New research from the RIKEN Center for Brain Science shows that mice can teach us about decision-making strategies. Mice in the study autonomously trained themselves to make decisions about detailed pictures on a screen. A dataset of over 1.3 million…
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Using mice to explore the prevention of blocked arteries
It’s long been known that a high-fat diet can lead to clogged arteries, but we have only recently begun to learn in detail how the process works. A new study in experimental mice could go a long way to finding…
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From mice to men: Study reveals potential new target for treating acute myeloid leukemia
Bone marrow failure due to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a significant factor behind the disease’s high rate of morbidity and mortality. Previous studies in mice suggest that AML cells inhibit healthy hematopoietic (blood) stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). A…
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Of mice and men: Mutation linked to autism impairs oxytocin-mediated social behavior
Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition involving impaired social abilities, and this makes it a fascinating subject for neuroscientists like Prof. Teiichi Furuichi of the Tokyo University of Science who study the neuroscience of social behavior. Prof. Furuichi and…
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New strategy blocks chronic lung disease in mice
Inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma, COPD and, most recently, COVID-19, have proven difficult to treat. Current therapies reduce symptoms and do little to stop such diseases from continuing to damage the lungs. Much research into treating chronic inflammatory diseases…
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‘Exercise protein’ doubles running capacity, restores function and extends healthy lifespans in older mice
A new study shows that humans express a powerful hormone during exercise and that treating mice with the hormone improves physical performance, capacity and fitness. Researchers say the findings present new possibilities for addressing age-related physical decline. The research, published…
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Scientists reverse deadly impacts of asthma in mice
Mucus in the lungs can be fatal for asthma patients, but scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have broken up those secretions at the molecular level and reversed their often deadly impacts. In a study published Monday…
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Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice
Problems with the sense of smell appear to be an early indicator of cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it’s unknown whether factors such as diet and obesity play a role in who develops these symptoms. Now,…
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Blocking nerve signals to the pancreas halts type 1 diabetes onset in mice
Your pancreas is a little sweet potato-shaped organ that sits snug behind your stomach. The pancreas is studded with islets, the cell clusters that house insulin-producing beta cells. In people with type 1 diabetes, the body’s own immune cells head…
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New mutations accumulate in reproductive cells of older mice
Older mice have more new mutations—changes in DNA sequence that occur in the individual rather than being inherited from a parent—than younger mice in the genomes of their mitochondria, according to researchers at Penn State. The findings could have implications…
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