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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.

New neurological mechanism can contribute to pain reduction

A UT Dallas scientist has found a new neurological mechanism that appears to contribute to a reduction in pain.

5 Apr 2016

Liraglutide drug makes highly desirable foods less appealing to people

Understanding the motivations that drive humans to eat is an important consideration in the development of weight loss therapies. Now a study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center helps explain how the diabetes and weight loss drug liraglutide acts on brain receptors to make enticing foods seems less desirable.

5 Apr 2016

Analysis reveals improved survivorship for acute liver failure patients

More patients hospitalized with acute liver failure - often the result of acetaminophen overdose - are surviving, including those who receive a liver transplant and those who don't, an analysis led by a UT Southwestern Medical Center researcher showed.

5 Apr 2016

Two common approaches to post-operative AF equally safe, effective

Cleveland Clinic researchers, as part of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network, have found that two common approaches to post-operative atrial fibrillation - rhythm control and rate control - are equally safe and effective.

5 Apr 2016

Sedating antihistamines can intensify symptoms of restless legs syndrome

Allergy season can be the worst time of year for people suffering with restless legs syndrome because popular over the counter medications can make symptoms much worse.

5 Apr 2016

Chronic lack of sleep, irregular sleep-wake cycles may increase risk of Parkinson's disease

Chronic lack of sleep and irregular sleep-wake cycles may be risk factors of Parkinson's disease, new work by researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University suggests. In an animal model, the researchers show that disturbances in circadian rhythm that exist before Parkinson's onset dramatically worsen motor and learning deficits brought on by the disease.

5 Apr 2016

QuietKit unveils new platform to educate users on basics of meditation, mindfulness

QuietKit today announced the launch of its new platform, a website that educates users on the basics of meditation and mindfulness. The website features step-by-step guided meditations to help users develop a habitual practice.

5 Apr 2016

Prior Scientific collaborates with Neurotar to produce in vivo microscopic imaging solution for neuroscientists

Prior Scientific reports that its collaboration with Neurotar has produced a seamlessly integrated solution for in vivo microscopic imaging in the brain of awake and moving rodents. The solution is based upon Prior’s ultra-stable and easily adjustable Z-Deck platform.

From Prior Scientific Instruments Ltd. 5 Apr 2016

Electrical stimulation of deep brain structures to ease chronic pain

Abuse of prescription opioid medicines used to treat chronic pain has reached epidemic proportions, so much that the White House has announced new efforts to combat addiction and prevent the thousands of overdose-related deaths reported in the U.S. each year.

5 Apr 2016

New implantable medical device fails to reduce rates of heart failure-related hospitalization

A new implantable medical device intended to help patients with heart failure by stimulating the vagus nerve did not significantly reduce rates of heart failure-related hospitalization or death from any cause in a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

5 Apr 2016

Pediatric researchers uncover new syndrome that causes intellectual disability

Pediatric researchers, using high-speed DNA sequencing tools, have identified a new syndrome that causes intellectual disability (ID). Drawing on knowledge of the causative gene mutation, the scientists' cell studies suggest that an amino acid supplement may offer a targeted treatment for children with this condition.

5 Apr 2016

Right brain predicts post-stroke speech recovery

White matter integrity in the right hemisphere may help to predict speech fluency recovery following a stroke, research indicates.

5 Apr 2016

Evolocumab could be more effective than ezetimibe in lowering cholesterol in statin-intolerant patients

In the first major trial of its kind, Cleveland Clinic researchers used a blinded rechallenge with atorvastatin or placebo to objectively confirm the presence of muscle-related symptoms in patients with a history of intolerance to multiple statins and found that evolocumab (a PCSK9 inhibitor) was a more effective option to lower cholesterol than ezetimibe in these patients.

4 Apr 2016

Blast-related concussions result in hormone changes that lead to poor quality of life among veterans

A study in military veterans finds that explosive blast-related concussions frequently result in hormone changes leading to problems such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, depression and poor quality of life. The research, to be presented Saturday at the Endocrine Society's 98th annual meeting in Boston, evaluated hormone levels in 41 male veterans who had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

4 Apr 2016

Cognitive speed of processing training could improve driving abilities of older drivers

Older drivers can see their driving abilities improve by participating in certain types of training that improves the brain's processing speed and how the mind reacts when attention is divided, according to a new study by a researcher from the University of South Florida and colleagues from several other universities.

4 Apr 2016

Cholesterol drug evacetrapib fails to reduce risk of cardiovascular events

Despite lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as "bad" cholesterol, while markedly increasing levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, a large clinical trial to investigate the cholesterol drug evacetrapib was discontinued early after a preliminary analysis showed it did not reduce rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

4 Apr 2016

Study: Age and gender affects prevalence of certain peripheral vascular diseases

New findings from large-scale studies of more than 3.6 million people who underwent screening for cardiovascular disease reveals that a person's age and gender affects the prevalence of certain types of peripheral vascular diseases (PVD), and that diabetes is a major risk factor for developing these diseases, even in patients without heart disease.

2 Apr 2016

Study findings strongly point to independent control of sensory neurons during motor learning

Sensory neurons in human muscles provide important information used for the perception and control of movement. Learning to move in a novel context also relies on the brain's independent control of these sensors, not just of muscles, according to a new study published in the journal Current Biology.

2 Apr 2016

Loyola to conduct clinical trial of new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation

Loyola Medicine is enrolling patients in a landmark clinical trial of a new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heartbeat.

2 Apr 2016

Mindfulness training can help manage painful cycles of thoughts in veterans with PTSD

Like an endlessly repeating video loop, horrible memories and thoughts can keep playing over and over in the minds of people with post-traumatic stress disorder. They intrude at the quietest moments, and don't seem to have an off switch.

2 Apr 2016

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

New neurological mechanism can contribute to pain reduction

Liraglutide drug makes highly desirable foods less appealing to people

Analysis reveals improved survivorship for acute liver failure patients

Two common approaches to post-operative AF equally safe, effective

Sedating antihistamines can intensify symptoms of restless legs syndrome

Chronic lack of sleep, irregular sleep-wake cycles may increase risk of Parkinson's disease

QuietKit unveils new platform to educate users on basics of meditation, mindfulness

Prior Scientific collaborates with Neurotar to produce in vivo microscopic imaging solution for neuroscientists

Electrical stimulation of deep brain structures to ease chronic pain

New implantable medical device fails to reduce rates of heart failure-related hospitalization

Pediatric researchers uncover new syndrome that causes intellectual disability

Right brain predicts post-stroke speech recovery

Evolocumab could be more effective than ezetimibe in lowering cholesterol in statin-intolerant patients

Blast-related concussions result in hormone changes that lead to poor quality of life among veterans

Cognitive speed of processing training could improve driving abilities of older drivers

Cholesterol drug evacetrapib fails to reduce risk of cardiovascular events

Study: Age and gender affects prevalence of certain peripheral vascular diseases

Study findings strongly point to independent control of sensory neurons during motor learning

Loyola to conduct clinical trial of new procedure to treat atrial fibrillation

Mindfulness training can help manage painful cycles of thoughts in veterans with PTSD

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd 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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