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.

EEG could be strong indicator of awareness levels in patients with disorders of consciousness

New research suggests that an electroencephalogram (EEG) could be a strong indicator of the level of awareness of patients in a vegetative state after a severe brain injury.

27 Jul 2016

New combination treatment improves overall survival in patients with malignant melanoma

Among patients with melanoma, those who received both ipilimumab (Yervoy) and local peripheral treatments such as radiotherapy or electrochemotherapy had significantly prolonged overall survival compared with those who received only ipilimumab, according to a retrospective clinical study.

27 Jul 2016

Novel noninvasive scoring system can help predict strength and health of vascular network in the brain

A new study presented at the Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery's 13th Annual Meeting in Boston found that the Opercular Score Index (OIS) is a practical, noninvasive scoring system that can be used to predict the strength and health of the vascular network in the brain (known as collateral robustness) and good clinical outcome among stroke patients undergoing endovascular recanalization.

27 Jul 2016

Focused therapy may be effective, less toxic way to treat brain tumors

Physicians from Carolinas HealthCare System's Neurosciences Institute and Levine Cancer Institute are among the authors of a study that was accepted for publication by the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study, released on July 26, 2016, shows that patients with the most common form of brain tumor can be treated in an effective and substantially less toxic way by omitting a widely used portion of radiation therapy.

27 Jul 2016

Researchers discover pathway linking oxidative stress and cysteine in Huntington's disease

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report they have identified a biochemical pathway linking oxidative stress and the amino acid cysteine in Huntington's disease.

27 Jul 2016

Shrinkage in hippocampal volume linked to stress-induced memory loss

"My workload has shot up after my last promotion, I know that I'm stressed out," says a management executive from Delhi.

26 Jul 2016

Pew survey shows Americans worry about using emerging technologies for human enhancement

Many in the general public think scientific and technological innovations bring helpful change to society, but they are more concerned than excited when it comes to the potential use of emerging technologies to make people's minds sharper, their bodies stronger and healthier than ever before, according to a new Pew Research Center survey.

26 Jul 2016

Stereotactic radiosurgery could be more effective for patients with few metastatic brain tumors

Patients with three or fewer metastatic brain tumors who received treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) had less cognitive deterioration three months after treatment than patients who received SRS combined with whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT).

26 Jul 2016

New study reports gymnastics equipment contains toxic flame-retardants linked to ADHD, cancer risks

As the summer Olympics get underway, a new study co-authored by Boston University School of Public Health researchers reports that popular gymnastics training equipment contains mixtures of flame-retardant chemicals that have been linked to increased risks of ADHD, cancer and brain development delays.

26 Jul 2016

Researchers discover three new risk genes for ALS

Published today in Nature Genetics, the study reveals three new risk genes for ALS and one of these - C21orf2 - increases an individual's risk of developing the dis-ease by 65 per cent.

26 Jul 2016

Elite endurance athletes possess better ability to resist mental fatigue, research shows

As British cyclist Chris Froome celebrates his third Tour de France victory, research from the University of Kent and Australian collaborators shows for the first time that elite endurance athletes have superior ability to resist mental fatigue.

26 Jul 2016

Large study of familial ALS finds new gene variant present in 3% of all patients with disease

Variations in a gene with multiple functions in neurons are present in approximately 3 percent of all cases of ALS in North American and European populations, both sporadic and familial, making it one of the most common genetic causes of the disease, according to a paper published in Nature Genetics.

26 Jul 2016

Odor identification test may help detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease

Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, New York State Psychiatric Institute, and NewYork-Presbyterian reported that an odor identification test may prove useful in predicting cognitive decline and detecting early-stage Alzheimer's disease.

26 Jul 2016

First confirmed case of Alzheimer’s disease in HIV-positive patient to be presented at AAIC 2016

The first case of Alzheimer's disease diagnosed in an HIV-positive individual will be presented in a poster session at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2016 in Toronto July 27.

26 Jul 2016

New research could provide insights into Alzheimer's and schizophrenia

Researchers comparing mouse and macaque brains have found evidence of an evolutionary universal brain structure in mammals that enables comparisons of cortical networks between species.

26 Jul 2016

Researchers examine link between poor physical performance and dementia risk in oldest adults

The number of people living well into their 90s is projected to quadruple by 2050. By mid-century, nearly 9 million people will be 90-years-old or older.

26 Jul 2016

New study uncovers way to characterize black box of malignant melanoma

When malignant melanoma metastasizes to the brain, it is a death sentence for most patients. Metastatic melanoma is the deadliest of the skin cancers and the mechanisms that govern early metastatic growth and interactions of metastatic cells with the brain microenvironment remain shrouded in mystery.

26 Jul 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

EEG could be strong indicator of awareness levels in patients with disorders of consciousness

New combination treatment improves overall survival in patients with malignant melanoma

Novel noninvasive scoring system can help predict strength and health of vascular network in the brain

Focused therapy may be effective, less toxic way to treat brain tumors

Researchers discover pathway linking oxidative stress and cysteine in Huntington's disease

Shrinkage in hippocampal volume linked to stress-induced memory loss

Pew survey shows Americans worry about using emerging technologies for human enhancement

Stereotactic radiosurgery could be more effective for patients with few metastatic brain tumors

New study reports gymnastics equipment contains toxic flame-retardants linked to ADHD, cancer risks

Researchers discover three new risk genes for ALS

Elite endurance athletes possess better ability to resist mental fatigue, research shows

Large study of familial ALS finds new gene variant present in 3% of all patients with disease

Odor identification test may help detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease

First confirmed case of Alzheimer’s disease in HIV-positive patient to be presented at AAIC 2016

New research could provide insights into Alzheimer's and schizophrenia

Researchers examine link between poor physical performance and dementia risk in oldest adults

New study uncovers way to characterize black box of malignant melanoma

Good ceramides in skin creams and shampoos may hold promise for Alzheimer's treatment

Exposure to atmospheric dust, high temperatures can increase risk of bacterial meningitis

Salmonella protein can reduce drug resistant molecule found in cancer cells

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

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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