Brain News and Research

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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.

Study reveals how cell's protein quality control mechanism helps combat neurodegenerative diseases

A molecular pathway known to suppress tumors appears to also be a major player in clearing cells of damaged proteins implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and certain types of dementia, new research in roundworms and human cells suggests.

6 Apr 2015

Researchers discover genetic factors key to POMC cells

The little voice inside your head that tells you to eat, or stop eating, isn't a little voice - it's actually a cluster of about 10,000 specialized brain cells. And now, an international team of scientists has found tiny triggers inside those cells that give rise to this "voice", and keep it speaking throughout life.

6 Apr 2015

Symposium to highlight latest thinking related to obesity

The 15th Plymouth Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome Symposium will take place at Plymouth Postgraduate Medical Centre on 21st May.

6 Apr 2015

Scientists identify small RNA molecule that can suppress cancer-causing genes in GBM

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a small RNA molecule called miR-182 that can suppress cancer-causing genes in mice with glioblastoma mulitforme (GBM), a deadly and incurable type of brain tumor.

6 Apr 2015

Adolescent binge-drinking alters genes needed for normal brain maturation

Binge-drinking during adolescence may perturb brain development at a critical time and leave lasting effects on genes and behavior that persist into adulthood.

3 Apr 2015

Research reveals two critical windows to turn around junk food addiction

University of Adelaide researchers have shown there are two critical windows during the developmental pathway to adulthood when exposure to junk food is most harmful, particularly for female offspring.

3 Apr 2015

Peripheral inflammatory cells play role in Parkinson's disease

A small area in the midbrain known as the substantia nigra is the control center for all bodily movement. Increasing loss of dopamine-generating neurons in this part of the brain therefore leads to the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease - slowness of movement, rigidity and shaking.

3 Apr 2015

Mouse model may help understand the physiology behind complex brain disorders

Complex brain disorders, such as autism or schizophrenia, still puzzle scientists because their causes lie hidden in early events of brain development, which are still poorly understood.

3 Apr 2015

A new amyloid-targeting treatment for Alzheimer's disease

With each new amyloid-targeting treatment for Alzheimer's disease that has been developed, there has been a corresponding concern. For example, antibodies targeting amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) produce inflammation in the brain in some patients.

3 Apr 2015

Research shows that hippocampus is dedicated to memory formation, not to spatial skills

In work that reconciles two competing views of brain structures involved in memory and spatial perception, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have conducted experiments that suggest the hippocampus - a small region in the brain's limbic system - is dedicated largely to memory formation and not to spatial skills, such as navigation.

3 Apr 2015

Researchers examine effects of aging on older people with autism

Researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute at Dignity Health St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center are conducting a unique study on the effects of aging on older people who have Autism.

3 Apr 2015

Researchers test effects of light therapy on brain function

Following up on promising results from pilot work, researchers at the VA Boston Healthcare System are testing the effects of light therapy on brain function in veterans with Gulf War Illness.

3 Apr 2015

Researchers pinpoint molecular mechanisms that inhibit Hippo pathway in pediatric bone cancers

A particular molecular pathway permits stem cells in pediatric bone cancers to grow rapidly and aggressively, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and its Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center.

2 Apr 2015

Study: APOSEC protein concentrate reduces severity of damage after spinal cord injuries

In tests conducted on animals, the APOSEC protein concentrate extracted from white blood cells has reduced the severity of damage after an accident involving spinal cord injuries when the agent was injected in the abdominal cavity 40 minutes after the acute lesion. As a result, severe consequential paralyses can be prevented.

2 Apr 2015

Pouchlike structure inside the heart's left atrial chamber could cause strokes

A pouchlike structure inside the heart's left atrial chamber in some people may explain strokes that otherwise lack an identifiable cause, according to UC Irvine School of Medicine researchers.

2 Apr 2015

Penn Med's BLINKER Team named one of 16 finalists in NIH 'Follow that Cell Challenge'

James Eberwine, PhD, the Elmer Holmes Bobst Professor of Systems Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, was named one of 16 finalists in the first phase of the Follow that Cell Challenge funded by the National Institutes of Health. The competition was run by crowdsourcing company Innocentive and 687 designated "solvers" entered initially.

2 Apr 2015

UC Davis' John S. Werner wins 2015 Verriest Medal from International Colour Vision Society

John S. Werner, a UC Davis neuroscientist and international authority on visual perception, has been selected to receive the 2015 Verriest Medal from the International Colour Vision Society for his contributions to understanding the structural and functional basis of color vision, how and why vision changes across the life span, and factors that contribute to loss of vision associated with disease. He will receive the award at the society's biennial symposium in Sendai, Japan, in July.

2 Apr 2015

Study sheds light on how brain networks contribute to OCD in children

A new study by scientists at the Wayne State University School of Medicine demonstrates that communication between some of the brain's most important centers is altered in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

2 Apr 2015

Research breakthrough could help develop tools to repair damaged nerve cells

A team of researchers at the IRCM led by Frédéric Charron, PhD, in collaboration with bioengineers at McGill University, uncovered a new kind of synergy in the development of the nervous system, which explains an important mechanism required for neural circuits to form properly.

1 Apr 2015

New UH research shows how non-invasive brain-machine interface can help control prosthetic hand

A research team from the University of Houston has created an algorithm that allowed a man to grasp a bottle and other objects with a prosthetic hand, powered only by his thoughts.

1 Apr 2015

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study reveals how cell's protein quality control mechanism helps combat neurodegenerative diseases

Researchers discover genetic factors key to POMC cells

Symposium to highlight latest thinking related to obesity

Scientists identify small RNA molecule that can suppress cancer-causing genes in GBM

Adolescent binge-drinking alters genes needed for normal brain maturation

Research reveals two critical windows to turn around junk food addiction

Peripheral inflammatory cells play role in Parkinson's disease

Mouse model may help understand the physiology behind complex brain disorders

A new amyloid-targeting treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Research shows that hippocampus is dedicated to memory formation, not to spatial skills

Researchers examine effects of aging on older people with autism

Researchers test effects of light therapy on brain function

Researchers pinpoint molecular mechanisms that inhibit Hippo pathway in pediatric bone cancers

Study: APOSEC protein concentrate reduces severity of damage after spinal cord injuries

Pouchlike structure inside the heart's left atrial chamber could cause strokes

Penn Med's BLINKER Team named one of 16 finalists in NIH 'Follow that Cell Challenge'

UC Davis' John S. Werner wins 2015 Verriest Medal from International Colour Vision Society

Study sheds light on how brain networks contribute to OCD in children

Research breakthrough could help develop tools to repair damaged nerve cells

New UH research shows how non-invasive brain-machine interface can help control prosthetic hand

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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