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.

Caltech scientists map neural circuit that regulates thirst

There are few feelings more satisfying than gulping down water when you are thirsty. But how does your brain know when you are dehydrated or satiated, and how does it use this information to initiate or terminate drinking? Caltech scientists have now mapped the circuit of neurons within the mouse brain that regulates thirst by stimulating and suppressing the drive to drink water.

1 Mar 2018

New study provides better understanding of asymmetric cell division

Stem cells are the basic material from which mature, specialised cells such as muscle and blood cells are produced -- this process is known as differentiation.

28 Feb 2018

Activation of pregnant mother's immune system can affect baby's brain development, study reveals

A landmark study published in the Journal of Neuroscience on February 26 reveals that activation of a pregnant mother's immune system can affect her baby's brain development.

28 Feb 2018

Study unravels biological mystery behind 'magical' properties of psychedelic mushrooms

Psychedelic mushrooms likely developed their "magical" properties to trip up fungi-munching insects, suggests new research.

28 Feb 2018

Researchers discover 50 new gene regions that increase risk of schizophrenia

Researchers at the MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics at Cardiff University have discovered 50 new gene regions that increase the risk of developing schizophrenia.

28 Feb 2018

Frequent exposure to diesel exhaust increases risk of ALS

People who are frequently exposed to diesel exhaust while on the job may have a higher risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and that risk may increase with greater exposure, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

28 Feb 2018

Receptors crucial for establishing strong memories

When we create a memory, a pattern of connections forms between neurons in the brain. New work from UC Davis shows how these connections can be strengthened or weakened at a molecular level. The study is published Feb. 27 in the journal Cell Reports.

27 Feb 2018

Specific genes linked to differences in brain anatomy of autistic children

A team of scientists at the University of Cambridge has discovered that specific genes are linked to individual differences in brain anatomy in autistic children.

27 Feb 2018

Olfactory virtual reality system could help study how smells engage the brain's navigation system

Northwestern University researchers have developed a new "smell virtual landscape" that enables the study of how smells engage the brain's navigation system. The work demonstrates, for the first time, that the mammalian brain can form a map of its surroundings based solely on smells.

27 Feb 2018

Failed osteoarthritis drug may help lessen opioid dependence

A new study from Indiana University suggests that a drug proven safe for use in people may prevent opioid tolerance and physical dependence when used in combination with opioid-based pain medications.

27 Feb 2018

Researchers successfully graft human neural stem cells into monkeys with spinal cord injuries

Led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, a diverse team of neuroscientists and surgeons successfully grafted human neural progenitor cells into rhesus monkeys with spinal cord injuries.

27 Feb 2018

Study shows importance of family history in onset of Alzheimer's disease

You're about to turn 60, and you're fretting. Your mother has had Alzheimer's disease since the age of 65. At what age will the disease strike you? A Canadian study published in JAMA Neurology shows that the closer a person gets to the age at which their parent exhibited the first signs of Alzheimer's, the more likely they are to have amyloid plaques, the cause of the cognitive decline associated with the disease, in their brain.

27 Feb 2018

Sexting among teenagers on the rise and cause for concern

According to a new study, there is a rising trend of sexting among teenagers and younger children over the last decade and this may be a challenge for carers and parents alike.

27 Feb 2018

Fresh insights into depression could pave way for new therapies

Fresh insights into changes in the brain linked to depression could pave the way for new therapies.

27 Feb 2018

UC receives $1.75 million grant for epilepsy research

Research scientist Jianxiong Jiang, PhD, doesn't just want to treat acquired epilepsy...he hopes to prevent it.

27 Feb 2018

Survival of cardiac arrest victims improves when bystanders use AED shock therapy

Survival from cardiac arrest doubled when a bystander stepped in to apply an automated external defibrillator (AED) before emergency responders arrived, according to new research in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.

27 Feb 2018

Scientists map breast cancer's spread routes

Breast cancer spreads to other organs in the body according to certain specific patterns. This has been shown by a team of researchers from Karolinska Institutet and KTH in Sweden and the University of Helsinki in Finland who have mapped breast cancer's spread routes in patients by studying the cancer cells' DNA. The study is published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

27 Feb 2018

People with central hearing loss more likely to have mild cognitive impairment

Some people with a certain type of hearing loss may be more likely to also have the memory loss and thinking problems called mild cognitive impairment, according to a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018. Hearing loss is one of the most common disabilities in elderly people, affecting about one-third of people over age 65.

27 Feb 2018

Study suggests “social brain” development is hindered at young age in children with autism

Researchers have found evidence that the detached response to social cues seen in infants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects development of particular brain regions known as the "social brain".

27 Feb 2018

BGN Technologies collaborates with Biosensorix to develop new cost-effective diagnostic kit

BGN Technologies, the technology transfer company of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, announced today its collaboration with Biosensorix, a Singapore-based company in the field of medical diagnostics, to develop next-generation, quantitative, point-of-care diagnostics based on research conducted at Ben-Gurion University.

27 Feb 2018