Brain News and Research

RSS

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.

Targeted alpha therapy has potential to reduce HIV-infected cells from central nervous system

Targeted alpha therapy has the potential to selectively eliminate HIV infected cells from the central nervous system, according to a recent study co-authored by the JRC. The study shows that a specific human antibody labelled with the alpha emitter bismuth-213 can penetrate the blood brain barrier and selectively target and destroy HIV-infected cells while sparing non-infected healthy cells.

21 Dec 2015

Heidelberg neurobiologists identify Dnmt3a2 protein that boosts memory performance

Increasing the level of a certain DNA-modified enzyme in the brain significantly improves cognitive ability. The discovery was made by the research team led by Prof. Dr. Hilmar Bading at the Interdisciplinary Center for Neurosciences of Heidelberg University. Mouse experiments showed that the Dnmt3a2 protein can boost memory performance in the animals.

21 Dec 2015

GeNeuro initiates GNbAC1 Phase IIb study in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

GeNeuro SA, a pioneer of new therapies for neurology and autoimmune disorders, announced today that it has initiated its planned Phase IIb study “CHANGE-MS” (Clinical trial assessing the HERV-W Env ANtagonist GNbAC1 for Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis) with its lead antibody GNbAC1 in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS).

21 Dec 2015

USC-led study finds link between anxiety and dementia

People who experienced high anxiety any time in their lives had a 48 percent higher risk of developing dementia compared to those who had not, according to a new study led by USC researchers.

20 Dec 2015

UCLA study may help resolve a neurological mystery

UCLA researchers have found that space-mapping neurons - the GPS system in the brain - have a strong dependence on what is being looked at when triangulating location, a finding that resolves a neurological mystery that has vexed scientists for more than four decades.

18 Dec 2015

UT Southwestern study to evaluate new protocols designed to treat stroke patients using telemedicine

A UT Southwestern Medical Center study to evaluate nursing protocols designed to better triage and treat stroke patients using telemedicine will be the first study using a new consortium of medical centers.

18 Dec 2015

New nanotechnology approach could transform gliomas from death sentence into treatable condition

An MRI contrast agent that can pass through the blood-brain barrier will allow doctors to detect deadly brain tumors called gliomas earlier, say Penn State College of Medicine researchers. This ability opens the door to make this fatal cancer treatable.

18 Dec 2015

Novel drug candidate prevents nerve cell damage in mouse model of Parkinson's disease

A team of scientists at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and Longevity Biotech, Inc., has demonstrated that neuroprotection could be attained in preclinical models by a novel drug candidate that changes immune responses.

18 Dec 2015

Central thalamus tunes the brain to different states of activity and arousal

Scientists showed that they could alter brain activity of rats and either wake them up or put them in an unconscious state by changing the firing rates of neurons in the central thalamus, a region known to regulate arousal.

18 Dec 2015

UT Southwestern researchers find potential mechanism to prevent epileptic seizures following TBI

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found that halting production of new neurons in the brain following traumatic brain injury can help reduce resulting epileptic seizures, cognitive decline, and impaired memory.

18 Dec 2015

Toronto researchers reveal how opioids interfere with breathing mechanism

University of Toronto researchers on a quest to make opioid drugs less lethal have discovered a window of opportunity: a tiny channel in the brain where opioids interfere with the breathing mechanism.

18 Dec 2015

Harvard scientists link specific neurotransmitter in the brain with autistic behavior

In a discovery that could offer valuable new insights into understanding, diagnosing and even treating autism, Harvard scientists for the first time have linked a specific neurotransmitter in the brain with autistic behavior.

18 Dec 2015

New study sheds light on the molecular basis of memory and learning

The brain still harbours many unknowns. Basically, it is assumed that it stores experiences by altering the connections between brain cells. This ability to adapt - which is also called "plasticity" - provides the basis for memory and learning, which is the ability to draw conclusions from memories. On a molecular scale these changes are mediated by modifications of expression of specific genes that as required strengthen or weaken the connections between the brain cells.

18 Dec 2015

Multiple small doses of targeted radiation therapy more effective at destroying pituitary gland tumors

A recent patient study at Houston Methodist Hospital proved that multiple small doses of highly focused radiation therapy is safer and more effective than a single larger dose of radiation at destroying pituitary gland tumors.

18 Dec 2015

UA developing brain-scanning technology that could improve diagnosis of many disorders

Researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a noninvasive brain-scanning technology that could produce images far superior to those obtained with the most commonly used systems -- electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging.

17 Dec 2015

Candidiasis needs to be treated early, aggressively to help vulnerable hospitalized patients

One of the most common causes of healthcare-associated infections, candidiasis is a serious, life-threatening fungal infection that needs to be treated early, aggressively and appropriately, note updated guidelines released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

17 Dec 2015

Epilepsy deaths should be considered a public health priority, say doctors

Epilepsy is not a public health priority, yet it takes more lives than sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) or fires, according to an article reviewing the topic. Doctors say epilepsy deaths should be a focus of research and education to understand and prevent those deaths, according to the "Views and Reviews" article published in the December 16, 2015, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

17 Dec 2015

Researchers call for improved cause-of-death reporting to advance understanding of epilepsy

Recent studies conclude that people with epilepsy have a 27-fold greater risk of sudden death than people without the disorder. However, many of these deaths could be prevented through greater identification of epilepsy as a cause of death, and in educating the public more effectively about the disease's life-threatening dangers.

17 Dec 2015

Cardiff scientists find way to aid recovery, reduce risk of life-threatening infections in brain damaged patients

Cardiff University scientists believe they may have found a way to aid recovery and minimise the risk of life-threatening infections in patients with traumatic brain injuries.

17 Dec 2015

UCA researchers identify compounds that favour generation of new neuronal cells

Many neurology pathologies cause irreversible loss of neurons. They are mostly the so-called neurodegenerative diseases although there exist other causes for a focal loss of neurons, as it is the case in strokes or traumatic brain injuries. All these pathologies lack nowadays of an efficient treatment not being possible to regenerate dead neurons. In fact, although the brain has the ability to regenerate as many studies has proved, this regeneration is very low, ranging from 0.2% to a maximum of 10% depending on the type of injury and the damaged area.

17 Dec 2015

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Targeted alpha therapy has potential to reduce HIV-infected cells from central nervous system

Heidelberg neurobiologists identify Dnmt3a2 protein that boosts memory performance

GeNeuro initiates GNbAC1 Phase IIb study in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

USC-led study finds link between anxiety and dementia

UCLA study may help resolve a neurological mystery

UT Southwestern study to evaluate new protocols designed to treat stroke patients using telemedicine

New nanotechnology approach could transform gliomas from death sentence into treatable condition

Novel drug candidate prevents nerve cell damage in mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Central thalamus tunes the brain to different states of activity and arousal

UT Southwestern researchers find potential mechanism to prevent epileptic seizures following TBI

Toronto researchers reveal how opioids interfere with breathing mechanism

Harvard scientists link specific neurotransmitter in the brain with autistic behavior

New study sheds light on the molecular basis of memory and learning

Multiple small doses of targeted radiation therapy more effective at destroying pituitary gland tumors

UA developing brain-scanning technology that could improve diagnosis of many disorders

Candidiasis needs to be treated early, aggressively to help vulnerable hospitalized patients

Epilepsy deaths should be considered a public health priority, say doctors

Researchers call for improved cause-of-death reporting to advance understanding of epilepsy

Cardiff scientists find way to aid recovery, reduce risk of life-threatening infections in brain damaged patients

UCA researchers identify compounds that favour generation of new neuronal cells

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

Latest News