Researchers at Western University have found a way to use pharmaceuticals to reverse the negative psychiatric effects of THC, the psychoactive chemical found in marijuana. Chronic adolescent marijuana use has previously been linked to the development of psychiatric...
Research & Innovation
Push to perfection is a suicide risk factor, Western University researcher says
People who believe they must be perfect – and who ultimately can’t deal with the thought of being flawed – are at much greater risk of suicidal thoughts and suicide, says a recent paper co-authored by a Western University researcher. The role of perfectionism in...
Western University researchers use proteins in saliva to diagnose and find clues about Zika virus
Researchers at Western University are examining proteins and peptides in saliva in order to detect a person’s exposure to Zika virus. With 70 countries and territories reporting evidence of mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission, there is an increased need for a rapid...
Too near, or too far? What fruit flies teach us about personal space
Most of us have had the experience of backing away when someone has stepped inside the bounds of our personal space. But, until now, little has been understood about the mechanisms that allow us to determine when someone is “too near” or “too far”. Using fruit flies,...
Bone anatomy shows one size doesn’t fit both
Patient health may be compromised, and health costs higher, when the same kind of stabilizing plate is used in a woman’s forearm as in a man’s after a bone break, say researchers at Western University’s Bone and Joint Institute. Fractures of the distal radius, just...
World’s largest sleep study launches from Western’s Brain and Mind Institute
Renowned Western University neuroscientist Adrian Owen has launched the world’s largest sleep-and-cognition study to help researchers learn the effects on our brains of sleep and sleep deprivation. “Many of us are working more erratic hours and sleeping less, while...
Sub-surface Mars scanner concept gets boost from Western University expertise
A Western planetary researcher will lead a study under a contract awarded to MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. (MDA) by the Canadian Space Agency to explore using a leading-edge radar technology to search for ice on Mars. Gordon “Oz” Osinski, Acting Director of...
Top predators’ fear of human ‘super predator’ can impact entire ecosystems
Cougars and other large carnivores are frightening beasts but, according to a new study, the fear these top predators inspire may be matched by their own fear of the human ‘super predator’, causing cascading effects down the food chain. Globally, humans now kill large...
From helpful to harmful: Western University researchers uncover MAIT cells’ dark side in toxic shock syndrome
A subpopulation of immune cells that normally fend off pathogens can turn against the host during certain infections, Western University researchers have revealed. The study, published in PLOS Biology was led by Mansour Haeryfar, PhD, at Western University’s Schulich...
Probiotics could improve survival rates in honey bees exposed to pesticide
In a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute (Lawson) and Western University, researchers have shown that probiotics can potentially protect honey bees from the toxic effects of pesticides. Honey bees are critical to agriculture as they pollinate approximately...
Researchers develop more sustainable way to refine metals
A team of chemists in Canada has developed a way to process metals without using toxic solvents and oxidants. The system, which also consumes far less energy than conventional techniques, could greatly shrink the environmental impact of producing metals from raw...
Researchers identify specific neurons that distinguish between reality and imagination
New Western University research shows that neurons in the part of the brain found to be abnormal in psychosis are also important in helping people distinguish between reality and imagination. The researchers, Dr. Julio Martinez-Trujillo, principal investigator and...