Scientists have long sought to better understand the workings of the immune system. New research from Lynn B. Martin II and colleagues (Ohio State University, Columbus) specifically addresses the link between reduced food intake and immune ‘memory’. The results suggest that mothers everywhere were on to something: eating enough food is essential to proper immuneContinueContinue reading “Your mother was right”
Tag Archives: behavior & mood
Communication, not camouflage, drives chameleon change
Color change in chameleons can serve at least two purposes: signaling to other chameleons and hiding from potential predators. New research from Devi Stuart-Fox (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and The University of Melbourne, Australia) and Adnan Moussalli (University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, and Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia) has established that social signaling,ContinueContinue reading “Communication, not camouflage, drives chameleon change”
Sleep in a bottle?
The effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive function may be reversed by treatment with a compound called orexin-A, which occurs naturally in the mammalian brain. The new research was done with rhesus monkeys and may have therapeutic implications for people who suffer from narcolepsy and other sleep disorders, as well as those whose occupations demandContinueContinue reading “Sleep in a bottle?”
Mice shed light on OCD
An international group of scientists is delving into the genetic basis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using mice that are genetically engineered to lack the gene Sapap3, which is involved in neurotransmitter signaling. Deleting Sapap3 resulted in greater anxiety and compulsive grooming to the point of self-injury in these mice. Both the anxiety and excessive groomingContinueContinue reading “Mice shed light on OCD”
Putting jet lag to rest
Sildenafil, the active component of the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, can attenuate the effects of circadian phase advances in hamsters. The new research from Diego A. Golombek and colleagues of the National University of Quilmes (Buenos Aires, Argentina) suggests that sildenafil may have potential as a treatment for jet lag and other circadian adaptation problemsContinueContinue reading “Putting jet lag to rest”
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