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.

Standardized research approaches needed for developing new treatments for neurofibromatosis

As potentially effective new treatments for neurofibromatosis (NF) are developed, standardized research approaches—including outcome measures specific to NF—are needed. The first report from the Response Evaluation in Neurofibromatosis and Schwannomatosis (REiNS) International Collaboration has been published as a supplement to Neurology, the Official Journal of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

13 Dec 2013

Researchers uncover second rare genetic mutation linked to higher risk of Alzheimer's disease

A research team from The University of Nottingham has helped uncover a second rare genetic mutation which strongly increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life.

13 Dec 2013

Repeated blows to head in contact sports may cause changes in brain's white matter

Repeated blows to the head during a season of contact sports may cause changes in the brain's white matter and affect cognitive abilities even if none of the impacts resulted in a concussion, according to a study published today in the journal Neurology.

13 Dec 2013

Names of 2014 Breakthrough Prize winners in Fundamental Physics and Life Sciences unveiled

The names of the 2014 Breakthrough Prize winners in Fundamental Physics and Life Sciences were unveiled at an exclusive ceremony at the NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA. At a total awarded amount of $21 million, sponsored by Sergey Brin & Anne Wojcicki, Jack Ma & Cathy Zhang, Yuri & Julia Milner and Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan, the prizes aim to celebrate scientists and generate excitement about the pursuit of science as a career.

13 Dec 2013

Psychiatrists increasingly refuse to accept private insurance as payment

Access to mental health care has become a prominent issue in Congress following mass shootings around the country. But a new study in JAMA Psychiatry, led by researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College, suggests that unless those in need of help have deep pockets, they might have a hard time finding a psychiatrist that will provide the needed services.

13 Dec 2013

Research findings could provide better understanding of anxiety disorders

In a new study published today in Science, John McGann, associate professor of behavioral and systems neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, and his colleagues, report that neurons in the noses of laboratory animals reacted more strongly to threatening odors before the odor message was sent to the brain.

13 Dec 2013

NIH StrokeNet to revolutionize research on stroke

A network of 25 regional stroke centers working with nearby satellite facilities will span the country, have teams of researchers representing every medical specialty needed for stroke care and will address the three prongs of stroke research: prevention, treatment and recovery. The Centers were announced today by the National Institutes of Health.

13 Dec 2013

Study: Immune cells outside the brain may regulate propensity to develop depression

A new study shows that immune cells outside the brain may regulate propensity to develop depression. The data were presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Annual Meeting.

13 Dec 2013

University of Colorado medical school professor uncovers variant of NKH

People from around the country and the world turn to Johan Van Hove, MD, PhD, for advice on a rare metabolic disease known as NKH, which can disrupt the body in devastating and even deadly ways. Now, Van Hove, a University of Colorado medical school professor, has identified a new disease related to NKH, a finding that resolves previously baffling cases including the death of a Colorado girl.

13 Dec 2013

Marker for inflammatory bowel disease linked to bipolar disorder

Researchers have found evidence that the gastrointestinal tract plays a role in the inflammatory pathology of bipolar disorder, suggesting the need to consider dietary modification and anti-inflammatory treatment for some patients.

12 Dec 2013

Adolescent brain remodeling goes awry in schizophrenia

A crucial reorganization process that occurs in the adolescent brain may be disturbed in those who go on to develop schizophrenia, a study suggests.

12 Dec 2013

Retrophin signs agreement with Novartis for exclusive U.S. license for Syntocinon Nasal Spray

Retrophin, Inc. today announced that it has signed an agreement with Novartis Pharma AG for an exclusive U.S. license for Syntocinon Nasal Spray, the intranasal formulation of a synthetic version of the naturally occurring peptide hormone oxytocin, for an upfront payment of $5.0 million plus milestone payments and royalties.

12 Dec 2013

Study shows that age and sleep deprivation induce cellular stress in pancreas

Sleep, or the lack of it, seems to affect just about every aspect of human physiology. Yet, the molecular pathways through which sleep deprivation wreaks its detrimental effects on the body remain poorly understood.

12 Dec 2013

High test scores do not produce similar gains in cognitive abilities

To evaluate school quality, states require students to take standardized tests; in many cases, passing those tests is necessary to receive a high-school diploma. These high-stakes tests have also been shown to predict students' future educational attainment and adult employment and income.

12 Dec 2013

Lund University researcher explores why type 2 diabetes raises dementia risk later in life

It is well known that type 2 diabetes raises the risk of dementia. The reasons for this are less clear, but one explanation could be insulin resistance in the brain, according to Malin Wennstr-m, a researcher at Lund University's Molecular Memory Research Unit. She has received EUR 700,000 from the Swedish Research Council to investigate her theory.

12 Dec 2013

Blows to head may affect the brain's white matter and cognition even without concussion

New research suggests that even in the absence of a concussion, blows to the head during a single season of football or ice hockey may affect the brain's white matter and cognition, or memory and thinking abilities. The study is published in the December 11, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. White matter is brain tissue that plays an important role in the speed of nerve signals.

12 Dec 2013

Researchers discover new mechanism in brain which controls tics in children with TS

A mechanism in the brain which controls tics in children with Tourette Syndrome (TS) has been discovered by scientists at The University of Nottingham.

12 Dec 2013

Immunocellular Therapeutics reports positive results from ICT-107 Phase II study in glioblastoma patients

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. ("ImmunoCellular") announced that ICT-107, its dendritic cell-based vaccine, demonstrated a statistically significant increase in progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in its randomized, placebo-controlled phase II trial.

12 Dec 2013

Scientists develop new technique that results in better ways to relieve pain, monitor healing

Understanding the science behind pain, from a simple "ouch" to the chronic and excruciating, has been an elusive goal for centuries. But now, researchers are reporting a promising step toward studying pain in action.

12 Dec 2013

HSET protein could help doctors identify aggressive breast cancers in African-American patients

African-American women who get breast cancer often get more aggressive forms of the disease and at younger ages than other women.

12 Dec 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Standardized research approaches needed for developing new treatments for neurofibromatosis

Researchers uncover second rare genetic mutation linked to higher risk of Alzheimer's disease

Repeated blows to head in contact sports may cause changes in brain's white matter

Names of 2014 Breakthrough Prize winners in Fundamental Physics and Life Sciences unveiled

Psychiatrists increasingly refuse to accept private insurance as payment

Research findings could provide better understanding of anxiety disorders

NIH StrokeNet to revolutionize research on stroke

Study: Immune cells outside the brain may regulate propensity to develop depression

University of Colorado medical school professor uncovers variant of NKH

Marker for inflammatory bowel disease linked to bipolar disorder

Adolescent brain remodeling goes awry in schizophrenia

Retrophin signs agreement with Novartis for exclusive U.S. license for Syntocinon Nasal Spray

Study shows that age and sleep deprivation induce cellular stress in pancreas

High test scores do not produce similar gains in cognitive abilities

Lund University researcher explores why type 2 diabetes raises dementia risk later in life

Blows to head may affect the brain's white matter and cognition even without concussion

Researchers discover new mechanism in brain which controls tics in children with TS

Immunocellular Therapeutics reports positive results from ICT-107 Phase II study in glioblastoma patients

Scientists develop new technique that results in better ways to relieve pain, monitor healing

HSET protein could help doctors identify aggressive breast cancers in African-American patients

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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