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.

Study shows link between children’s sleep quality and mothers’ insomnia

Children sleep more poorly if their mothers suffer from insomnia symptoms - potentially affecting their mental wellbeing and development - according to new research by the University of Warwick and the University of Basel.

31 Aug 2017

Researchers show how brain-computer interface improves motor function in stroke patients

University of Adelaide researchers have shown that it is possible for stroke patients to improve motor function using special training involving connecting brain signals with a computer.

30 Aug 2017

Reprogrammed stem cell therapy shows promise in Parkinson's

Japanese investigators have found that their experimental stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease actually works. In their experimental therapy, the team of researchers “reprogrammed” stem cells to make them neurons and implanted them into the brain of monkeys with a version of Parkinson’s disease. Stem cell therapy showed improvement of symptoms in these patients and was found to be safe. The study was published yesterday, 30th August 2017 in Nature.

30 Aug 2017

MIT engineers devise automated approach to monitor neurons

Recording electrical signals from inside a neuron in the living brain can reveal a great deal of information about that neuron's function and how it coordinates with other cells in the brain.

30 Aug 2017

Psychotic experiences double risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, study finds

Otherwise healthy people who experience hallucinations or delusions are more likely to have later suicidal thoughts or attempts, an international study has found.

30 Aug 2017

Two distinct brain regions involve in decision-making process, research shows

Often when we make a decision, we calculate its "expected value," by multiplying the value of something (how much we want or need it) with the probability that we might be able to obtain it, a concept first introduced by 17th-century mathematician Blaise Pascal.

30 Aug 2017

Rugby players take part in major study to develop ground-breaking test for concussion diagnosis

Rugby players from Aviva Premiership Rugby and Greene King IPA Championship are to take part in a major study led by the University of Birmingham as part of its work to develop a ground-breaking pitch-side test to diagnose concussion and brain injury.

30 Aug 2017

Potential rare gene mutation could act as predictor for schizophrenia and autism

Huntington's disease, cystic fibrosis, and muscular dystrophy are all diseases that can be traced to a single mutation. Diagnosis in asymptomatic patient for these diseases is relatively easy - You have the mutation? Then you are at risk. Complex diseases, on the other hand, do not have a clear mutational footprint.

30 Aug 2017

Defect in DNA repair machinery causes underdevelopment of neural network

DNA is the computer code that programs every event in the body. Despite the importance of DNA fidelity, as the body develops, cells grow and replicate, DNA is constantly turned over. This repeated process can compromise the DNA, which is why the body has many DNA repair machineries.

30 Aug 2017

Treatments for anxiety disorders likely to prove efficacious in ASD

A new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reports that anxiety occurring in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) shares similar brain mechanisms as anxiety alone.

30 Aug 2017

Photoacoustic technique uses lasers to create detailed ultrasound images in live animals

Researchers have developed a photoacoustic imaging technique that uses lasers to create detailed ultrasound images in live animals. The method allows for complete internal body scans with enough spatiotemporal resolution to see active organs, circulating cancer cells, and brain function.

30 Aug 2017

Stabilizing TREM2 could be viable therapeutic strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease

A gene called triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2, or TREM2, has been associated with numerous neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Frontotemporal lobar degeneration, Parkinson's disease, and Nasu-Hakola disease. Recently, a rare mutation in the gene has been shown to increase the risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

30 Aug 2017

Study sheds new light on gene fusion in bladder and brain cancer

A study by the University of Warwick sheds new light on gene fusion in bladder and brain cancer.

30 Aug 2017

New study pinpoints origin of abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder

The origins of autism remain mysterious. What areas of the brain are involved, and when do the first signs appear? New findings published in Biological Psychiatry brings us closer to understanding the pathology of autism, and the point at which it begins to take shape in the human brain.

29 Aug 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study shows link between children’s sleep quality and mothers’ insomnia

Researchers show how brain-computer interface improves motor function in stroke patients

Reprogrammed stem cell therapy shows promise in Parkinson's

MIT engineers devise automated approach to monitor neurons

Psychotic experiences double risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, study finds

Two distinct brain regions involve in decision-making process, research shows

Rugby players take part in major study to develop ground-breaking test for concussion diagnosis

Potential rare gene mutation could act as predictor for schizophrenia and autism

Defect in DNA repair machinery causes underdevelopment of neural network

Treatments for anxiety disorders likely to prove efficacious in ASD

Photoacoustic technique uses lasers to create detailed ultrasound images in live animals

Stabilizing TREM2 could be viable therapeutic strategy to combat Alzheimer's disease

Study sheds new light on gene fusion in bladder and brain cancer

New study pinpoints origin of abnormalities in autism spectrum disorder

Magnetic stimulation of the prefrontal cortex improved test subjects’ evaluation of own performance

Bacterial community in the gut of Parkinson's patients differs from that of healthy people

'Brain Glue' could one day serve as treatment for TBIs

IBS scientists uncover key regulator of normal as well as pathological angiogenesis

Boosting blood levels of bone-derived hormone may reverse age-related memory loss

New antibodies may halt key pathological mechanisms across several neurological diseases

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

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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