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.

Estrogen-inhibiting drug may suppress dangerous brain seizures

A class of drug that inhibits estrogen production and is used to treat breast cancer has been found to quickly and effectively suppress dangerous brain seizures, according to a new Northwestern University study.

13 May 2016

McGill researchers discover brain cells that play key role in leptin sensing, weight gain

It's rare for scientists to get what they describe as "clean" results without spending a lot of time repeating the same experiment over and over again. But when researchers saw the mice they were working with doubling their weight within a month or two, they knew they were on to something.

13 May 2016

Tau pathology closely tracks brain function during early AD

Tau tangles may be a better indicator of cognitive changes during Alzheimer's disease progression than beta-amyloid deposition, researchers propose.

13 May 2016

Specific gene links impulsive behavior to binge drinking in teens

From minor acts of rebellion such as bunking off school, to the more serious experimentation with illicit substances, the teenage years can be a stressful time for parents.

12 May 2016

New IsoPSA test identifies molecular structural changes in protein biomarkers to detect prostate cancer

A promising new test is detecting prostate cancer more precisely than current tests, by identifying molecular changes in the prostate specific antigen (PSA) protein, according to Cleveland Clinic research presented today at the American Urological Association annual meeting.

12 May 2016

Low adiponectin levels may lead to development of PTSD symptoms

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) relive past traumas again and again, bound in a virtual prison of their memories.

12 May 2016

New discovery on brain plasticity could help develop biomarkers for SSD treatment

A new discovery could help people suffering with single-sided deafness (SSD) find a treatment quicker - and could potentially lead to a cure.

12 May 2016

Mitoxantrone drug users more likely to develop colorectal cancer

The multiple sclerosis (MS) drug mitoxantrone may be associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, according to a study published in the May 11, 2016, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Mitoxantrone suppresses the immune system.

12 May 2016

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

Two mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy have been developed by a team of researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In them, the virus migrated from the pregnant mouse's bloodstream into the placenta, where it multiplied, then spread into the fetal circulation and infected the brains of the developing pups.

12 May 2016

Could oral supplements affect teenage behavior? An interview with Prof. Stein and Dr Tammam

We wanted to see whether supplementing the diet of disadvantaged adolescents with the omega 3 polyunsaturated acids, EPA & DHA, vitamins and minerals over a school term might improve their antisocial behaviour, which usually gets worse during a term.

12 May 2016

LaVision BioTec reports on use of light sheet and 2-photon microscopy for brain injury research

LaVision BioTec, developers of advanced microscopy solutions for the life sciences, report on the work of Ali Ertürk, a Group Leader at the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (part of the Klinikum der Universität München) at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany.

12 May 2016

LaVison BioTec highlights Nicolas Renier's research on use of UltraMicroscope to study axon rewiring in nervous systems

LaVison BioTec, developers of advanced microscopy solutions for the life sciences, report on the work of Nicolas Renier, a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Marc Tessier-Lavigne at the Rockefeller University in New York where he applies light sheet microscopy to study axon rewiring in adult nervous systems.

12 May 2016

Computerized decision support tool can assist physicians in prescribing stroke prevention therapy

Physician-researchers in the College of Medicine at the University of Cincinnati have developed a computerized decision support tool that uses a combination of patient information and characteristics to assist physicians and patients with decisions about blood thinning treatment to prevent strokes in individuals with atrial fibrillation.

12 May 2016

Brazilian strain of Zika virus can cause severe birth defects

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, with colleagues in Brazil and Senegal, have described the first "direct experimental proof" that the Brazilian strain of Zika virus can actually cause severe birth defects. The findings are published in the May 11 online issue of Nature.

12 May 2016

Scientists find tau protein as better marker of Alzheimer's disease

A buildup of plaque and dysfunctional proteins in the brain are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. While much Alzheimer's research has focused on accumulation of the protein amyloid beta, researchers have begun to pay closer attention to another protein, tau, long associated with this disease but not studied as thoroughly, in part, because scientists only recently have developed effective ways to image tau.

12 May 2016

Study explores neurological mechanisms in action during ketamine anesthesia

It's a topic that has long captivated doctors, scientists and the public — what exactly happens in your brain when you're oblivious on the operating table?

12 May 2016

Jumping genes may play crucial role in generation of cancer

For more than 50 years, scientists have known of the existence of "jumping genes," strands of DNA material that can move from one location in the genome to another.

11 May 2016

New mouse model reveals underlying brain changes linked to autism's social, learning problems

A new mouse model of a genetically-linked type of autism reveals more about the role of genes in the disorder and the underlying brain changes associated with autism's social and learning problems.

11 May 2016

Study suggests ways of minimizing DNA folding errors

Induced pluripotent stem cells hold promise for regenerative medicine because they can, in theory, turn into any type of tissue and because they are made from a patient's own adult cells, guaranteeing compatibility. However, the technique that turns adult cells into these iPS cells is not foolproof; after reverting to their pluripotent state, these cells don't always correctly differentiate back into adult cells.

11 May 2016

Eating seafood once a week may protect against age-related memory loss

Eating a meal of seafood or other foods containing omega-3 fatty acids at least once a week may protect against age-related memory loss and thinking problems in older people, according to a team of researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

11 May 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Estrogen-inhibiting drug may suppress dangerous brain seizures

McGill researchers discover brain cells that play key role in leptin sensing, weight gain

Tau pathology closely tracks brain function during early AD

Specific gene links impulsive behavior to binge drinking in teens

New IsoPSA test identifies molecular structural changes in protein biomarkers to detect prostate cancer

Low adiponectin levels may lead to development of PTSD symptoms

New discovery on brain plasticity could help develop biomarkers for SSD treatment

Mitoxantrone drug users more likely to develop colorectal cancer

Mouse models of Zika virus infection in pregnancy provide basis to develop vaccines, treatments

Could oral supplements affect teenage behavior? An interview with Prof. Stein and Dr Tammam

LaVision BioTec reports on use of light sheet and 2-photon microscopy for brain injury research

LaVison BioTec highlights Nicolas Renier's research on use of UltraMicroscope to study axon rewiring in nervous systems

Computerized decision support tool can assist physicians in prescribing stroke prevention therapy

Brazilian strain of Zika virus can cause severe birth defects

Scientists find tau protein as better marker of Alzheimer's disease

Study explores neurological mechanisms in action during ketamine anesthesia

Jumping genes may play crucial role in generation of cancer

New mouse model reveals underlying brain changes linked to autism's social, learning problems

Study suggests ways of minimizing DNA folding errors

Eating seafood once a week may protect against age-related memory loss

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