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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 study sheds light on anorexia nervosa

A study led by Howard Steiger, PhD, head of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute Eating Disorders Program, in Montreal, in collaboration with Linda Booij, a researcher with Sainte-Justine Hospital and an assistant professor at Queen's University, is the first to observe effects suggesting that the longer one suffers from active anorexia nervosa (AN), the more likely they are to show disorder-relevant alterations in DNA methylation.

9 Feb 2015

Groundbreaking study reveals potential dangers of ice hockey for young athletes

James Hudziak, M.D., has two children who love ice hockey. His son skates for his college team and one of his daughters plays in high school.

9 Feb 2015

New study heightens concerns over the detrimental impact of APOE ε4 in urban children

A new study by researchers at the Universities of Montana, Carleton, and North Carolina, and the Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, heightens concerns over the detrimental impact of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele -- the most prevalent genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease -- upon cognition, olfaction, and metabolic brain indices in healthy urban children and teens.

9 Feb 2015

Study explores effects of medical marijuana in children and teens with ASD, ADHD

As medical marijuana becomes increasingly accepted, there is growing interest in its use for children and adolescents with developmental and behavioral problems such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a review in the February Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, the official journal of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

9 Feb 2015

Investigators develop microbiome map of New York City subway system

The microbes that call the New York City subway system home are mostly harmless, but include samples of disease-causing bacteria that are resistant to drugs -- and even DNA fragments associated with anthrax and Bubonic plague -- according to a citywide microbiome map published today by Weill Cornell Medical College investigators.

9 Feb 2015

UM SOM launches ‘Program in Lung Healing’ to develop treatments for acute respiratory failure

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, and Jeffrey A. Rivest, MS, President and Chief Executive Officer of University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), today announced the official launch of a new "Program in Lung Healing," that will further the School's position as a national leader in research, education and clinical innovation for acute ailments of the lung and respiratory system.

9 Feb 2015

UVA researchers find biological trigger for protective form of immune response to spinal cord injury

Hot on the heels of discovering a protective form of immune response to spinal cord injury, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have pinpointed the biological trigger for that response - a vital step toward being able to harness the body's defenses to improve treatment for spine injuries, brain trauma, Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

8 Feb 2015

Infectious diseases expert discusses the myths and facts about measles outbreak

Measles, a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes serious complications in about 3 of 10 people, has been grabbing headlines since last December's outbreak at Disneyland. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 102 cases of measles in 14 states. One unconfirmed case was just reported in New Jersey. Measured against the approximately 600 cases reported in 2014, this year is on track to set a record for a disease that was declared eradicated in the United States in 2000.

8 Feb 2015

New compound may lead to development of potential therapeutics for neuropathic pain

A new compound discovered by a team of UC Davis investigators has potent actions against production of a chemical that which is implicated in the development of chronic pain following a peripheral nerve injury in the spinal cord.

7 Feb 2015

People with TBI have significantly more difficulty with gist reasoning

A new study reveals that individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have significantly more difficulty with gist reasoning than traditional cognitive tests. Using a unique cognitive assessment developed by researchers at the Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, findings published Friday in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology indicate that an individual's ability to "get the gist or extract the essence of a message" after a TBI more strongly predicts his or her ability to effectively hold a job or maintain a household than previously revealed by traditional cognitive tests alone.

6 Feb 2015

Study compares two positioning methods for stroke patients

Many patients with a cerebral injury cannot move independently. Every year, 45,000 new stroke patients are affected in such a way. They have to be repositioned at regular intervals for a long period of time in order to prevent pressure ulcers that may develop as a result of patients' physical immobility.

6 Feb 2015

Vanderbilt researchers find link between the biological clock and Angelman syndrome

Monitoring participants' biological clocks may be the quickest way to determine the effectiveness of experimental drugs currently under development to treat Angelman syndrome: a debilitating genetic disorder that occurs in more than one in every 15,000 live births.

6 Feb 2015

New study shows that the body's immune system may be able to clear Alzheimer's-associated plaques

New research from scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California shows that the body's immune system may be able to clear the brain of toxic plaque build-up that is the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, reversing memory loss and brain cell damage.

6 Feb 2015

Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation supports U-M’s TBI care and research

A tragic accident 32 years ago forever altered the lives of an entire prominent Michigan auto industry family, as a beloved wife and mother suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

6 Feb 2015

Research findings could lead to improved treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries

6 Feb 2015

Meditation appears to help preserve the brain's gray matter

Since 1970, life expectancy around the world has risen dramatically, with people living more than 10 years longer. That's the good news.

6 Feb 2015

New NIEHS grants to support independent biomedical research

New grants totaling $3 million will go to six outstanding early-career scientists, bridging a funding gap to independent biomedical research. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, part of the National Institutes of Health, created the award to encourage early stage researchers who want to discover how our environment influences human health.

6 Feb 2015

New study links cell communication pathway to common brain tumors found in children

A new study by Johns Hopkins researchers links a well-known cell communication pathway called Notch to one of the most common -- but overall still rare -- brain tumors found in children.

6 Feb 2015

Newly found peptide may reduce desire for food

Researchers have identified a peptide and hormone that when administered to a specific area of the brain may reduce the desire for food. The study, which appears in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, may one day lead to medications that treat obesity and binge eating disorders.

5 Feb 2015

Retigabine drug could reduce debilitating impact of strokes

New research suggests that an already-approved drug could dramatically reduce the debilitating impact of strokes, which affect nearly a million Americans every year.

5 Feb 2015

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

New study sheds light on anorexia nervosa

Groundbreaking study reveals potential dangers of ice hockey for young athletes

New study heightens concerns over the detrimental impact of APOE ε4 in urban children

Study explores effects of medical marijuana in children and teens with ASD, ADHD

Investigators develop microbiome map of New York City subway system

UM SOM launches ‘Program in Lung Healing’ to develop treatments for acute respiratory failure

UVA researchers find biological trigger for protective form of immune response to spinal cord injury

Infectious diseases expert discusses the myths and facts about measles outbreak

New compound may lead to development of potential therapeutics for neuropathic pain

People with TBI have significantly more difficulty with gist reasoning

Study compares two positioning methods for stroke patients

Vanderbilt researchers find link between the biological clock and Angelman syndrome

New study shows that the body's immune system may be able to clear Alzheimer's-associated plaques

Joyce and Don Massey Family Foundation supports U-M’s TBI care and research

Research findings could lead to improved treatments for brain and spinal cord injuries

Meditation appears to help preserve the brain's gray matter

New NIEHS grants to support independent biomedical research

New study links cell communication pathway to common brain tumors found in children

Newly found peptide may reduce desire for food

Retigabine drug could reduce debilitating impact of strokes

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd 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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