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.

Antibody sweeps away Alzheimer's plaques in mice

Years before people start showing characteristic symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, sticky plaques begin forming in their brains, damaging nearby cells. For decades, doctors have sought ways to clear out these plaques as a way to prevent or treat the disease.

27 Mar 2018

Researchers propose new approach to look deeper into brain function

To uncover connections between brain regions and specific cognitive functions, neuroscientists have long made extensive use of techniques like functional resonance imaging (fMRI). First introduced in the 1990's, the method allows tracking the brain's activity while a test subject performs a task or responds to stimuli in the MRI scanner.

26 Mar 2018

Frequent and public opioid users may be best candidates for naloxone training

In response to America's opioid crisis, public health departments and community organizations across the country have started to train opioid users to reverse overdoses in other users with the opioid-blocker naloxone.

26 Mar 2018

SLU researchers turn off excruciating chemo pain in animal model

In a recent paper published in the journal Pain, Saint Louis University researchers describe their success in an animal model in turning off the excruciating pain that often accompanies a colorectal cancer drug.

26 Mar 2018

Neuroscientists investigate brain mechanisms of altruistic behavior

There are two war veterans, both with penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a gunshot. One of them tends to donate his own money to societal entities he believes in, and the other one punishes institutions that don't represent him.

26 Mar 2018

New device achieves 92% accuracy in detecting patients with severe stroke

A new device worn like a visor can detect emergent large-vessel occlusion in patients with suspected stroke with 92 percent accuracy, report clinical investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina, Mount Sinai, the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and elsewhere in an article published online on March 6, 2018, in the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery.

26 Mar 2018

Mother's stress during pregnancy changes brain connectivity in-utero

The time babies spend in the womb is far from idle. The brain is changing more rapidly during this time than at any other time in development. It is an active time for the fetus to grow and explore, and of course connect to its mother.

26 Mar 2018

Researchers develop ultrathin endoscope to capture neurons firing deep in the brain

Researchers have developed an endoscope as thin as a human hair that can image the activity of neurons in the brains of living mice. Because it is so thin, the endoscope can reach deep into the brain, giving researchers access to areas that cannot be seen with microscopes or other types of endoscopes.

26 Mar 2018

Daily regimen of ibuprofen can ward off Alzheimer's disease, say neuroscientists

A Vancouver-based research team led by Canada's most cited neuroscientist, Dr. Patrick McGeer, has successfully carried out studies suggesting that, if started early enough, a daily regimen of the non-prescription NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) ibuprofen can prevent the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

26 Mar 2018

Using VR to Go Back in Time for Those Living with Alzheimer's

Currently, there are an estimated 46 million people worldwide living with dementia. There is currently no cure, and no way to prevent the onset of dementia. The Wayback Project was created by a group of friends and former colleagues who wanted to create virtual reality films that allow patients to go 'back in time'.

26 Mar 2018

Researchers develop comprehensive map of genetic risk factors for stroke

Stroke is a serious disease affecting blood flow to and from the brain, and is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Stroke is characterized by a sudden onset of neurological dysfunction, caused by a blood clot or hemorrhage in a cerebral artery. While many genetic variants and lifestyle behaviors have been identified as risk factors for stroke, the genetic basis for the disease is unknown.

26 Mar 2018

Two immunotherapies used together for the first time to fight against solid tumors

Two immunotherapies - one that enables the T-cells a patient already has to better attack a tumor and another that can produce an independent and vigorous immune response - are being given together for the first time to help more patients wage a stronger war on a wide range of solid tumors, researchers say.

26 Mar 2018

Sleep like a Victorian to help insomnia

Sleeping like a person living in the Victorian times is the new strategy to combat sleeplessness or insomnia it seems. Before the industrial revolution and rise of electricity, most people would go to bed when it got dark. They would sleep for around five hours and then wake up. The next hour or so would be dedicated to chores around the house, reading, relaxing or intimacy and then the people would settle down for a second round of sleep.

25 Mar 2018

Researchers explore ways to manage and prevent falls in older adults with dementia

Annually, about one-third of all American adults aged 65 or older experience a fall. Falls are a major cause of medical problems, especially among those who have dementia. In fact, twice the number of older adults with dementia experience falls, compared to people without dementia.

23 Mar 2018