Brains of people with sickle cell disease appear older (Links to an external site)

Brains of people with sickle cell disease appear older
Individuals with sickle cell disease – a chronic illness where misshapen, sticky blood cells clump together, reducing oxygen delivery to organs – are at a higher risk for stroke and resulting cognitive disability. But even in the absence of stroke, many such patients struggle with remembering, focusing, learning and problem solving, among other cognitive problems, […]

Fatal neurodegenerative disease in kids also affects the bowel (Links to an external site)

Fatal neurodegenerative disease in kids also affects the bowel
As a leading researcher of rare diseases that affect children’s brains, Jonathan D. Cooper, PhD, thought little about the gastrointestinal (GI) system. That is, until the parents of children with a condition that Cooper studies urged him to investigate why debilitating digestive issues troubled their kids, who suffer from an incurable and fatal neurodegenerative brain condition […]

Could inhaling xenon gas help treat Alzheimer’s? A new mouse study suggests it might (Links to an external site)

Could inhaling xenon gas help treat Alzheimer’s? A new mouse study suggests it might
The gas xenon, like the other noble, or inert, gases, is known for doing very little. The class of elements, because of its molecular structure, don’t typically interact with many chemicals.  But a new mouse study shows one possible use case for xenon — as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The paper, published Wednesday in Science Translational […]