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.

New way to image how brain cells coordinate with each other to control specific behaviors

A team led by MIT neuroscientists has developed a way to monitor how brain cells coordinate with each other to control specific behaviors, such as initiating movement or detecting an odor.

19 Oct 2012

Two opposing mechanisms support voluntary forgetting of unwanted memories

If only there were a way to forget that humiliating faux pas at last night's dinner party. It turns out there's not one, but two opposite ways in which the brain allows us to voluntarily forget unwanted memories, according to a study published by Cell Press October 17 in the journal Neuron.

19 Oct 2012

New insights into wiring and firing of the social brain

New insights into the wiring and firing of the "social brain" in humans and primates reveals the brain areas important in altruistic motives and behavior, and the brain regions that respond to the pain of discrimination.

19 Oct 2012

Neuralstem initiates second cohort NSI-189 Phase Ib trial in major depressive disorder

Neuralstem, Inc. announced that it has begun dosing the second cohort of patients in its ongoing Phase Ib to test the safety of NSI-189 in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

19 Oct 2012

Researchers identify brain mechanisms that regulate cocaine-seeking behavior

Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) have identified mechanisms in the brain responsible for regulating cocaine-seeking behavior, providing an avenue for drug development that could greatly reduce the high relapse rate in cocaine addiction.

19 Oct 2012

Quick, cheap eye scan can predict brain damage in people with multiple sclerosis

An inexpensive, five-minute eye scan can accurately assess the amount of brain damage in people with the debilitating autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS), and offer clues about how quickly the disease is progressing, according to results of two Johns Hopkins studies.

19 Oct 2012

New research sheds light on consequence of overeating

New research from Mount Sinai School of Medicine sheds light on how overeating can cause a malfunction in brain insulin signaling, and lead to obesity and diabetes.

18 Oct 2012

Phase 3 study of INLYTA fails to meet primary endpoint in treatment-naïve patients with RCC

Pfizer Inc. announced today that a Phase 3 study of INLYTA (axitinib) did not meet its primary endpoint of demonstrating statistically significantly longer progression-free survival, versus sorafenib, in treatment-naïve patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma.

18 Oct 2012

SSRI use linked to brain hemorrhage

Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors is associated with an increased risk for brain hemorrhage, particularly intracerebral bleeding, suggest meta-analysis findings.

18 Oct 2012

Plasma D-serine levels reduced in schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia exhibit significantly lower plasma levels of the amino acid D-serine than mentally healthy individuals, Brazilian researchers report.

18 Oct 2012

Blood pressure management may slow cognitive decline in PD

Cognitive dysfunction in Parkinson's disease is linked to neurocirculatory abnormalities such as orthostatic and supine hypertension, suggesting early treatment of such abnormalities may slow cognitive decline, say researchers.

17 Oct 2012

Nonmotor symptoms common in early-stage PD

Nonmotor symptoms occur in nearly all individuals with Parkinson’s disease, Italian study results suggest.

17 Oct 2012

UMB, UMCP to develop small robot that could help neurosurgeons in removing brain tumors

A research team from the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) and the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) have been awarded a new $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue developing a small robot that could one day be a huge aid to neurosurgeons in removing difficult-to-reach brain tumors.

17 Oct 2012

Trauma in infancy and childhood shapes the brain, learning and behavior

Trauma in infancy and childhood shapes the brain, learning, and behavior, and fuels changes that can last a lifetime, according to new human and animal research released today. The studies delve into the effects of early physical abuse, socioeconomic status (SES), and maternal treatment.

17 Oct 2012

Hereditary genes responsible for pain severity after motor vehicle collisions

Two studies presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2012 annual meeting found that hereditary genes were responsible for the amount and type of pain experienced after a motor vehicle collision (MVC).

17 Oct 2012

Abnormal visual processing and circuitry in the brain impacts fixational saccades

Little is known about oculomotor function in amblyopia, or "lazy eye," despite the special role of eye movements in vision. A group of scientists has discovered that abnormal visual processing and circuitry in the brain have an impact on fixational saccades (FSs), involuntary eye movements that occur during fixation and are important for the maintenance of vision.

17 Oct 2012

Extradural brain stimulation safe and effective for patients with Parkinson's

Electrical stimulation using extradural electrodes—placed underneath the skull but not implanted in the brain—is a safe approach with meaningful benefits for patients with Parkinson's disease, reports the October issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

17 Oct 2012