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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.

National plan outlines milestones, strategies for Alzheimer's patient care and caregiver support

The National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA) was signed into law in 2011. Over the past five years milestones have been identified to meet the plan's biomedical research goal. However, similar milestones have not been created for the goals on patient care and caregiver support.

13 Apr 2016

Common antihistamine may partially reverse damage to visual system in multiple sclerosis patients

A common antihistamine used to treat symptoms of allergies and the common cold, called clemastine fumarate, partially reversed damage to the visual system in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in a preliminary study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

13 Apr 2016

Rush awarded $14.5 million NIA grant to study effects of MIND diet on Alzheimer's disease

Can a particular diet prevent Alzheimer's disease? The National Institute of Aging has invested heavily in Rush University Medical Center to try to find out.

13 Apr 2016

Researchers aim to design stable micro-bubbles containing chemotherapeutic drugs

Researchers are now working to design stable micro-bubbles which, combined with ultrasound, can deliver cancer drugs straight to the target tumour.

13 Apr 2016

Manipulation of signals in nervous system can enhance recovery after traumatic injury

Neurobiologists at UC San Diego have discovered how signals that orchestrate the construction of the nervous system also influence recovery after traumatic injury. They also found that manipulating these signals can enhance the return of function.

12 Apr 2016

Biopsy of submandibular gland can help identify pathology of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies

Accurate diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, and the related disease "dementia with Lewy bodies," can be difficult in the early stages of both conditions. While brain biopsies can be more accurate, the risk of complications has been considered too high. New research published in the Journal of Parkinson's Disease indicates that a biopsy of the submandibular gland can help identify the same pathology that is seen in the brain, providing some of the increased accuracy of brain biopsy, but not the increased risk.

12 Apr 2016

Researchers analyze post-Ebola syndrome survivors to improve ongoing treatment

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and the King's Sierra Leone Partnership are to present new findings into post-Ebola syndrome at a major European conference this week.

12 Apr 2016

Abnormally active Rab5 protein leads to early development of neurodegenerative disease

Writing in the April 11 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine say abnormalities in a protein that helps transport and sort materials inside cells are linked to axonal dysfunction and degeneration of neurons in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome (DS).

12 Apr 2016

Mild traumatic brain injury can affect quality of parent-child relationships

A study published in the Journal of Neuropsychology, reveals the adverse effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on the quality parent-child relationships. The young brain is particularly vulnerable to injury and one of the first visible signs of social difficulties in young children is a decline in their relationship with their parents. Parents should watch for emotional and behavioural changes in their children.

12 Apr 2016

Brazilian researchers reveal harmful effects of Zika virus in human neural stem cells, neurospheres

Brazilian researchers from the D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR) and Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) have demonstrated the harmful effects of ZIKA virus (ZIKV) in human neural stem cells, neurospheres and brain organoids.

12 Apr 2016

Combination of genetic, environmental risk factors can trigger fatal eating disorder in humans

In a new study, researchers from Columbia University Medical Center described a new mouse model featuring a combination of genetic and environmental risk factors that can trigger the compulsive restriction of food intake seen in patients with anorexia nervosa. The findings may help to identify new prevention and treatment strategies for the eating disorder in humans.

12 Apr 2016

Glial cells can modulate specific nerve endings in the brain, find Rockefeller scientists

More than half of our brains are made up of glial cells, which wrap around nerve fibers and insulate them--similarly to how the plastic casing of an electric cable insulates the copper wire within--allowing electrical and chemical impulses to travel faster.

12 Apr 2016

Zonisamide relieves myoclonus dystonia motor symptoms

A randomised crossover trial shows that zonisamide significantly improves motor symptoms and related disability in adults with myoclonus dystonia.

12 Apr 2016

Research suggests new pathway for preventing optic nerve damage in KPro recipients

Researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Harvard Medical School have identified inflammatory factors that cause optic neuropathy in the back of the eye following implantation of a keratoprosthesis (KPro) — similar to what glaucoma patients experience, without the rise of pressure in the eye — and have shown that blocking one of those factors, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFa), successfully halts the development of optic nerve damage in a mouse model.

11 Apr 2016

Transcranial direct current stimulation can allow faster comprehension of meaningful word combinations

How the human brain processes the words we hear and constructs complex concepts is still somewhat of a mystery to the neuroscience community. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can alter our language processing, allowing for faster comprehension of meaningful word combinations, according to new research from the department of Neurology the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The work is published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

11 Apr 2016

Advanced assay offers better sensitivity for detecting a prion disease affecting elk

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases, are a family of rare progressive, neurodegenerative illnesses that affect both humans and animals. TSE surveillance is important for public health and food safety because TSEs have the potential of crossing from animals to humans, as seen with the spread of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). A study in The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics describes an advanced assay that offers better sensitivity than currently available tests for detecting a prion disease affecting elk.

11 Apr 2016

Cornell researchers discover potential way to penetrate blood brain barrier

Cornell researchers have discovered a way to penetrate the blood brain barrier (BBB) that may soon permit delivery of drugs directly into the brain to treat disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and chemotherapy-resistant cancers.

11 Apr 2016

Noviplex card could accelerate testing for Zika virus in the Amazonian region of Brazil

A University of Nebraska-Lincoln researcher is partnering with Brazilian officials to distribute a device that could accelerate testing for the Zika virus and monitor contamination of the country's freshwater food sources.

11 Apr 2016

Zika virus may be linked to autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain's myelin

The Zika virus may be associated with an autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain's myelin similar to multiple sclerosis, according to a small study that is being released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, April 15 to 21, 2016.

11 Apr 2016

Chemists design set of molecules that promote microscopic, anatomical changes in neurons

Chemists at the University of California San Diego have designed a set of molecules that promote microscopic, anatomical changes in neurons associated with the formation and retention of memories. These drug candidates also prevent deterioration of the same neuronal structures in the presence of amyloid-beta, a protein fragment that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

11 Apr 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

National plan outlines milestones, strategies for Alzheimer's patient care and caregiver support

Common antihistamine may partially reverse damage to visual system in multiple sclerosis patients

Rush awarded $14.5 million NIA grant to study effects of MIND diet on Alzheimer's disease

Researchers aim to design stable micro-bubbles containing chemotherapeutic drugs

Manipulation of signals in nervous system can enhance recovery after traumatic injury

Biopsy of submandibular gland can help identify pathology of Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies

Researchers analyze post-Ebola syndrome survivors to improve ongoing treatment

Abnormally active Rab5 protein leads to early development of neurodegenerative disease

Mild traumatic brain injury can affect quality of parent-child relationships

Brazilian researchers reveal harmful effects of Zika virus in human neural stem cells, neurospheres

Combination of genetic, environmental risk factors can trigger fatal eating disorder in humans

Glial cells can modulate specific nerve endings in the brain, find Rockefeller scientists

Zonisamide relieves myoclonus dystonia motor symptoms

Research suggests new pathway for preventing optic nerve damage in KPro recipients

Transcranial direct current stimulation can allow faster comprehension of meaningful word combinations

Advanced assay offers better sensitivity for detecting a prion disease affecting elk

Cornell researchers discover potential way to penetrate blood brain barrier

Noviplex card could accelerate testing for Zika virus in the Amazonian region of Brazil

Zika virus may be linked to autoimmune disorder that attacks the brain's myelin

Chemists design set of molecules that promote microscopic, anatomical changes in neurons

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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