NINDS News Articles

Researchers show how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections, or synapses, between neurons during normal development. Immune cells known as microglia respond to neuronal activity to select synapses to prune, and eliminate synapses in the way that bacterial cells or other pathogenic debris are eliminated.

A trial funded in part by NIH is evaluating the BrainGate neural interface system, an investigational device intended to put robotics and other assistive technology under the brain's control. Two trial participants – both paralyzed by stroke years ago – learned to use the BrainGate to make complex reach-and-grasp movements with a robotic arm, simply by imagining they were using their own arms.

Common variants of the ApoE gene are strongly associated with the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease, but the gene's role in the disease has been unclear. NIH-funded researchers have found that in mice, the most risky variant of ApoE triggers an inflammatory reaction and damages the blood vessels that feed the brain. An inflammatory molecule called cyclophilin A could be a new target for therapy.

For Parkinson’s disease, exercise routines are often recommended to help maintain stability and the coordinated movements necessary for everyday living. An NIH-funded study evaluated three different forms of exercise – resistance training, stretching, and tai chi – and found that tai chi led to the greatest overall improvements in balance and stability for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease.

Like all machines, ion channels – the machines that power nerve cell firing and muscle contraction – operate less efficiently in the cold. That poses a challenge for animals that live in icy environments. A new study shows that octopi in polar climates solve the problem by modifying their ion channels through a process called RNA editing.