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.

Scientists discover how immune system molecule hijacks brain circuit to reduce appetite during illness

Loss of appetite during illness is a common and potentially debilitating phenomenon--in cancer patients, especially, it can even shorten lifespan.

5 May 2016

Historical and modern perspectives in management of basilar invagination

Winner of the Vesalius Award Award, Abhidha Harshad Shah, MS, MD, presented her research, Management of Basilar Invagination: A Historical Perspective, during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

5 May 2016

Study reveals glioblastoma subtypes tend to develop in different regions of the brain

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have demonstrated that distinct types of glioblastoma, the most common form of brain cancer in adults, tend to develop in different regions of the brain. This finding provides an explanation for how the same cancer-causing mutation can give rise to different types of brain malignancies.

5 May 2016

Human brains constantly make statistical computations to estimate confidence

The directions, which came via cell phone, were a little garbled, but as you understood them: "Turn left at the 3rd light and go straight; the restaurant will be on your right side." Ten minutes ago you made the turn. Still no restaurant in sight. How far will you be willing to drive in the same direction?

5 May 2016

EPFL neuroscientists find that the brain can filter out cardiac sensations

Our heart is constantly beating yet we normally do not feel it. It turns out that our brain is capable of filtering out the cardiac sensation so that it doesn't interfere with the brain's ability to perceive external sensations. For the first time, researchers from the Center for Neuroprosthetics at EPFL have identified this mechanism. They discovered that a certain region in the brain determines where internal and external sensations interact. Their work appears in the Journal of Neuroscience.

5 May 2016

Researchers monitor ICP and PRx to characterize temporal evolution in severe TBI patients

Winner of the Best International Abstract Award, Hadie Adams, presented his research, Characterizing the Temporal Evolution of ICP and Cerebrovascular Reactivity after Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

5 May 2016

Research provides new insight into cellular composition of IDH1-mutant gliomas

Winner of the Preuss Research Award, Andrew Venteicher, MD, PhD, presented his research, Cellular Architecture of Human IDH1-mutant Gliomas Revealed Using Single-cell RNA Sequencing, during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

5 May 2016

Proton therapy offers new hope to patients with inoperable tumors

An enormous high tech machine is providing new hope to patients across the country with inoperable tumors. Proton therapy is a precise radiation technique that reduces the side effects often accompanied by traditional treatment options. Thanks to this remarkable technology, a new proton therapy center at UF Health Cancer Center - Orlando Health is saving the eyesight of a new mother who was diagnosed with a tumor behind her eye during her second trimester of pregnancy.

5 May 2016

Promising specialty medical home approach to patient-centered, cost-effective care for IBD patients

A specialty medical home--providing expert medical care coordinated with attention to social support and mental health--is a promising new approach to patient-centered, cost-effective care for patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, according to a special "Future Directions" paper in the May issue of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, official journal of the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

5 May 2016

Finding treatments for rare diseases: an interview with Dr Richard Thompson

It is estimated that around 400 rare diseases have licenced treatments, and a large proportion of these are a consequence of orphan drug legislation, which has helped to incentivise the production of drugs for small patient populations.

4 May 2016

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

In a study prompted in part by suggestions from people with mental illness, Johns Hopkins researchers found that a history of Candida yeast infections was more common in a group of men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder than in those without these disorders, and that women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who tested positive for Candida performed worse on a standard memory test than women with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder who had no evidence of past infection.

4 May 2016

Study evaluates effects of corticosteroids along with anti-tuberculosis drugs in tuberculous meningitis

The Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group have carried out a review update to evaluate the effects of corticosteroids being used alongside anti-tuberculosis medication to treat people suffering from tuberculous meningitis.

4 May 2016

Unfolding story of Zika virus in the Americas

Health Systems & Reform presents the article "Zika Virus and Health Systems in Brazil: From Unknown to a Menace," a commentary by Professor Marcia C. Castro, Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, on the Zika Virus epidemic in Brazil and the Americas.

4 May 2016

Study analyzes PI, RI of patients who underwent AVM embolization and surgical resection

Winner of the Louise Eisenhardt Traveling Scholarship, Sophia F. Shakur, MD, IFAANS, presented her research, Changes in Pulsatility and Resistance Indices of Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Feeder Arteries after Embolization and Surgery, during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) Annual Scientific Meeting.

4 May 2016

Researchers investigate incidence of new position-related nerve deficit in spine surgery

Winner of the Sanford J. Larson, MD, PhD, Award, Gurpreet Surinder Gandhoke, MD, presented his research, Incidence of Position Related Neuropraxia in 4,489 Consecutive Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery. Role of SSEP Monitoring? during the 2016 American Association of Neurological Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting.

4 May 2016

Oral administration of Jakinibs reduces Parkinson's disease pathogenesis in rat model

University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers report the first documentation that suppressing a key cell-signaling pathway in a rat model of Parkinson's disease reduces pathogenesis. Oral administration of AZD1480 — one of the JAK/STAT pathway inhibitors generally known as Jakinibs — lessened the destructive inflammation and nerve cell degradation in the area of the brain affected by Parkinson's.

4 May 2016

Scientists find that disruption to SCN rhythms can negatively impact overall health

Researchers have shown for the first time how neurons in the SCN are connected to each other, shedding light on this vital area of the brain. Understanding this structure — and how it responds to disruption — is important for tackling illnesses like diabetes and posttraumatic stress disorder. The scientists have also found that disruption to these rhythms such as shifts in work schedules or blue light exposure at night can negatively impact overall health.

4 May 2016

Scientists detect blood biomarker that may help in early diagnosis of children with ASD

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified a blood biomarker that may aid in earlier diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.

4 May 2016

Lund study shows transplanted nerve cells can survive for many years in diseased human brain

In the late 1980s and over the 1990s, researchers at Lund University in Sweden pioneered the transplantation of new nerve cells into the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease. The outcomes proved for the first time that transplanted nerve cells can survive and function in the diseased human brain. Some patients showed marked improvement after the transplantation while others showed moderate or no relief of symptoms.

4 May 2016

Aggregation of SOD1 protein in nerve cells can lead to ALS

Persons with the serious disorder ALS, can have a genetic mutation that causes the protein SOD1 to aggregate in motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. Researchers at Umea University have discovered that, when injected into mice, the SOD1 aggregation spreads rapidly leading to ALS. The discovery has been described in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

4 May 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Scientists discover how immune system molecule hijacks brain circuit to reduce appetite during illness

Historical and modern perspectives in management of basilar invagination

Study reveals glioblastoma subtypes tend to develop in different regions of the brain

Human brains constantly make statistical computations to estimate confidence

EPFL neuroscientists find that the brain can filter out cardiac sensations

Researchers monitor ICP and PRx to characterize temporal evolution in severe TBI patients

Research provides new insight into cellular composition of IDH1-mutant gliomas

Proton therapy offers new hope to patients with inoperable tumors

Promising specialty medical home approach to patient-centered, cost-effective care for IBD patients

Finding treatments for rare diseases: an interview with Dr Richard Thompson

Candida yeast infections more common in men with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder

Study evaluates effects of corticosteroids along with anti-tuberculosis drugs in tuberculous meningitis

Unfolding story of Zika virus in the Americas

Study analyzes PI, RI of patients who underwent AVM embolization and surgical resection

Researchers investigate incidence of new position-related nerve deficit in spine surgery

Oral administration of Jakinibs reduces Parkinson's disease pathogenesis in rat model

Scientists find that disruption to SCN rhythms can negatively impact overall health

Scientists detect blood biomarker that may help in early diagnosis of children with ASD

Lund study shows transplanted nerve cells can survive for many years in diseased human brain

Aggregation of SOD1 protein in nerve cells can lead to ALS

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

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