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- The Maturing Brain Parallels its Evolution
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June 5, 2008
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Science Update
Evolutionarily older areas of the human brain that mature earliest follow a simple, straight-line growth pattern. In contrast, newer areas that support our uniquely human capacities, such as thinking and language, mature latest and show the most complex growth pattern, NIMH researchers say. In keeping with their relatively recent evolution, newer areas are composed of more complex layers of cells and show stronger genetic influence later in development compared with evolutionarily older areas.
- One Gene Overrides Another to Prevent Brain Changes that Foster Depression
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March 12, 2008
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Science Update
A variation on one gene affects how much of the brain chemical serotonin is available to brain cells. This variation is thought to raise the risk of depression in people who carry it. But NIMH scientists found that a variation in another gene, which produces brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – a substance that enables growth and health of brain cells – appears to prevent or offset the changes generated by the depression-fostering variant.
- Genetic Tags Reveal Secrets of Memories’ Staying Power in Mice
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February 21, 2008
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Press Release
A better understanding of how memory works is emerging from a newfound ability to link a learning experience in a mouse to consequent changes in the inner workings of its neurons. Researchers, supported in part by NIMH, have developed a way to pinpoint the specific cellular components that sustain a specific memory in genetically-engineered mice.
- Scans Reveal Faulty Brain Wiring Caused by Missing Genes
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February 20, 2008
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Science Update
An NIMH study using an emerging imaging technology has discovered faulty wiring in the brains of people with Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects some aspects of thinking.
- Tomorrow’s Antidepressants: Skip the Serotonin Boost?
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February 14, 2008
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Science Update
Even when serotonin levels stayed low, scientists were able to correct abnormal, mental-illness-like behaviors in mice by blocking an enzyme called GSK3ß. The finding adds evidence that molecular targets other than serotonin may lead to better and faster medications for some mental illnesses.
- IQ Boost From Breast Milk Linked to Gene-Environment Interaction
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December 17, 2007
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Science Update
A new study shows that the intellectual boost associated with breast milk is only attained if a child has inherited one of two versions of a specific gene. The NIMH funded research is among the first to provide evidence of a specific genetic-environment interaction involved in complex mental functioning.
- Schizophrenia-Related Gene Linked to Imbalance in Dopamine Pathways
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December 17, 2007
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Science Update
Forms of a gene known to increase risk for schizophrenia may create an imbalance in brain pathways for dopamine, suggests a recent study by NIMH scientists. The findings could help explain how this key chemical messenger goes awry in the disorder, which affects about one percent of adults.
- Depression’s Flip Side Shares its Circuitry
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December 14, 2007
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Science Update
Humans tend to be overly optimistic about the future, sometimes underestimating risks and making unrealistic plans, notes NIMH grantee Elizabeth Phelps, Ph.D., New York University. Yet “a moderate optimistic illusion” appears to be essential for maintaining motivation and good mental health
- Researchers Suggest Updating Criteria for HIV-associated Neurocognitive Disorders
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November 8, 2007
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Science Update
After 10 years since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the criteria for classifying HIV-related neurocognitive disorders may need to be revised and updated.
- Memory-sustaining Enzyme May Help Treat PTSD, Cognitive Decline
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November 2, 2007
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Science Update
Chemically blocking an enzyme in a specific area in the brain’s cortex, or outer mantle, erased a long-term memory of an aversive event that rats had learned, a study funded in part by NIMH has found.
