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 indicates that Firemaster 550 is an endocrine disruptor

The flame-retardant mixture known as "Firemaster 550" is an endocrine disruptor that causes extreme weight gain, early onset of puberty and cardiovascular health effects in lab animals, according to a new study spearheaded by researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke University.

25 Oct 2012

Kessler Foundation expert to study effects of prism adaptation therapy for spatial neglect

A.M. Barrett, MD, of Kessler Foundation received a grant totaling $595,756 to study the effects of prism adaptation therapy for spatial neglect in survivors of right-sided stroke.

25 Oct 2012

Neurofeedback enhances a brain network responsible for cognitive-control

A breakthrough study conducted in Canada has found that training of the well-known brainwave in humans, the alpha rhythm, enhances a brain network responsible for cognitive-control.

25 Oct 2012

WSU researcher examines use of carbon fiber microelectrodes in neurochemical measurements

A Wayne State University researcher's take on the current state of brain chemical analysis is the cover story in a recent professional journal, accompanied by a podcast.

25 Oct 2012

Scientists create new compounds that could slow progression of Parkinson's

In an early-stage breakthrough, a team of Northwestern University scientists has developed a new family of compounds that could slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

25 Oct 2012

Anterior insular cortex associated with human empathy

An international team led by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York has for the first time shown that one area of the brain, called the anterior insular cortex, is the activity center of human empathy, whereas other areas of the brain are not. The study is published in the September 2012 issue of the journal Brain.

25 Oct 2012

Viewpoints: Obama seeking 'to preserve' new spending; Medicare rule change for disabled is 'humane thing to do'

On Tuesday Mr. Obama finally tried to give the future more definition with a new plan, except it isn't new and barely qualifies as a plan. ... The pamphlet's sections on health care and entitlements show that his real budget priority is to preserve all of the government he expanded in the first term. He promises to protect the Affordable Care Act from repeal or Republican amendments.

25 Oct 2012

Social or daily drinking may be more harmful to brain health

Drinking a couple of glasses of wine each day has generally been considered a good way to promote cardiovascular and brain health. But a new Rutgers University study indicates that there is a fine line between moderate and binge drinking - a risky behavior that can decrease the making of adult brain cells by as much as 40 percent.

25 Oct 2012

Focused ultrasound technology safe, effective in treating patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's

The Focused Ultrasound Foundation today announced a new clinical trial investigating the use of focused ultrasound technology in treating patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease.

25 Oct 2012

New method of testing for West Nile virus

While the United States has largely been spared the scourge of mosquito-borne diseases endemic to the developing world-including yellow fever, malaria and dengue fever-mosquito-related illnesses in the US are on the rise. One pathogen of increasing concern in the U.S. is an arbovirus known as West Nile.

24 Oct 2012

UNM Cancer Center scientist to continue histone modification study

While every one of our cells contains all of our genetic information, each type of cell uses only specific parts of that information to make its proteins. Uncovering more about the mechanism that directs which particular pieces of genetic information the cell uses is the research focus of Mary Ann Osley, PhD, University of New Mexico Professor of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology and Co-Leader of the Cancer Biology and Biotechnology Program at the UNM Cancer Center.

24 Oct 2012

New U-M mobile phone app for concussion patients

A new mobile phone app, the first of its kind, helps concussion patients track their activities and symptoms, and share that information with their healthcare team. The app from the University of Michigan, is called Return2Play.

24 Oct 2012

Dementia: A National Crisis – a review of the Manchester 2012 conference

It was clear from the title – Dementia: A National Crisis – that the conference would focus on the important challenges facing many people living with dementia in the country today.

24 Oct 2012

Novel approach to assemble the 'connectome' via genetic barcoding

A team of neuroscientists has proposed a new and potentially revolutionary way of obtaining a neuronal connectivity map (the "connectome") of the whole brain of the mouse. The details are set forth in an essay published October 23 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology.

24 Oct 2012

Kessler Foundation to study role of environmental factors in rehabilitation outcomes in SCI

Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, research scientist in Outcomes & Assessment Research at Kessler Foundation, received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant to study the role of environmental factors in rehabilitation outcomes in spinal cord injury.

24 Oct 2012

Max Planck scientists aim to analyze the whole mouse brain under electron microscope

What happens in the brain when we see, hear, think and remember? To be able to answer questions like this, neuroscientists need information about how the millions of neurons in the brain are connected to each other.

24 Oct 2012

Exendin-4 could effectively treat addiction

Vanderbilt researchers are reporting today that a drug currently used to treat type 2 diabetes could be just as effective in treating addiction to drugs, including cocaine.

24 Oct 2012

Pfizer Hemophilia donates more than 35M IUs of recombinant factor IX therapy to WFH

Pfizer Hemophilia is donating more than 35 million IUs of its recombinant factor IX therapy to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) to help hemophilia B patients in underserved regions of the world.

24 Oct 2012

Bayer announces data from riociguat Phase III trial on CTEPH

Bayer HealthCare today announced data from the Phase III CHEST-1 trial evaluating its investigational drug riociguat in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) or with persistent or recurrent pulmonary hypertension (PH) after surgery.

24 Oct 2012

Weill Cornell’s ChiP now accepts applications for new master's program in health informatics

Informatics is integral to solving the nation's urgent healthcare issues of rising costs and the delivery of quality care. Training the next generation of professionals to develop, implement and research new informatics technologies is vital. Through the Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, the Center for Healthcare Informatics and Policy (CHiP) is now accepting applications for a new master's program in health informatics to do just that.

24 Oct 2012

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study indicates that Firemaster 550 is an endocrine disruptor

Kessler Foundation expert to study effects of prism adaptation therapy for spatial neglect

Neurofeedback enhances a brain network responsible for cognitive-control

WSU researcher examines use of carbon fiber microelectrodes in neurochemical measurements

Scientists create new compounds that could slow progression of Parkinson's

Anterior insular cortex associated with human empathy

Viewpoints: Obama seeking 'to preserve' new spending; Medicare rule change for disabled is 'humane thing to do'

Social or daily drinking may be more harmful to brain health

Focused ultrasound technology safe, effective in treating patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's

New method of testing for West Nile virus

UNM Cancer Center scientist to continue histone modification study

New U-M mobile phone app for concussion patients

Dementia: A National Crisis – a review of the Manchester 2012 conference

Novel approach to assemble the 'connectome' via genetic barcoding

Kessler Foundation to study role of environmental factors in rehabilitation outcomes in SCI

Max Planck scientists aim to analyze the whole mouse brain under electron microscope

Exendin-4 could effectively treat addiction

Pfizer Hemophilia donates more than 35M IUs of recombinant factor IX therapy to WFH

Bayer announces data from riociguat Phase III trial on CTEPH

Weill Cornell’s ChiP now accepts applications for new master's program in health informatics

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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