Computational Neuroscience: GPCRs and Bioinformatics
March 6, 2020
In Conversation with Professor Dmitry Veprintsev Written by María Ángeles Jiménez Sigstad G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are membrane proteins which are highly relevant due to a large number of drugs that activate them. The classical mechanism of activation of GPCRs is comprised by the binding of agonists, a type of ligand or drug, leading to …
How bad is air pollution for our brain?
January 24, 2020
Written by Sakaorna Jeyanathan Nobody can deny that we are globally subjected to air pollution on a daily basis. Although it may not be as drastic as the pollution in China(1), we have unknowingly become accustomed to the fumes produced by cars, factories and agriculture(2). Presumably, this can have severe implications on our respiratory system …
Altered gene expression in neurotransmitter pathways observed in Schizophrenia
March 4, 2019
Written by Vaishali Gursal (3rd year BSc Neuroscience) Schizophrenia is a severe, long-term debilitating neuropsychiatric disorder whereby an individual is unable to separate their own thoughts from reality. The exact causes of schizophrenia are unknown, although environmental and genetic factors combined can enable susceptibility to trigger the condition. Positive and negative symptoms of the …
New mechanism for the spreading of pain in inflammatory arthritis
December 17, 2018
Written by Lucy Tyler As the home of the Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre, much of the research conducted at the University of Nottingham’s School of Life Sciences in the Queen’s Medical Centre, is based on chronic pain and how it can be treated more effectively. Arthritis is an umbrella term for disorders of …
Are Plant-based Diets Good for the Brain?
November 7, 2018
Written by Vaishali Gursal (3rd year BSc Neuroscience) Earlier this month, a study by the University of Oxford concluded that a global switch to a plant-based diet (rich in fruits and vegetables, along with a heavily decreased consumption of red and processed meat) could cut greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds, reduce global expenditure on …
