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.

Supplementation with macular carotenoids improves psychological stress levels, study shows

Lutein and zeaxanthin isomers--known as the macular carotenoids--are traditionally associated with eye health, but researchers at the University of Georgia found an interesting connection to their function in brain health, showing that they improved psychological stress levels and reduced serum cortisol.

27 Apr 2017

New software wrapper boosts ability of existing neuron tracing algorithms

Putting a turbo engine into an old car gives it an entirely new life--suddenly it can go further, faster. That same idea is now being applied to neuroscience, with a software wrapper that can be used on existing neuron tracing algorithms to boost their ability to handle not just big, but enormous sets of data

27 Apr 2017

International consensus statement on recognizing and treating sport-related concussions published

There is no question that concussion is among the more concerning injuries in sport today. The question is how to best detect, assess, treat and prevent it.

27 Apr 2017

Nose2Brain project aims to develop better therapy for multiple sclerosis

Medically active substances are normally distributed via the blood - either directly by injection into the bloodstream or indirectly, for example through the digestive tract after oral administration.

27 Apr 2017

Antidepressant improves drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier, rat study shows

NIH rat study suggests amitriptyline temporarily inhibits the blood-brain barrier, allowing drugs to enter the brain.

27 Apr 2017

Simple eye test can diagnose early signs of glaucoma

A SIMPLE eye test could help solve the biggest global cause of irreversible blindness, glaucoma. In clinical trials, the pioneering diagnostic -- developed by researchers at University College London and the Western Eye Hospital -- allowed doctors to see individual nerve cell death in the back of the eye.

27 Apr 2017

New research on functional brain networks offers insights into causes and symptoms of epilepsy

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder that afflicts approximately 50 million people worldwide. Although this disease has been known to exist for centuries, the exact mechanism of its cardinal symptom, the epileptic seizure, remains poorly understood.

27 Apr 2017

Research reveals how alterations in excitation/inhibition balance may lead to psychiatric disorders

In a special issue of Biological Psychiatry titled "Cortical Excitation-Inhibition Balance and Dysfunction in Psychiatric Disorders", guest editors Dr. Alan Anticevic and Dr. John Murray, both of Yale University, bring together seven reviews that highlight advancements in understanding the balance of excitatory and inhibitory signaling in the brain, and what might happen when it goes awry.

27 Apr 2017

Medtronic introduces new StealthStation S8 technology for neurosurgery

Medtronic plc today launched its new StealthStation™ technology at the American Academy of Neurological Surgeons annual conference in Los Angeles. StealthStation technology has been a mainstay in neurosurgery suites for the past 25 years, being used in more than 2.25 million procedures.

From Medtronic 27 Apr 2017

Study provides preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut

Parkinson's disease may start in the gut and spread to the brain via the vagus nerve, according to a study published in the April 26, 2017, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The vagus nerve extends from the brainstem to the abdomen and controls unconscious body processes like heart rate and food digestion.

27 Apr 2017

Experts aim to develop noninvasive technology that accelerates learning

The adage "put your thinking caps on" might evoke visions of an elementary classroom, where a teacher has just admonished cherubic little learners about to embark on a particularly difficult academic adventure.

26 Apr 2017

Study examines post-operative seizure outcomes after insular tumor resection

Winner of the Journal on Neuro-Oncology Award sponsored by Kluwer Academic Publishers, Doris Du Wang, MD, presented her research, Seizure Outcome After Surgical Resection of Insular Glioma, during the 2017 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

26 Apr 2017

Study investigates plasticity of motor representations in patients with brain tumors

Winner of the Brainlab Community Neurosurgery Award, Sandro Krieg, MD, presented his research, Plasticity of Motor Representations in Patients with Brain Lesions: a Navigated TMS Study, during the 2017 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

26 Apr 2017

Simple ice bag applied to the face could help prevent cardiovascular decompensation, study suggests

A new study suggests a simple bag of ice water applied to the face could help maintain adequate blood pressure in people who have suffered significant blood loss.

26 Apr 2017

Study underscores need for genetic screening to improve safety of experimental stem cell treatments

Regenerative medicine using human pluripotent stem cells to grow transplantable tissue outside the body carries the promise to treat a range of intractable disorders, such as diabetes and Parkinson's disease.

26 Apr 2017

New study points to cannabis as trigger for schizophrenia

Scientists believe that schizophrenia, a disorder caused by an imbalance in the brain's chemical reactions, is triggered by a genetic interaction with environmental factors. A new Tel Aviv University study published in Human Molecular Genetics now points to cannabis as a trigger for schizophrenia.

26 Apr 2017

Unique microscope reveals clues to destructive autoimmune disease

Using a unique microscope capable of illuminating living cell structures in great detail, researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have found clues into how a destructive autoimmune disease works, setting the stage for more discoveries in the future.

26 Apr 2017

Studies uncover link between immune system, brain structure and memory

The body's immune system performs essential functions, such as defending against bacteria and cancer cells. However, the human brain is separated from immune cells in the bloodstream by the so-called blood-brain barrier.

26 Apr 2017

Abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria linked to chronic fatigue syndrome

Scientists at the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health have discovered abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria related to chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS, in patients with and without concurrent irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS.

26 Apr 2017

Researchers discover genes linked to resilience against brain pathologies

The pathologies (damage) in the brain that stroke, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions cause in older adults only partially explain the memory loss, reduced reasoning ability and other cognitive impairments that result from these conditions. Little is known about why the effects of brain pathology vary between people who develop it.

26 Apr 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Supplementation with macular carotenoids improves psychological stress levels, study shows

New software wrapper boosts ability of existing neuron tracing algorithms

International consensus statement on recognizing and treating sport-related concussions published

Nose2Brain project aims to develop better therapy for multiple sclerosis

Antidepressant improves drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier, rat study shows

Simple eye test can diagnose early signs of glaucoma

New research on functional brain networks offers insights into causes and symptoms of epilepsy

Research reveals how alterations in excitation/inhibition balance may lead to psychiatric disorders

Medtronic introduces new StealthStation S8 technology for neurosurgery

Study provides preliminary evidence that Parkinson's disease may start in the gut

Experts aim to develop noninvasive technology that accelerates learning

Study examines post-operative seizure outcomes after insular tumor resection

Study investigates plasticity of motor representations in patients with brain tumors

Simple ice bag applied to the face could help prevent cardiovascular decompensation, study suggests

Study underscores need for genetic screening to improve safety of experimental stem cell treatments

New study points to cannabis as trigger for schizophrenia

Unique microscope reveals clues to destructive autoimmune disease

Studies uncover link between immune system, brain structure and memory

Abnormal levels of specific gut bacteria linked to chronic fatigue syndrome

Researchers discover genes linked to resilience against brain pathologies

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

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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