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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.

IRCM researchers discover mechanism that promotes progression of medulloblastoma

Scientists at the IRCM discovered a mechanism that promotes the progression of medulloblastoma, the most common brain tumour found in children. The team, led by Fr-d-ric Charron, PhD, found that a protein known as Sonic Hedgehog induces DNA damage, which causes the cancer to develop.

3 Oct 2014

New study shows rapid evolution of cerebellum in humans, apes

A new study published in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on October 2 could rewrite the story of ape and human brain evolution. While the neocortex of the brain has been called "the crowning achievement of evolution and the biological substrate of human mental prowess," newly reported evolutionary rate comparisons show that the cerebellum expanded up to six times faster than anticipated throughout the evolution of apes, including humans.

3 Oct 2014

Research findings could help find ways to enhance overall learning, memory

The more curious we are about a topic, the easier it is to learn information about that topic. New research publishing online October 2 in the Cell Press journal Neuron provides insights into what happens in our brains when curiosity is piqued.

3 Oct 2014

Adolescents with strong working memory better equipped to escape problematic drug use

Adolescents with strong working memory are better equipped to escape early drug experimentation without progressing into substance abuse issues, says a University of Oregon researcher.

3 Oct 2014

Researchers analyze incidence of childhood brain tumors

Older parents, birth defects, maternal nutrition and childhood exposure to CT scans and pesticides are increasingly being associated with brain tumors in children, according to new research from the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

3 Oct 2014

Depression contributes to abnormal pain processes in IBS patients

High rates of anxiety and depression amongst patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have led many researchers to believe there could be a causal relationship between psychological factors and IBS symptoms. Now, scientists in Germany have found clear evidence that patients with IBS process pain signals from the gut abnormally, and that disturbed brain responses to pain are particularly pronounced in patients with more depression symptoms.

3 Oct 2014

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share common pathophysiological features

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder both appear to be associated with dendritic spine loss in the brain, suggesting the two distinct disorders may share common pathophysiological features, write author Glenn T. Konopaske, M.D., and colleagues at McLean Hospital, Belmont, Mass., and Harvard Medical School, Boston.

3 Oct 2014

Study uncovers new pathway for treating high blood pressure, heart failure

New research by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Ottawa Heart Institute has uncovered a new pathway by which the brain uses an unusual steroid to control blood pressure.

3 Oct 2014

Brain structure changes differ between schizophrenia symptoms

The specific areas of the brain with reduced grey matter in patients with schizophrenia differ according to whether they have predominant positive, negative or disorganised symptoms, research suggests.

2 Oct 2014

Placenta-derived cells are safe for MS patients

Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) were able to safely tolerate treatment with cells cultured from human placental tissue, according to a study published today in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

1 Oct 2014

Resistance exercise can improve episodic memory, shows study

Here's another reason why it's a good idea to hit the gym: it can improve memory. A new Georgia Institute of Technology study shows that an intense workout of as little as 20 minutes can enhance episodic memory, also known as long-term memory for previous events, by about 10 percent in healthy young adults.

1 Oct 2014

NIH announces winners of BRAIN Initiative awards

Today the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced their first round of BRAIN Initiative awards, and six teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are among the recipients.

1 Oct 2014

Salk researchers receive BRAIN Initiative funding

Joseph Ecker, a Salk professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and Margarita Behrens, Salk staff scientist, have been named recipients in the 2014 round of grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative for leading-edge work in neuroscience.

1 Oct 2014

UMD gets NIH grant to study how neurons process sensory information

A University of Maryland-led research team has been awarded a three-year $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop new imaging technologies and data analysis techniques that will further our understanding of how large networks of neurons in the brain interact to process sensory information.

1 Oct 2014

West Virginia University receives NIH award as part of BRAIN initiative

In its first wave of funding awards, a new presidential project aimed at revolutionizing our understanding of the human brain has pledged its support to a group of researchers led by West Virginia University faculty working to change the future of brain imaging.

1 Oct 2014

NPI leaders to invest more than $30M to support White House BRAIN Initiative

Leaders of the National Photonics Initiative (NPI), an alliance of top scientific societies uniting industry and academia to raise awareness of photonics, launched its Photonics Industry Neuroscience Group alongside officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) in conjunction with today's White House BRAIN Initiative conference.

30 Sep 2014

New study reports how TMS treatment works in people with depression

On Star Trek, it is easy to take for granted the incredible ability of futuristic doctors to wave small devices over the heads of both humans and aliens, diagnose their problems through evaluating changes in brain activity or chemistry, and then treat behavior problems by selectively stimulating relevant brain circuits.

30 Sep 2014

Calling 9-1-1 can speed access to lifesaving treatment, say cardiology researchers

Time is critical for patients experiencing a heart attack, and calling 9-1-1 first will speed access to lifesaving treatment, according to MedStar Heart & Vascular Institute cardiology researchers.

30 Sep 2014

Brain cancer patients can benefit from Rapamycin drug

Every day, organ transplant patients around the world take a drug called rapamycin to keep their immune systems from rejecting their new kidneys and hearts.

30 Sep 2014

CMU's BrainHub initiative receives major boost from renowned Pittsburgh philanthropist

Just weeks after the launch of a global initiative to leverage its unique strengths to impact brain research, Carnegie Mellon University has received a major boost from renowned Pittsburgh philanthropist Henry L. Hillman in the form of a new $5 million gift to support CMU's BrainHub.

30 Sep 2014