Category: The Brain Channel

  • Genetics and Alzheimer’s Disease

    Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease. What can be done to stem the tide of this devastating disease? Researchers are looking to our genes. “One of the goals of genetics is to try and come up with as strong a set of predictors as is possible. This has influenced the […]

  • Studying the Brain in Real Time

    “Basic mechanisms in the brain have universal applications and are the road to medical discovery,” says Ralph Greenspan, PhD. He has spent his career studying how genes affect the brain and behavior of the fruit fly. This research has lead to a deeper understanding of mechanisms in the human brain. Hear about his current efforts […]

  • Neurotransmitter Switching

    If a neuron has sustained activity over a long period of time (visual stimulus, stress, etc.) it can change the type of neurotransmitter that it makes. This gives our neurons many languages to communicate with and makes our brain more adaptable. Nick Spitzer explains this neurotransmitter switching and how that process impacts our physical abilities, […]

  • New Brain Channel Series on Movement Disorders

    Moving is something we do without thinking but it’s not as simple as it may seem. Movement is an incredibly complex process that requires different parts of the brain working with muscles and nerves throughout the body. Signals move between the brain and the rest of the body controlling the coordination needed — but sometimes […]

  • “White Dots” in the Brain Predict Walking Problem

    Fatta Nahab, MD, is a board-certified neurologist and director of the neuroimaging program at UC San Diego Health’s Movement Disorder Center. Find out how he is using innovative brain imaging techniques to reveal clues in understanding and developing new therapies to treat movement disorders. He explains about “white dots” in the brain and how they […]

  • Your Brain in Health and Disease

    The brain is the most important organ in the body. It is the hub of the nervous system and controls all the body’s functions. But sometimes there are problems with the brain. For example, with our aging population the incidence of brain disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease are predicted to reach epidemic proportions. But decline […]

  • Movement Disorders: New Series on The Brain Channel

    UC San Diego physicians and researchers are hard at work uncovering the symptoms, secrets, and progression of movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. William Mobley, MD, PhD sits down with those on the front lines to find out what we currently know, where research is trending, and what potential therapies are on the horizon in […]

  • The Mind and Methods of V.S. Ramachandran

    “A lot of the time when you think the patient is crazy, it means you’re not smart enough to figure it out.” – V.S. Ramachandran Seeing numbers as colors. Feeling the pain from a phantom limb. Sensing shadowy figures around your bed. V.S. Ramachandran, PhD studies these seeming anomalies of the mind to discover the […]

  • Alzheimer’s Disease – Neuroimaging, Caregiver Concerns, and Residential Care

    Continuing our in-depth look at Alzheimer’s disease, On Our Mind examines the patient experience as well as the impact of the disease on families and communities. Learn more with our newest installments: Neuroimaging Advances for Alzheimer’s DiseaseWhat insights can new imaging techniques give us not only to the biology of the disease but the efficacy […]

  • Discovering New Drugs and Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease

    Watch the latest Alzheimer’s Disease programs from the Brain Channel: Embracing Innovation: Discovering New Drugs for Alzheimer’s Disease How can we create more effective drugs for Alzheimer’s disease? Michael Jackson, PhD joins William Mobley, MD, PhD to discuss the process of turning an idea into a drug. Creating connectivity between basic scientists, pharmaceutical companies, and […]