Top 15 Anatomy & Physiology News In Innovations & Breakthroughs For 2017

The year 2017 brought a revolution in anatomy education at medical universities. The way anatomy is taught substantially changed and has made it virtually possible for students to learn the subject without the use of cadavers.

Reference: “Magic Mirror: A Novel Human Anatomy Education Environment with Augmented Reality Technology (2016 – 2018)”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers studied the development of the vertebrate rib cage. They discovered using computational tools that concentration levels of the Hedgehog protein are essential for cells to make the decision to form born or cartilage in the rib cage.

Reference: “A minimally sufficient model for rib proximal-distal patterning based on genetic analysis and agent-based simulations | eLife”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool discovered a link between brain structure and an individual’s susceptibility to experiencing hallucinations and to their musical aptitude. In People with musical knowledge, hallucinations were less likely. This new finding opens the door to possibility that providing musical training to psychotic patients or those experiencing hallucinations can help fight off the disease.

Reference: “Relationship between hallucination proneness and musical aptitude is mediated by microstructure in the corpus callosum”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers were able to elucidate the function of a minuscule area of the hippocampus known as the CA2. The team discovered that CA2 is responsible for development of social memory which involves remembering faces and objects.

Reference: “The hippocampal CA2 region is essential for social memory”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied cell connections known as Neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) to elucidate the connection between nerves and muscles and how impulses are transmitted from one to the other, and how this information can be used to study NMJ disorders in detail.

Reference: “Cellular and Molecular Anatomy of the Human Neuromuscular Junction”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

A team of scientists at the Institute of Ophthalmic research and the University of Tubingen has discovered that rods are capable of much more than just dark vision. They were able to show that rods, in fact, do contribute to vision in daylight conditions up to the highest level of light.

Reference: “NewsFullview-Landingpage | University Tübingen”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Scientists have developed a new therapy for lower back pain and sciatica treatment. The new image-guided radiofrequency treatment has produced incredible results in sciatica patients.

Reference: “CT guided Pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the lumbar dorsal root ganglion in patients with Acute Radicular Low Back Pain”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

A group of scientists designed a questionnaire for older women along with bone density measurements that can help identify women at risk of osteoporosis early on, thus preventing hip fractures.

Reference: “Screening in the community to reduce fractures in older women (SCOOP): a randomised controlled trial”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers at the Salk Institute have discovered a potentially new and interesting role of the spinal cord – information processing. While walking, specific neurons process and filter out information that proves to be disruptive thus providing a steady gait.

Reference: “RORß Spinal Interneurons Gate Sensory Transmission during Locomotion to Secure a Fluid Walking Gait”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Scientists have developed a new technology at the University of Arkansas called the NuCress Scaffold. The scaffold can be loaded with drugs, stem cells or hormones for treatment and bone growth. This technology can prove beneficial for patients requiring bone healing.

Reference: “UA Little Rock reseachers pioneer device to speed bone regeneration – News”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Scientists have discovered that spinal disc degeneration is caused by changes in the water content of the disk. They used a novel MRI technique to study the movements of water in the spine and its effect on spinal degeneration.

Reference: “Apparent diffusion coefficient maps in the assessment of surgical patients with lumbar spine degeneration”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Researchers in Switzerland have implemented Virtual reality to reduce phantom pain in the body. This technology allows people with paraplegia to feel sensation in their paralyzed legs.

Reference: “Virtual reality improves embodiment and neuropathic pain caused by spinal cord injury | Neurology”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

A University of Guelph researcher discovered that cells known as the radial glia present in the spinal cord region of a leopard gecko’s tail have unique regenerative properties. When the tail is cut off, these cells proliferate to regrow the lost body part. These cells are found in the spinal cord and may provide a way to treat humans with spinal cord injuries.

Reference: “Neural stem/progenitor cells are activated during tail regeneration in the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) – Gilbert – 2017 – Journal of Comparative Neurology – Wiley Online Library”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Scientists elucidated the role of stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury by transplanting human stem cells into paralyzed rats. These rats regained mobility in their legs and also showed spinal cord healing.

Reference: “Frontiers | Implantation of 3D Constructs Embedded with Oral Mucosa-Derived Cells Induces Functional Recovery in Rats with Complete Spinal Cord Transection | Neuroscience”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.

Three scientists namely Jeffrey C. Hall, Michael Rosbash, and Michael W. Young were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for the year 2017 for their contributions to molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm.

Reference: “Scientific Background Discoveries of Molecular Mechanisms Controlling the Circadian Rhythm”. Accessed December 31, 2017. Link.