ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Researchers have discovered that in Nav1.2 deficient neurons, the expressions of many potassium channels are surprisingly reduced. The Nav1.2 deficiency itself doesn't cause seizures; the issue arises when the potassium channels over-compensate for the sodium channels' deficiency by shutting down too many potassium channels, making the neuron hyperexcitable, which causes seizures.

The new findings offer important insights into how and why the plaques form and may explain why genes associated with cholesterol have been linked to increased risk for Alzheimer's.

In a 'first of its kind' study, researchers found a potential direct connection between neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), glaucoma, and the herpesvirus.

A new study into cognitive control promises to be the first of many aimed at understanding its origins in the brain and its variations between people and among groups.

Scientists have identified metabolic compounds within the blood that are associated with dementia. The study revealed that the levels of 33 metabolites differed in patients with dementia, compared to elderly people with no existing health conditions. Their findings could one day aid diagnosis and treatment of dementia.