Key proteins in brains function identified.

The team, led by MIT biology professor Frank Gertler, found that a certain family of proteins is necessary to direct the formation of axons and dendrites, the cellular extensions that facilitate communication between neurons. The work focuses on cellular outgrowths called neurites, which are the precursors to axons and dendrites. Understanding how neurites form could [...]

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Children prone to brain damage, even at low amounts of lead

Sciencedaily reports that even very small amounts of lead in children’s blood — amounts well below the current federal standard — are associated with reduced IQ scores, finds a new, six-year Cornell study. The study examined the effect of lead exposure on cognitive function in children whose blood-lead levels (BLLs) were below the Centers for [...]

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