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.

OTUD6B gene mutations linked to physical and intellectual deficits

An international team of researchers from institutions around the world, including Baylor College of Medicine, has discovered that mutations of the OTUD6B gene result in a spectrum of physical and intellectual deficits.

24 Mar 2017

Research findings could open new avenue to develop treatments for Alzheimer's disease

Thin parts of the cell membranes of neurons turn out to be particularly vulnerable to a protein that collects in the brain of people with Alzheimer's disease, according to a University of Michigan researcher.

23 Mar 2017

Study finds direct link between increasing width of vestibular aqueduct and severity of child's hearing loss

It may be possible to predict the severity of hearing loss for children diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueduct, according to a new study published in JAMA-Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

23 Mar 2017

Brain makes new connections in blind people to enhance compensatory abilities

The brains of those who are born blind make new connections in the absence of visual information, resulting in enhanced, compensatory abilities such as a heightened sense of hearing, smell and touch, as well as cognitive functions (such as memory and language) according to a new study led by Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers.

23 Mar 2017

Sleep deprivation hinders ability to identify facial expressions, study finds

After a rough night's sleep, your ability to recognize whether those around you are happy or sad could suffer, according to a study led by a University of Arizona psychologist.

23 Mar 2017

UAlberta researchers discover potential new target for treatment of multiple sclerosis

In the relentless battle against multiple sclerosis (MS), U of A researchers recently discovered an entirely new cellular mechanism--an underlying defect in brain cells--that may to be blame for the disease, and a potential hallmark that may be a target for future treatment.

23 Mar 2017

Study links gastrointestinal disturbances of GWI with changes in intestinal microbiota

A new study from the University of South Carolina has found a gastrointestinal link that could help explain many of the health issues facing those with Gulf War Illness (GWI) as well as opening new pathways to treatment options that may improve both gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms associated with the disorder.

23 Mar 2017

New clinical approach offers hope for patients with aggressive brain cancer

Being diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor is devastating news for patients and their loved ones. Whereas some types of tumor respond well to treatment, others such as glioblastomas - the most common and aggressive brain tumors - are known to recur and progress within short times from the diagnosis.

23 Mar 2017

New study shows how developing brain learns to recognize and react to subtle sensory signals

A new study describes a key mechanism in the brain that allows animals to recognize and react when subtle sensory signals that might not seem important on their own occur simultaneously.

23 Mar 2017

Medications that increase effect of natural brain opioids may be better way to reduce anxiety

Published in Nature Communications by University of Sydney scholars, the findings suggest medications that boost the effect of natural brain opioids might be a better way to reduce anxiety than 'receptor-binding' opioid drugs like morphine, which have major side effects.

23 Mar 2017

Study shows effect of spiritual retreats on neurotransmitter systems in the brain

More Americans than ever are turning to spiritual, meditative and religious retreats as a way to reset their daily life and enhance wellbeing.

23 Mar 2017

New mathematical models show critical tipping point for swelling of brain cells

When brain cells don't get enough energy, caused by a stroke or trauma, they can start swelling rapidly. New mathematical models of this mechanism, developed by Koen Dijkstra of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, show a critical tipping point: at lower energy levels, there is no way back.

23 Mar 2017

Discovery about retinal zinc may show new way to protect, regenerate optic nerve in glaucoma patients

Connecting pieces of information by finding a common thread often takes glaucoma researchers in unexpected directions.

23 Mar 2017

Optical imaging tool could help track the brain's circulatory response to acute pain in adults, infants

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an optical imaging tool for monitoring of regional blood flow and tissue oxygenation, is being explored as a way to track the brain's response to acute pain in adults and infants.

23 Mar 2017

Stanford researchers understand how neural networks in the brain form associations

In the decades following the work by physiologist Ivan Pavlov and his famous salivating dogs, scientists have discovered how molecules and cells in the brain learn to associate two stimuli, like Pavlov's bell and the resulting food.

23 Mar 2017

UCLA study traces Pavlovian response to small cluster of brain cells

In his famous experiment, Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov rang a bell each time he fed his dogs. Soon, the dogs began drooling in anticipation when they heard the bell, even before food appeared.

22 Mar 2017

Study identifies urinary biomarker that may help monitor progression of ALS

A study in Neurology suggests that analyzing levels of the protein p75ECD in urine samples from people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may help monitor disease progression as well as determine the effectiveness of therapies.

22 Mar 2017

UC researchers advocate ‘precision medicine’ approach to studying and treating Parkinson's disease

Two landmark publications with one or more co-authors from the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute outline a transformative approach to defining, studying and treating Parkinson's disease.

22 Mar 2017

Heroin use linked to epigenetic alterations in the brain

Heroin use is associated with excessive histone acetylation, an epigenetic process that regulates gene expression, and more years of drug use correlate with higher levels of hyperacetylation, according to research conducted at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and published in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

22 Mar 2017

Endocrine Society releases new guideline to help diagnose and treat hypothalamic amenorrhea

Female athletes and women who have eating disorders are prone to developing a condition called hypothalamic amenorrhea that causes them to stop menstruating. The Endocrine Society today issued a Clinical Practice Guideline advising healthcare providers on ways to diagnose and treat this condition.

22 Mar 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

OTUD6B gene mutations linked to physical and intellectual deficits

Research findings could open new avenue to develop treatments for Alzheimer's disease

Study finds direct link between increasing width of vestibular aqueduct and severity of child's hearing loss

Brain makes new connections in blind people to enhance compensatory abilities

Sleep deprivation hinders ability to identify facial expressions, study finds

UAlberta researchers discover potential new target for treatment of multiple sclerosis

Study links gastrointestinal disturbances of GWI with changes in intestinal microbiota

New clinical approach offers hope for patients with aggressive brain cancer

New study shows how developing brain learns to recognize and react to subtle sensory signals

Medications that increase effect of natural brain opioids may be better way to reduce anxiety

Study shows effect of spiritual retreats on neurotransmitter systems in the brain

New mathematical models show critical tipping point for swelling of brain cells

Discovery about retinal zinc may show new way to protect, regenerate optic nerve in glaucoma patients

Optical imaging tool could help track the brain's circulatory response to acute pain in adults, infants

Stanford researchers understand how neural networks in the brain form associations

UCLA study traces Pavlovian response to small cluster of brain cells

Study identifies urinary biomarker that may help monitor progression of ALS

UC researchers advocate ‘precision medicine’ approach to studying and treating Parkinson's disease

Heroin use linked to epigenetic alterations in the brain

Endocrine Society releases new guideline to help diagnose and treat hypothalamic amenorrhea

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd 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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