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.

Positive preclinical results from Cancer Therapeutics' CTX-0294945 plus Avastin study

Cancer Therapeutics, a company focused on translating cancer biology research into novel treatments for cancer, today announced positive preclinical results for CTX-0294945 as an adjuvant therapy to the cancer drug Avastin (bevacizumab - Genentech/Roche). The data is presented today in a late breaking poster at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago, USA.

4 Apr 2012

Scientists discover why rapamycin causes diabetic-like symptoms in patients

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have discovered why diabetic-like symptoms develop in some patients given rapamycin, an immune-suppressant drug that also has shown anti-cancer activity and may even slow ageing.

4 Apr 2012

Two leading authorities partner to write and edit Stroke Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation

Stroke prevention, treatment and rehabilitation have come a long way in the time since Neurologist Dr. David Spence of Western University began treating patients. "My first day on call, I was paged to the emergency department for a patient with a stroke. When I answered the page, from the cafeteria, I was told to go ahead and finish my dinner. There was nothing that could be done for him."

4 Apr 2012

MedImmune's quadrivalent flu vaccine may protect children

An intranasal vaccine that includes four weakened strains of influenza could do a better job in protecting children from the flu than current vaccines, Saint Louis University research shows.

4 Apr 2012

Causes of traumatic brain injury in older population

As the population ages in western countries, traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting mainly from falls is on the rise among the elderly, introducing new complications and treatment challenges, according to an article in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

4 Apr 2012

Brains of people with anorexia and obesity are wired differently

The brains of people with anorexia and obesity are wired differently, according to new research. Neuroscientists for the first time have found that how our brains respond to food differs across a spectrum of eating behaviors - from extreme overeating to food deprivation.

4 Apr 2012

Nine physician organizations identify specific tests or procedures that may be unnecessary

Nine leading physician specialty societies have identified specific tests or procedures that they say are commonly used but not always necessary in their respective fields. Patient advocates are calling the move a significant step toward improving the quality and safety of health care.

4 Apr 2012

Stress-induced tolerance can prevent glaucoma

Working in mice, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have devised a treatment that prevents the optic nerve injury that occurs in glaucoma, a neurodegenerative disease that is a leading cause of blindness.

4 Apr 2012

Parents can help autistic kids connect, communicate and learn

Does your baby take an interest in other children? Does he enjoy playing peek-a-boo and hide-and-seek? Does he smile when he sees your face? Does he respond to his name when you call? If you answered 'no' to these questions your baby may be displaying early signs of autism, which affects more than one in 110 children in the United States. But don't panic-cutting edge research reveals that parents can play a major role in teaching even the youngest children with autism spectrum disorders how to connect with others and live up to their potential.

4 Apr 2012

Johns Hopkins devises new seizure detection software

Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide, but in a third of these cases, medication cannot keep seizures from occurring. One solution is to shoot a short pulse of electricity to the brain to stamp out the seizure just as it begins to erupt. But brain implants designed to do this have run into a stubborn problem: too many false alarms, triggering unneeded treatment. To solve this, Johns Hopkins biomedical engineers have devised new seizure detection software that, in early testing, significantly cuts the number of unneeded pulses of current that an epilepsy patient would receive.

4 Apr 2012

NCAA-funded study to focus on sports-related concussions

Sports-related concussions have become a subject of deep concern in recent years, with Congress holding hearings on the issue, retired players suing sports leagues for alleged damage they've suffered, and new research pointing to degeneration in injured athletes' brains over time.

4 Apr 2012

IOM releases new report on public health dimensions of epilepsies

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) on March 30th released its new report on the public health dimensions of the epilepsies, the first authoritative independent appraisal of epilepsy and its management in the United States.

3 Apr 2012

Neural imaging-maps of brain functions hope to transform lives of people with epilepsy

Neural imaging-maps of brain functions-is a primary tool used by researchers hoping to transform the lives of people living with chronic neurological conditions such as epilepsy. At present, researchers often require several different imaging techniques to fully map brain functions, making research and treatment of these conditions expensive and inefficient.

3 Apr 2012

Study examines how fluctuations in brain activity can impact dynamics of cognitive tasks

A team of University of Pittsburgh mathematicians is using computational models to better understand how the structure of neural variability relates to such functions as short-term memory and decision making. In a paper published online April 2 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the Pitt team examines how fluctuations in brain activity can impact the dynamics of cognitive tasks.

3 Apr 2012

Study shows how morphine creates inflammatory response in the brain

An international team of researchers involving the University of Adelaide and University of Colorado has made a major discovery that could lead to more effective treatment of severe pain using morphine.

3 Apr 2012

TLR4/MD-2 protein complex triggers morphine-induced inflammation

A University of Colorado Boulder-led research team has discovered that two protein receptors in the central nervous system team up to respond to morphine and cause unwanted neuroinflammation, a finding with implications for improving the efficacy of the widely used painkiller while decreasing its abuse potential.

3 Apr 2012

UCB receives FDA approval for Neupro to treat idiopathic Parkinson's, RLS

UCB announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neupro (Rotigotine Transdermal System) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and as a treatment for moderate-to-severe primary Restless Legs Syndrome.

3 Apr 2012

Patients prefer immediate access to radiology reports

You've been experiencing severe back pain and weakness in your right leg. Your doctor orders a spinal MRI to help determine the cause. The radiology report diagnoses cancer. Would you rather read the detailed medical report right away at home or wait until your doctor was available to explain the test results, diagnosis and treatment options? This scenario was part of a study at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center designed to determine if patients wanted online access to radiology test results and, if so, how quickly.

3 Apr 2012

Cell graphs link structure of human tissue to corresponding biological function

Computer scientists and biologists in the Data Science Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a rare collaboration between the two very different fields to pick apart a fundamental roadblock to progress in modern medicine. Their unique partnership has uncovered a new computational model called "cell graphs" that links the structure of human tissue to its corresponding biological function.

3 Apr 2012

Systemic inflammation may contribute to depressive symptoms

New research published in the April issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine reveals that systemic inflammation causes an increase in depressive symptoms and metabolic changes in the parts of the brain responsible for mood and motivation. With this finding, researchers can begin to test potential treatments for depression for patients that experience symptoms that are related to inflammation in the body or within the brain.

3 Apr 2012