Do children inherit drug protection from parents exposed to nicotine or drugs?
A father’s nicotine use may have a significant impact on children’s risk of some diseases. In a study published in…
Author University of Massachusetts Medical School
Viral infection during pregnancy causes autism-like behaviors in mice
A study published in the journal Science found that activation in pregnant mice of a particular immune response, similar to…
Changing behavior through synaptic engineering
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School are the first to show that it’s possible to reverse the behavior…
Researchers reveal how a common mutation causes neurodegenerative disease
Researchers have determined how the most common gene mutation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) disrupts normal…
Scientists identify brain circuitry responsible for anxiety in smoking cessation
In a promising breakthrough for smokers who are trying to quit, neuroscientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and…
Study finds that opioids administered in the ER don’t influence patient satisfaction
A new study co-authored by investigators at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that there is no correlation between…
Rare genetic disease protects against bipolar disorder
A team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and the University of Miami…
Depression in postmenopausal women may increase diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk
Postmenopausal women who use antidepressant medication or suffer from depression might be more likely to have a higher body mass index (BMI), larger waist circumference and inflammation
Scientists identify neurons that control feeding behavior in Drosophila
Scientists at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have developed a novel transgenic system which allows them to remotely activate individual brain cells in the model organism Drosophila using ambient temperature.
Riding the exosome shuttle from neuron to muscle
Important new research from UMass Medical School demonstrates how exosomes shuttle proteins from neurons to muscle cells where they take part in critical signaling mechanisms, an exciting discovery that means these tiny vehicles could one day be loaded with therapeutic agents.
Scientists identify first gene in programmed axon degeneration
Degeneration of the axon and synapse, the slender projection through which neurons transmit electrical impulses to neighboring cells, is a hallmark of some of the most crippling neurodegenerative and brain diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.
Preventing and treating drug use with smartphones
Clinical researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) are combining an innovative constellation of technologies such as artificial intelligence, smartphone programming, biosensors and wireless connectivity to develop a device designed to detect physiological stressors associated with drug cravings and respond with user-tailored behavioral interventions that prevent substance use.