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.

Research brings new hope to treating degenerative brain diseases

Alzheimer's disease is the most representative degenerative brain disease, accounting for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases. In search for new mechanism for AD, the research team led by Professor Seong-Woon Yu of Brain and Cognitive Sciences paid attention to the autophagy of microglia, brain immune cells, is suppressed by inflammation.

17 Jan 2019

New anti-inflammatory compound acts as 'surge protector' to reduce cancer growth

A new anti-inflammatory compound developed at the University of California, Davis, acts as a "surge protector" to suppress inflammation and reduce cancer growth, at least in mouse models of cancer.

17 Jan 2019

Study shows link between air pollution and increased risk of sleep apnea

The ill effects of air pollution may literally be causing some people to lose sleep, according to new research published online in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

17 Jan 2019

Highly effective protocol to prepare cannabis samples for THC/CBD analysis

Porvair Sciences describes how to use its Plant Genomics microplate for preparing cannabis samples for analysis of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol.

From Porvair Sciences Limited 17 Jan 2019

New NSF funded study may help physicians decrease brain injury deaths

To help physicians decrease the number of deaths resulting from traumatic brain injuries, Chandan Reddy, associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and faculty at the Discovery Analytics Center, will use new machine learning techniques for computational models to predict short- and long-term outcomes, categorize traumatic brain injury patients, and provide interventions tailored to a specific patient and his or her injury.

17 Jan 2019

First international consensus on the diagnosis and management of fibromuscular dysplasia

The "First international consensus on the diagnosis and management of fibromuscular dysplasia" (FMD) has been published online first today in Vascular Medicine and the Journal of Hypertension.

17 Jan 2019

Neck-strengthening exercises can protect athletes from concussions

Rutgers researchers have proposed a solution for athletes at higher risk for sports-related concussions, such as football and soccer: Protect your head with neck-strengthening exercises in the pre-season.

17 Jan 2019

Location of epigenetic changes co-locate with genetic signal causing psychartric disorder

It's no surprise to scientists that variety is the very essence of biology, not just the seasoning, but most previous studies of key brain cells have found little variability in a common cell process that involves how genetic information is read and acted on.

17 Jan 2019

Mutant mice administered with cocaine failed to exhibit hyperactivity, shows study

Cocaine is a highly addictive psychostimulant that induces complex molecular, cellular and behavioral responses. Despite various approaches and years of pre-clinical studies, effective, mechanism-based therapies to assist with cocaine misuse and dependence are still sorely lacking.

16 Jan 2019

FDA approves generic drug for treating focal seizures

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of Sabril (vigabatrin) 500 mg tablets for treating complex partial seizures, also called focal seizures, as an adjunctive therapy (given with another primary treatment) in patients 10 years and older who have responded inadequately to several alternative (refractory) treatments.

16 Jan 2019

The electronics industry sees money in your health

If the scores of personal health care devices at the Consumer Electronics Show last week are any indication, it's clear that the Apple Watch has kicked off a rush by high-tech companies to capitalize on people's worries about their health.

16 Jan 2019

Alpha neurofeedback training could be a means of enhancing learning success

Thanks to an interplay of inhibition and disinhibition of certain areas, our brain can always guarantee the processing of particularly important stimuli. Neuronal alpha-oscillations regulate the flow of information in certain regions of the brain so that capacities for the processing of new stimuli are released.

16 Jan 2019

Study delves deeper into developmental dyslexia

Men with dyslexia have altered structural connections between the thalamus and auditory cortex on the left side of the brain, new research published in JNeurosci reveals.

From Society for Neuroscience 16 Jan 2019

Low-level cannabis use can change the adolescent brain

Teenagers who report using recreational marijuana just once or twice display increased volume of numerous brain regions, according to a study of 14-year-olds from Ireland, England, France, and Germany.

From Society for Neuroscience 16 Jan 2019

Research reveals novel approach to suppressing chemotherapy-induced tumor growth

Following up on a groundbreaking 2018 study in which BIDMC's Dipak Panigrahy, MD, demonstrated that dead and dying cancer cells killed by conventional cancer treatments paradoxically trigger inflammation that promotes tumor growth and metastasis, a new study led by Allison Gartung, PhD, describes a novel approach to suppressing chemotherapy-induced tumor growth in an ovarian cancer model.

16 Jan 2019

Researchers awarded 6.1 million euros to address female fertility problems

Queen's University have been awarded 6.1 million euros, in collaboration with 11 other global partner universities and institutions, to develop a test to identify harmful chemicals that affect female fertility.

16 Jan 2019

LifeTime receives fund to develop a plan to embed its vision for healthier future

Our body's cells are constantly changing. But which of these changes are healthy developments and which lead to serious diseases? This is what LifeTime, a new transnational and interdisciplinary initiative of leading European researchers, aims to discover.

16 Jan 2019

Changes in hippocampal structural connectivity differentiate responders of electroconvulsive therapy

A new study in people with major depression reports that electroconvulsive therapy induces changes in the fibers connecting the hippocampus to brain regions involved in mood and emotion.

16 Jan 2019

DNA may help predict potential life expectancy of a person, report scientists

Scientists say they can predict whether a person can expect to live longer or die sooner than average, by looking at their DNA.

16 Jan 2019

Study suggests key role for glial cells in Parkinson's disease

A team of scientists led by Prof. Antonella Consiglio from the IDIBELL and the University of Barcelona, and Prof. Angel Raya from the Center of Regenerative Medicine of Barcelona have discovered that defective versions of human brain cells called astrocytes are linked to the buildup of a toxic protein that is one the hallmarks of Parkinson's disease.

16 Jan 2019