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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.

Researchers are unraveling the mysteries of amyloid beta peptides in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease has long been marked by progress -- but not the kind of progress the medical community seeks. It is the most common form of dementia among older Americans, and its risk increases with increasing age; for those living with the disease, its ravages get worse over time; and as we move into the 21st century, it will place a greater and greater burden on society.

18 Feb 2014

Experts sound alarm about the dangers of industrial chemicals on children’s health

In a Review published in The Lancet Neurology, two of the world’s leading experts on the link between environment and children’s health are sounding the alarm on the dangers of industrial chemicals. They are calling on countries to transform their chemical risk-assessment procedures in order to protect children from everyday toxins that may be causing a global “silent epidemic” of brain development disorders.

18 Feb 2014

Scientists measure how well football helmet designs protected against traumatic brain injury

A new study finds that football helmets currently used on the field may do little to protect against hits to the side of the head, or rotational force, an often dangerous source of brain injury and encephalopathy.

18 Feb 2014

Researchers conduct pioneering translational study on immediate antidepressant effect of DBS

A team of UCA researchers led by Professor Esther Berrocoso and in joint collaboration with the mental health research groups of the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental have carried out a pioneering project in Spain.

17 Feb 2014

Researchers identify new type of regulatory blood cells that can combat brain inflammation

Hyperactivity of our immune system can cause a state of chronic inflammation. If chronic, the inflammation will affect our body and result in disease. In the devastating disease multiple sclerosis, hyperactivity of immune cells called T-cells induce chronic inflammation and degeneration of the brain. Researchers at BRIC, the University of Copenhagen, have identified a new type of regulatory blood cells that can combat such hyperactive T-cells in blood from patients with multiple sclerosis. By stimulating the regulatory blood cells, the researchers significantly decreased the level of brain inflammation and disease in a biological model.

17 Feb 2014

Sleep apnea may contribute to fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) might assume that the fatigue they often feel just comes with the territory of their chronic neurological condition.

17 Feb 2014

Researchers use new technique that can partially move tumors from inoperable locations in brain

One factor that makes glioblastoma cancers so difficult to treat is that malignant cells from the tumors spread throughout the brain by following nerve fibers and blood vessels to invade new locations.

17 Feb 2014

Scientists develop new paradigms for understanding how human brain works in health, disease

Understanding the human brain is one of the greatest challenges facing 21st century science. If we can rise to this challenge, we will gain profound insights into what makes us human, develop new treatments for brain diseases, and build revolutionary new computing technologies that will have far reaching effects, not only in neuroscience.

17 Feb 2014

Study shows increased brain reactivity may facilitate memorisation of dreams

Some people recall a dream every morning, whereas others rarely recall one. A team led by Perrine Ruby, an Inserm Research Fellow at the Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (Inserm/CNRS/Universit- Claude Bernard Lyon 1), has studied the brain activity of these two types of dreamers in order to understand the differences between them.

17 Feb 2014

Vitamin C may reduce risk of most common type of hemorrhagic stroke, says study

Eating foods that contain vitamin C may reduce your risk of the most common type of hemorrhagic stroke, 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.

17 Feb 2014

Leicester research reveals how noise damages hearing system

A research team investigating tinnitus, from the University of Leicester, has revealed new insights into the link between the exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss.

17 Feb 2014

Resolution of inflammation is altered in Alzheimer's disease

New research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that the final stage of the normal inflammatory process may be disrupted in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

17 Feb 2014

Women who drink alcohol during early stages of pregnancy might affect development of placenta

Women who drink alcohol at moderate or heavy levels in the early stages of their pregnancy might damage the growth and function of their placenta - the organ responsible for supplying everything that a developing infant needs until birth - research at The University of Manchester shows.

From The University of Manchester 17 Feb 2014

Research provides new insight into the effect of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative disorders

Research by the University of Southampton has provided new insight into the consequence of accumulated 'misfolded proteins' in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Prion and Alzheimer's disease.

16 Feb 2014

New treatments for depression on the horizon

New insights into the physiological causes of depression are leading to treatments beyond common antidepressants such as Prozac and Zoloft, researchers are reporting in the in the journal Current Psychiatry.

15 Feb 2014

Attention modification programs help decrease overeating in obese children

Among the multiple factors that can cause obesity is an abnormal neurocognitive or behavioral response to food cues. The brain becomes wired to seek - and expect - greater rewards from food, which leads to unhealthful overeating.

15 Feb 2014

Heritable bipolar phenotypes pinned down

A large study has pinpointed brain and behavioural traits that are genetically influenced and associated with bipolar I disorder.

14 Feb 2014

Research roundup: Examining readmissions; easing doctor burnout

Despite massive early IT problems, exchange enrollment is accelerating rapidly. While enrollment may not reach 7 million by the end of March, we expect at least 5 million to have enrolled by the close of the initial open-enrollment period. If enrollment falls far short, HHS could extend open enrollment for a fixed period to reach its 7 million target. ... We project that 5 million new beneficiaries will be covered by Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program by the end of 2014. Medicaid managed-care enrollment of non-dual beneficiaries will increase by 20 percent from 2013 to 2014 and by 38 percent from 2013 to 2016. We expect that 75 percent of non-dual Medicaid beneficiaries will be covered by Managed Care Organizations starting in 2015, up from 63 percent in 2012 (Feb. 2014).

14 Feb 2014

Final stage of normal inflammatory process may be disrupted in patients with Alzheimer's disease

New research from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that the final stage of the normal inflammatory process may be disrupted in patients with Alzheimer's disease. A study published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia shows that levels in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of the molecules necessary for tissue recovery through the clearance of harmful inflammatory substances are lower than normal in patients with Alzheimer's disease. The study also showed association between the lower levels of these molecules with impaired memory function.

14 Feb 2014

Study affirms new standard for detecting melanoma metastasis to the lymph nodes

Long-term research that was initiated at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center on lymphatic mapping and sentinel-node biopsy, techniques for detecting the earliest spread (metastasis) of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, has confirmed that these techniques significantly prolong patients' disease-free and melanoma-specific survival over the traditional observational "watch and wait" techniques.

14 Feb 2014

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Researchers are unraveling the mysteries of amyloid beta peptides in Alzheimer's disease

Experts sound alarm about the dangers of industrial chemicals on children’s health

Scientists measure how well football helmet designs protected against traumatic brain injury

Researchers conduct pioneering translational study on immediate antidepressant effect of DBS

Researchers identify new type of regulatory blood cells that can combat brain inflammation

Sleep apnea may contribute to fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis

Researchers use new technique that can partially move tumors from inoperable locations in brain

Scientists develop new paradigms for understanding how human brain works in health, disease

Study shows increased brain reactivity may facilitate memorisation of dreams

Vitamin C may reduce risk of most common type of hemorrhagic stroke, says study

Leicester research reveals how noise damages hearing system

Resolution of inflammation is altered in Alzheimer's disease

Women who drink alcohol during early stages of pregnancy might affect development of placenta

Research provides new insight into the effect of misfolded proteins in neurodegenerative disorders

New treatments for depression on the horizon

Attention modification programs help decrease overeating in obese children

Heritable bipolar phenotypes pinned down

Research roundup: Examining readmissions; easing doctor burnout

Final stage of normal inflammatory process may be disrupted in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Study affirms new standard for detecting melanoma metastasis to the lymph nodes

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st 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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