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.

Neuroplasticity is increased but dysregulated in the aging brain, study finds

They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks, but new research shows you can teach an old rat new sounds, even if the lesson doesn't stick very long.

19 Sep 2018

Researchers use larval zebrafish model to reveal role of locus coeruleus in anesthesia

The application of general anesthesia in clinical therapy has been an indispensable part of modern medicine for more than a century. However, due to the complexity of the brain and the extensive actions of general anesthetic drugs, neural mechanisms underlying general anesthesia have remained a mystery.

19 Sep 2018

Study reveals new therapeutic target for pediatric tumor-associated intractable epilepsy

Pediatric brain tumors are characterized by frequent complications due to intractable epilepsy compared to adult brain tumors. However, the genetic cause of refractory epilepsy in pediatric brain tumors has not been elucidated yet, and it is difficult to treat patients because the tumors do not respond to existing antiepileptic drugs and debilitate children's development.

19 Sep 2018

Effects of prematurity found to be more severe for the brains of males than females

Brains of baby boys born prematurely are affected differently and more severely than premature infant girls' brains. This is according to a study published in the Springer Nature-branded journal Pediatric Research.

19 Sep 2018

Alector announces initiation of Phase 1 trial of AL001 for treating frontotemporal dementia

Alector, a privately held biotechnology company pioneering immuno-neurology, a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of neurodegeneration, today announced the initiation of its Phase 1 trial called INFRONT, which is evaluating AL001, the company's product candidate for the treatment of a genetically-defined sub-population of patients with frontotemporal dementia.

19 Sep 2018

Cancer Research UK invests £14 million to transform London into cancer biotherapeutics hub

The city of London will be transformed into a world leading hub for cancer biotherapeutics research and treatment, with a new £14 million investment from Cancer Research UK, announced today (Monday).

19 Sep 2018

Innovative procedure could provide breakthrough in treating early-stage lung cancer

A new minimally invasive surgery could provide a breakthrough in treating early-stage lung cancer, based on a review of some of the first patients to receive the procedure.

19 Sep 2018

From Syria to Southern California: Refugees seek care for wounds of war

In his native Syria, Mahmoud spent months in captivity in a crowded room three floors underground, never seeing the sun. Disease spread quickly among the prisoners, he said. Food was scarce, often spoiled.

19 Sep 2018

TGen and PNOC take part in launch of NIH-supported Kids First Data Resource Portal

As part of a national initiative to solve children's diseases, the Translational Genomics Research Institute and the Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium are participating in the launch of the Kids First Data Resource Portal, which is supported by the National Institutes of Health .

19 Sep 2018

New study reveals mechanisms that lead to cognitive decline in Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes has been linked with an increased risk of cognitive dysfunction and dementia, but the underlying mechanisms are uncertain.

19 Sep 2018

Processing speed important to higher order cognitive function in multiple sclerosis patients

A recent article by Kessler Foundation researchers underscores the importance of processing speed in overall cognitive function in individuals with multiple sclerosis and their performance of everyday life activities.

19 Sep 2018

Researchers harness Zika virus vaccine under development to target glioblastoma

Researchers at The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have successfully harnessed a Zika virus vaccine under development to target and kill the brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

19 Sep 2018

Henry Ford Health System receives $600k grant to study genetic makeup of gliomas

Henry Ford Health System's Department of Neurosurgery was awarded a $600,000 grant by the Department of Defense to study the genetic makeup of gliomas, a type of brain cancer, in hope of identifying new therapies.

19 Sep 2018

Penn researchers find common thread linking almost all TNR expansion diseases

In a class of roughly 30 neurological disorders that includes ALS, Huntington's Disease and Fragile X Syndrome, the relevant mutant gene features sections of repeating base pair sequences known as short tandem repeats, or STRs. Healthy people have STRs of normal lengths distributed across their DNA.

19 Sep 2018

UCalgary study could help physicians make better treatment decisions for stroke

More than 80 percent of strokes are caused when a blood vessel to the brain becomes blocked, called an ischemic stroke.

19 Sep 2018

Potential drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases garner $3 million grant

A new four-year, $3 million grant will enable Scripps Research scientists to advance compounds that may protect neurons in diseases caused by toxic protein accumulation, including Parkinson's, ALS, Alzheimer's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

18 Sep 2018

Air pollution increases risk of dementia

A new study has shown that air pollution raises the risk of dementia. The risk remains among people of all ages find researchers.

18 Sep 2018

Research shows enlarged genotype-phenotype correlation for three-base pair deletion in NF1

International collaborative research led by Ludwine Messiaen, Ph.D., shows that while a three-base pair, in-frame deletion called p.Met992del in the NF1 gene has a mild phenotype for people with the genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1, the mutation does cause complications.

18 Sep 2018

Macaque brain study provides insight into emotion of envy when others are rewarded

A study on macaques by researchers at the National Institute for Physiological Sciences has identified part of the brain that specifically registers when another macaque receives a reward, showing that this affects the subjective value placed on one's own resources and rewards, providing insight into the emotion of envy.

18 Sep 2018

Use of transcranial electrical stimulation to bolster creativity has far-reaching implications

What is creativity, and can it be enhanced -- safely -- in a person who needs a boost of imagination? Georgetown experts debate the growing use of electrical devices that stimulate brain tissue, and conclude there is potential value in the technique. However, use of these machines also raises neuro-ethical, legal, and social issues that must now be addressed.

18 Sep 2018

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Neuroplasticity is increased but dysregulated in the aging brain, study finds

Researchers use larval zebrafish model to reveal role of locus coeruleus in anesthesia

Study reveals new therapeutic target for pediatric tumor-associated intractable epilepsy

Effects of prematurity found to be more severe for the brains of males than females

Alector announces initiation of Phase 1 trial of AL001 for treating frontotemporal dementia

Cancer Research UK invests £14 million to transform London into cancer biotherapeutics hub

Innovative procedure could provide breakthrough in treating early-stage lung cancer

From Syria to Southern California: Refugees seek care for wounds of war

TGen and PNOC take part in launch of NIH-supported Kids First Data Resource Portal

New study reveals mechanisms that lead to cognitive decline in Type 2 diabetes

Processing speed important to higher order cognitive function in multiple sclerosis patients

Researchers harness Zika virus vaccine under development to target glioblastoma

Henry Ford Health System receives $600k grant to study genetic makeup of gliomas

Penn researchers find common thread linking almost all TNR expansion diseases

UCalgary study could help physicians make better treatment decisions for stroke

Potential drugs to treat neurodegenerative diseases garner $3 million grant

Air pollution increases risk of dementia

Research shows enlarged genotype-phenotype correlation for three-base pair deletion in NF1

Macaque brain study provides insight into emotion of envy when others are rewarded

Use of transcranial electrical stimulation to bolster creativity has far-reaching implications

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

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