BRAIN PONDERINGS
Conversations with scientists at the forefront of brain research. Hosted by neuroscientist Mark Mattson.
Episodes
During the past decade several new technological advances have enabled the identification of ensembles of neurons that encode a specific memory trace (engram cells) and for controlling the activity of engram cells so that recall or inhibition of a memory is controlled by the experimenter. The tec...
Recent discoveries show that some neurodegenerative disorders occur because of abnormalities in the processing of RNA in the cell nucleus and/or its export from the nucleus. Johns Hopkins University Associate Professor Shuying Sun is at the forefront of research that is establishing the molecular mechanisms responsible for RNA dysregulation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD...
NOTE: This lecture with slides presented can be found on the Brain Ponderings YouTube Channel.
This episode begins by highlighting recent evidence showing adverse effects on the brain of excessive activation of the mTOR pathway as a consequence of dietary branched...
NOTE: This lecture with slides presented can be found on the Brain Ponderings YouTube Channel.
This video describes 12 major changes that occur in brain cells during aging and their involvement in decline in brain function and the development of neurodegenerative ...
Neurobiology of Aging Lecture Series: #1 – Theories, Comparative Biology, and Animal Models of Aging
The lipid membrane bilayer of cells is composed of fats including phospholipids, cholesterol, and sphingomyelin. Enzymes called sphingomyelinases can cleave sphingomyelin resulting in the liberation of ceramides which can diffuse within the cell and act as signaling molecules. In this episode I talk with Tulane University Professor Norm Haughey about research...
Brain tumor cells interact with neurons, glial cells, and immune cells in complex ways that often benefit the cancer cells while compromising the function of normal neural cells. In this episode I talk with Washington University Neurology Professor Davi...
There is considerable evidence that exposure to certain chemicals in the environment cause Parkinson's disease in many people. In this episode neurologist Ray Dorsey talks about some of the chemicals that may cause Parkinson's disease including the pesticides paraquat and rotenone, and trichloroethylene and perchlo...
A shared feature of neurodegenerative disorders is accumulation of aggregated proteins within neurons: Tau in Alzheimer's disease; alpha-synuclein in Parkinson's disease; huntingtin in Huntington's disease; and TDP43 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In this e...
Remarkable advances are being made in the development and clinical applications of stimulation devices that enable recovery of motor function in patients who have suffered a spinal cord injury, a stroke, and even those with rare disabling genetic disorders. At the forefront ...
Dietary iron is essential for health as it plays important roles in the ability of hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body and brain. In addition, iron is involved in various functions in cells including the generation of ATP in mitochondria and DNA synthesis. The vast majority of iron is bound to proteins such as ferritin and heme. However, in its ion...
Health depends upon proper regulation of circadian rhythms of cell and organ functions. Disruption of circadian rhythms has detrimental consequences for brain function and resilience and abnormal circadian rhythms are a common feature of Alzheimer's disease. In this episode neurology professor Erik Musiek talks about the roles of specific circadian clock prot...
Chronic uncontrolled stress is a risk factor for many different diseases including mental and neurodegenerative disorders. The effects of such stress on the brain differ considerably between females and males. However, the vast majority of preclinical studies in animal models have included only males which in some cases has resulted in therapeutic interventio...
In stressful situations the brain communicates with the adrenal glands stimulating them to release adrenaline and cortisol. This stress responsive neuroendocrine system plays important adaptive roles by regulating energy metabolism, attention, and learning and memory. However, without a recovery period chronic uncontrolled stress such as psychosocial stress c...
Clearly demonstrated as being effective for cardiovascular disease, lifestyle medicine is becoming an important discipline for the prevention and treatment of age-related brain disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this episode I talk with Read more
The calcium ion controls neuronal network activity, synapse function and synaptic plasticity, and is a fundamental mediator of learning and memory. With aging and much more so in Alzheimer's disease the abil...
Long believed to function only as the cell's powerhouse research is revealing that mitochondria actively control a cell's response to various types of stress. Even more amazingly mitochondria send stress-related signals between cells. In this episode UC Berkeley Professor Andy Dillin has made major advances in understanding basic mechanisms of aging, how cell...
While neurons and the circuits the form have been the major focus of brain research the human brain contains at least as many cells that are not neurons of which astrocytes are by far the most abundant. During the past decade there have been numerous studies that reveal novel and very active roles for astrocytes in regulating the growth of neurons, the format...
Because neurons in the brain are electrically excitable and active 24/7 the brain consumes relatively large amounts of energy and must adapt to varying demands on its neural networks. The cellular and molecular complexity of the brain presents a major challenge for understanding not only its second-by-second function but also how neural net...
Research on substance use disorders has largely focused on understanding the key neural circuits and neurotransmitter systems that are altered, and on behavioral and pharmacological interventions. However, emerging research findings suggest that alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with alterations in energy metabolism and can accelerate brain aging. In t...
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