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.

Nanoparticles foster regenerative healing process after spinal cord injury

Paralyzing damage in spinal cord injury is often caused by the zealous immune response to the injury. NIBIB-funded engineers have developed nanoparticles that lure immune cells away from the spinal cord, allowing regeneration that restored spinal cord function in mice.

25 Jul 2019

Bigger waists and higher BMI in 60s may be linked to greater brain aging years later

Having a bigger waistline and a high body mass index in your 60s may be linked with greater signs of brain aging years later, according to a study published in the July 24, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

25 Jul 2019

Stress may cause vocal disorders

Do you feel anxious about talking in front of the crowd and feel as if there’s a frog in your throat? New reseach says that stress may be the culprit for such vocal issues.

25 Jul 2019

CAR-T cells used to target glioblastoma

Immunotherapy is the new weapon against cancers and building upon existing research, a team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital have devised a way to make immunotherapy more effective in a deadly and common form of brain cancer called glioblastoma.

24 Jul 2019

Controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce Parkinson's symptoms

A new study has shown that gentle, controlled stimulation of the ear canal can help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

24 Jul 2019

Measuring pupil dilation and heart rate using AI could enable earlier diagnosis of autism

Autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders often aren't diagnosed until a child is a few years of age, when behavioral interventions and speech/occupational therapy become less effective.

24 Jul 2019

International doctors uncover genes that contribute to five psychiatric disorders

A group of international doctors has uncovered the genes that contribute to the development of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression and schizophrenia.

24 Jul 2019

Researchers explore stem cells for answers to how fragile X syndrome develops

The lab of Yongchao Ma, PhD, from Stanley Manne Children's Research Institute at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, discovered how the genetic defect in fragile X syndrome – a type of autism – delays production of neurons (nerve cells) at a critical time in the embryo's brain development.

24 Jul 2019

Scholars comment on new paper that challenges widely held ideas about autism

A new paper that challenges widely held ideas about autism has attracted comments from more than 30 scholars across the disciplines of psychology, anthropology, education, and neuroscience.

24 Jul 2019

Former NFL players may have greater risk of atrial fibrillation

Former National Football League players were nearly 6 times more likely to have atrial fibrillation compared to men of similar age who did not play professional football, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

24 Jul 2019

Brain protein mutation from an autistic person alters behavior in mice

A de novo gene mutation that encodes a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of mice.

24 Jul 2019

Intensive glucose control not better than standard treatment of hyperglycemia, study finds

Hyperglycemia, or high levels of glucose, is common in patients with acute ischemic stroke and is associated with worse outcomes compared to normal blood sugar levels.

24 Jul 2019

Concussions may cause loss of sense of smell

It has been previously known that major traumatic brain injury (TBI) may cause a broad range of side effects, including loss of the sense of smell. Now, researchers reveal that it’s true even for minor concussions.

24 Jul 2019

Folic acid supplementation mitigates risk of neural tube defects linked to HIV drug

Dolutegravir is a preferred medication for treating HIV infection, but it recently has been linked to a 6- to 9-fold increase in the risk for neural tube defects among babies born to mothers receiving the drug during early gestation.

24 Jul 2019

Gene mutation in the brain of autism patients alters behaviors in mice

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a wide range of possible causes, including genetics and environmental factors. Now, a new study suggests that a brain protein mutation may shed light on the mechanism of neurological and developmental illness.

23 Jul 2019

Altered protein and mutated clusters of genes in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis and treatment has been a challenge and this is mainly due to the varying degrees of degeneration and cognitive damage seen in different patients. The researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine for the first time used the transcriptome to assess the proteins made from the genes in patients with AD, that could help in diagnosis.

23 Jul 2019

New analysis quantifies how stimulant treatment reduces serious outcomes of ADHD

An analysis of three previous studies of children and young adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder quantifies for the first time the extent to which stimulant treatment reduces the development of mood disorders, school problems, conduct disorders, substance use disorders and other problems.

23 Jul 2019