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.

Kaiser Permanente telestroke program increases use of clot-dissolving treatment for stroke patients

The use of a life-saving clot-dissolving treatment for patients with acute ischemic stroke increased by 73 percent following the implementation of a Kaiser Permanente telestroke program, according to a study published today in The Permanente Journal.

30 Jul 2016

Florida reports occurrence of local mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission in four people

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been informed by the State of Florida that Zika virus infections in four people were likely caused by bites of local Aedes aegypti mosquitoes.

30 Jul 2016

Research shows clear link between heart and the brain of LQTS patients

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center recently discovered a genetic link between Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), a rare cardiac rhythm disease, and an increased risk for seizures.

29 Jul 2016

Diet rich in saturated fat reduces person's cognitive function making it difficult to control eating habits

A diet high in saturated fat can make your brain struggle to control what you eat, says a new study in Frontiers in Cellular Neuroscience.

29 Jul 2016

Study verifies human gene therapy in MPS I animal model

Researchers are closer to finding a better way to treat children with a rare metabolic disorder called MPS I. It is caused by a deficiency of the key enzyme IDUA needed to break down complex sugars in cells.

29 Jul 2016

Scientists make a big leap on mini-brain research

Scientists in Singapore have made a big leap on research on the 'mini-brain'. These advanced mini versions of the human midbrain will help researchers develop treatments and conduct other studies into Parkinson's Disease and ageing-related brain diseases.

29 Jul 2016

Personalized virtual brain model of epileptic patient could lead to more precise diagnosis

Researchers at CNRS, INSERM, Aix-Marseille University and AP-HM have just created a virtual brain that can reconstitute the brain of a person affected by epilepsy for the first time.

29 Jul 2016

Researchers identify reason why antidepressants take so long to work

An episode of major depression can be crippling, impairing the ability to sleep, work, or eat. In severe cases, the mood disorder can lead to suicide. But the drugs available to treat depression, which can affect one in six Americans in their lifetime, can take weeks or even months to start working.

29 Jul 2016

Johns Hopkins students design new device to help treat battlefield injuries that block breathing

When a battlefield explosion injures a soldier's face or neck, the critical air passage between the head and lungs often becomes blocked, which can lead to brain damage and death within minutes.

29 Jul 2016

UAB researchers uncover vital mechanism for L-DOPA-induced-dyskinesia

Though the drug levodopa can dramatically improve Parkinson's disease symptoms, within five years one-half of the patients using L-DOPA develop an irreversible condition -- involuntary repetitive, rapid and jerky movements.

29 Jul 2016

Pre-term infants fed with breast milk have better IQs, working memory and motor function, study shows

A new study, which followed 180 pre-term infants from birth to age seven, found that babies who were fed more breast milk within the first 28 days of life had had larger volumes of certain regions of the brain at term equivalent and had better IQs, academic achievement, working memory, and motor function.

29 Jul 2016

Blood pressure hormone system important for cardiovascular health can promote obesity

New research by University of Iowa scientists helps explain how a hormone system often targeted to treat cardiovascular disease can also lower metabolism and promote obesity.

29 Jul 2016

New gene therapy shows promising results for treating neurodegenerative disorders

A new gene therapy approach designed to replace the enzyme that is deficient in patients with the inherited neurodegenerative disorders Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases successfully delivered the therapeutic gene to the brains of treated mice, restored enzyme function, and extended survival by about 2.5-fold.

28 Jul 2016

Scientists identify mutation responsible for new, rare genetic disorder

An international team of researchers has discovered the mutation responsible for a rare, newly identified genetic disorder that causes craniofacial abnormalities and developmental delays.

28 Jul 2016

Transcranial alternating current stimulation during sleep can enhance memory in healthy people

When you sleep, your brain is busy storing and consolidating things you learned that day, stuff you'll need in your memory toolkit tomorrow, next week, or next year. For many people, especially those with neurological conditions, memory impairment can be a debilitating symptom that affects every-day life in profound ways

28 Jul 2016

Changes in the brain's pleasure center may decrease physical activity in postmenopausal women

As women enter menopause, their levels of physical activity decrease; for years scientists were unable to determine why.

28 Jul 2016

Discovery of pain paradox paves way to new methods of pain control

A natural substance known to activate pain in the central nervous system has been found to have the opposite effect in other parts of the body, potentially paving the way to new methods of pain control.

28 Jul 2016

Updated AAN guidelines state closure not recommended for individuals with stroke and heart defect

An updated recommendation from the American Academy of Neurology states that catheter-based closure should not be routinely recommended for people who have had a stroke and also have a heart defect called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), a channel between the top two chambers in the heart.

28 Jul 2016

Smoking-related deficits in brain dopamine return to normal after quitting, study reports

A new study in Biological Psychiatry reports that smoking-related deficits in brain dopamine, a chemical implicated in reward and addiction, return to normal three months after quitting.

28 Jul 2016

Introduction of CT lung screening for high-risk individuals could decrease cancer-related deaths

The introduction of lung cancer screening in the UK could significantly reduce deaths in high risk groups, without causing participants the undue stress sometimes associated with medical tests.

28 Jul 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Kaiser Permanente telestroke program increases use of clot-dissolving treatment for stroke patients

Florida reports occurrence of local mosquito-borne Zika virus transmission in four people

Research shows clear link between heart and the brain of LQTS patients

Diet rich in saturated fat reduces person's cognitive function making it difficult to control eating habits

Study verifies human gene therapy in MPS I animal model

Scientists make a big leap on mini-brain research

Personalized virtual brain model of epileptic patient could lead to more precise diagnosis

Researchers identify reason why antidepressants take so long to work

Johns Hopkins students design new device to help treat battlefield injuries that block breathing

UAB researchers uncover vital mechanism for L-DOPA-induced-dyskinesia

Pre-term infants fed with breast milk have better IQs, working memory and motor function, study shows

Blood pressure hormone system important for cardiovascular health can promote obesity

New gene therapy shows promising results for treating neurodegenerative disorders

Scientists identify mutation responsible for new, rare genetic disorder

Transcranial alternating current stimulation during sleep can enhance memory in healthy people

Changes in the brain's pleasure center may decrease physical activity in postmenopausal women

Discovery of pain paradox paves way to new methods of pain control

Updated AAN guidelines state closure not recommended for individuals with stroke and heart defect

Smoking-related deficits in brain dopamine return to normal after quitting, study reports

Introduction of CT lung screening for high-risk individuals could decrease cancer-related deaths

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