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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.

Study raises hopes for new drugs to treat brain disorders associated with neurotransmitter imbalance

Although drugs have been developed that inhibit the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain - a condition which causes many brain disorders and nervous system diseases - the exact understanding of the mechanism by which these drugs work has not yet been fully understood.

8 Jan 2014

Scientists believe that new links between brain cells help encode new memories and skills

In adults, some brain regions retain a "childlike" ability to establish new connections, potentially contributing to our ability to learn new skills and form new memories as we age, according to new research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle.

8 Jan 2014

Viewpoints: Slowing health costs; possibility of Medicaid deal in virginia; a new name for brain death

For decades a common refrain was that the rapid rise in health spending hurt the competitiveness of American businesses and ate into workers' take-home pay. Businesses and politicians from both sides of the aisle agreed that something had to be done to slow the growth of health-care costs.

8 Jan 2014

Study shows ability to make living human cells from biobanked brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients

Scientists at The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) Research Institute, working in collaboration with scientists from Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), for the first time generated induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells lines from non-cryoprotected brain tissue of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

7 Jan 2014

PET imaging of brain reveals ketamine may act as antidepressant by regulating serotonin activity

Ketamine is a potent anesthetic employed in human and veterinary medicine, and sometimes used illegally as a recreational drug. The drug is also a promising candidate for the fast treatment of depression in patients who do not respond to other medications.

7 Jan 2014

10 simple points to know and monitor alcohol intake

Much the same way individuals are encouraged to know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a new editorial in the Journal of Psychopharmacology urges the European public to know and monitor their alcohol intake number using a simple 10 point plan.

7 Jan 2014

Study sheds light on the biological underpinnings of obesity

A new neuroscience study sheds light on the biological underpinnings of obesity. The in vivo study, published in the January 8 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience, reveals how a protein in the brain helps regulate food intake and body weight. The findings reveal a potential new avenue for the treatment of obesity and may help explain why medications that are prescribed for epilepsy and other conditions that interfere with this protein, such as gabapentin and pregabalin, can cause weight gain.

7 Jan 2014

Hotspots of fuel consumption in adult brain also show key characteristics of developing brain

Although brain growth slows as individuals age, some regions of the brain continue to develop for longer than others, creating new connections and remodeling existing circuitry.

7 Jan 2014

FDA accepts NPS Pharmaceuticals' Natpara BLA for review

NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company pioneering and delivering therapies that transform the lives of patients with rare diseases worldwide, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted and filed for review the company's Biologics License Application for Natpara (recombinant human parathyroid hormone 1-84, (rhPTH[1-84])) for the treatment of hypoparathyroidism.

7 Jan 2014

Barostim Therapy: A cost-effective treatment for patients with drug resistant hypertension

CVRx, Inc., a privately held medical device company, today announced findings from a health-economic analysis published in the Journal of Hypertension that indicates Barostim Therapy is a cost-effective treatment option for patients with drug resistant hypertension.

7 Jan 2014

Synthetic cannabinoid molecule created for osteoarthritis

Chemical compounds synthesised in the laboratory, similar to those found in cannabis, could be developed as potential drugs to reduce the pain of osteoarthritis.

7 Jan 2014

Study identifies strategy to help women climb the academic ladder

More women are choosing science careers, yet women are notoriously underrepresented in senior academic positions—often because they abandon their careers due to pessimism about advancement. New research suggests that putting more women in decision-making roles on the teams that organize symposia could offer a simple, effective step forward.

7 Jan 2014

Oxygen Biotherapeutics announces publication of Phase 3 trial protocol for levosimendan

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. ("OBI") a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing a portfolio of products for the critical care market, today announced that the protocol of their phase 3 trial for levosimendan has been published on ClinicalTrials.gov, "Levosimendan in Patients with Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction Undergoing Heart Surgery on Cardiopulmonary Bypass."

7 Jan 2014

e-Therapeutics announces continuation of ETS2101 phase I trial in brain cancer

e-Therapeutics plc today announces that the investigator-led phase I trial of ETS2101 in brain cancer will continue into 2014. Five dose escalation steps have been completed without any drug-related serious adverse events and the investigator therefore intends to enrol further patients at higher dose levels.

7 Jan 2014

Mannotriose regulates learning and memory signal transduction in hippocampus

The main component of the Chinese herb Rehmannia, mannotriose, can improve learning and memory. Dr. Lina Zhang and colleagues from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China used 1 - 10 mol/L mannotriose to treat primary hippocampal neurons insulted with 1 - 10 mol/L corticosterone.

7 Jan 2014

50% of Canadians with dementia are not diagnosed early enough

As many as 50 per cent of Canadians with dementia are not diagnosed early enough,* losing precious time when care and support can make a tremendous difference in their quality of life and avert unnecessary crises for their families.

7 Jan 2014

Antidepressant medications do not increase suicide risk in children

A Vanderbilt University Medical Center study released today shows there is no evidence that the risk of suicide differs with two commonly prescribed antidepressants prescribed to children and adolescents.

7 Jan 2014

New ways to treat substance abuse, neurological diseases and mental illnesses

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have found a way to change alcohol drinking behavior in rodents, using the emerging technique of optogenetics, which uses light to stimulate neurons.

7 Jan 2014

Aeterna Zentaris announces FDA acceptance for filing of macimorelin acetate NDA for AGHD

Aeterna Zentaris Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for filing the Company's New Drug Application for its ghrelin agonist, macimorelin acetate, in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency. The acceptance for filing of the NDA indicates the FDA has determined that the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review.

7 Jan 2014

Mutations in small proteins that help convey electrical signals may influence nerve health

Mutations in small proteins that help convey electrical signals throughout the body may have a surprisingly large effect on health, according to results of a new Johns Hopkins study study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in December using spider, scorpion and sea anemone venom.

7 Jan 2014

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study raises hopes for new drugs to treat brain disorders associated with neurotransmitter imbalance

Scientists believe that new links between brain cells help encode new memories and skills

Viewpoints: Slowing health costs; possibility of Medicaid deal in virginia; a new name for brain death

Study shows ability to make living human cells from biobanked brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients

PET imaging of brain reveals ketamine may act as antidepressant by regulating serotonin activity

10 simple points to know and monitor alcohol intake

Study sheds light on the biological underpinnings of obesity

Hotspots of fuel consumption in adult brain also show key characteristics of developing brain

FDA accepts NPS Pharmaceuticals' Natpara BLA for review

Barostim Therapy: A cost-effective treatment for patients with drug resistant hypertension

Synthetic cannabinoid molecule created for osteoarthritis

Study identifies strategy to help women climb the academic ladder

Oxygen Biotherapeutics announces publication of Phase 3 trial protocol for levosimendan

e-Therapeutics announces continuation of ETS2101 phase I trial in brain cancer

Mannotriose regulates learning and memory signal transduction in hippocampus

50% of Canadians with dementia are not diagnosed early enough

Antidepressant medications do not increase suicide risk in children

New ways to treat substance abuse, neurological diseases and mental illnesses

Aeterna Zentaris announces FDA acceptance for filing of macimorelin acetate NDA for AGHD

Mutations in small proteins that help convey electrical signals may influence nerve health

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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