Neurological disorders articles within Nature

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  • Letter |

    It has long been thought that motor control is achieved through the balanced activity of two distinct pathways through the basal ganglia that have opposing effects, but this has never been functionally verified. These authors directly test this hypothesis with optogenetic activation of different populations of mouse striatal neurons, and not only trace functional connectivity but demonstrate opposing effects on motor behaviour in a parkinsonian model.

    • Alexxai V. Kravitz
    • , Benjamin S. Freeze
    •  & Anatol C. Kreitzer

  • Letter |

    Uninterrupted blood flow through the small vessels of the brain is essential for cerebral function and viability. Small clots that form in the vessels can be — but are not always — removed by haemodynamic forces and the fibrinolytic system. Here, a third mechanism for the removal of emboli is described: the endothelial cells that line the vessel walls send out membrane projections that envelop the emboli and move them into the perivascular parenchyma tissue. In aged mice, this process is markedly delayed.

    • Carson K. Lam
    • , Taehwan Yoo
    •  & Jaime Grutzendler

  • News Feature |

    Almost every human protein has segments that can form amyloids, the sticky aggregates known for their role in disease. Yet cells have evolved some elaborate defences, finds Jim Schnabel.

    • Jim Schnabel

  • Letter
    | Open Access

    Studies of identical twins are widely used to dissect the contributions of genes and the environment to human diseases. In multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune demyelinating disease, identical twins often show differences. This might suggest that environmental effects are most significant in this case, but genetic and epigenetic differences between identical twins have been described. Here, however, studies of identical twins show no evidence for genetic, epigenetic or transcriptome differences that could explain disease discordance.

    • Sergio E. Baranzini
    • , Joann Mudge
    •  & Stephen F. Kingsmore

  • News & Views |

    In a feat of biological wizardry, one type of differentiated cell has been directly converted into another, completely distinct type. Notably, the approach does not require a stem-cell intermediate stage.

    • Cory R. Nicholas
    •  & Arnold R. Kriegstein

  • News & Views |

    Defects in mitochondria are implicated in Parkinson's disease. Study of a quality-control pathway involving the proteins PINK1 and Parkin provides further clues about the mechanism involved.

    • Asa Abeliovich

  • News Feature |

    An increase in premature births means that more babies are at risk of neurological damage. Erika Check Hayden talks with researchers who are developing ways to help these children.

    • Erika Check Hayden

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