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Researchers identify first biomarker that appears to be associated with duration of delirium

Researchers from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research have identified the first biomarker that appears to be linked to the duration of delirium.

16 Dec 2013

Using morphine to fight surgical pain may prolong patient's suffering

Using morphine to fight the pain associated with abdominal surgery may paradoxically prolong a patient's suffering, doubling or even tripling the amount of time it takes to recover from the surgical pain, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder.

13 Nov 2013

Just 13 days in space may cause changes in eye structure, gene expression

Just 13 days in space may be enough to cause profound changes in eye structure and gene expression, report researchers from Houston Methodist, NASA Johnson Space Center, and two other institutions in the October 2013 issue of Gravitational and Space Research.

25 Oct 2013

Study reveals that glial cells are integral to brain function

New research by scientists at UC San Francisco shows that one of the brain's fundamental self-protection mechanisms depends on coordinated, finely calibrated teamwork among neurons and non-neural cells knows as glial cells, which until fairly recently were thought to be mere support cells for neurons.

23 Oct 2013

Diverse Neurological Disorders Appear To Share Tangled Metabolic Roots

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10 Oct 2013

Gene mutation offers clues to development of diverse neurological disorders

A research team, headed by Theodore Friedmann, MD, professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, says a gene mutation that causes a rare but devastating neurological disorder known as Lesch-Nyhan syndrome appears to offer clues to the developmental and neuronal defects found in other, diverse neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases.

10 Oct 2013

Glutamergic agents may be used as novel treatment for mood and anxiety disorders

Glutamergic agents may one day be used as a novel treatment for mood and anxiety disorders, new research presented at the 26th ECNP Congress suggests.

7 Oct 2013

Research: Treatment with antioxidants may help reduce behavioral issues linked to NF1

New research in mouse models suggests that treatment with antioxidants may help reduce behavioral issues linked to the genetic nervous system disorder Neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) and an associated condition called Costello syndrome.

12 Sep 2013

NIH budget slashing may stall future pain research funding

Multi-faceted pain research discoveries within the last decade are bringing new hope for the estimated 100 million Americans with chronic pain. Unfortunately, translation of these scientific advances into clinical practice could be stalled without sufficient funding for both basic science and clinical pain research, according to the American Pain Society.

12 Sep 2013

Expression of stress protein induced by ischemia/reperfusion injury, say researchers

Spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury is a stress injury to the spinal cord. Therefore, research on the expression of stress-related protein in neurons could be of great significance for the pathological mechanism and control measures for spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury.

11 Sep 2013

One-time treatment slows onset and progression of ALS, study finds

Studies of a therapy designed to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis suggest that the treatment dramatically slows onset and progression of the deadly disease, one of the most common neuromuscular disorders in the world.

10 Sep 2013

Antenatal taurine reduces cerebral cell apoptosis in fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction

Increased brain cell apoptosis in intrauterine growth-restricted fetal rats is a key reason for unfavorable long-term prognosis of the nervous system. The harmful effects of intrauterine growth restriction on fetal brain development originate in the womb.

6 Sep 2013

Nanofibrous nerve conduits for repair of long sciatic nerve defects

Autografts or allografts are commonly used in the repair of damaged peripheral nerves. However, similar problems have been encountered in allografting or xenografting. Previous studies concerning artificial neural tubes to repair nerve defects mainly focus on peripheral nerve defects less than 30 mm.

5 Sep 2013

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue. Findings from a team of UC Davis investigators have brought this dream a step closer by developing a method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin - a fatty, insulating sheath essential to normal neural conduction.

29 Aug 2013

NIH awards $1.7M grant to develop effective treatments for brain disorders

Ten percent of Americans experience a seizure in their lifetime, with three million diagnosed with epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder. Anticonvulsant medications can mitigate the hyperactivity of neurons that leads to seizures, but not without severe side effects, including cognitive impairment.

23 Jul 2013

Reciprocal communication between different cell types contributes to neuronal integrity

Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz have discovered a new form of communication between different cell types in the brain. Nerve cells interact with neighboring glial cells, which results in a transfer of protein and genetic information. Nerve cells are thus protected against stressful growth conditions.

16 Jul 2013

Research on activating Glial Cells to be presented at 7th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit East

Linda Watkins, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology & Neuroscience and Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Co-Chair, Advisory Board, Xalud Therapeutics, Inc. will present research on activating Glial Cells as part of the speaking faculty at the 7th Annual Pain Therapeutics Summit East in Boston, MA.

11 Jul 2013

Researchers pinpoint role of Arl13b gene in guiding placement of neurons during brain development

Researchers have pinpointed the role of a gene known as Arl13b in guiding the formation and proper placement of neurons in the early stages of brain development. Mutations in the gene could help explain brain malformations often seen in neurodevelopmental disorders.

3 Jul 2013

New research finding raises questions about common mutant forms of JC polyomavirus

The JC polyomavirus is clearly opportunistic. It infects half the population but lethally destroys brain tissue only in immunocompromised patients - and it may be outright sneaky, too. Even as a new research paper allays fears that common mutant forms of the virus are the ones directly responsible for the disease's main attack, that same finding raises new questions about what the mutants are doing instead.

14 Jun 2013

New weapon in the fight against childhood brain cancer emerges

A relatively new weapon in the fight against childhood brain cancer has emerged that improves upon standard magnetic resonance imaging by providing information about tumor metabolism and extent of cancer in children diagnosed with glioma, a growth caused by the abnormal division of glial cells in the brain, say researchers at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2013 Annual Meeting.

11 Jun 2013