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.

Babies can assess how much someone values a particular goal, study suggests

Babies as young as 10 months can assess how much someone values a particular goal by observing how hard they are willing to work to achieve it, according to a new study from MIT and Harvard University.

23 Nov 2017

Scientists produce images of brain tissue affected by Alzheimer's disease using ‘Raman’ technology

Using 'Raman' optical technology, scientists of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, can now produce images of brain tissue that is affected by Alzheimer's disease. The images include the surrounding areas, already showing changes.

23 Nov 2017

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients harbor infectious prions in their skin

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)- the human equivalent of mad cow disease- is caused by rogue, misfolded protein aggregates termed prions, which are infectious and cause fatal damages in the patient's brain. CJD patients develop signature microscopic sponge-like holes in their brains.

23 Nov 2017

Scientists detect pathological prion protein in skin of CJD patients

Researchers have found that it was possible to detect abnormal prion protein in the skin of 23 people who died from Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). They also found that exposing mice to skin tissue taken from the CJD patients caused them to develop prion disease.

23 Nov 2017

Penn neuroscientists develop first whole-brain map of electrical connectivity key to memory processing

A team of neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania has constructed the first whole-brain map of electrical connectivity in the brain based on data from nearly 300 neurosurgical patients with electrodes implanted directly on the brain.

23 Nov 2017

Saving and erasure of memories depends on subtle brain signals, TSRI scientists find

The fragrance of hot pumpkin pie can bring back pleasant memories of holidays past, while the scent of an antiseptic hospital room may cause a shudder. The power of odors to activate memories both pleasing and aversive exists in many animals, from humans to the humble fruit fly.

23 Nov 2017

Studies on evolutionary origin of teeth, vertebra illuminate human link to marine organisms

Two new studies on the evolutionary origin of teeth and of vertebra further illuminate the human connection to marine organisms that goes back millions of years.

23 Nov 2017

New study shows how SNO reaction may contribute to Parkinson's disease

A new study from The Scripps Research Institute is the first to show precisely how a process in nerve cells called the S-nitrosylation (SNO) reaction- which can be caused by aging, pesticides and pollution- may contribute to Parkinson's disease.

22 Nov 2017

Metabolites significantly affected in chronic kidney disease, study finds

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects 1 in 7 people in the United States, according to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases.

22 Nov 2017

Food-related cues can nudge people to overeat, study suggests

The mouth-watering aroma of juicy burgers and crispy fries, and the eye-catching menu signs with delicious food pictures can tempt many hungry patrons to stop at fast-food restaurants.

22 Nov 2017

High-intensity exercise improves memory, study finds

The health advantages of high-intensity exercise are widely known but new research from McMaster University points to another major benefit: better memory.

22 Nov 2017

Elderly people with MCI have weakened ability to memorize human faces, research reveals

A Japanese research group has revealed that elderly people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have a particularly weakened ability to memorize human faces in the short term when compared to healthy elderly people.

22 Nov 2017

Certain brain regions interact more closely in intelligent people

A study at Goethe University Frankfurt shows: In intelligent persons, some brain regions interact more closely, while others de-couple themselves.

22 Nov 2017

AR and VR technologies hold potential to increase attractiveness of healthy foods

Could health-promoting foods be made more appealing by using digital tools to enhance consumers' eating experiences? VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has used Virtual Reality (VR) to amplify such experiences.

22 Nov 2017

Alzheimer's Tau protein interacts with cell membranes and forms toxic complexes

The brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease contain characteristic tangles inside neurons. These tangles are formed when a protein called Tau aggregates into twisted fibrils. As a result, the neurons' transport systems disintegrate, essential nutrients can't move through, and the cells begin to die, affecting the brain's functions and giving rise to the disease's symptoms.

22 Nov 2017

Oncologists find new biomarker for breast cancer having poor prognosis

With the support of the FWF, an oncologist found a biomarker for breast cancer having a poor prognosis and developed two viable methods to detect it in tissue samples.

22 Nov 2017

Controlling organ functions with your cell phone may be possible in future

Think about this. You have diabetes, are trying to control your insulin levels and instead of taking a pill or giving yourself an injection, you click an app on your phone that tells your pancreas to bring blood sugar levels back to normal.

22 Nov 2017

Analysis of aged brains reveals new details about Alzheimer's disease and dementia

In a comprehensive analysis of samples from 107 aged human brains, researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science, UW Medicine and Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute have discovered details that will help researchers better understand the biological bases for Alzheimer's disease and dementia in older populations.

21 Nov 2017

Researchers uncover how rogue immune cells gain access to neurons in multiple sclerosis

Drug designers working on therapeutics against multiple sclerosis should focus on blocking two distinct ways rogue immune cells attack healthy neurons, according to a new study in the journal Cell Reports.

21 Nov 2017

Video game could help youth with autism improve their balance

Playing a video game that rewards participants for holding various "ninja" poses could help children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) improve their balance, according to a recent study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders led by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

21 Nov 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Babies can assess how much someone values a particular goal, study suggests

Scientists produce images of brain tissue affected by Alzheimer's disease using ‘Raman’ technology

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease patients harbor infectious prions in their skin

Scientists detect pathological prion protein in skin of CJD patients

Penn neuroscientists develop first whole-brain map of electrical connectivity key to memory processing

Saving and erasure of memories depends on subtle brain signals, TSRI scientists find

Studies on evolutionary origin of teeth, vertebra illuminate human link to marine organisms

New study shows how SNO reaction may contribute to Parkinson's disease

Metabolites significantly affected in chronic kidney disease, study finds

Food-related cues can nudge people to overeat, study suggests

High-intensity exercise improves memory, study finds

Elderly people with MCI have weakened ability to memorize human faces, research reveals

Certain brain regions interact more closely in intelligent people

AR and VR technologies hold potential to increase attractiveness of healthy foods

Alzheimer's Tau protein interacts with cell membranes and forms toxic complexes

Oncologists find new biomarker for breast cancer having poor prognosis

Controlling organ functions with your cell phone may be possible in future

Analysis of aged brains reveals new details about Alzheimer's disease and dementia

Researchers uncover how rogue immune cells gain access to neurons in multiple sclerosis

Video game could help youth with autism improve their balance

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