Six minutes of high-intensity exercise could delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease

Six minutes of high-intensity exercise could extend the lifespan of a healthy brain and delay the onset of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. New research published in The Journal of Physiology shows that a short but intense bout of cycling increases the production of a specialised protein that is essential for brain formation, learning and memory, and could […]

Team uses MRI to image epigenetics in the brain

A multidisciplinary team at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has devised a new approach to 3D imaging that captures DNA methylation, a key epigenetic change associated with learning in the brain. The scientists say their proof-of-concept study in pigs will easily translate to humans, as the new method relies on standard MRI technology and biological markers already in use in […]

Parkinson’s protein blueprint could help fast-track new treatments

Researchers have solved a decade-long mystery about a critical protein linked to Parkinson’s disease that could help to fast-track treatments for the incurable disease. The research, published in Nature, has for the first time produced a ‘live action’ view of the protein, called PINK1, in exquisite molecular detail. The discovery explains how the protein is activated in the cell, where it […]