EurekAlert! - National Institutes of Health

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Journal of Biological Chemistry
New, improved mouse model of human Alzheimer's may enable drug discovery
Researchers have developed a transgenic mouse that carries a human gene known to increase risk of Alzheimer's 15-fold. The new mouse, which mimics the genetics of the human disease more closely than any existing model, provides new evidence for the earliest cause of Alzheimer's and may prove more useful in the development of drugs to prevent or treat the disease.

Alzheimer's Association Zenith Grant, National Institutes of Health, University of Illinois

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Psychonomic Bulletin and Review
'Read my lips' � it�s easier when they're your own
People can lip-read themselves better than they can lip-read others, according to a new study by Nancy Tye-Murray and colleagues from Washington University. Their work, which explores the link between speech perception and speech production, is published online in Springer's Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.

National Institutes of Health

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Journal of Adolescent Health
Are 'hookups' replacing romantic relationships on college campuses?
A new study by researchers with the Miriam Hospital in Providence, RI suggests college students are not actually hooking up as frequently as one might think.

NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Environmental Health Perspectives
Chernobyl cleanup workers had significantly increased risk of leukemia
A 20-year study following 110,645 workers who helped clean up after the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in the former Soviet territory of Ukraine shows that the workers share a significant increased risk of developing leukemia. The results may help scientists better define cancer risk associated with low doses of radiation from medical diagnostic radiation procedures such as computed tomography scans and other sources.

NIH/National Cancer Institute

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Structure
Scientists reveal key protein interactions involved in neurodegenerative disease
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have defined the molecular structure of an enzyme as it interacts with several proteins involved in outcomes that can influence neurodegenerative disease and insulin resistance. The enzymes in question, which play a critical role in nerve cell (neuron) survival, are among the most prized targets for drugs to treat brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

National Institutes of Health

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Current Biology
UMass Amherst cell biologists identify new protein key to asymmetric cell division
Recently biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst led by Wei-lih Lee have identified a new molecular player in asymmetric cell division, a regulatory protein named She1 whose role in chromosome- and spindle positioning wasn't known before. Asymmetric cell division is important in the self-renewal of stem cells and because it ensures that daughter cells have different fates and functions.

NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences, American Heart Association

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Cell
Scientists uncover secrets of how intellect and behavior emerge during childhood
Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have shown that a single protein plays an oversized role in intellectual and behavioral development. The scientists found that mutations in a single gene, which is known to cause intellectual disability and increase the risk of developing autism spectrum disorder, severely disrupts the organization of developing brain circuits during early childhood. This study helps explain how genetic mutations can cause profound cognitive and behavioral problems.

National Institutes of Health, National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Science
Corals attacked by toxic seaweed use chemical 911 signals to summon help
Corals under attack by toxic seaweed do what anyone might do when threatened -- they call for help. A study to be reported Nov. 9 in the journal Science shows that threatened corals send signals to fish "bodyguards" that quickly respond to trim back the noxious alga -- which can kill the coral if not promptly removed.

National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health

Public Release: 8-Nov-2012

Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research
Environmental factors can mitigate genetic risk for developing alcohol problems
Previous research suggests that genetic influences on drinking are moderated by environmental factors. A new study has looked at gene-environment interactions between a functional single nucleotide polymorphism of the μ-opioid receptor gene (A118G) and the risk for developing an AUD during adolescence. Findings confirm that environmental factors can moderate this association.

NIH/National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH/National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Department of Veteran Affairs