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.

Secondhand smoke may have different effects on men and women, Amish community research finds

New research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has found that secondhand smoke tends to have somewhat different effects on men and women.

5 May 2017

Texas A&M researchers aim to develop one drug that treats pain, memory and nicotine addiction

Although pain, memory and nicotine addiction may not seem to be related, they actually share a common player: the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

5 May 2017

Research in people with IBS shows link between gut microbiota and brain regions

A new study by researchers at UCLA has revealed two key findings for people with irritable bowel syndrome about the relationship between the microorganisms that live in the gut and the brain.

5 May 2017

Study shows how influenza A hijacks human cellular machinery to replicate

Much is known about flu viruses, but little is understood about how they reproduce inside human host cells, spreading infection. Now, a research team headed by investigators from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is the first to identify a mechanism by which influenza A, a family of pathogens that includes the most deadly strains of flu worldwide, hijacks cellular machinery to replicate.

5 May 2017

Aroma researcher highlights stimulating power of smell in humans

We might be forgiven for thinking that a dog's sense of smell is more sensitive than our own. After all, our other senses seem to dominate daily life.

5 May 2017

Researchers pinpoint gene that plays crucial role in formation of neural tube defects

Researchers have identified a gene that plays a key role in the formation of neural tube defects, a problem commonly found in infants of pregnant women with diabetes.

5 May 2017

Researchers discover new defense mechanism against bacteria during wound healing

Researchers in dermatology at Lund University in Sweden believe they have cracked the mystery of why we are able to quickly prevent an infection from spreading uncontrollably in the body during wounding. They believe this knowledge may be of clinical significance for developing new ways to counteract bacteria.

5 May 2017

Experts find benefits of antipsychotic medications to be much greater than side effects

An international group of experts has concluded that, for patients with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders, antipsychotic medications do not have negative long-term effects on patients' outcomes or the brain.

5 May 2017

TSRI scientists uncover regulatory machinery underlying the function of cancer protein

Despite intense research, there's been much confusion regarding the exact role of a protein in a critical cancer-linked pathway. On one hand, the protein is described as a cell proliferation inhibitor, on the other, a cell proliferation activator, a duality that has caused a great deal of scientific head scratching.

5 May 2017

Study sheds light on neural mechanisms of Fragile X syndrome

A collaboration between scientists in Belgium, the United States, Norway, France and the UK has resulted in a study that sheds light on the neural mechanisms of Fragile X syndrome.

5 May 2017

New research reveals causes of weight gain after deep brain stimulation in Parkinsonian patients

It was already known that people affected by Parkinson's disease, when subjected to deep brain stimulation, gained weight, but it was less clear why that was so. Thanks to new research by the International School for Advanced Studies - SISSA in Trieste, it has been realized that the weight gain after implant has a multifactorial origin.

5 May 2017

Study shows how feelings of clinician-patient similarity and trust can help reduce pain

Getting a shot at your doctor's office can be a stressful experience. But what if you knew your doctor was from your hometown, liked the same food as you, or shared your religious beliefs? Now that you feel more culturally connected to your doctor, will the shot hurt less?

5 May 2017

Study reveals critical role of omega-3 fatty acids in preserving integrity of the blood-brain barrier

Already extolled for their health benefits as a food compound, omega-3 fatty acids now appear to also play a critical role in preserving the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, which protects the central nervous system from blood-borne bacteria, toxins and other pathogens, according to new research from Harvard Medical School.

5 May 2017

Researchers uncover new connection between brain regions involved in early stages of motor control

A newborn's brain is abuzz with activity. Day and night, it's processing signals from all over the body, from recognizing the wriggles of the child's own fingers and toes to the sound of mommy's or daddy's voice.

5 May 2017

Easing cellular traffic jams in Huntington’s disease may save brain cells

Working with mouse, fly and human cells and tissue, Johns Hopkins researchers report new evidence that disruptions in the movement of cellular materials in and out of a cell's control center - the nucleus- appear to be a direct cause of brain cell death in Huntington's disease, an inherited adult neurodegenerative disorder.

5 May 2017

UAB spinoff develops drug-resistant immunotherapy to combat solid tumors

The University of Alabama at Birmingham and two partner institutions have received a European patent for their novel approach to fighting cancer, an approach that is led by the UAB spinoff biopharmaceutical company Incysus Ltd.

5 May 2017

Discovery of signaling pathway offers new functional framework for treating schizophrenia

Neuroscientists at Tufts University School of Medicine have discovered a new signaling pathway that directly connects two major receptors in the brain associated with learning and memory – the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and the alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (a7nAChR) – which has significance for current efforts to develop drugs to treat schizophrenia.

4 May 2017

Breast-feeding may aid development of white matter structures in the brains of premature babies

To the growing list of reasons why mothers should consider breast-feeding infants, add another: Critical white matter structures in the brains of babies who are born so prematurely that they weigh less than 1,500 grams develop more robustly when their mothers breast-feed them, compared with preemie peers who are fed formula.

4 May 2017

New synthetic retina could offer new hope to visually impaired people

A synthetic, soft tissue retina developed by an Oxford University student could offer fresh hope to visually impaired people.

4 May 2017

Children with single-ventricle disease have higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage of surgery

As children with single-ventricle disease, a complex and severe heart defect, undergo a series of three reconstructive surgeries, pediatric researchers have detected higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage.

4 May 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Secondhand smoke may have different effects on men and women, Amish community research finds

Texas A&M researchers aim to develop one drug that treats pain, memory and nicotine addiction

Research in people with IBS shows link between gut microbiota and brain regions

Study shows how influenza A hijacks human cellular machinery to replicate

Aroma researcher highlights stimulating power of smell in humans

Researchers pinpoint gene that plays crucial role in formation of neural tube defects

Researchers discover new defense mechanism against bacteria during wound healing

Experts find benefits of antipsychotic medications to be much greater than side effects

TSRI scientists uncover regulatory machinery underlying the function of cancer protein

Study sheds light on neural mechanisms of Fragile X syndrome

New research reveals causes of weight gain after deep brain stimulation in Parkinsonian patients

Study shows how feelings of clinician-patient similarity and trust can help reduce pain

Study reveals critical role of omega-3 fatty acids in preserving integrity of the blood-brain barrier

Researchers uncover new connection between brain regions involved in early stages of motor control

Easing cellular traffic jams in Huntington’s disease may save brain cells

UAB spinoff develops drug-resistant immunotherapy to combat solid tumors

Discovery of signaling pathway offers new functional framework for treating schizophrenia

Breast-feeding may aid development of white matter structures in the brains of premature babies

New synthetic retina could offer new hope to visually impaired people

Children with single-ventricle disease have higher rates of brain abnormalities at each stage of surgery

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