Brain News and Research

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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Researchers pinpoint catalytic trigger for onset of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have pinpointed a catalytic trigger for the onset of Alzheimer's disease - when the fundamental structure of a protein molecule changes to cause a chain reaction that leads to the death of neurons in the brain.

21 May 2013

FDA designates Synageva's sebelipase alfa as Breakthrough Therapy for early onset LAL Deficiency

Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic products for rare diseases, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to sebelipase alfa for the treatment of early onset lysosomal acid lipase deficiency, also known as Wolman disease.

20 May 2013

Honokiol protects muscles from normal inflammation caused by intense exercise

Honokiol is a powerful polyphenol compound extracted from Magnolia officinalis bark. Extensive pre-clinical research shows that honokiol (pronounced ha-no-kee-ohl) supports cellular health and provides gentle relaxation, as well as being a potent antioxidant.

20 May 2013

Targeting glucagon action: A new frontier for regulating diabetes

For the first time, scientists at the Toronto General Research Institute showed that targeting glucagon action in the brain may be a new frontier for regulating diabetes.

20 May 2013

Patients with treatment-resistant depression benefit from ketamine

Patients with treatment-resistant major depression saw dramatic improvement in their illness after treatment with ketamine, an anesthetic, according to the largest ketamine clinical trial to-date led by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

20 May 2013

Takeda, Lundbeck announce presentation of data from four studies that evaluate vortioxetine for MDD

Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited and H. Lundbeck A/S today announced that the companies will be presenting new data from four studies that evaluated effectiveness in treating the overall symptoms of depression in patients taking vortioxetine, an investigational agent under review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of major depressive disorder.

20 May 2013

Students receive Addiction Science Award at 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

An exploration of electronic "screen time" and sleep on mood, memory and learning was given the top Addiction Science Award at the 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair - the world's largest science competition for high school students.

20 May 2013

Television actor hosts latest free patient education DVD and guidebook on epilepsy

Television actor and "Dancing with the Stars" winner John O'Hurley is the host of Epilepsy: A Guide for Patients and Families, the latest free patient education DVD and guidebook produced by the American Academy of Neurology and its foundation, the American Brain Foundation.

20 May 2013

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques improve memory

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques aimed at mental and neurological conditions include transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression, and transcranial direct current (electrical) stimulation, shown to improve memory.

20 May 2013

Leslie G. Ungerleider to receive Andrew Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences from Carnegie Mellon

Carnegie Mellon University will award the first Andrew Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences to Leslie G. Ungerleider, chief of the Laboratory of Brain and Cognition at the National Institute of Mental Health.

20 May 2013

New prototype allows patients with severe functional disability to be more active and independent

The European R&D project BrainAble, led by Barcelona Digital, has just successfully ended by developing a prototype that allows patients with severe functional disability to be more active and independent.

18 May 2013

First alcoholic drink during puberty increases risk of alcohol problems

Research shows that the earlier the age at which youth take their first alcoholic drink, the greater the risk of developing alcohol problems. Thus, age at first drink (AFD) is generally considered a powerful predictor of progression to alcohol-related harm.

18 May 2013

Study examines effects of smoking on cognitive functioning in AD individuals

Treatment for alcohol use disorders works best if the patient actively understands and incorporates the interventions provided in the clinic.

18 May 2013

Safety and efficacy evaluation methods for medical devices

Medical devices are any medical items that are neither a drug nor a biological product. In light of their different mechanisms, actions and regulatory requirements, medical device trail evaluations are much more complicated than drug trails due to their unique clinical practices.

18 May 2013

Spontaneous brain activity in amygdala higher among combat veterans with PTSD

Chronic trauma can inflict lasting damage to brain regions associated with fear and anxiety. Previous imaging studies of people with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, have shown that these brain regions can over-or under-react in response to stressful tasks, such as recalling a traumatic event or reacting to a photo of a threatening face.

18 May 2013

Transcranial random noise stimulation allows the brain to work more efficiently, say researchers

In the future, if you want to improve your ability to manipulate numbers in your head, you might just plug yourself in. So say researchers who report in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on May 16 on studies of a harmless form of brain stimulation applied to an area known to be important for math ability.

18 May 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers pinpoint catalytic trigger for onset of Alzheimer's disease

FDA designates Synageva's sebelipase alfa as Breakthrough Therapy for early onset LAL Deficiency

Honokiol protects muscles from normal inflammation caused by intense exercise

Targeting glucagon action: A new frontier for regulating diabetes

Patients with treatment-resistant depression benefit from ketamine

Takeda, Lundbeck announce presentation of data from four studies that evaluate vortioxetine for MDD

Students receive Addiction Science Award at 2013 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Television actor hosts latest free patient education DVD and guidebook on epilepsy

Non-invasive brain stimulation techniques improve memory

Leslie G. Ungerleider to receive Andrew Carnegie Prize in Mind and Brain Sciences from Carnegie Mellon

New prototype allows patients with severe functional disability to be more active and independent

First alcoholic drink during puberty increases risk of alcohol problems

Study examines effects of smoking on cognitive functioning in AD individuals

Safety and efficacy evaluation methods for medical devices

Spontaneous brain activity in amygdala higher among combat veterans with PTSD

Transcranial random noise stimulation allows the brain to work more efficiently, say researchers

Research findings could lead to new therapies for stroke and other brain diseases

UC Davis scientists detect novel molecular target for multiple sclerosis

Our brains wired to make music-color connections based on how melodies make us feel: Study

Homeless heavy drinkers suffer many head injuries, new study finds

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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