Health Problems

Faulty molecular master switch may contribute to AMD

A signaling pathway controlled by transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) could be involved in the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found that interrupting TGF-beta signals to immune cells called microglia causes the cells to enter an activated, inflammatory state. […]

Health Problems

Newly formed blood vessels may contribute to eye disease

Newly formed blood vessels may be cracks in the barrier between the bloodstream and the eye, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. A novel experiment led by Jing Jin, MD, Ph.D., assistant professor of Medicine in the Department of Nephrology and Hypertension and senior author […]

Health Problems

Brain function impacts how experiences contribute to depression

A study in adolescent girls reports that recent life events impact depressive symptoms differently, depending on how the brain responds to winning and losing. A strong brain response to winning boosted the beneficial impact of positive experiences on symptoms, whereas a strong response to losing enhanced the detrimental impact of negative experiences on symptoms. The […]