Researchers have, for the first time, systematically determined the positioning of the packing units of the fruit fly genome, and discovered a new protein that defines their relationship to the DNA sequence.
Scientists undertook a groundbreaking large-scale study on secondary glioblastomas (sGBM) to search for new therapy treatments. sGBMs are an aggressive type of brain tumor, target younger patients and existing treatment method is insufficient.
Researchers have uncovered a network of more than 200 genes linked to autism. They have also unpicked an exact sequence of events during microexon splicing, known to be disrupted in autism, as a first step toward developing targeted treatments.
Researchers have identified a genetic variation that may influence chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) disease severity. TMEM106B is one of the first genes to be implicated in CTE. It may partially explain why some athletes present with severe CTE symptoms while others are less affected despite similar levels of head trauma.
Excessive stress during fetal development or early childhood can have long-term consequences for the brain, from increasing the likelihood of brain disorders and affecting an individual’s response to stress as an adult to changing the nutrients a mother may pass on to her babies in the womb. The new research suggests novel approaches to combat the effects of such stress, such as inhibiting stress hormone production or ‘resetting’ populations of immune cells in the brain.
Promising findings from preclinical animal studies show the potential of gene therapy for treating incurable neurological disorders. Scientists have successfully used gene therapy to slow the progression and improve symptoms of disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.
Genetics can be used to predict a patient’s response to antipsychotic drug treatment for schizophrenia, according to a recent study.
New research has uncovered genetic variations that may contribute to the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the leading cause of liver disease.