There have been at least 662 victims of domestic homicide in Canada since 2010 and the numbers continue to rise. On average, that’s well over 70 victims per year, according to a five-year, national initiative being led by researchers at Western University and the...
Research & Innovation
Commonly used drug for Alzheimer’s disease increases risk of hospitalization for muscle breakdown
A new study has found that a drug commonly used to manage symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias — donepezil — is associated with a two-fold higher risk of hospital admission for rhabdomyolysis, a painful condition of muscle breakdown, compared to similar...
International collaboration develops model for forecasting ‘largest expected’ earthquakes
An international research team led by Western University has developed a new methodology for forecasting the magnitude of the largest possible earthquake within a series of seismic events like the deadly ones that shook Kumamoto, Japan in 2016. The Kumamoto...
Left- and right-handers share similarities in the brain when it comes to numbers
Left- and right-handers may write with different hands, but the brain processes numbers the same way for both. This is according to a new study from Western University. In a Registered Report, supported in part by BrainsCAN, Western researchers Celia Goffin, Moriah...
Lost in translation: researchers discover translator gene may play a role in disease
A molecule called tRNA, or transfer ribonucleic acid, is an essential component of the human genome that acts as a translator. It reads the genetic code and translates it into proteins – one of the key building blocks of the human body. When researchers and clinicians...
Depression is the single largest predictor of substance use during pregnancy
It is well known that tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis use during pregnancy are associated with poor birth outcomes, yet many women continue to use these substances during pregnancy. Researchers at Western University and its affiliate Brescia University College have now...
Fear of predators causes PTSD-like changes in brains of wild animals
Fear can be measured in the brain and fearful life-threatening events can leave quantifiable long-lasting traces in the neural circuitry of the brain with enduring effects on behaviour, as shown most clearly in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A new study by...
Western’s first steps in getting Canada to the Moon
In February, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Canada is joining the international effort to explore the Moon with robots and, eventually, humans. In order to prepare for these future missions, a team of Western University faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate...
Get a sneak peek of new cutting-edge infectious diseases facility
The Imaging Pathogens for Knowledge Translation facility (ImPaKT) is unique in North America, housing a cutting-edge suite of imaging equipment within a high-level containment environment. The facility's unique features allow researchers unprecedented ability to...
Bright fireball event near Bancroft, Ont. may have dropped meteorites
A fireball as bright as the full moon was observed by the Western University All-Sky Camera Network across southern Ontario and Quebec 2:44 a.m. ET this morning (Wednesday, July 24). Western’s Physics and Astronomy Department runs an all-sky camera network in...
Western University develops first-of-its-kind task-based map of the human cerebellum
It is the second largest part in the human brain and contains more neurons than any other. Tucked under the back of the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum is often overlooked when considering how the brain manages complex cognition such as language or problem solving....
Group calls on international community to prevent dementia by preventing stroke
The risk factors for stroke and dementia are the same, and a growing body of evidence demonstrates that preventing stroke can also prevent some dementias. Now, a group of experts led by Western University Professor, Dr. Vladimir Hachinski and international...