins, MicroRNAs, and Kidney Failure in Type 1 Diabetes

Integrated Analysis of Blood DNA Methylation, Genetic Variation, Circulating Proteins, microRNAs, and Kidney Failure in Type 1 Diabetes Research Background Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD) is one of the major complications of Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Approximately 40% of T1D patients develop DKD, and 10% to 15% eventually progress to Kidney Failure (KF)...

Mechanism of SRC Inhibition in IDH-Mutant Cholangiocarcinoma

Scientists Reveal the Anti-Tumor Mechanism of Src Inhibitors in IDH Mutant Cholangiocarcinoma Background Introduction In recent years, the incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has been rising worldwide. ICC is a highly invasive tumor usually lacking noticeable symptoms in the early stages, with cases often being inoperable by the time...