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.

Cdk5 protein may play crucial role in deadly form of thyroid cancer

A specific protein once thought to exist only in the brain may play a crucial role in a deadly form of thyroid cancer, as well as other cancers, and provide a fresh target for researchers seeking ways to stop its progression, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers report today in Cancer Cell.

15 Oct 2013

AstraZeneca announces Phase III study results of naloxegol in patients with non-cancer pain

AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) today announced the results of a Phase III long-term safety and tolerability study of the once-daily 25mg dose of naloxegol, in patients with non-cancer pain and opioid-induced constipation (OIC).

15 Oct 2013

Sleep deprivation may have vascular consequences

Sleep deprivation enlarges the blood vessels and reduces vascular compliance, according to research published in Sleep.

14 Oct 2013

Children with irregular bedtimes more likely to have behavioural difficulties

Researchers from UCL have found that children with irregular bedtimes are more likely to have behavioural difficulties.

14 Oct 2013

Multi-drug therapy can benefit patients at higher risk for post-operative nausea and vomiting

Ninety-seven percent of bariatric surgery patients avoided post-operative nausea and vomiting with the addition of a second drug to the standard treatment given during surgery, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2013 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2013

Patient with certain gene variation more likely to suffer cognitive decline five years after surgery

Long-term memory loss, difficulty understanding verbal or written communication or impaired ability to pay attention may still occur five years after heart surgery if a patient has a certain gene variation, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2013 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2013

Non-hormonal chronic pain treatment reduces moderate-to-severe hot flashes

Menopausal women suffer from half as many hot flashes after receiving a non-hormonal chronic pain treatment, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2013 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2013

NIH selects Salk scientist for EUREKA grant

The National Institutes of Health has selected Axel Nimmerjahn for a highly competitive EUREKA (Exceptional Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration) grant. Dr. Nimmerjahn is an Assistant Professor in the Waitt Advanced Biophotonics Center and holds the Richard Allan Barry Developmental Chair.

13 Oct 2013

Resveratrol can make tumor cells more susceptible to radiation treatment

A recent study by a University of Missouri researcher shows that resveratrol, a compound found in grape skins and red wine, can make certain tumor cells more susceptible to radiation treatment. This research, which studied melanoma cells, follows a previous MU study that found similar results in the treatment of prostate cancer.

12 Oct 2013

Research: Part of brain that makes primates social creatures may play role in carnivores

The part of the brain that makes humans and primates social creatures may play a similar role in carnivores, according to a growing body of research by a Michigan State University neuroscientist.

11 Oct 2013

WHO, Health Care without Harm to launch Mercury-Free Healthcare by 2020

WHO and Health Care without Harm have joined forces to launch a new initiative to get mercury removed from all medical measuring devices by 2020.

11 Oct 2013

Research finding may offer targets for treating feelings of unsteadiness

Johns Hopkins researchers say they have pinpointed a site in a highly developed area of the human brain that plays an important role in the subconscious recognition of which way is straight up and which way is down.

11 Oct 2013

Right supramarginal gyrus in brain plays important role in empathy

Egoism and narcissism appear to be on the rise in our society, while empathy is on the decline. And yet, the ability to put ourselves in other people's shoes is extremely important for our coexistence.

11 Oct 2013

Study: Depression in Parkinson's patients may reflect impaired striatal dopamine function

According to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, up to 60% of individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) exhibit mild to moderate depression, which is often underdiagnosed.

11 Oct 2013

TSRI scientists discover viable strategy for weight loss in people

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have discovered key details of a brain-to-body signaling circuit that enables roundworms to lose weight independently of food intake. The weight-loss circuit is activated by combined signals from the worm versions of the neurotransmitters serotonin and adrenaline, and there are reasons to suspect that it exists in a similar form in humans and other mammals.

11 Oct 2013

Natural painkiller system in the brain responds to social rejection

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," goes the playground rhyme that's supposed to help children endure taunts from classmates. But a new study suggests that there's more going on inside our brains when someone snubs us - and that the brain may have its own way of easing social pain.

11 Oct 2013

Social connection: A basic human need

Facebook and gossip might seem like a waste of time, but they actually serve a basic human need.

11 Oct 2013

NUS, A*STAR establish joint center to study role of nutrition and development in health, disease in Asia

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and A*STAR will be jointly establishing the S$148 million Singapore Centre for Nutritional Sciences, Metabolic Diseases, and Human Development (SiNMeD).

11 Oct 2013

Crucial role of orthopedic surgeons in diagnosing mTBI among trauma care patients

In the United States, approximately 1.4 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year. Of those injuries, three out of four are minor TBI (mTBI)-a head injury that causes a temporary change in mental status including confusion, an altered level of consciousness, or perceptual or behavioral impairments.

11 Oct 2013

Researchers identify gene that orchestrates important branching of nerve fibers

Our ability to detect heat, touch, tickling and other sensations depends on our sensory nerves. Now, for the first time, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have identified a gene that orchestrates the crucially important branching of nerve fibers that occurs during development. The findings were published online today in the journal Cell.

11 Oct 2013