Alzheimer’s drug may reduce urge to eat compulsively Binge-eating disorder affects nearly 10 million American adults, by some estimates. It’s a vicious condition in which people repeatedly eat huge amounts of food—often high-calorie sweets and/or fatty snacks—in a couple of hours or less. Perhaps the worst part of the disorder is that each binge leads […]
Today’s physicians require an increasingly comprehensive understanding of the principles of genetics and genomics in order to make informed clinical decisions. Scientific discoveries are bringing genomic technology directly to consumers at an increasingly rapid pace. The availability of genomic information necessitates that educators provide adequate training in genetics and genomics for future health-care providers. In […]
MED neurologist on battered brains, tangled tau, and the future of sports Ann McKee, a MED professor of neurology and pathology, studies the long-term effects of repetitive brain injury. “It’s shocking to see neurodegenerative disease in a 25-year-old,” she says. Photo by Vernon Doucette For Ann McKee, every brain tells a story. And sometimes it’s […]
Let’s face it: salt is delicious. Sprinkle it on tomatoes and they pop with flavor; shake it over popcorn and it’s movie time. Even Nelson Mandela noted its worth in his inaugural address: “Let there be work, bread, water, and salt for all,” he said. But when it comes to diet and high blood pressure, […]
Mikel Garcia-Marcos, PhD, assistant professor in the department of biochemistry was recently awarded two grants from the National Institutes of Health-National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The grants, totaling approximately $2.5 million, will fund his two projects “Alternative mechanisms of G protein signaling” and “Identification of chemical probes that specifically target the GIV-Gi interface.” Cells […]
Opioid use is a growing problem in the United States, with more than 20 million Americans currently using illegally obtained drugs, misusing prescription opioids or using street opioids such as heroin. As a result, drug overdose has surpassed motor vehicle crashes as the leading cause of death due to injury in the U.S. These deaths often […]
BU Today Robert Stern, PhD, neurology, neurosurgery, CTE Center; Julie Stamm, PhD candidate As the 100 million viewers tuning in to this Sunday’s Super Bowl can attest, Americans adore football. And for many, the love affair begins in childhood: Pop Warner Tiny-Mites start as young as age five, and many adults retain warm memories and friendships from their […]
Tagged: Robert Stern
A recent study may help begin to explain how cancer develops though the abnormal turning on and off of genes. Researchers have discovered that the increase of methyl tags in cancer cells is due to highly efficient DNA methyl transferase 1 (DNMT1) enzymes found in these cells. The findings appear in the Journal of Proteomics […]
The identification of genetic variants that influence the structure of the brain may provide insight into the causes of variability in human brain development. The findings, which appear this week in the journal Nature, may also help determine the genetic processes that underlie neuropsychiatric diseases. Portions of the human brain known as the subcortical regions […]
Obesity-linked diabetes is a growing public health problem and contributes to cardiovascular disease, the most prevalent cause of death in the U.S. High plasma concentrations fatty acids derived from food intake and excess fat stores and high concentrations of glucose from diet are hallmarks of diabetes. Increasing attention has been directed to fatty acids and […]