Tag Archives: brain

The N.H.L. Calling For A Cloudy Forecast

Posted on March 18, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Hockey has been touted as a sport near the top of the totem pole in terms of inherent risk for concussion. You don’t have to look much beyond the fact that the game is played on a sheet of ice to realize why head injuries are so common. Add some body contact into the mix, slapshots that rifle a dense rubber puck over 100 miles an hour, and players with long fiberglass sticks who skate faster than a car drives on a residential street and you have a tragic recipe for head trauma, otherwise known as hockey.

Ding Dong No One’s Home

Ever since the dawn of hockey, players have been getting their “bell rung” regardless of whether they are wearing a helmet or not. The game of hockey is an intense test of determination and power and as a result of such ferocity at some point, if you play the game, it is inevitable that you will get injured.  Injuries are an all too familiar part of the game and many are only now realizing that getting your “bell rung”, or in other words receiving a concussion, can have grave consequences.

WASHINGTON, DC – February 1, 2011: Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (#8) upends and topples Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban (#76) with a check during their NHL ice hockey game at Verizon Center. Source: Flickr

Despite more information being made accessible to the general public (players included) regarding concussions and their relation to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), it seems nearly every week another player out with a concussion, some taking longer than others to return. A concussion is noted by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons as being an injury to the brain that results in temporary loss of normal brain function, which is usually caused by a blow to the head. The brain is surrounded by spinal fluid which acts as a barrier between the soft tissue of the brain and the hard bones of the skull. Any jolt or hit to the head can cause rapid movement of the brain in the cranial cavity potentially damaging brain cells and tissue. Concussion symptoms vary depending on the intensity of impact but in general, can last for less than a day or persist for weeks – even months.

WASHINGTON, DC – March 6, 2012: Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin (#8) hits Carolina Hurricanes forward Patrick Dwyer (#39) during their NHL ice hockey game at Verizon Center. Source: Flickr

Millions or Brain Damage?

To help reduce such head injuries the National Hockey League (NHL) implemented a new concussion protocol two years ago. The new procedures included off-ice education for players regarding concussions as well as mandatory removal of a player from the game for an acute evaluation if he is hit and a concussion is suspected. Contrary to recent amendments, concussion rates are as high as they’ve ever been in the history of the sport, but, despite this, players like Rick Nash are making use of the off- ice education. The six-time All-Star has called it quits at the young age of 34 due to concussion-related symptoms, passing up millions of dollars in hopes of saving his mental health. With almost anyone who laces up the skates, their dream is to make it to the big leagues but many fail to realize that the dream often comes at a price, and there is no amount of money that can reconcile for serious brain damage.

Written by: Riley Cox

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Issues in Science, Science in the News

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

A Potential Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease?

Posted on March 11, 2019 by | Leave a comment

The thought of not being able to recognize a family member or lifelong friend, or what you did yesterday, is a terrifying and tragic idea.  This disease is very real, affecting hundreds of thousands of Canadians each year, and it is known as Alzheimer’s disease.  It is the most common type of dementia and there is no cure.

Alzheimer’s Disease: Symptoms & Care

Alzheimer’s disease symptoms and related ideas. (Uploaded by https://emedmultispecialtygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/alzheimer-disease.jpg)

Causes  of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that progresses with increasing age and it negatively affects behavioural, thinking and social skills, as well as the ability to do simple tasks in everyday life.  It acts specifically in the brain by disrupting the work of neurons and damaging them.  In the brain, there are large proteins called amyloid proteins that can be broken down into smaller proteins called beta amyloids.  The issue with these fractured beta amyloid proteins is that they are capable of clumping together and accumulating, forming hard, insoluble substances called amyloid plaques.  These plaque deposits situate in between nerve cells, blocking their signals and transmissions.  In addition to plaques are something called neurofibrillary tangles.  Tangles are composed of proteins called tau proteins which change shape and form bundles of twisted fibers inside brain cells.  They act similar to plaques in the brain, to kill neurons.

illustration of healthy brain and one with Alzheimer's

Illustration of a healthy brain and one with Alzheimer’s. (Uploaded by https://cdn.prod-carehubs.net/n1/802899ec472ea3d8/uploads/2015/01/Alzheimers-001-1-1024×847.jpg)

A Possible Cure?

A recent study by researchers at the University of Southern California found certain compounds that were able to reverse symptoms of Alzheimer’s in mice that were genetically modified to develop the disease.  These compounds were specifically epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG for short, and ferulic acid, or FA.  The most convenient thing about these compounds is that they are probably more obtainable than most people are aware of, as EGCG is a main component of green tea, and FA is found in foods such as carrots, tomatoes, rice, wheat, and oats.  These compounds are thought to prevent the breakdown of amyloid proteins into fragments that may result in amyloid plaques.  In the study, the researchers placed mice into one of four experimental groups for the duration of the study.  The first group was restricted to a diet containing both EGCG and FA, the second and third group was restricted to either EGCG or FA, and a placebo for the fourth group.  After three months, the mice were tested for Alzheimer’s symptoms by being placed into a maze with numerous pathways.  Healthy mice instinctively explored each and every pathway of the maze whereas impaired mice were more likely to continuously move down pathways they had already explored, indicating impaired memory and behaviour.

The findings of this research could potentially lead to promising therapeutic treatments for Alzheimer’s disease using readily available plant-based supplements.  It’s still too early to say whether or not EGCG and FA will have a significant effect when treating humans. Nonetheless, it’s a step in the right direction towards beating this tragic disease.

David Infanti

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

Tagged , , ,

Does time flies?

Posted on March 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

The clock was invented by human beings to keep track of time. The atomic clock is one of the most accurate clocks in the world,  it will not gain or lose one second in 15 billion years. Therefore, the time will not fly. However, sometimes we do feel that the time pass by quickly when we are having fun. The time seems to crawl when we are having a boring class.

 

Ytterbium Lattice Atomic Clock took by National Institute of Standards and Technology https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ytterbium_Lattice_Atomic_Clock_(10444764266).jpg

Some people suggest that when we are having fun, we are paying attention to what we are doing. Therefore, we can not notice that the time pass by. However, when we are feeling bored, we will focus on time and notice that the time crawls.

 

Dr. Michael Shadlen said that “Every thought has various horizons”.Time flies according to these horizons. When we are really focusing on doing something, our mind can see the near horizons and the distant horizons. This makes the time goes by fast. In contrast, when we feel bored then we can only notice the near horizons and the horizons are not link to each other. As a result, time crawls.

It can also be related to the cells in the brain. Neuroscientist Joe Paton found out the neurons in our brain will release neurotransmitter dopamine which is a type of chemical that impacts how the brain feels about the time. When we are having fun, the neurons will release much more chemicals than usual. These chemicals make us feels that less time goes by. On the other hand, if we release lesser this type of chemicals, the time will go slowly in our mind.

In conclusion, time does not fly in reality. However, it does fly in our mind when we are having fun.

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

Tagged , , , ,

Young Blood, Old Soul

Posted on March 4, 2019 by | Leave a comment

We often hear our grandparents telling their stories in those “good old days”. Indeed, who doesn’t want to stay forever young? Humans all experience physical and mental function declines as we are inevitably getting old and a lot of researches have been done so far to solve the mystery of aging. As evidence piles up, scientists say that the fountain of youth may lie in the blood.

Credit: Geralt

Can we reverse aging? Credit: Geralt

A recent paper published on Communications Biology showed a restored cognitive function in old mice after they received bone marrow transplantation from younger mice. They found that the level of a critical chemical, called CCL11, in blood was lowered in young bone marrow recipients mice and therefore reasoned that hematopoietic (blood cell generating) system may play a special part in regulating CCL11. This molecule is thought to have an inhibitory effect on nerve cells regeneration, which is a hallmark of aging.

However, this is not the first study in the field. In fact, discoveries on the rejuvenating power of young blood can be dated back as early as 1970s when scientists surgically connected the blood vessels of two lab mice with different ages so that they could share the same circulating blood. The old mice did become younger in terms of some physiological aspects. And more researches have found similar results and pinned down some critical molecules responsible for aging.

https://youtu.be/yKLlXRjktak

Blood transfusion reverses aging in mice
Credit: GeoBeats News

 

Those findings are very promising in helping us understand the mechanism of aging and develop drugs or therapies to fight some of the age-related disease, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in the future. However, our keenness to stay young has already been taken advantage of by some people. A start-up company in California called Ambrosia charged $8,000 to give clients one-time infusion with blood plasma from young people. Just in last month, FDA stated that “we’re concerned that some patients are being preyed upon by unscrupulous actors touting treatments of plasma from young donors as cures and remedies.” Soon after that, Ambrosia stopped their transfusion treatments.

Indeed, it’s not the time to jump the gun yet. First, those findings in animal models may or may not be applicable to humans yet: we still need more evidence to prove that. Secondly, such treatments are generally beyond the regulation of FDA, and they may bring other risks, such as blood-borne diseases, not to mention the societal consequences. Therefore, it seems we do have a long way to go before we find the real fountain of youth.

Written by Xin Dong

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science Communication

Tagged , , , ,

Video

Cooking with Fire

Posted on January 21, 2019 by | Leave a comment

Big Brained Freaks

Evolution has produced a bunch of peculiar and downright freaky organisms (Purple Frog, anyone?). However, as the BBC so delicately puts it, “[h]umans are possibly the weirdest species to have ever lived”. Although this is likely true for quite a few reasons, what really sets us apart are our massive brains.

A big brained freak.
Source: Flicker, submitted by Martin Quiroz.

In fact, humans have the largest brain to body weight ratio of any Great Ape. And we can thank these hefty brains for our unique cognitive abilities. For example, unlike other animals, we are able to solve problems by recombining old information in novel ways, we can easily understand symbolic representations and we can even think about our own thoughts objectively. But how did our brains ever get large enough to give us these impressive powers?

Fueled by Fire

Dr. Richard Wrangham poses that the answer lies in his Cooking Hypothesis. Specifically, Wrangham argues that the reason modern humans ended up with big brains is because the Homo sapien line learned how to control fire, and importantly, how to cook with it.

Dr. Richard Wrangham on his Cooking Hypothesis. Source: Youtube, uploaded by TheLeakeyFoundation.

The logic for how cooked food equals bigger brains goes like this: cooking makes a food’s calories and most of its nutrients more bio-available, meaning they are absorbed more readily by our bodies than they would be from raw foods. This happens because heat alters the structure of foods, by unwinding proteins and opening up starches, so that our bodies can expend less energy in the enzymatic breakdown (ie. digestion) of these molecules. This is to say that cooked food packs in more calories than raw food (per gram), thereby allowing the early humans who cooked to take in more energy than their bodies required to function. The Cooking Hypothesis theorizes that this energy surplus was put towards unprecedented brain growth.

Fitting Facts

While the hypothesis can’t be tested outright, Wrangham offers several pieces of evidence in its support. Perhaps the most convincing is archaeological evidence of controlled fires in sub-Saharan Africa. The fires date back to approximately 1.8 million years ago, coinciding with fossil records showing increases in early human cranial capacity (ie. brain space).

Modern day human skull.
Source: Flickr, submitted by Internet Archive.

This convergence of events supports the idea that cooking lead to the big brains we think with today. So the next time someone tells you not to play with fire, you might want to think twice.

Contributor: Hayley Carolan

 

Leave a comment

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

Tagged , , , , ,

Parkinson’s Disease: mystery solved by a protein?

Posted on January 21, 2019 by | 1 comment

Source: Army US

Parkinson’s disease is a lifelong disease with no cure. According to this website, out of all the diseases associated with the brain, Parkinson’s is the second most common. Parkinson’s is characterized by problems with movement, such as uncontrollable shaking and difficulty walking.

Unexplained Cell Death is the cause of Parkinson’s Disease

On a cellular level, Parkinson’s is the result of nerve cell death. Neurons are the cells that make up our nervous system. Since the nervous system is responsible for our ability to think, feel and move, neurons are pretty important. Especially, since, after a certain age, we stop producing new neurons.

Essentially, Parkinson’s Disease is caused by the massacre of these precious neurons. Specifically, Parkinson’s is caused by the nerve cell death in a specific part of the brain,  the Substantia Nigra. Nerve cells in this region produce dopamine, a chemical signal involved in producing movement.

As of now, we have yet to find a clear culprit responsible for the cell death in Parkinson’s. However, active research has shed some light on the matter.

Relative location of the Substantia Nigra. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Lewy Bodies’ association with Parkinson’s Disease

Lewy bodies are essentially clumps of broken protein, of different types and sizes. According to this study, Lewy bodies are especially common in the dopamine-producing cells belonging to patients with Parkinson’s. Because they have such a strong association with the disease, Lewy Bodies and their protein contents have piqued scientists’ interests.

One protein of note, is alpha-synuclein. In the healthy body, the function of this protein is unknown. In diseased state, however, scientists have found they make up a large portion of Lewy Bodies. With this, we turn to another study that investigated alpha-synuclein’s role in hereditary Parkinson’s Disease.

Example of a Lewy Body (the dark red circle). Source: Wikimedia Commons

Alpha-Synuclein’s role in Hereditary Parkinson’s

There are two broad categories of Parkinson’s: hereditary and non-hereditary. The hereditary type is rare and, like most hereditary disease, the cause can be found in the patient’s genes. Specifically, researchers have found a mutation in the gene that codes for alpha-synuclein. The mutation ended up producing proteins with the wrong shape. The correct proteins should have what is called an alpha helix shape; meanwhile, the defective protein had a beta sheet shape instead (refer to diagram below). Unlike alpha helices, beta sheets have the ability to stack on top of each other to form an amyloid fibril. These structures start to pose a problem because they are hard to degrade and are useless, just hanging around inside the cell. Amyloid fibrils have the potential to kill neurons and explains the cell death seen in this particular type of Parkinson’s.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The researchers for this study feel that the same mutation is probably no the cause for the more common, non-hereditary version of this disease. However, they also feel that a similar process may be at play here and their findings have provided groundwork for future research.

1 Comment

Posted in Biological Sciences

Tagged , , , , ,