New research has found that a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor drug used to treat cancer could also help sharpen memory and improve one’s ability to learn a new language. It could even help rewire the brain and sustain neurons which could be of benefit to those suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. Researchers from Rutgers published a study … Continue reading HDAC Inhibitor Could Sharpen Memory and Treat Cancer
DNA Methyltransferase (DNMT) Could Help Boost Memory and Reduce Anxiety
Imagine if increasing a certain type of epigenetic enzyme could ease anxiety or cure post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by simply erasing troubling memories? What if it could also enhance cognitive abilities and improve long-term memory and learning? In previous blog articles, researchers found that an immune-suppressing drug that inhibits HDACs could stop aversive memories and the epigenetic … Continue reading DNA Methyltransferase (DNMT) Could Help Boost Memory and Reduce Anxiety
“I Am No Longer Haunted By That Awful Memory” – New Epigenetic Drug Treatment May Erase Painful Memories
Is it possible for a drug to dampen a traumatic memory? It may be, as researchers are discovering that a fundamental epigenetic mechanism is responsible for long-term fear memory. Neuroplasticity, also called brain plasticity, refers to the changes in neural connections such as synapses and neural pathways as a result of changes in behavior, environmental … Continue reading “I Am No Longer Haunted By That Awful Memory” – New Epigenetic Drug Treatment May Erase Painful Memories
Epigenetics May Provide Relief for Fragile X Syndrome and Intellectual Disorders
Intellectual disabilities affect an individual’s ability to communicate, process information and can severely impact basic life skills of people from all age groups. Many are a result of a genetic mutation and have often had little insight on any cures or treatments. Recent research published in Cell suggests that epigenetics may play a role in alleviating behavioral symptoms and … Continue reading Epigenetics May Provide Relief for Fragile X Syndrome and Intellectual Disorders
Epigenetics: Feeding the Obesity and Diabetes Epidemic?
Every kid reaching for the junk food has heard mom and dad’s warning, “You are what you eat!” But parents should be advised that children can now offer a humbling retort, “No, I’m what YOU ate!” A new study by scientists from the Institute of Experimental Genetics at Helmholtz Zentrum München (Neuherberg, Germany) suggests that … Continue reading Epigenetics: Feeding the Obesity and Diabetes Epidemic?
Can An Infection Alter Your Epigenome?
There are many examples of infectious agents that are capable of modifying the behavior of their host organism. Pathogens typically co-opt their host in ways that create an opportunity to spread into another host. For example, the rabies virus is transmitted through saliva, so the virus transforms its host into an unusually aggressive beast that … Continue reading Can An Infection Alter Your Epigenome?
Epigenetic Study of Histone Modifications and DNA Damage Could Lead to New Cancer Treatments
DNA damage occurs frequently to cells as a result of normal cellular processes, but one of the worst genetic malfunctions that can occur is DNA double-strand breaks, or DSBs. This can lead to cancer and increased resistance to cancer therapy. New research from scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported their … Continue reading Epigenetic Study of Histone Modifications and DNA Damage Could Lead to New Cancer Treatments
Dr. Eddy Bettermann MD 