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.

Stimulating the brain with mild electric current can improve vision

Stimulating the visual cortex of the brain for 20 minutes with a mild electrical current can improve vision for about two hours, and those with worse vision see the most improvement, according to a Vanderbilt University study published this week in Current Biology.

1 Jul 2016

New supplement could help reduce urge to consume high-calorie foods

Eating a type of powdered food supplement, based on a molecule produced by bacteria in the gut, reduces cravings for high-calorie foods such as chocolate, cake and pizza, a new study suggests.

1 Jul 2016

Researchers discover surprising mismatch on either side of dopaminergic synapses

Neurons are cells that transmit nerve impulses. Dopamine neurons are the main source of the chemical dopamine in the central nervous system and are few in number compared to other types of neurons in the brain.

1 Jul 2016

Nutritional interventions may help prevent detrimental brain ageing

Ageing is a highly complex process marked by a succession of events that may lead to an altered brain function, including neurodegenerative diseases. To date, the precise cause of cognitive decline remains quite elusive.

1 Jul 2016

Paracetamol use during pregnancy linked to hyperactivity, autism spectrum symptoms in children

A new study has found that paracetamol (acetaminophen), which is used extensively during pregnancy, has a strong association with autism spectrum symptoms in boys and for both genders in relation to attention-related and hyperactivity symptoms.

1 Jul 2016

Wolbachia bacterium can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting Zika virus

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have confirmed that a benign bacterium called Wolbachia pipientis can completely block transmission of Zika virus in Aedes aegypti, the mosquito species responsible for passing the virus to humans.

1 Jul 2016

SLU researchers receive federal grant to study Zika virus

Saint Louis University vaccine researchers have received $1.3 million in federal funding to study Zika, as part of a multi-site study funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health.

1 Jul 2016

CVD researchers to use minimally invasive tissue sampling to identify cause of child mortality

The Center for Vaccine Development has been awarded a large grant for research that will help determine why so many children under five are dying in the world's poorest countries.

1 Jul 2016

Scientists explore why some kids respond better to cochlear implants than others

Four-year-old William Wootton was born profoundly deaf, but thanks to cochlear implants fitted when he was about 18 months old, the Granite Bay preschooler plays with a keyboard synthesizer and reacts to the sounds of airplanes and trains, while still learning American Sign Language.

1 Jul 2016

Sheffield researchers identify novel function of C9orf72 protein linked to ALS and FTD

Scientists from the University of Sheffield have discovered a novel function of the C9orf72 protein which is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) - giving a new insight into the most common genetic cause of the degenerative diseases.

1 Jul 2016

Study uses patterns of resting-state brain waves to identify quick language learners

Ever wonder why some people seem to learn new languages faster? The secret might lie in the brain activity they generate while relaxing.

1 Jul 2016

Researchers uncover how dysfunction of brain circuit may contribute to memory loss

Two interconnected brain areas - the hippocampus and the entorhinal cortex - help us to know where we are and to remember it later.

30 Jun 2016

Drexel researchers develop computer game and mobile app to help people lose weight

Can a computer game train your brain to resist sweets? That's the question Drexel University researchers hope to answer with one of two new studies launching this month. They have developed a computer game and smartphone app to help people control unhealthy eating habits and ultimately lose weight.

30 Jun 2016

Appetite hormone CART helps increase insulin secretion, reduce glucagon production

The study shows that the appetite hormone CART not only controls the sensation of satiety, but it also helps increase insulin secretion and decrease glucagon production.

30 Jun 2016

Researchers observe language learning skills through brain imaging

Learning a new language is a difficult task. It requires skills for memorizing new words, learning how to put those words together in a grammatical way, and integrating them with existing linguistic knowledge.

30 Jun 2016

Transorbital ACS can improve vision in patients with glaucoma, optic nerve damage

Vision loss due to glaucoma or optic nerve damage is generally considered irreversible. Now a new prospective, randomized, multi-center clinical trial demonstrates significant vision improvement in partially blind patients after 10 days of noninvasive, transorbital alternating current stimulation.

30 Jun 2016

Surgeons outline complete face transplant procedure in facial burn patients

Last year, the most extensive clinical face transplant to date was successfully carried out at NYU Langone Medical Center.

30 Jun 2016

Acupuncture improves headache-related QoL in TBI patients

A study comparing the effectiveness of usual care alone to usual care plus either auricular or traditional Chinese acupuncture in treating patients with headaches due to a previous traumatic brain injury (TBI) showed a significant improvement in headache-related quality of life (QoL) with the addition of acupuncture.

30 Jun 2016

UTHealth researchers receive $11 million grant to study prion diseases

Led by Claudio Soto, Ph.D., researchers from McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston have been awarded $11 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases to study the pathogenesis, transmission and detection of prion diseases - such as chronic wasting disease in deer - that can potentially spread to humans.

30 Jun 2016

Stem cell procedure may be safe for ALS patients

A phase II clinical trial in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's disease, suggests that transplanting human stem cells into the spinal cord may be done safely.

30 Jun 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Stimulating the brain with mild electric current can improve vision

New supplement could help reduce urge to consume high-calorie foods

Researchers discover surprising mismatch on either side of dopaminergic synapses

Nutritional interventions may help prevent detrimental brain ageing

Paracetamol use during pregnancy linked to hyperactivity, autism spectrum symptoms in children

Wolbachia bacterium can prevent mosquitoes from transmitting Zika virus

SLU researchers receive federal grant to study Zika virus

CVD researchers to use minimally invasive tissue sampling to identify cause of child mortality

Scientists explore why some kids respond better to cochlear implants than others

Sheffield researchers identify novel function of C9orf72 protein linked to ALS and FTD

Study uses patterns of resting-state brain waves to identify quick language learners

Researchers uncover how dysfunction of brain circuit may contribute to memory loss

Drexel researchers develop computer game and mobile app to help people lose weight

Appetite hormone CART helps increase insulin secretion, reduce glucagon production

Researchers observe language learning skills through brain imaging

Transorbital ACS can improve vision in patients with glaucoma, optic nerve damage

Surgeons outline complete face transplant procedure in facial burn patients

Acupuncture improves headache-related QoL in TBI patients

UTHealth researchers receive $11 million grant to study prion diseases

Stem cell procedure may be safe for ALS patients

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd edition eBook

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

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