University of Winnipeg research could help with understanding brain diseases and disorders
![Brain The human brain is pictured in this file photo. (goa_novi / Istock.com)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2017/1/25/brain-1-3256071-1627395921061.jpg)
New research on the human brain out of the University of Winnipeg could end up changing how doctors can diagnose and treat central nervous system disorders.
Dr. Sheryl Herrera with the U of W, and Maxina Sheft with Georgia Tech co-authored a paper that examined the first axon diameter measurement in the human brain of only two one-thousandths of a millimetre.
Axons are part of nerve cells in the brain and they help transmit electric signals in the brain and before this paper, their diameter could only be measured up to five one-thousandths of a millimetre.
Dr. Melanie Martin, who is a physicist at the U of W and was part of the team doing the research, said the smaller measurements could be found using oscillating gradient spin echo sequences.
"What we are looking at is the diffusion of water molecules within the brain. So diffusion is random motion," said Martin. "The molecules will move around and bump into other molecules, and just looking at the movement of the molecules in tissue, we can see how big it is."
She said they can view these axons through an MRI and they can determine how big the axon is based on how far the water has diffused.
Finding the different sizes of the axons could help doctors understand more about central nervous system disorders, according to Martin.
"It turns out the size of the axons are thought to change in disorders and diseases."
Martin used schizophrenia, for example, noting that previous research done on brains with schizophrenia during an autopsy found that the axons were smaller.
"Schizophrenia is usually diagnosed in (people's) 20s. It's difficult to diagnose, the person has to trust the doctor and explain the symptoms, so typically it takes about a year to get a diagnosis. But if this is true, that the axons are less dense and we can pick it up with MRI, the hope is MRI can diagnose this faster."
She said the next step is to learn if these axons are the same size at birth and if they are, doctors might be able to find ways to treat the disorder or prevent it from happening altogether.
"When I go to talk about this research across the world, there's usually neuroscientists in the audience and they always stick up their hand and they're like, 'Have you thought about this disease?' I come from a physics background, not the neuroscience background. So it's always fascinating to me to hear of another disease and read more about it and say, 'Well hey, this actually might work.'"
She added this could help play a role in better understanding disorders like fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.