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.

Narrowing of carotid artery in neck without any symptoms may be linked to memory problems

For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that narrowing of the carotid artery in the neck without any symptoms may be linked to problems in learning, memory, thinking and decision-making, compared to people with similar risk factors but no narrowing in the neck artery, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.

22 Apr 2014

Clinton papers reveal failed health law efforts

Newly released papers offer a glimpse of how the former president's team had hoped to win over moderate Republicans as well as Democrats, and also reassure Americans that the plan wouldn't disrupt coverage if they already had it.

22 Apr 2014

Study shows mechanistic link between sleep loss in early life and adult behavior in animal model

Mom always said you need your sleep, and it turns out, she was right. According to a new study published in Science this week from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, lack of sleep in young fruit flies profoundly diminishes their ability to do one thing they do really, really well - make more flies.

22 Apr 2014

Researchers uncover novel function of Amyloid Precursor Protein linked to Alzheimer's disease

A research team led by the National Neuroscience Institute has uncovered a novel function of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), one of the main pathogenic culprits of Alzheimer's disease. This discovery may help researchers understand how the protein goes awry in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, and potentially paves the way for the development of innovative therapeutics to improve the brain function of dementia patients.

22 Apr 2014

Self-expanding activities may help you quit smoking

If you are trying to quit smoking one method to incorporate is to do new, exciting "self-expanding" activities that can help with nicotine craving. This is the take-home message from a new study published online in PLOS ONE by a team of researchers including Arthur Aron, PhD, a Research Professor in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University.

22 Apr 2014

California Orthopaedic Medical Clinic offers comprehensive surgical solution for spinal stenosis

Like any back surgery, spinal stenosis treatment can be a significant and emotionally taxing moment in a person's life – which is why it is essential to ensure that it is effective the first time by trusting treatment to experts like Dr. Seyed M. Rezaian.

22 Apr 2014

Researchers examine link between alcoholism and loss of muscle strength

Muscle weakness is a common symptom of both long-time alcoholics and patients with mitochondrial disease. Now researchers have found a common link: mitochondria that are unable to self-repair.

22 Apr 2014

Synageva announces publication of LAL Deficiency review in Atherosclerosis

Synageva BioPharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutic products for rare diseases, today announced the publication of an overview of lysosomal acid lipase deficiency (LAL Deficiency) in the online version and an upcoming print edition of Atherosclerosis, the official journal of the European Atherosclerosis Society.

21 Apr 2014

Study points to new therapeutic strategy for treating depression

A new study points to a conceptually novel therapeutic strategy for treating depression. Instead of dampening neuron firing found with stress-induced depression, researchers demonstrated for the first time that further activating these neurons opens a new avenue to mimic and promote natural resilience.

21 Apr 2014

New hypothesis about emergence of Parkinson's disease

The cause of neuronal death in Parkinson's disease is still unknown, but a new study proposes that neurons may be mistaken for foreign invaders and killed by the person's own immune system, similar to the way autoimmune diseases like type I diabetes, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis attack the body's cells.

21 Apr 2014

New study suggests easy, effective way to alleviate negative effects of bad memories

What's one of your worst memories? How did it make you feel? According to psychologists, remembering the emotions felt during a negative personal experience, such as how sad you were or how embarrassed you felt, can lead to emotional distress, especially when you can't stop thinking about it.

21 Apr 2014

New high-throughput method offers rapid whole-brain imaging at single cell resolution

A major challenge of systems biology is understanding how phenomena at the cellular scale correlate with activity at the organism level. A concerted effort has been made especially in the brain, as scientists are aiming to clarify how neural activity is translated into consciousness and other complex brain activities.

21 Apr 2014

Research roundup: Colonscopy in the countryside; retiree health benefits; what should hip surgery cost?

Rural residents who commonly seek treatment for advanced stages of colorectal cancer have been thought to lack access to cancer screening and adjuvant therapy. ... Several theories have been postulated to explain these findings, some of which include low socioeconomic status, lower educational attainment, lack of insurance coverage, underinsurance, and travel distance to health care facilities.

21 Apr 2014

Findings open up new avenues for research into ADHD and other attention-related problems

In a new study, Indiana University cognitive scientists Catarina Vales and Linda Smith demonstrate that children spot objects more quickly when prompted by words than if they are only prompted by images.

21 Apr 2014

New insights into possible common links between neurodegenerative diseases

The pattern of brain alterations may be similar in several different neurodegenerative diseases, which opens the door to alternative therapeutic strategies to tackle these diseases

21 Apr 2014

Research: Drugs used to treat lung, breast and pancreatic cancers promote drug-resistance, spur tumor growth

Most drugs used to treat lung, breast and pancreatic cancers also promote drug-resistance and ultimately spur tumor growth. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered a molecule, or biomarker, called CD61 on the surface of drug-resistant tumors that appears responsible for inducing tumor metastasis by enhancing the stem cell-like properties of cancer cells.

21 Apr 2014

Researchers identify key genes linked to pain perception

Researchers may have identified key genes linked to why some people have a higher tolerance for pain than others, according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 66th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, April 26 to May 3, 2014.

21 Apr 2014

Researchers devise new approach to treatment of Alzheimer's disease

A team of researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Brandeis University has devised a wholly new approach to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease involving the so-called retromer protein complex. Retromer plays a vital role in neurons, steering amyloid precursor protein (APP) away from a region of the cell where APP is cleaved, creating the potentially toxic byproduct amyloid-beta, which is thought to contribute to the development of Alzheimer's.

21 Apr 2014

Harvard neuroscientists present new view of myelin

Harvard neuroscientists have made a discovery that turns 160 years of neuroanatomy on its head.

20 Apr 2014

Brain-related discovery could revolutionize treatment for attention-deficit disorders

Two Simon Fraser University psychologists have made a brain-related discovery that could revolutionize doctors' perception and treatment of attention-deficit disorders.

19 Apr 2014

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Narrowing of carotid artery in neck without any symptoms may be linked to memory problems

Clinton papers reveal failed health law efforts

Study shows mechanistic link between sleep loss in early life and adult behavior in animal model

Researchers uncover novel function of Amyloid Precursor Protein linked to Alzheimer's disease

Self-expanding activities may help you quit smoking

California Orthopaedic Medical Clinic offers comprehensive surgical solution for spinal stenosis

Researchers examine link between alcoholism and loss of muscle strength

Synageva announces publication of LAL Deficiency review in Atherosclerosis

Study points to new therapeutic strategy for treating depression

New hypothesis about emergence of Parkinson's disease

New study suggests easy, effective way to alleviate negative effects of bad memories

New high-throughput method offers rapid whole-brain imaging at single cell resolution

Research roundup: Colonscopy in the countryside; retiree health benefits; what should hip surgery cost?

Findings open up new avenues for research into ADHD and other attention-related problems

New insights into possible common links between neurodegenerative diseases

Research: Drugs used to treat lung, breast and pancreatic cancers promote drug-resistance, spur tumor growth

Researchers identify key genes linked to pain perception

Researchers devise new approach to treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Harvard neuroscientists present new view of myelin

Brain-related discovery could revolutionize treatment for attention-deficit disorders

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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