Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Accept all cookies Reject all non-essential cookies Find out more

New research uncovers a unique function of BDNF signaling

Research

A paper by Dr Liliana Minichiello and colleagues in the Department of Pharmacology, published today in Nature Communications, reveals an unexpected function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling in brain cells called striatal medium spiny neurons (MSNs) located in the basal ganglia and involved, among other functions, in motor control.

Preferential loss of these neurons is thought to decrease the amount of inhibitory control over unwanted movements leading to chorea and hyperkinesia typically associated with Huntington’s disease (HD), a neurodegenerative disorder. In particular, the subpopulation expressing enkephalin and the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) are the first to be affected.

Read more

Similar stories

New computational technique reveals changes to lung function post COVID-19 infection

A new study led by Oxford researchers found that prior COVID-19 infection was associated with more uneven inflation of the lungs during normal breathing, smaller lung volumes, and greater respiratory dead space.

Oxford spinout Optellum secures $14m funding to advance pioneering AI-powered lung cancer diagnosis technology

Optellum, a University of Oxford spinout that provides a breakthrough AI platform to diagnose and treat early-stage lung cancer, has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round.

New study shows higher rate of fractures in people with intellectual disability

In the most comprehensive study of its kind, researchers at the University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust found a substantially higher rate of fractures in people with intellectual disability compared with people of the same age and gender without an intellectual disability.

Kia Nobre awarded prestigious C.L. de Carvalho- Heineken Prize for Cognitive Science 2022

New evidence for how our brains handle surprise

A new study from the Bruno Group is challenging our perceptions of how the different regions of the cerebral cortex function. A group of ‘quiet’ cells in the somatosensory cortex that rarely respond to touch have been found to react mainly to surprising circumstances. The results suggest their function is not necessarily driven by touch, but may indicate an important and previously unidentified role across all the major cortices.

Language learning difficulties in children linked to brain differences

A new study using MRI has revealed structural brain changes in children with developmental language disorder (DLD), a common but under-recognised difficulty in language learning. Children with DLD aged 10-15 showed reduced levels of myelin in areas of the brain associated with speaking and listening to others, and areas involved in learning new skills. This finding is a significant advance in our understanding of DLD and these brain differences may explain the poorer language outcomes in this group.