Research Recap: Vanpooling, canine inbreeding and stem cells

Friday

• A UCLA study found that taking part in a vanpool decreased the stress of commuting. Researchers recruited study participants through the UCLA Vanpool Program, which is one of the largest employer-based vanpool programs in California.

• The study said that participants expressed strong commitment to vanpooling, choosing to nap in the car to offset sleep disruption if necessary.

Monday

• A team of UCLA scientists found that a region in brain cells houses a number of genes that have previously been linked to autism. Dr. Kelsey Martin, interim dean of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, professor of biological chemistry and principal researcher of the study, said the discovery will shed light on how genetic mutations lead to autism.

• The team focused on a gene, Rbfox1, which regulates how brain cells make proteins. The finding could help lead to new drug targets and new therapies for treating autism.

Monday

• UCLA researchers have found that the domestication of dogs may have led to harmful genetic changes. These reductions in population sizes through selective breeding, known as bottlenecks, may have caused developmental disorders and other health issues within these species.

Tuesday

• A UCLA-led study found that mental health disorders, such as binge eating disorder and depression, may be more than twice as likely in patients who undergo bariatric surgery for weight loss than in the general U.S. population.

• Researchers also followed up with some patients after surgery, finding a higher rate of alcohol abuse and suicide in select groups of patients. They suggest that further research is needed to explore this connection.

Tuesday

• Researchers at UCLA Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research made a discovery that could help find ways to use stem cells to regenerate damaged heart tissue following a heart attack.

• The study found two markers that identify stem cells with the capability to generate heart muscle and the vessels that support heart function.

Compiled by Kat Bocanegra Speed, Meaghan Hodges and Allison Ong, Bruin reporters.