Alzheimer’s gene boosts seizures, but pathway can be targeted, study finds

Members of the Hee Jung Chung research group gather around the lab benches
The gene most strongly correlated with Alzheimer’s disease also boosts seizure activity by decreasing levels of ions pumps and energy-producing enzymes in neurons, a new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found. Furthermore, the energy-making pathway was stimulated...

Research: Reading for pleasure can strengthen memory in older adults

Exterior of Beckman Institute at nighttime. Lights in the building are on and trees along path to the building are illuminated.
Researchers at the Beckman Institute, with help from the Champaign Public Library, investigated the potential benefits of reading in improving memory. They found that regular, engaged leisure reading can strengthen memory skills in older adults, laying the groundwork for better practices in...

New ultrasound tool measures blood flow, images microvasculature in the brain

Standing: Pengfei Song (left); Dan Llano. Seated: Qi You.
Researchers at the Beckman Institute developed a technique for producing super-resolution ultrasound images of tissue microvasculature in just a fraction of the time previously needed. Their work could enable future research into the neurovascular mechanisms behind conditions like Alzheimer’s...