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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.

Scientists develop new technique to control proteins inside live cells with light

Proteins are the workhorse molecules of life. Among their many jobs, they carry oxygen, build tissue, copy DNA for the next generation, and coordinate events within and between cells.

6 Jan 2017

Molecular pharmacologist granted funding to unravel mechanisms of neuronal communication

Our ability to memorize our first kiss or the last day at school as most other functions of the brain relies on communication between nerve cells at special contacts called synapses, where chemical signals are conveyed from one nerve cells to the next.

6 Jan 2017

Second-hand smoke exposures before conception affect fetal brain development

Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke -- even before conception -- appears to have a lingering impact that can later impair the brain development of a fetus, researchers at Duke Health report.

5 Jan 2017

Researchers uncover cell membrane protein that regulates gene linked to schizophrenia

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, have identified a protein that regulates a gene associated with schizophrenia. The study, published in the Journal of Neurophysiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for January.

5 Jan 2017

Protein involved in neurological disorders can travel from brain to stomach

Researchers of the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases have found that "alpha-synuclein", a protein involved in a series of neurological disorders including Parkinson's disease, is capable of travelling from brain to stomach and that it does so following a specific pathway.

5 Jan 2017

Concussed children with vision abnormalities have academic difficulty, research shows

A comprehensive vision assessment should be part of return-to-learn protocols to help determine when children are ready to return to the classroom following concussions -- particularly in children reporting academic difficulty.

5 Jan 2017

Living near a busy road may increase dementia risk, study reports

People living within 50 meters of a busy road are at an increased risk of developing dementia, compared with people who live further away, according to research published in The Lancet.The study also analyzed the link between traffic pollution exposure and the risk of Parkinson’s disease...

5 Jan 2017

Giving polycystic kidney disease the bump

We launched this campaign at the beginning of October 2016. It's the first time that we've ever had a campaign of this size and scope. It's a European campaign in multiple languages that's coordinated by six of the organizations that represent PKD patients in Europe.

5 Jan 2017

Experimental treatment approach reverses cognitive decline and neuropathology in AD mouse model

Treatment with an inhibitor of 12/15-lipoxygenase, an enzyme elevated in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), reverses cognitive decline and neuropathology in an AD mouse model, reports a new study in Biological Psychiatry.

5 Jan 2017

Researchers develop innovative technique to examine and quantify blood vessels in the brain

A study published today in the Journal of Anatomy has made an important breakthrough in the examination of blood vessels in the brain giving scientists a clearer understanding of how dementia, brain cancer and stroke can affect veins and capillaries in this organ.

5 Jan 2017

Mediterranean diet may help provide long-term protection to the brain

A new study shows that older people who followed a Mediterranean diet retained more brain volume over a three-year period than those who did not follow the diet as closely.

5 Jan 2017

Study to test impact of diet on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

The first study of its kind designed to test the effects of a diet on the decline of cognitive abilities among a large group of individuals 65 to 84 years who currently do not have cognitive impairment will begin in January.

5 Jan 2017

Study finds evidence for unique electrical properties of human pyramidal neurons

The human brain's advanced cognitive capabilities are often attributed to our recently evolved neocortex.

4 Jan 2017

People with musical anhedonia show reduced functional connectivity between cortical regions

Have you ever met someone who just wasn't into music? They may have a condition called specific musical anhedonia, which affects three-to-five per cent of the population.

4 Jan 2017

Witnessing fear in others may change how information flows in the brain, study finds

Scientists at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute have discovered that observing fear in others may change how information flows in the brain.

4 Jan 2017

New research suggests novel combination approach to fight against gliomas

"Devastating" and "dismal." That's how leading researchers describe the present outlook for malignant brain tumors. The median survival rate for patients with glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM, is a mere 14.2 months.

4 Jan 2017

Stuttering linked to reductions in blood flow in the brain area that controls speech production

A study led by researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles demonstrates what lead investigator Bradley Peterson, MD, calls "a critical mass of evidence" of a common underlying lifelong vulnerability in both children and adults who stutter.

4 Jan 2017

How does the brain control appetite?

Energy balance between energy intake and expenditure in our bodies is important for maintaining energy homeostasis to keep our bodies functioning properly. The appetite determines how much we eat, the energy intake, by communication between the brain and body.

4 Jan 2017

Researchers set gold standards for developing new painkillers based on medicinal effects of cannabis

Researchers at Leiden University led by Mario van der Stelt (Leiden Institute for Chemistry) have set 'gold standards' for developing new painkillers based on the medicinal effects of cannabis. Publication in Nature Communications.

4 Jan 2017

Researchers find promising results for treating depression with video game interface

Researchers have found promising results for treating depression with a video game interface that targets underlying cognitive issues associated with depression rather than just managing the symptoms.

4 Jan 2017

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Scientists develop new technique to control proteins inside live cells with light

Molecular pharmacologist granted funding to unravel mechanisms of neuronal communication

Second-hand smoke exposures before conception affect fetal brain development

Researchers uncover cell membrane protein that regulates gene linked to schizophrenia

Protein involved in neurological disorders can travel from brain to stomach

Concussed children with vision abnormalities have academic difficulty, research shows

Living near a busy road may increase dementia risk, study reports

Giving polycystic kidney disease the bump

Experimental treatment approach reverses cognitive decline and neuropathology in AD mouse model

Researchers develop innovative technique to examine and quantify blood vessels in the brain

Mediterranean diet may help provide long-term protection to the brain

Study to test impact of diet on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias

Study finds evidence for unique electrical properties of human pyramidal neurons

People with musical anhedonia show reduced functional connectivity between cortical regions

Witnessing fear in others may change how information flows in the brain, study finds

New research suggests novel combination approach to fight against gliomas

Stuttering linked to reductions in blood flow in the brain area that controls speech production

How does the brain control appetite?

Researchers set gold standards for developing new painkillers based on medicinal effects of cannabis

Researchers find promising results for treating depression with video game interface

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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