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.

Research shows New Zealand blackcurrants are good for keeping us mentally young and agile

Research has shown that New Zealand blackcurrants are good for keeping us mentally young and agile, a finding that could have potential in managing the mental decline associated with aging populations, or helping people with brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease or depression.

24 Jun 2015

Digital map of ageing brain could aid diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disorders

A digital map of the ageing brain could aid the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders in older people, a study suggests.

24 Jun 2015

Study finds an organic cause for patients with functional dyspepsia

How many times patients with gastrointestinal disorders have been told "There is nothing wrong, nothing organic, it's all you head". But the pain is real.

24 Jun 2015

Scientists build fully functional neuron using organic bioelectronics

Scientists at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet have managed to build a fully functional neuron by using organic bioelectronics.

24 Jun 2015

NIH awards $1.8 million grant for brain imaging technique

A researcher at the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin has received a four-year, $1.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a new technique for imaging blood flow across the surface of the brain that could help patients undergoing neurosurgery.

24 Jun 2015

Johns Hopkins scientists use experimental therapy to reverse progression of atherosclerosis in rodents

In what may be a major leap forward in the quest for new treatments of the most common form of cardiovascular disease, scientists at Johns Hopkins report they have found a way to halt and reverse the progression of atherosclerosis in rodents by loading microscopic nanoparticles with a chemical that restores the animals’ ability to properly handle cholesterol.

24 Jun 2015

Study reveals benefit of early screening for vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus among preterm infants

Among extremely preterm infants, early screening for the vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus before day 3 of life was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death and pulmonary hemorrhage, but not with differences in other severe complications, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

24 Jun 2015

'Bionic eye' improves visual function, quality of life for people with retinitis pigmentosa

The three-year clinical trial results of the retinal implant popularly known as the "bionic eye," have proven the long-term efficacy, safety and reliability of the device that restores vision in those blinded by a rare, degenerative eye disease.

24 Jun 2015

Discovery may accelerate development of new drugs to treat Huntington's disease

By identifying in spinal fluid how the characteristic mutant proteins of Huntington's disease spread from cell to cell, UC Irvine scientists and colleagues have created a new method to quickly and accurately track the presence and proliferation of these neuron-damaging compounds -- a discovery that may accelerate the development of new drugs to treat this incurable disease.

24 Jun 2015

Parkinson's disease may start in the gastrointestinal tract

The chronic neurodegenerative Parkinson's disease affects an increasing number of people. However, scientists still do not know why some people develop Parkinson's disease. Now researchers from Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital have taken an important step towards a better understanding of the disease.

24 Jun 2015

Stanford researchers find how neurons work together to control movement in people with paralysis

Stanford University researchers studying how the brain controls movement in people with paralysis, related to their diagnosis of Lou Gehrig's disease, have found that groups of neurons work together, firing in complex rhythms to signal muscles about when and where to move.

24 Jun 2015

'Virtual-reality' therapy can reduce people's craving for alcohol, new study suggests

A form of 'virtual-reality' therapy may help people with alcohol dependence reduce their craving for alcohol, a new study suggests. The findings, published in the July issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, come from a small study of just 10 patients.

24 Jun 2015

Pioglitazone drug significantly decreases risk of dementia

Patients with type 2 diabetes have a dysfunctional sugar metabolism because the essential hormone insulin does not work effectively. Once the disease reaches an advanced stage, the body stops producing insulin altogether, which means that it has to be administered externally.

23 Jun 2015

FDA-approved antihypertensive drug can stop cocaine and alcohol addiction

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have successfully stopped cocaine and alcohol addiction in experiments using a drug already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat high blood pressure. If the treatment is proven effective in humans, it would be the first of its kind -- one that could help prevent relapses by erasing the unconscious memories that underlie addiction.

23 Jun 2015

EEG-measurements better predict outcome of postanoxic coma

EEG-measurements enable better prediction of the outcome of a coma that was caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. This became clear from research of the University of Twente (MIRA) in cooperation with Rijnstate hospital and Medisch Spectrum Twente.

23 Jun 2015

Israeli researchers establish novel optogenetic method for cardiac pacing and resynchronization

Israeli researchers have successfully established a new approach for pacing the heart and synchronizing its mechanical activity without the use of a conventional electrical pacemaker. This novel biologic strategy employs light-sensitive genes that can be injected into the heart and then activated by flashes of blue light.

23 Jun 2015

PROMISSE study: Most women with lupus can expect good pregnancy outcomes

One of the most important and anxiety-producing concerns among patients with lupus is whether it is safe to become pregnant. A pioneering study led by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery has shown that most women can expect a good pregnancy outcome if their lupus is inactive and they are free of certain risk factors.

23 Jun 2015

New study shows that human brains apply Kalman filter algorithm while tracking an object's position

Our brains track moving objects by applying one of the algorithms your phone's GPS uses, according to researchers at the University of Rochester. This same algorithm also explains why we are fooled by several motion-related optical illusions, including the sudden "break" of baseball's well known "curveball illusion."

23 Jun 2015

High-fat, high-sugar diet can cause bacterial changes that appear related to loss of 'cognitive flexibility'

A study at Oregon State University indicates that both a high-fat and a high-sugar diet, compared to a normal diet, cause changes in gut bacteria that appear related to a significant loss of "cognitive flexibility," or the power to adapt and adjust to changing situations.

23 Jun 2015

UT Southwestern researchers identify two proteins within fetal lungs that initiate labor process

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified two proteins in a fetus' lungs responsible for initiating the labor process, providing potential new targets for preventing preterm birth.

23 Jun 2015

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Research shows New Zealand blackcurrants are good for keeping us mentally young and agile

Digital map of ageing brain could aid diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disorders

Study finds an organic cause for patients with functional dyspepsia

Scientists build fully functional neuron using organic bioelectronics

NIH awards $1.8 million grant for brain imaging technique

Johns Hopkins scientists use experimental therapy to reverse progression of atherosclerosis in rodents

Study reveals benefit of early screening for vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus among preterm infants

'Bionic eye' improves visual function, quality of life for people with retinitis pigmentosa

Discovery may accelerate development of new drugs to treat Huntington's disease

Parkinson's disease may start in the gastrointestinal tract

Stanford researchers find how neurons work together to control movement in people with paralysis

'Virtual-reality' therapy can reduce people's craving for alcohol, new study suggests

Pioglitazone drug significantly decreases risk of dementia

FDA-approved antihypertensive drug can stop cocaine and alcohol addiction

EEG-measurements better predict outcome of postanoxic coma

Israeli researchers establish novel optogenetic method for cardiac pacing and resynchronization

PROMISSE study: Most women with lupus can expect good pregnancy outcomes

New study shows that human brains apply Kalman filter algorithm while tracking an object's position

High-fat, high-sugar diet can cause bacterial changes that appear related to loss of 'cognitive flexibility'

UT Southwestern researchers identify two proteins within fetal lungs that initiate labor process

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

Latest News