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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.

PNAS publishes results of pilot study for early detection of liver cancer

Today, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences published the results of a pilot study for early detection of liver cancer in a cohort of HBV carriers, who are at risk for developing this disease.

13 Mar 2019

New study aims to detect Parkinson's at much earlier stage

A large study jointly led by Queen Mary University of London and UCL aims to identify people at risk of developing Parkinson's, years before the condition is currently detected, with a view to treating and alleviating it at a much earlier stage.

13 Mar 2019

Brain pathway supporting intersection of taste and pain identified

University of Oklahoma neuroscientists have found a pathway in the brain where taste and pain intersect in a new study that originally was designed to look at the intersection of taste and food temperature.

13 Mar 2019

“Fail Fast, But More Confidently”: Developing Organoids for Drug Development and Discovery

Richard Eglen discusses the use of organoids in drug discovery, including the screening of candidate compounds for efficacy, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics.

From Corning Life Sciences 13 Mar 2019

Stanford researchers detail how hits to the side of the head cause concussion

Concussion researchers have long suggested that damage to the corpus callosum, a thick bundle of nerves that connects the brain's two halves, could result in some common side effects of concussion, like dizziness or vision problems.

13 Mar 2019

Using online neurofeedback to modify individual's arousal state and improve performance

Our state of arousal--being fearful, agitated, or calm--can significantly affect our ability to make optimal decisions, judgments, and actions in real-world dynamic environments. Imagine, for instance, walking across a balance beam.

13 Mar 2019

Study unravels how cancer medication works in brains of Parkinson's patients

Laboratory analysis from the first arm of a phase II clinical trial testing the use of nilotinib in patients with Parkinson's disease demonstrates precisely how the agent increases levels of dopamine in the brains of study participants, says a research team at Georgetown University Medical Center. Symptoms of Parkinson's, such as motor dysfunction, are a result of a dopamine loss.

13 Mar 2019

Neurobiology of functional neurological disorder revealed using brain scans

An investigation led by a team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital departments of Neurology, Psychiatry and Radiology has found altered connectivity among brain regions that handle sensorimotor, emotional and cognitive signaling in patients with functional neurological disorder, a common condition involving neurologic symptoms that have no readily apparent physical cause.

13 Mar 2019

Fear center in the brain provides protection against body perception disorders

If functionality of the brain's amygdala is impaired, illusory perceptions arise much faster and more pronounced.

13 Mar 2019

New evidence found for role of human hippocampus in future planning

A team of scientists reports finding the first evidence that the human hippocampus is necessary for future planning. Its findings, published in the journal Neuron, link its long-established role in memory with our ability to use our knowledge to map out the future effects of our actions.

13 Mar 2019

Parkinson's treatment boosts the number and strength of brain cell 'batteries'

Scientists have gained clues into how a Parkinson's disease treatment, called deep brain stimulation, helps tackle symptoms.

13 Mar 2019

Study uncovers dramatic differences in the brains of Hispanics with dementia

A major new study from the UC Davis Alzheimer's Center has uncovered dramatic differences in the brains of Hispanics with a dementia diagnosis compared with those of non-Hispanic whites and of African Americans.

12 Mar 2019

Vast majority of children with autism have difficulties that require therapeutic, educational support

Research in the past several years has shown that children can outgrow a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, once considered a lifelong condition.

12 Mar 2019

Gene behind mitochondrial disease has more varied effects than previously thought

For more than two decades, mutations in a gene located in the DNA of mitochondria have been classified as a mitochondrial disease and linked to a particular set of symptoms.

12 Mar 2019

Alzheimer’s and brain health could soon be detected using an eye exam

Soon, an eye examination may be all that is needed to confirm a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers at Duke's Health.

12 Mar 2019

Discarding information from the brain linked to more mental effort, finds study

Discarding information from the brain is associated with more mental effort than keeping it, finds a human neuroimaging study published in JNeurosci.

From Society for Neuroscience 12 Mar 2019

Mushroom consumption may reduce odds of having mild cognitive impairment

A team from the Department of Psychological Medicine and Department of Biochemistry at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore has found that seniors who consume more than two standard portions of mushrooms weekly may have 50 per cent reduced odds of having mild cognitive impairment.

12 Mar 2019