Researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on December 17 have uncovered a direct link between the behavioral symptoms of people with autism and reduced action of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called GABA. GABA's primary responsibility is to dampen neural activity in the brain.

The findings suggest that drugs that increase brain concentrations of GABA might have potential for autism treatment, the researchers say.

"These findings mark the first empirical link between a specific neurotransmitter measured in the brains of individuals with autism and an autistic behavioral symptom," says Caroline Robertson of Harvard University and MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research.

FOR RELEASE from the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

TORONTO, ON - Long before kangaroos carried their joeys in their pouches and honey bees nurtured their young in hives, there was the 508-million-year-old Waptia. Little is known about the shrimp-like creature first discovered in the renowned Canadian Burgess Shale fossil deposit a century ago, but recent analysis by scientists from the University of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, and Centre national de la recherche scientifique has uncovered eggs with embryos preserved within the body of the animal. It is the oldest example of brood care in the fossil record.

Researchers say they have found the strongest evidence to date that human pluripotent stem cells -- cells that can give rise to all tissues of the body -- will develop normally once transplanted into an embryo.

Pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine or biomedical research come from two sources: embryonic stem cells, derived from fertilized egg cells; and induced pluripotent stem cells, where skin cells are 'reset' to their original form. The promise (bordering on hype in the case of human embryonic stem cells, with promises a decade ago of curing Alzheimer's if they just got more money) is that they might repair various organs and tissues, particularly those that have poor regenerative capacity, such as the heart, brain and pancreas. 

Ever imagined you could eat all the mouthwatering, festive food during winter holidays and never worry about an expanding waistline?

Research by James Cook University scientists has found a diet favoured by body-builders may be effective in treating schizophrenia.

Associate Professor Zoltan Sarnyai and his research group from JCU's Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) have discovered that feeding mice a ketogenic diet, which is high on fat but very low on carbohydrates (sugars), leads to fewer animal behaviours that resemble schizophrenia.

The ketogenic diet has been used since the 1920s to manage epilepsy in children and more recently as a weight loss diet preferred by some body builders.

History supports Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's recent tweet saying that men have a hard time asking for help for their depression.

But new research brings good news: Men really do think it's important to seek help.

Participants in a national survey read a scenario describing someone who had depressed symptoms. Among other things, this hypothetical person has difficulty sleeping, can't concentrate and doesn't feel happy even when good things happen.

The survey then asked participants to rate the importance of getting help from friends, family members or religious leaders. Men overall rank this as a 7.7 on an importance scale of 1-10, which is surprising because that ranking is just as high as what women said to the survey.

Scientists at Aarhus University have discovered that fungi associated with plant roots may improve growth and yield of drought-stressed wheat.

Water scarcity has a negative impact on wheat production. As a consequence of exposure to drought, crops show poorer growth and lower yield. This is a serious problem as the predicted increase in frequency of extreme climate episodes will lead to multiple drought conditions during crop growth which in turn will reduce the yield of wheat, one of the world's most important foods.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that drought stress in crops will become increasingly serious in the future. Globally, wheat yield is only 30-60 percent of its potential.

Fungi may help

It's no secret that the organic growing process is harder on the environment, with more toxic pesticides, less efficient use of the land, and lower yields, but some practices are exceptionally harmful, like growing crops in organic (peat) soil. 

When organic soils are drained and cultivated the organic matter in the soil will decompose which leads to emissions of greenhouse gases, finds a study in Denmark, and that makes up as much as 6 percent of Denmark's total greenhouse gas emissions.

• Students can feel isolated and pressure to represent all minorities

Kyoto, Japan -- Researchers have found that fish oil transforms fat-storage cells into fat-burning cells, which may reduce weight gain in middle age.

The team explains in Scientific Reports that fish oil activates receptors in the digestive tract, fires the sympathetic nervous system, and induces storage cells to metabolize fat.

Fat tissues don't all store fat. So-called "white" cells store fat in order to maintain energy supply, while "brown" cells metabolize fat to maintain a stable body temperature. Brown cells are abundant in babies but decrease in number with maturity into adulthood.