ScienceDaily: Mind & Brain News

Researchers pinpoint the regions of the brain and neural mechanisms responsible for normal or impaired development of a child's response to baby talk and why infants with autism do not typically respond well.

Among our closest living relatives -- the great apes -- we humans are unique: We have larger brains, reproduce more quickly and have longer life spans. These traits are obviously valuable, but the extra energy required to sustain them is quite significant. So how did we manage to afford them?

An olfactory receptor typically associated with the sense of smell may also trigger breast cancer cells to metastasize through a signaling pathway to the brain, bones and lung. Future research could potentially lead to an inhibitor of OR5B21 to prevent cellular invasion and metastasis, thus prolonging the lives of breast cancer patients.

Scientists have shed light on an important component of the eye: a protein in the rod cells of the retina which helps us see in dim light. Acting as an ion channel in the cell membrane, the protein is responsible for relaying the optical signal from the eye to the brain. If a genetic disorder disrupts the molecular function in a person, they will go blind. Scientists have deciphered the protein's three-dimensional structure, preparing the way for innovative medical treatments.

Researchers have discovered that gene variants associated with risk of developing Alzheimer's disease disturb the brain's natural protective mechanism against the condition.

Researchers have identified a biomarker in human platelets that tracks the extent of depression.