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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.

Omeros' OMS721 receives FDA orphan drug designation for prevention of TMAs

Omeros Corporation today announced that OMS721, the company's lead human monoclonal antibody targeting mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2), the key regulator of the lectin pathway of the immune system, has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for prevention of complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathies.

18 Dec 2013

Elekta and McLaren Health Care to launch MOSAIQ oncology information system

The ability to effectively manage data across disparate health systems to help drive quality care will be a cornerstone for health systems of the future. Elekta is proud to announce today that it has joined forces with Michigan-based McLaren Health Care to launch MOSAIQ® oncology information system throughout McLaren's cancer network.

From Elekta 18 Dec 2013

Brain's primary cortex generates efficiently compressed sensory information

Ten million bits - that's the information volume transmitted every second with every quick eye movement from the eye to the cerebrum. Researchers from the Ruhr-Universit-t Bochum (RUB) and the University of Osnabr-ck describe the way those data are processed by the primary visual cortex, the entry point for the visual information into the brain, in the journal "Cerebral Cortex".

18 Dec 2013

Study identifies atrial fibrillation as a growing and serious global health problem

Atrial fibrillation, long considered the most common condition leading to an irregular heartbeat, is a growing and serious global health problem, according to the first study ever to estimate the condition's worldwide prevalence, death rates and societal costs.

18 Dec 2013

Studies suggest that stress-related disorders may be associated with hippocampal volume loss

Depression has been associated with reduced volume of the hippocampus in magnetic resonance imaging studies in humans. A new study just published in Biological Psychiatry now clarifies the cellular basis of these volumetric changes, which have been unclear until now.

18 Dec 2013

DCC gene involved in adolescent brain development may play a role in mental health vulnerability

As many parents of mentally ill adults will confirm anecdotally, the first symptoms of "something not quite right" with their children begin to appear during the teen years. It is known that during this teenaged phase of brain development, adolescents are particularly vulnerable to psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, depression and drug addiction.

17 Dec 2013

Measuring changes in certain proteins may better predict the progression of ALS

Measuring changes in certain proteins -- called biomarkers -- in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis may better predict the progression of the disease, according to scientists at Penn State College of Medicine.

17 Dec 2013

Researchers hope for a pharmacological solution to treat cocaine addiction

Imagine kicking a cocaine addiction by simply popping a pill that alters the way your brain processes chemical addiction. New research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that a method of biologically manipulating certain neurocircuits could lead to a pharmacological approach that would weaken post-withdrawal cocaine cravings. The findings have been published in Nature Neuroscience.

17 Dec 2013

New gene mutation helps doctors give more accurate diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy

A new gene mutation which will help doctors give a more accurate diagnosis of a particular type of brain and muscle disease in children has been discovered for the first time by University of Leeds experts.

17 Dec 2013

New projects advance treatments for radiation syndrome, cardiac arrest-induced brain injury and rare blood disorder

The National Institutes of Health today has launched three pre-clinical projects to advance potential new treatments for acute radiation syndrome, brain injury following cardiac arrest and a rare blood disorder called beta thalassemia.

17 Dec 2013

Moderate drinking may bolster our immune system and help fight off infection: Study

Medical science has known for years that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol actually have a reduced risk of death. In general, they are healthier and have better cardiovascular function that those who don't drink alcohol at all.

17 Dec 2013

Diabetes blamed for brain neurochemical abnormalities in bipolar disorder

Diabetes may underlie some of the neurochemical abnormalities observed in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder, say researchers.

17 Dec 2013

Rich club disconnectivity may be ‘core’ schizophrenia feature

The impaired “rich club” connectivity observed in the brains of patients with schizophrenia is also present in their unaffected siblings, report researchers.

17 Dec 2013

Researchers use ATX-Red AR-2 as new imaging agent to illuminate tumors

Researchers from Echelon Biosciences, Inc. and collaborators from the University of Utah report the use of ATX-Red AR-2 as a new imaging agent that effectively illuminates tumors.

17 Dec 2013

HIV self-test screening strategy: an interview with Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, McGill University

Conventional health facility based HIV testing is plagued with poor rates of testing and has been around for the past 15+ years. Further, about 40-60% of individuals tested in facilities are lost to follow up.

17 Dec 2013

Researchers discover direct evidence of genetic overlap between cognitive ability and schizophrenia

Investigators at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have discovered for the first time, direct evidence of a genetic overlap between schizophrenia and general cognitive ability. The findings are published online in Molecular Psychiatry.

17 Dec 2013

Toddlers’ bedtime resistance may contribute to sleep problems

The bedtime you select for your toddler may be out of sync with his or her internal body clock, which can contribute to difficulties for youngsters attempting to settle in for the night, according to a new University of Colorado Boulder study.

17 Dec 2013

Neuro-Oncology publishes promising phase 2 results from Agenus’ brain cancer vaccine study

Agenus Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel immune system activating treatments for cancers and infectious diseases, today announced results published from a Phase 2 study demonstrated that more than 90% of the patients treated with Prophage Series G-200 were alive at six months after surgery and 30% were alive at twelve months.

17 Dec 2013

New report shows death rates for lung cancer dropping at a faster pace

The Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, covering the period 1975, showed death rates for lung cancer, which accounts for more than one in four cancer deaths, dropping at a faster pace than in previous years. The recent larger drop in lung cancer deaths is likely the result of decreased cigarette smoking prevalence over many years, and is now being reflected in mortality trends. The lung cancer death rate decline, as well as declines in colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer death rates, has also helped drive decreases in death rates for all cancers types combined, a trend that began about 20 years ago.

17 Dec 2013

Ipsen reports positive initial results from Dysport phase III study in Adult Upper Limb spasticity

Ipsen today announced positive initial results from the double-blind phase III study of Dysport (abobotulinumtoxinA) in Adult Upper Limb spasticity. Regarding the primary endpoints, treatment with Dysport showed statistically significant response versus placebo in the improvement of muscle tone, as measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale.

17 Dec 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Omeros' OMS721 receives FDA orphan drug designation for prevention of TMAs

Elekta and McLaren Health Care to launch MOSAIQ oncology information system

Brain's primary cortex generates efficiently compressed sensory information

Study identifies atrial fibrillation as a growing and serious global health problem

Studies suggest that stress-related disorders may be associated with hippocampal volume loss

DCC gene involved in adolescent brain development may play a role in mental health vulnerability

Measuring changes in certain proteins may better predict the progression of ALS

Researchers hope for a pharmacological solution to treat cocaine addiction

New gene mutation helps doctors give more accurate diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy

New projects advance treatments for radiation syndrome, cardiac arrest-induced brain injury and rare blood disorder

Moderate drinking may bolster our immune system and help fight off infection: Study

Diabetes blamed for brain neurochemical abnormalities in bipolar disorder

Rich club disconnectivity may be ‘core’ schizophrenia feature

Researchers use ATX-Red AR-2 as new imaging agent to illuminate tumors

HIV self-test screening strategy: an interview with Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, McGill University

Researchers discover direct evidence of genetic overlap between cognitive ability and schizophrenia

Toddlers’ bedtime resistance may contribute to sleep problems

Neuro-Oncology publishes promising phase 2 results from Agenus’ brain cancer vaccine study

New report shows death rates for lung cancer dropping at a faster pace

Ipsen reports positive initial results from Dysport phase III study in Adult Upper Limb spasticity

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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