Amyloid plaques are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) — clumps of misfolded proteins that accumulate in the brain, disrupting and killing neurons and resulting in the progressive cognitive impairment that is characteristic of the widespread neurological disorder. In animal models, a new compound modulated a key enzyme, reducing or eliminating production of these problematic protein fragments.

A genome-wide study examined how lactate regulates long-term memory formation and neuroprotection. Previous studies have shown that lactate stimulates the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in neuronal activity by signaling through N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. This latest study reveals the extent to which lactate modifies gene expression in cortical neurons and also points to the mechanisms through which lactate modulates brain function.

Porphyromonas gingivalis is a major bacterial pathogen which leads to periodontitis, also known as gum disease. What’s more, P. gingivalis has also been linked to rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, pancreatic cancer, and even Alzheimer’s disease. A research has provided new insights into bacteriology and is a crucial step towards combating the diseases this bacterium is associated with.

Researchers from Harvard University have developed an electronic chip that can perform high-sensitivity intracellular recording from thousands of connected neurons simultaneously. This breakthrough allowed them to map synaptic connectivity at an unprecedented level, identifying hundreds of synaptic connections.

By observing how cells manage to modify their function by partially changing their identity, Swiss researchers discovered a phenomenon of cell plasticity unknown until now. Although they only examined cells in the pancreas, such processes might characterize many other cell types in the body.