Brain News and Research

RSS

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.

TSRI biologists identify brain hormone that selectively stimulates fat metabolism

Biologists at The Scripps Research Institute have identified a brain hormone that appears to trigger fat burning in the gut. Their findings in animal models could have implications for future pharmaceutical development.

27 Jan 2017

Marginal deficiency of vitamin A in fetus or newborns may lead to Alzheimer's disease in later life

Biochemical reactions that cause Alzheimer's disease could begin in the womb or just after birth if the fetus or newborn does not get enough vitamin A, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.

27 Jan 2017

Stem cell secretions appear to protect retinal ganglion cells in rats, study shows

A new study in rats shows that stem cell secretions, called exosomes, appear to protect cells in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye.

27 Jan 2017

SLATE clinical trial uses Medtronic Visualase MRI-guided laser ablation system to treat common form of epilepsy

Medtronic plc announced today that the first procedure using the Visualase MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System has been performed in the pivotal SLATE (Stereotactic Laser Ablation for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy) clinical trial at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

From Medtronic 27 Jan 2017

Researchers shed light on basis of Parkinson’s disease and other ‘synucleinopathies’

Parkinson's disease (PD) and other "synucleinopathies" are known to be linked to the misfolding of alpha-synuclein protein in neurons.

27 Jan 2017

MRE technique detects tumor stiffness to enable non-invasive surgical planning

Important steps in planning tumor surgery include identifying borders between tumor and healthy tissue and assessing the tumor stiffness, e.g. hard and calcified or soft and pliant.

27 Jan 2017

Researchers uncover how brain circuit elicits hunger responses during starvation

The human body responds to starving conditions, such as famine, to promote the chance of survival. It reduces energy expenditure by stopping heat production and promotes feeding behavior.

27 Jan 2017

Novel gene therapy restores partial hearing and balance in mice born with genetic deafness

Using a novel form of gene therapy, scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital have managed to restore partial hearing and balance in mice born with a genetic condition that affects both.

27 Jan 2017

Fixations control responses of face cells, research suggests

When we are walking down a crowded street, our brains are constantly active, processing a myriad of visual stimuli. Faces are particularly important social stimuli, and, indeed, the human brain has networks of neurons dedicated to processing faces.

27 Jan 2017

LSD influences perception by stimulating serotonin receptors in the brain

Researchers from UZH have discovered how the perception of meaning changes in the brain under the influence of LSD. The serotonin 2A receptors are responsible for altered perception.

27 Jan 2017

UCL researchers discover how HIV infects macrophages despite presence of protective protein

A team led by UCL researchers has identified how HIV is able to infect macrophages, a type of white blood cell integral to the immune system, despite the presence of a protective protein.

27 Jan 2017

Old tuberculosis drug improves impaired social behavior in autism mouse model

Reducing the function of the autism-associated gene Pcdh10 leads to impairments in social behavior, according to a study published in Biological Psychiatry.

26 Jan 2017

TSU scientists developing new method to treat autism and cognitive disorders

Scientists at the Tomsk State University are exploring myokines, proteins that are produced in the muscles during physical activities.

26 Jan 2017

Combination assessment may rule out presence of OSA in children with Down syndrome

A combination of parental questionnaires and inexpensive diagnostic procedures that can be performed as part of a primary care visit may be able to rule out the presence of obstructive sleep apnea in people with Down syndrome.

26 Jan 2017

Researchers explore how eye muscles retain mobility in ALS patients

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS, is an incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects all voluntary muscles in the body leading to paralysis and breathing difficulties.

26 Jan 2017

Missing gene may cause kidney and urinary tract defects in people with DiGeorge syndrome

Loss of function of the CRKL gene causes kidney and urinary tract defects in people with DiGeorge syndrome, a multinational team of scientists led by Columbia University Medical Center has found.

25 Jan 2017

Brain shape can provide surprising clues to personality differences, FSU research reveals

New research reveals the shape of our brain can provide surprising clues about how we behave and our risk of developing mental health disorders.

25 Jan 2017

Synthetic molecule appears to reverse Alzheimer's-related neurological damage

Under ordinary circumstances, the protein tau contributes to the normal, healthy functioning of brain neurons. In some people, though, it collects into toxic tangles that damage brain cells.

25 Jan 2017

Aerobic exercise could help wounded warriors recover from mild traumatic brain injury

Improvised explosive devices and associated blast injuries have left over 350,000 U.S. service members in Iraq and Afghanistan with an invisible wound: traumatic brain injury.

25 Jan 2017

Body cooling not more effective than therapeutic normothermia for treating in-hospital cardiac arrests in children

In a multicenter, international study of infants and children who suffered cardiac arrest while in the hospital, NIH-funded researchers have found that body cooling, or therapeutic hypothermia, is no more effective than actively keeping the body at a normal temperature, or therapeutic normothermia.

25 Jan 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

TSRI biologists identify brain hormone that selectively stimulates fat metabolism

Marginal deficiency of vitamin A in fetus or newborns may lead to Alzheimer's disease in later life

Stem cell secretions appear to protect retinal ganglion cells in rats, study shows

SLATE clinical trial uses Medtronic Visualase MRI-guided laser ablation system to treat common form of epilepsy

Researchers shed light on basis of Parkinson’s disease and other ‘synucleinopathies’

MRE technique detects tumor stiffness to enable non-invasive surgical planning

Researchers uncover how brain circuit elicits hunger responses during starvation

Novel gene therapy restores partial hearing and balance in mice born with genetic deafness

Fixations control responses of face cells, research suggests

LSD influences perception by stimulating serotonin receptors in the brain

UCL researchers discover how HIV infects macrophages despite presence of protective protein

Old tuberculosis drug improves impaired social behavior in autism mouse model

TSU scientists developing new method to treat autism and cognitive disorders

Combination assessment may rule out presence of OSA in children with Down syndrome

Researchers explore how eye muscles retain mobility in ALS patients

Missing gene may cause kidney and urinary tract defects in people with DiGeorge syndrome

Brain shape can provide surprising clues to personality differences, FSU research reveals

Synthetic molecule appears to reverse Alzheimer's-related neurological damage

Aerobic exercise could help wounded warriors recover from mild traumatic brain injury

Body cooling not more effective than therapeutic normothermia for treating in-hospital cardiac arrests in children

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

Latest News