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.

Researchers develop new iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast agent for MRI

A new, specially coated iron oxide nanoparticle developed by a team at MIT and elsewhere could provide an alternative to conventional gadolinium-based contrast agents used for magnetic resonance imaging procedures.

14 Feb 2017

Penn Medicine's ODC collaborates with FAST to develop gene therapy for Angelman syndrome

Penn Medicine's Orphan Disease Center announces a new partnership with FAST to study gene therapy approaches to treat Angelman syndrome.

14 Feb 2017

Scientists identify how imbalance of calcium in mitochondria may contribute to Alzheimer's disease

Calcium in the mitochondria -- the energy factory of cells -- may be one of the keys to understanding and treating Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

14 Feb 2017

Researchers unlock specific mechanisms behind Aβ-induced cytoxicity in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to dementia via advanced neuronal dysfunction and death. A person with Alzheimer's disease suffers loss of control over thought, memory and language abilities.

14 Feb 2017

Researchers discover new culture method that unlocks natural fighter function of immune T cells

Mayo Clinic and University of Washington researchers have discovered a new culture method that unlocks the natural fighter function of immune T cells when they are passing through the bloodstream.

14 Feb 2017

New infusion therapy may help avoid debilitating symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients

Constant infusion of a drug now used intermittently to "rescue" patients with Parkinson's from bouts of immobility may also help avoid these debilitating symptoms and smooth out their movement throughout the day, physician-scientists say.

14 Feb 2017

Study finds sharp rise in number of older Americans taking multiple brain-affecting drugs

The number of older Americans who take three or more medicines that affect their brains has more than doubled in just a decade, a new study finds.

14 Feb 2017

Research provides new insight into how the brain collects and stores useful memories

Researchers from the University of Toronto, Canada, have discovered a reason why we often struggle to remember the smaller details of past experiences.

14 Feb 2017

CU Boulder scientists develop brain-based model to predict pain using variables beyond sensory input

Pain is a signal of actual or potential damage to the body, so it is natural to think of it as a localized sensation: knee pain in the knee, back pain in the back and so on.

14 Feb 2017

Children of parents affected with C9orf72 mutations more likely to have FTD and ALS at younger age

The most common genetic cause of the brain diseases frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a mutation in the C9orf72 gene.

14 Feb 2017

Researchers decode how ingenious tick immune system fights myriad of microbes

Everyone agrees that ticks are exceedingly nasty creatures. For hundreds of millions of years, they have survived on Earth by sucking blood from their victims for days, often leaving behind terrible diseases as a thank-you note.

14 Feb 2017

Low-intensity exercise boosts activation in visual cortex that plays key role in information processing

It's universally accepted that the benefits of exercise go well beyond fitness, from reducing the risk of disease to improving sleep and enhancing mood. Physical activity gives cognitive function a boost as well as fortifying memory and safeguarding thinking skills.

14 Feb 2017

TSRI scientists describe how key molecules in the brain work together to trigger intense anxiety

In a new study, researchers at The Scripps Research Institute have described how two important molecules in the brain work together to trigger intense anxiety.

13 Feb 2017

Gene that helps form trauma-related memories can be manipulated to prevent PTSD, study finds

A specific gene that helps form memories from traumatic events can be manipulated -- and in doing so may actually help prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to a new study led NYU Langone Medical Center that recently published in Neuropharmacology.

13 Feb 2017

Study shows how errors in specific gene can cause growth defects linked to dwarfism

A new study shows how errors in a specific gene can cause growth defects associated with a rare type of dwarfism.

13 Feb 2017

Study finds link between depression and initiation of e-cigarette use among college students

The emergence of e-cigarettes as a nicotine product has left scientists with many questions about their impact on health, including how the product interacts with depression.

13 Feb 2017

Researchers identify link between neuronal proteins and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration is a type of dementia characterized by personality changes, language dysfunction, and abnormal behavior. It has an earlier onset than Alzheimer's disease, and is associated with a buildup of the tau protein in affected nerve cells (neurons).

13 Feb 2017

Duke Health researchers identify potential new drug target for Huntington's disease

The loss of motor function and mental acuity associated with Huntington's disease might be treatable by restoring a cellular quality control process, which Duke Health researchers have identified as a key factor in the degenerative illness.

13 Feb 2017

New imaging method enables rapid assessment of tumor tissue during brain surgery

Brain surgery for removing cancerous tissue is a delicate and high-stakes task. Now researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering have created a way to improve tumor removal surgery by distinguishing cancerous tissue from healthy tissue faster.

13 Feb 2017

X-ray helps identify atomic composition of micronutrients in human brain organoids

Micronutrients and minerals play a key role during human fetal development. A study published in PeerJ this week describes the composition and distribution of some elements in human minibrains created in the lab.

13 Feb 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers develop new iron oxide nanoparticles as contrast agent for MRI

Penn Medicine's ODC collaborates with FAST to develop gene therapy for Angelman syndrome

Scientists identify how imbalance of calcium in mitochondria may contribute to Alzheimer's disease

Researchers unlock specific mechanisms behind Aβ-induced cytoxicity in Alzheimer's disease

Researchers discover new culture method that unlocks natural fighter function of immune T cells

New infusion therapy may help avoid debilitating symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients

Study finds sharp rise in number of older Americans taking multiple brain-affecting drugs

Research provides new insight into how the brain collects and stores useful memories

CU Boulder scientists develop brain-based model to predict pain using variables beyond sensory input

Children of parents affected with C9orf72 mutations more likely to have FTD and ALS at younger age

Researchers decode how ingenious tick immune system fights myriad of microbes

Low-intensity exercise boosts activation in visual cortex that plays key role in information processing

TSRI scientists describe how key molecules in the brain work together to trigger intense anxiety

Gene that helps form trauma-related memories can be manipulated to prevent PTSD, study finds

Study shows how errors in specific gene can cause growth defects linked to dwarfism

Study finds link between depression and initiation of e-cigarette use among college students

Researchers identify link between neuronal proteins and frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Duke Health researchers identify potential new drug target for Huntington's disease

New imaging method enables rapid assessment of tumor tissue during brain surgery

X-ray helps identify atomic composition of micronutrients in human brain organoids

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

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

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