HOW ANCIENT VIRUS GOT CANNABIS HIGH
Researchers provide the first cannabis chromosome map, revealing ancient viruses contributed to the evolution of marijuana.… READ MORE…
BLOOD VIRUSES LEAD TO DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS
WUSTL researchers report viruses such as West Nile and Zika can kill neurons in the gut, disrupting bowel movements and causing intestinal blockages.… READ MORE…
CMV VIRUS MAY BOOST OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
Researchers report the cytomegalovirus may actually boost, not weaken, our immune systems.… READ MORE…
POLIOVIRUS THERAPY FOR RECURRENT GLIOBLASTOMA HAS 3 YEAR SURVIVAL RATE OF 21%
A new study reports a genetically modified poliovirus therapy has been shown to improve long term survival rates in recurrent glioblastoma brain cancer patients. Researchers say the therapy had a three year survival rate for 21 percent of participants in a phase 1 clinical trial, compared to just 4% of patients who received more standard treatments. … READ MORE…
VIRAL CONNECTION TO ALZHEIMER’S: HERPES VIRUS IMPLICATED IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE
Researchers provide evidence that certain species of human herpesvirus contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The study reports high levels of human herpesvirus 6A and 7 were found in brain samples showing signs of Alzheimer’s neuropathology. The findings offer hints of the viral mechanisms that could trigger or exacerbate AD.… READ MORE…
VIRUS LIKE PROTEIN IS IMPORTANT FOR COGNITION AND MEMORY
Researchers reveal a protein essential for memory and cognition looks and acts like a protein from a virus. … READ MORE…
HUMANS NO LONGER HAVE ANCIENT DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST VIRUSES
The course of evolution has caused vertebrates to lose an important defense mechanism against viral infections, researchers report.… READ MORE…
ZIKA VIRUS COULD BE USED TO TREAT BRAIN CANCER PATIENTS
A new study in the Journal of Experimental Medicine report Zika virus could be used to target and treat glioblastoma brain cancer. Researchers found a mouse adapted strain of Zika slowed tumor growth and extended life span in mice with glioblastoma.… READ MORE…
VIRUS HIJACKS CELL’S TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
According to a PNAS study, the RNAs of tick borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) are transported from the cell body to dendrites. The viral RNAs then reproduce the viruses within the dendrites, disturbing neural activity.… READ MORE…
CHICKENPOX VIRUS FATAL IN NEWLY DISCOVERED IMMUNODEFICIENCY
Researchers at Aarhus University have identified a mutation in an immune system sensor that can result in chicken pox infection becoming fatal. According to the study, immune cells in those with extreme reaction to VZV neither detected the virus nor activated the immune system. The findings shed light on why some people are more susceptible to infections than others. … READ MORE…
HIDDEN HERPES VIRUS MAY PLAY ROLE IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND OTHER BRAIN DISORDERS
A new study in Scientific Reports concludes human herpesvirus 6 may impair the brain’s ability to repair itself in demylination diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. HHV-6 is the most common human herpes virus, with an estimated 80% of people being exposed to infection during childhood. Researchers found the virus produces a protein that can impair the ability of brain cells to repair damaged myelin.… READ MORE…
BRAIN FIGHTS WEST NILE VIRUS IN UNEXPECTED WAY
Researchers report RIPK3 appears to protect brain cells during West Nile virus infection.… READ MORE…
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