Today in Mice

Studying the Effects of Estrogen on Memory

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:31:00 -0700

A new study from the University of Illinois has found that chronic exposure to estradiol, the main estrogen in the body, diminishes some cognitive functions: Rats exposed to a steady dose of the estrogen did not perform as well on tasks involving working memory and response inhibition.

Shrinking Brain Tumors with Drugs and Pumps

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 11:02:00 -0700

Drugs used to restrict a specific fatty acid in the brains of rats with glioblastoma-like tumors dramatically shrank tumors and reduced new blood vessel growth, prolonging survival, according to the cover story of the August Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism.

Naked Pleasure

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:43:00 -0700

They're anything but warm and fuzzy. Wrinkled, bald with slits for eyes, naked mole rats huddle together underground for warmth. While they have no hair, poor eyesight, an unregulated body temperature and no pain sensation in their skin, these critters have something that most rats, most mammals in fact, don't -- a remarkable, eusocial, home life.

90 Years Later, Finding Immunity to the 1918 Flu

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:47:00 -0700

Survivors of the 1918 influenza pandemic who were infected or exposed to the disease were made immune to the strain for the rest of their lives, according to a new study from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine's Department of Microbiology.

ED Drugs Break Through Blood-Brain Tumor Barrier

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:35:00 -0700

Although it's unlikely to be incorporated into the ubiquitous marketing campaigns for erectile dysfunction drugs, a significant off-label use of the medications may have been identified by researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. In a laboratory study conducted on rats, the research team used erectile dysfunction drugs to increase the amount of a chemotherapy drug that was able to cross the blood-brain tumor barrier and thus attack the tumor — without affecting healthy brain tissue.

Profile of a Pimple

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:33:00 -0700

Of all the human diseases, you'd think that acne would be an easy one to give mice -- not so much.

Big Doses of Vitamin C Shrink Tumors

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 13:08:00 -0700

Large doses of vitamin C shrink tumors by about 50 percent in mice with brain, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, according to a new report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A Possible Cure for the Baby Blues?

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:54:00 -0700

A mechanism in the brains of mice -- specifically, the lack of a protein that is key in adapting to sex hormone fluctuations -- might explain why some human mothers experience depression after giving birth, and the discovery could lead to better treatments for postpartum depression.

Dealing With Stress Begins in Childhood, With Mom’s Help

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:09:00 -0700

A new study suggests that the consistency of maternal care may be more important in raising children than the amount of affection shown by mothers (even rat mothers), and that exposure to different environments can significantly impact a child's development.

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Show Promise

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 05:00:00 -0700

Certain stem cells in the spinal cord, when persuaded to differentiate into more healing cells and less scarring tissue after an injury, could lead to a new, non-surgical treatment for debilitating spinal-cord injuries, according to researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.

Some Good News on Trans-Fats

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:25:00 -0700

Trans-fatty acids are blamed for a host of health problems, from high cholesterol to increased risk of heart disease, but in the July Journal of Lipid research, a new study of rats suggests that trans-fats - while still relatively unhealthy -- do not increase the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.

The Acid Test for Stopping a Seizure

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:45:00 -0700

One evening, when my husband and I were first dating, my husband faked a seizure. We were in mid-conversation, shoulder to shoulder on the couch, his arm wrapped around me when he stopped talking and went into a fit of shaking.

Black-Footed Ferrets Line Up To Get Their Shots

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:14:00 -0700

OK, OK, so ferrets aren't mice, and they're not even rodents, but the endangered black-footed ferret is one of the rarest mammals in North America , and they've got the plague.

Stem Cells Fight Muscular Dystrophy

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:14:00 -0700

Researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have demonstrated for the first time that transplanted muscle stem cells can restore healthy muscle and improve muscle function in mice with muscular dystrophy. The research is published in the July 11 issue of Cell.

Gerbils In the Fight Against Alzheimer's

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:16:00 -0700

OK, this blog isn't called Today in Gerbils.

A Foul-Smelling Life-Saver?

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:08:00 -0700

Hydrogen sulfide, the chemical compound that causes the sulfurous odor of rotten eggs, also significantly improves the survival of rats that have lost extreme amounts of blood, a first-of-its kind study has shown.

Hope for a New Anti-Cancer Vaccine

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:06:00 -0700

In the search for cancer vaccines, researchers are often foiled by the lack of antigens - proteins, usually, that generate antibodies and can cause an immune response - that are tumor-specific and not found elsewhere in the body. If a patient is immunized with antigens that the body also expresses somewhere else, autoimmune complications can result.

What Makes Cocoa Good?

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:56:00 -0700

We all know that chocolate is good. It tastes good. And there are all those studies that say it's good for you, too. What did they say? That it was good to eat chocolate -- dark chocolate, if I remember correctly. Something about antioxidants... something about warding off cancer.

No Muskrat Love For Flooded Homes

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:01:00 -0700

Cities along the Mississippi River have been battling the worst floods in 15 years, which have killed at least 24 people and flooded more than 3.4 million acres. President Bush has declared more than 100 counties in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa disaster areas, and at many points only volunteer-laid sandbags are holding back the teeming floodwaters. And on Friday morning, in Lincoln County, Mo., the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' efforts were undermined by another threat: muskrats.

A New Drug to Reverse Autism's Effects

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 10:24:00 -0700

UCLA researchers have discovered that an FDA-approved drug reverses the brain dysfunction caused by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC); because half of TSC patients also suffer from autism, the researchers are hopeful the treatment can address associated learning disorders. The journal Nature Medicine published the findings in its June 22 online edition.

Plastic Surgeons Turn Their Knives on Cancer

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:58:00 -0700

You won't see it on an episode of Nip/Tuck, but plastic surgeons have discovered a method to deliver cancer-fighting proteins through skin flaps placed over tumors on rats, according to the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Promising New Research on Alzheimer's Disease

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:20:00 -0700

Researchers have known for several years that early removal of plaque in the brain, which damages nerve cells and inflames tissue, is the key to treating Alzheimer's disease. But the natural blood-brain barrier, which prevents most substances from entering the brain from the bloodstream, complicates treatment.

Treating Alcoholism at the Cellular Level

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:13:00 -0700

A new study illuminates the brain cell mechanism behind alcohol dependence, suggesting that a drug used to treat chronic pain and epilepsy also reduces alcohol intake. The study, which appears in the Journal of Neuroscience, reports that the drug, gabapentin, restores the communication between neurons that have been damaged by alcohol abuse.

Ovaries, Testes Age In Different Ways

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 11:09:00 -0700

Researchers at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore have tacked one of the key questions in their field: Do reproductive organs age in the same way as other body organs? The question is especially important since more women in developed countries are postponing childbirth until later in life.

Tumors that Glow in the Dark

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:00:00 -0700

The gene that enables fireflies to flash, as part of the insects' nocturnal courtship displays, is also allowing researchers to track the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs as they move through the body.

The "French Paradox," Explained

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:18:00 -0700

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that a compound in the skin of red grapes curbs the effects of aging in middle-aged mice, even when taken in tiny doses. Scientists believe the discovery might help to explain the so-called "French paradox," the phenomenon that sees French people live longer than most despite eating a diet rich in saturated fats. It has long been thought that the traditional red wine that goes with French meals somehow helps stave off heart disease.

Epilepsy Drug Helps Rats Kick Alcohol Habit

Fri, 30 May 2008 14:24:00 -0700

Last month, we blogged about rodent research that showed promise in treating cirrhosis; now, in a study just published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers conducting experiments with alcohol-dependent rats have found that the anticonvulsant drug gabapentin, currently prescribed to treat epilepsy and chronic pain, "represents a potential medication for treatment of alcoholism."

Giant Bird-Eating Mice

Thu, 29 May 2008 12:40:00 -0700

Gough Island, a British-owned outcrop in the South Atlantic about 2,000 miles off the coast of South America, is one of the most remote places in the world, uninhabited except for the crew of a weather station. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to 22 breeding species of rare nesting seabirds, that live in one of the planet's least disturbed ecosystems. However, that could be changing.

Extinct Tasmanian Tigers Return ... in Mice

Tue, 27 May 2008 16:52:00 -0700

In the first successful experiment of its kind, researchers from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and the University of Texas have inserted genes from an extinct species, the Tasmanian tiger, into a mouse and observed a biological function.

Flaws in the Mouse Model?

Fri, 23 May 2008 10:55:00 -0700

Today in Mice owes its existence to the practice of using model organisms - that is, rodents - to study human biology and diseases. Because mice share 85 percent of their genome in common with humans, the thinking has been that using these distant, furry cousins of ours in research can help scientists predict disease processes in people.

Live Longer on the Rat Diet

Mon, 19 May 2008 16:35:00 -0700

A new study has found that eating less makes mice live longer - and the benefits of a low-calorie diet are even greater than regular exercise provides.

As Rats Grow Long in the Teeth

Mon, 12 May 2008 05:00:00 -0700

In previous Today In Mice posts, we've talked about teenage rats being 28 days old - the equivalent of human adolescence. Why do rats live faster and die younger than humans? NYU dental professor Timothy Bromage has discovered part of the reason while studying teeth.

Sniffing a Rat

Fri, 09 May 2008 16:08:00 -0700

It's the question that dares not go unanswered: Just how fast can a rat smell?

Rats Who Drink As Teenagers Hold Clues to Human Alcoholism

Tue, 06 May 2008 17:17:00 -0700

Exposure to alcohol during adolescence can quickly lead to heavy drinking patterns, according to a new study of adolescent rats, published in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The "mouse lifestyle," observed

Thu, 01 May 2008 16:31:00 -0700

Mice are valuable in research because they're genetically similar to humans and, unlike in people, scientists can manipulate their genes to better understand brain functions, psychology and psychiatry. However, there is a drawback.

“I wonder if he'll be so smart without a functioning hippocampus"

Thu, 01 May 2008 11:51:00 -0700

At the Today In Mice blog, we have genuine sympathy for these researchers ...

Stem Cells Located in Pituitary Gland

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:25:00 -0700

For the first time, scientists have found stem cells in the pituitary glands of mice that allow the organs to grow after birth.

Adopt-a-Rat

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:04:00 -0700

We don't report a lot of feel-good stories about rats - for, ahem, obvious reasons - but this one couldn't be passed up.

The Rat Pack

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:16:00 -0700

Oh, those Norway rats. You see them hanging out in cliques, doing what all the cool rodents do, following the "in-crowd."

Cocaine Blues

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:54:00 -0700

In a new study, adolescent rats given cocaine were more likely than adults to prefer the location where they got the drug.

Brain Chemistry Linked to Poor Parenting

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:15:00 -0700

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that negligent parenting is caused by a mixture of environmental and genetic factors, and might be linked to the brain signaling chemical dopamine.

You Are What Your Mom Ate

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:18:00 -0700

A new study in the Journal of Physiology says that a mother's diet has profound impacts on the health of her baby. Adam Watkins and his colleagues have shown that, even as the egg first leaves the ovary and starts to mature, nutritional deficiencies in the mother can significantly affect it.

Like-New Livers for Rats with Cirrhosis

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:20:00 -0700

Untold numbers of laboratory rodents have been dispatched so that humans could know with certainty that all manner of substances are carcinogenic or otherwise deadly. But in a welcome turnabout, scientists from Sapporo Medical University in Japan reported recently in the journal Nature Biotechnology that they have used synthetic molecules to cure rats of cirrhosis.

Chemotherapy Works Better in Calorie-Deprived Mice

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 09:07:00 -0700

Typically considered a pathology rather than a therapy, starvation has been found to lead to dramatically better results for mice undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

One More Cup of Coffee for the Adenosine Receptor

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:10:00 -0700

We're not saying you should drink six to eight cups of coffee a day, necessarily, but if you do, you might be less likely to develop multiple sclerosis.

Sex, Drugs and Ultrasonic Vocalizations

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:54:00 -0700

Researchers paying really, really close attention to mice having sex have discovered that males make high-pitched squeals during sexual interactions with females. What’s more, the high-frequency vocalizations tell us something about ourselves.

“Bonk” If You Love Rats

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 16:52:00 -0700

A smidgen of the hoopla surrounding Mary Roach's new book on academics and The Act -- "Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex" - concerns an Egyptian surgeon, Ahmed Shafik, and his pioneering 1993 work on rats, leisure suits and getting some.

Another Reason to Have a Cuppa

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:51:00 -0700

In recent years, several studies have suggested that green tea has certain anti-cancer properties. The tea contains high amounts of the antioxidant EGCG, which protects cells in the body, but research has been limited, and the exact nature of the anti-cancer mechanism in green tea and EGCG has yet to be understood.

"If It Works in the Mouse, I'm Sure It Will Also Work in the Human"

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:05:00 -0700

Men, we've got good news and bad news. The good news is German scientists have generated artificial sperm to help infertile males have children. The bad news: Men might become ... well, unnecessary. (Ladies, you can insert your own joke here.)

Mice With a Lot of Gall

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:02:00 -0700

New research shows that exercise could be the key to avoiding gallstones.

Rakish Angle on Rodent Research

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 10:13:00 -0700

It wasn't so disconcerting to learn that wild chimps use tools for eating, grooming, and defending themselves. Chimps, after all, are members of the great apes and almost identical genetically to humans. But now, in a development sure to give paws, er, pause to all owners of opposable thumbs, researchers at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research in Japan (RIKEN) have taught rodents to use tools.

An Animal Model for Bipolar Disorder

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 16:17:00 -0700

Bipolar disorder affects millions of people around the globe, and its effects - which range from deep depression to mania -- make it one of the world's most serious mental illnesses.

Rolling the Stone Away

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:07:00 -0700

As regular readers of this space know, there aren't many things better about being a mouse than being a human. But here's one:

Who Knew Living Forever Would Smell So Bad?

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:08:00 -0700

OK, now this one's weird: The toxic gas that's responsible for making sewers and rotten eggs so stinky produces a suspended-animation-like state in mice.

Pulling A Lever, Kicking The Habit

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 14:13:00 -0700

Italian researchers have discovered that Gamma- Hydroxybutyric acid — also known as GHB, the so-called "date rape drug" — reduces alcohol consumption, promotes abstinence from drinking, suppresses cravings for liquor, and even eases withdrawal symptoms in alcoholics.

Maybe Pigs Can Fly, Too

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:53:00 -0700

It's seldom nice to lose your job in a lagging economy - except, perhaps, in the following case.

A Promising Protein Shake

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:55:00 -0700

Mice with muscular dystrophy bulk up when injected with a gene that's responsible for making a specific protein, according to a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

I CAN Believe It's Not Butter

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:41:00 -0700

Late last year, four leading popcorn makers -- Weaver Popcorn Company, ConAgra Foods (manufacturer of Orville Redenbacher's and ACT II), General Mills (Pop Secret) and American Pop Corn Company (Jolly Time) -- announced plans to cut an artificial butter flavor from their products.

Scaly-Tailed Evacuees Shelter from Storms Past

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:58:00 -0700

Shortly before Hurricane Ivan slammed into the Gulf Coast on Sept. 16, 2004, wreaking havoc across Alabama, Florida, and Virginia, a few employees of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission hurried to the beach and scooped up eight tiny rodents.

Senior Moments of Research Rodents

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:07:00 -0700

Clinical trials are under way for a drug and vaccine that may inhibit the neurotoxin Aβ (or Abeta, if that's Greek to you), which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease.

Finding it Fun to Rumble

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 10:02:00 -0700

Researchers from the University of Vanderbilt have shown that aggression is just as rewarding as sex, food, and drugs – although not, we assume, in that order.

Scamper Forward for the Rodent's Tale

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 13:19:00 -0800

Welcome to Miller-McCune’s new blog, Today In Mice, a round-up of research news from the fields of behavioral science, psychology, and neuroscience, with a healthy dose of genetics and the cognitive sciences thrown in.