Articles about 'Medical Research Council'

̽��ֱ��body in miniature

20 March 2018

̽��ֱ��past few years has seen an explosion in the number of studies using organoids – so-called ‘mini organs’. While they can help scientists understand human biology and disease, some in the field have questioned their usefulness. But as the field matures, we could see their increasing use in personalised and regenerative medicine.

Study finds that genes play a role in empathy

12 March 2018

A new study published today suggests that how empathic we are is not just a result of our upbringing and experience but also partly a result of our genes.

Scientists link genes to brain anatomy in autism

26 February 2018

A team of scientists at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge has discovered that specific genes are linked to individual differences in brain anatomy in autistic children.

Neuron with oligodendrocyte and myelin sheath (edited)

Study in mice suggests personalised stem cell treatment may offer relief for progressive MS

22 February 2018

Scientists have shown in mice that skin cells re-programmed into brain stem cells, transplanted into the central nervous system, help reduce inflammation and may be able to help repair damage caused by multiple sclerosis (MS).

Tyrosine hydroxylase positive neuron stained with a synaptic marker

Calcium may play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease

19 February 2018

Researchers have found that excess levels of calcium in brain cells may lead to the formation of toxic clusters that are the hallmark of Parkinson’s disease.

Study of learning and memory problems in OCD helps young people unlock their potential at school

22 January 2018

Adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have widespread learning and memory problems, according to research published today. ̽��ֱ��findings have already been used to assist adolescents with OCD obtain the help they needed at school to realise their potential – including helping one individual go on to university.

Three mitochondria surrounded by cytoplasm

How incurable mitochondrial diseases strike previously unaffected families

15 January 2018

Researchers have shown for the first time how children can inherit a severe – potentially fatal – mitochondrial disease from a healthy mother. ̽��ֱ��study, led by researchers from the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit at the ̽��ֱ�� of Cambridge, reveals that healthy people harbour mutations in their mitochondrial DNA and explains how cases of severe mitochondrial disease can appear unexpectedly in previously unaffected families.

Advances in brain imaging settle debate over spread of key protein in Alzheimer’s

05 January 2018

Recent advances in brain imaging have enabled scientists to show for the first time that a key protein which causes nerve cell death spreads throughout the brain in Alzheimer’s disease – and hence that blocking its spread may prevent the disease from taking hold.

“All this cancer talk is new to me, but I do know there isn’t a stage five”

08 December 2017

Kate Gross was just 36 years old when she died of cancer. Researchers at Cambridge – including her husband – are trying to ensure that others receive their diagnoses early enough to stop their cancer.

Scientists identify mechanism that helps us inhibit unwanted thoughts

03 November 2017

Scientists have identified a key chemical within the ‘memory’ region of the brain that allows us to suppress unwanted thoughts, helping explain why people who suffer from disorders such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and schizophrenia often experience persistent intrusive thoughts when these circuits go awry.

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