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Researchers from Bonn and Japan clarify how neighboring synapses coordinate their response to plasticity signals Nerve cells in the brain receive thousands of synaptic signals via their "antenna", the so-called dendritic branch. Permanent changes in synaptic strength correlate with changes in the size of dendritic spines.

Researchers from Würzburg and Berlin present a new molecule for visualising the sphingomyelin metabolism. This offers prospects for innovative therapeutic approaches in infection research. At the end of the 19th century, the German pathologist Ludwig Thudichum isolated previously unknown fatty substances (lipids) from the brain.

Using newly generated "optogenetic" tobacco plants, research teams from the University of Würzburg's Departments of Plant Physiology and Neurophysiology have investigated how plants process external signals. When it comes to survival, plants have a huge disadvantage compared to many other living organisms: they cannot simply change their location if predators or pathogens attack them or the environmental conditions change to their disadvantage.

Letting go of learned fears is difficult. New research findings reveal that the environment in which we learn the fear could also play a crucial role in unlearning it. When we learn something, we can usually recall it in any new context: If someone passes their driving test in France, they can also drive a car in Germany.

When combined with antifungal drugs, synthetic polymers are particularly effective against the yeast Candida albicans . This is what a German-Australian research team found out and also clarified the mechanism of action behind it. The researchers presented their findings in the journal "Nature Communications".

Chlamydiae are sexually transmitted pathogens that can apparently survive in the human gut for a long time. Researchers from Würzburg and Berlin report this in the journal PLOS Pathogens. People who are infected with chlamydia can transmit these bacteria to other people during unprotected sex. The pathogens usually cause no or only mild symptoms at first, such as itching in the vagina, penis or anus.

University of Bonn study: regulated degradation of damaged cell components prevents heart failure and nerve diseases The elimination of damaged cell components is essential for the maintenance of the body's tissues and organs. An international research team led by the University of Bonn has made significant findings on mechanisms for the clearing of cellular wastes, showing that strength training activates such mechanisms.

Bonn researchers clarify self-regulation of the immune response in the CRISPR bacterial defense system CRISPR gene scissors, as new tools of molecular biology, have their origin in an ancient bacterial immune system. But once a virus attack has been successfully overcome, the cell has to recover. Researchers from the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) and the University of Bonn, in cooperation with researchers from the Institut Pasteur in France, have discovered a timer integrated into the gene scissors that enables the gene scissors to switch themselves off.

A new highly effective thrombosis inhibitor is in sight: Würzburg scientists present promising inhibitor EMA601 for efficient prevention and treatment of arterial thrombosis and inflammatory reactions without increased bleeding risk. An unhealthy lifestyle, diseases or injuries, genetic predisposition, and increased coagulation tendency can promote the formation of thrombi in blood vessels.

Cognitive impairment is one of the burdens for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. It can severely impair their quality of life and often leads to an increased risk of dementia in those affected. Studies show that a kidney transplant can reverse cognitive impairment - indicating that this disorder can be treated.

In a first, a Bochum-based team has produced a substance capable of sending cancer cells into ferroptosis, that is a specific form of cell death. This could pave the way for the development of new drugs. Conventional cancer drugs work by triggering apoptosis, that is programmed cell death, in tumor cells.

Chemists and pharmaceutical scientists at Heidelberg University develop an innovative process for producing these biologically active compounds A cutting-edge chemical process is the first to make it possible to quickly and easily produce modified peptides with boronic acids. It was developed by scientists from the Institute of Organic Chemistry and the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology at Heidelberg University.

Further action needed according to a University of Bonn study on child and adolescent nutrition A high-sugar diet is seen as a risk factor for obesity and chronic illness. University of Bonn researchers have analyzed data on sugar intake among children and adolescents in a long-term study, finding that intake has been declining steadily since 2010-but is still above the level recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

A new combination of single infrared light measurement and machine learning can be used to detect metabolic disorders and high blood pressure Some common diseases could be easier and quicker to diagnose in future. A team from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and the Helmholtz Zentrum München has demonstrated in a representative study that infrared light measurements of blood plasma when combined with machine learning can be used to detect various metabolic disorders such as type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Memory loss, confusion, speech problems - Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting about 35 million people worldwide, and the number is growing. The protein amyloid beta, which occurs naturally in the brain, plays a central role in the disease: It accumulates in patients in insoluble clumps that form plaques between neurons in the brain, damaging them.

Prerequisite for protective effects of fasting is an increase in the concentration of the endogenous substance spermidine in the organism / international study involving the team of Stephan Sigrist from Freie Universität According to the results of an international study involving the Freie Universität Berlin, fasting can prolong life and increase the health span.

The protective effects of fasting depend on an increase in the concentration of spermidine, according to an international study involving a team led by Professor Stephan Sigrist from Freie Universität Berlin According to the findings of an international study, fasting can extend people's lifespan and increase overall health.

Mast cells trap and use living neutrophils during allergic reactions Known for their role in allergic reactions, mast cells have long been recognised as key players in our immune system. When they encounter allergens, they release chemicals that trigger typical allergy symptoms such as tissue swelling and inflammation.

Known for their role in allergic reactions, mast cells have long been recognised as key players in our immune system. When they encounter allergens, they release chemicals that trigger typical allergy symptoms such as tissue swelling and inflammation. Now, researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg and the University of Münster have discovered a hidden talent of mast cells: they can capture and use another type of immune cell called neutrophils.

Immune cells in the brain form bridges to nerve cells and protect against neurodegenerative diseases When nerve cells in the brain die, diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's develop. To protect these cells, there are immune cells in the brain known as microglia. A study has now shown that microglia form tiny tubes, so-called -tunnelling nanotubes-, and thus connect directly to the nerve cells.