Today’s dose offers ‘brain stimulation’, along with a potpourri of news about periwinkle, the placenta, and Parkinson’s. Read on for reasons why.

— This Mother’s Day, how about some periwinkles for mom? Vinpocetine, an extract from the leaves of the flowering plant, could act as an anti-inflammatory for COPD, atherosclerosis and even asthma, according to new research. Study authors treated both mouse and human cells with the extract, and found few side effects compared to currently available steroids. (ScienceDaily)

— Scientists have unveiled a new transgenic mouse model for Parkinson’s disease. Previous models involved overexpression of the alpha-synuclein protein, which clumps to form Parkinson’s-causing Lewy bodies, but this new model instead expresses the mutant protein as found in humans. This more accurate model now displays the gastrointestinal problems that precede Parkinson’s in humans.

— Researchers have given another boost to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for depression. While many are skeptical of the process, which involves delivering electrical pulses to specific brain regions, the latest study used a more rigorous control that mimicked TMS’ side effects. Nearly three times as many patients who received the real therapy for three weeks came out of depression when compared to controls. (Reuters)

— The fetal immune system might be more ready to face the world than previously thought. Researchers found that fetuses infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV) — a common, benign virus that infects most people at some point in their life — had higher numbers of active T cells, and these cells were distinct from those produced by their mother. The findings follow a 2008 study that discovered how maternal cells crossing the placenta can avoid an immune reaction from infants. (New Scientist)

Image by brianaandjaclyn via Flickr Creative Commons