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.

IDH1 gene mutation determines best treatment for malignant astrocytomas

Astrocytomas are the most common malignant brain tumors. While most patients' tumors prove to be quite aggressive, outcomes overall can vary widely, with some patients surviving for many years.

4 Feb 2014

Sleep recovery good following mild traumatic brain injury

Recovery from sleep disturbance following mild traumatic brain injury occurs more rapidly than depression and anxiety recovery, study findings indicate.

3 Feb 2014

Morning blood pressure tied to target-organ damage

Physicians should ask patients to take home blood pressure readings in the morning as well as the evening before making therapeutic decisions, say researchers.

3 Feb 2014

Brains of autistic children generate 42% more information while at rest

New research from Case Western Reserve University and University of Toronto neuroscientists finds that the brains of autistic children generate more information at rest – a 42% increase on average. The study offers a scientific explanation for the most typical characteristic of autism – withdrawal into one’s own inner world. The excess production of information may explain a child’s detachment from their environment.

3 Feb 2014

Deficit in microglia during development can have long-lasting effects on brain wiring, behavior

In many people with autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, different parts of the brain don't talk to each other very well. Scientists have now identified, for the first time, a way in which this decreased functional connectivity can come about.

3 Feb 2014

Researchers may solve riddle about inner workings of the brain

Stanford researchers may have solved a riddle about the inner workings of the brain, which consists of billions of neurons, organized into many different regions, with each region primarily responsible for different tasks.

3 Feb 2014

New technique helps identify shrinkage of mood-regulating brain structure in women with MS

A multicenter research team led by Cedars-Sinai neurologist Nancy Sicotte, MD, an expert in multiple sclerosis and state-of-the-art imaging techniques, used a new, automated technique to identify shrinkage of a mood-regulating brain structure in a large sample of women with MS who also have a certain type of depression.

31 Jan 2014

Comparison of cognitive tests shows SDMT effective in differentiating employment status in MS individuals

Researchers at Kessler Foundation have studied the measurement tools used in multiple sclerosis for their effectiveness in predicting employment status. They compared the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and found the SDMT effective in differentiating employed from unemployed individuals.

31 Jan 2014

National Mentor Holdings enters into new senior secured credit facilities with Barclays Bank

National Mentor Holdings, Inc. today announced that it has entered into new senior secured credit facilities (the "New Senior Secured Credit Facilities") with Barclays Bank PLC, as administrative agent, and a syndicate of banks, to replace its existing senior secured credit facilities.

31 Jan 2014

Drugs that modify DNA structure may be beneficial for treating Alzheimer's disease

In a study published this week in Nature Neuroscience, Bess Frost, PhD, and co-authors, identify abnormal expression of genes, resulting from DNA relaxation, that can be detected in the brain and blood of Alzheimer's patients.

31 Jan 2014

New American Cancer Society report calls diagnosis of childhood cancer

A new report from the American Cancer Society outlines progress made and -more importantly-challenges that remain in fighting childhood cancer. The report estimates the number of new cancer cases and deaths for children and adolescents in the United States, summarizes the most recent and comprehensive data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival, and outlines what is known and where answers are still needed for childhood cancers.

31 Jan 2014

Retrieval practice can improve memory in individuals with severe TBI

Kessler Foundation researchers have shown that retrieval practice can improve memory in individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). "Retrieval Practice Improves Memory in Survivors of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury," was published as a brief report in the current issue of Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Volume 95, Issue 2 (390-396) February 2014.

31 Jan 2014

UC Irvine researchers receive $1.54M for stem cell research

Two UC Irvine research teams will receive $1.54 million to further studies on the fundamental structure and function of stem cells. Their work will aid efforts to treat and cure a range of ailments, from cancer to neurological diseases and injuries.

31 Jan 2014

Researchers pinpoint neural circuitry that promotes stress-induced anxiety

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 18 percent of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, characterized as excessive worry or tension that often leads to other physical symptoms. Previous studies of anxiety in the brain have focused on the amygdala, an area known to play a role in fear.

31 Jan 2014

Doctor offers tips for fans who suddenly have to face months without football

After the final play of the Super Bowl, millions of fans will go through withdrawal symptoms from not being able to watch football for months.

31 Jan 2014

Study points to gender-specific mechanisms of brain repair following oxygen deprivation

Physicians have long known that oxygen deprivation to the brain around the time of birth causes worse damage in boys than girls. Now a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center conducted in mice reveals one possible reason behind this gender disparity and points to gender-specific mechanisms of brain repair following such injury.

31 Jan 2014

Large amounts of choline may be needed to support fetal development during pregnancy

Recent research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that during pregnancy, and particularly during the third trimester, large amounts of choline may be needed to support fetal development. Conclusions of the research revealed that current recommendations may be too low. Choline deficiency in pregnant women may result in elevated levels of homocysteine, potentially resulting in birth defects.

31 Jan 2014

NeoGenomics validates and launches series of NeoTYPE cancer profiling tests

NeoGenomics, Inc., a leading provider of cancer-focused genetic and molecular testing services, announced today that it has validated and launched a series of NeoTYPE cancer profiling tests covering 22 different categories of cancer. Each of these tests is designed to investigate the most common and actionable genomic abnormalities reported for that particular tumor.

30 Jan 2014

Neuroscientist, researchers receive Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science

The Vilcek Foundation is pleased to name Thomas M. Jessell as the winner of the 2014 Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science. Awarded annually, the Vilcek Prizes honor the contributions of immigrants to the American arts and sciences, and include $100,000 cash awards.

30 Jan 2014

New molecule could help lower diabetic patients' risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's

Researchers at the Hebrew university of Jerusalem have created a molecule that could potentially lower diabetic patients' higher risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

30 Jan 2014

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

IDH1 gene mutation determines best treatment for malignant astrocytomas

Sleep recovery good following mild traumatic brain injury

Morning blood pressure tied to target-organ damage

Brains of autistic children generate 42% more information while at rest

Deficit in microglia during development can have long-lasting effects on brain wiring, behavior

Researchers may solve riddle about inner workings of the brain

New technique helps identify shrinkage of mood-regulating brain structure in women with MS

Comparison of cognitive tests shows SDMT effective in differentiating employment status in MS individuals

National Mentor Holdings enters into new senior secured credit facilities with Barclays Bank

Drugs that modify DNA structure may be beneficial for treating Alzheimer's disease

New American Cancer Society report calls diagnosis of childhood cancer

Retrieval practice can improve memory in individuals with severe TBI

UC Irvine researchers receive $1.54M for stem cell research

Researchers pinpoint neural circuitry that promotes stress-induced anxiety

Doctor offers tips for fans who suddenly have to face months without football

Study points to gender-specific mechanisms of brain repair following oxygen deprivation

Large amounts of choline may be needed to support fetal development during pregnancy

NeoGenomics validates and launches series of NeoTYPE cancer profiling tests

Neuroscientist, researchers receive Vilcek Prize in Biomedical Science

New molecule could help lower diabetic patients' risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's

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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