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.

Blood test provides tool essential to trials of therapies for Huntington's disease

An assay designed to measure normal and abnormal forms of the huntingtin protein - the mutated form of which causes Huntington's disease - was successful in detecting levels of the mutant protein in a large multicenter study of individuals at risk for the devastating neurological disorder.

30 Aug 2013

Protein activated by inflammation converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to most aggressive form

A prominent protein activated by inflammation is the key instigator that converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to their most aggressive, untreatable form and promotes resistance to radiation therapy, an international team lead by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported online today in the journal Cancer Cell.

30 Aug 2013

Researchers discover new gene mutations which cause devastating mitochondrial disorders

Researchers have identified a novel disease gene in which mutations cause rare but devastating genetic diseases known as mitochondrial disorders.

30 Aug 2013

Blood biomarkers predict suicidality

Researchers have found possible blood biomarkers for suicidal behavior that could help identify psychiatric patients at risk.

29 Aug 2013

Study explains how sensory input impacts fruit flies' decisions about sweet taste

Fruit flies have a lot to teach us about the complexity of food. Like these tiny little creatures, most animals are attracted to sugar but are deterred from eating it when bitter compounds are added.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists develop complex human brain tissue in 3D culture system

Complex human brain tissue has been successfully developed in a three-dimensional culture system established in an Austrian laboratory. The method described in the current issue of NATURE allows pluripotent stem cells to develop into cerebral organoids - or "mini brains" - that consist of several discrete brain regions.

29 Aug 2013

Researchers discover old cancer drug can be used to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue

Researchers at Lund University have unexpectedly discovered that an old cancer drug can be used to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue. The researchers now have high hopes that their discovery could lead to new treatments for both transplant patients and patients with autoimmune diseases.

29 Aug 2013

AARDA study reveals mothers antibodies may cause autism in babies

A new, large-scale study of more than 2,700 mothers of children with autism shows that about one in 10 mothers have antibodies in their bloodstream that react with proteins in the brain of their babies.

29 Aug 2013

Study identifies cognitive factor in voice familiarity that helps older listeners to hear better

With so many other competing voices, having a conversation on a bustling subway or at a crowded cocktail party takes a great deal of concentration. New research suggests that the familiar voice of a spouse stands out against other voices, helping to sharpen auditory perception and making it easier to focus on one voice at a time.

29 Aug 2013

Study reveals relationship between migraine and low income status

Studies show that migraine is more common among people with lower incomes. This relationship is examined in a study published in the August 28, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, looking at whether developing migraines limits people's educational and career achievements, leading to a lower income status, or whether problems related to low income such as stressful life events and poor access to health care increase the likelihood of developing migraines.

29 Aug 2013

Johns Hopkins researchers use low-energy light to solve serious heart problems

When a beating heart slips into an irregular, life-threatening rhythm, the treatment is well known: deliver a burst of electric current from a pacemaker or defibrillator. But because the electricity itself can cause pain, tissue damage and other serious side-effects, a Johns Hopkins-led research team wants to replace these jolts with a kinder, gentler remedy: light.

29 Aug 2013

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Stem cell technology has long offered the hope of regenerating tissue to repair broken or damaged neural tissue. Findings from a team of UC Davis investigators have brought this dream a step closer by developing a method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin - a fatty, insulating sheath essential to normal neural conduction.

29 Aug 2013

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

All people have trillions of bacteria living in their intestines. If you place them on a scale, they weigh around 1.5 kg. Previously, a major part of these 'blind passengers' were unknown, as they are difficult or impossible to grow in laboratories.

29 Aug 2013

AATS agrees with USPSTF recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers

The American Association for Thoracic Surgery, a professional organization of surgeons dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and cure of diseases of the chest, strongly supports the United States Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers.

29 Aug 2013

Study shows that migraine may have long-term effects on the brain's structure

Migraine may have long-lasting effects on the brain's structure, according to a study published in the August 28, 2013, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

29 Aug 2013

ASD children appear to outgrow critical social communication disability

Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have shown that high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children appear to outgrow a critical social communication disability. Younger children with ASD have trouble integrating the auditory and visual cues associated with speech, but the researchers found that the problem clears up in adolescence.

29 Aug 2013

Problems with key enzymes potentially lead to autism spectrum disorder

Problems with a key group of enzymes called topoisomerases can have profound effects on the genetic machinery behind brain development and potentially lead to autism spectrum disorder, according to research announced today in the journal Nature.

29 Aug 2013

Study: Deficiency of protein causes age-related memory loss and Alzheimer's disease

A team of Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers, led by Nobel laureate Eric R. Kandel, MD, has found that deficiency of a protein called RbAp48 in the hippocampus is a significant contributor to age-related memory loss and that this form of memory loss is reversible.

29 Aug 2013

Study points to potential new therapeutic target for preventing birth defects in women with diabetes

A research team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has identified a cell signaling pathway which plays a significant role in causing developmental defects of the fetal spinal cord and brain in babies of women with diabetes.

29 Aug 2013

Researchers identify possible treatment strategy for ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders

Researchers have tied mutations in a gene that causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders to the toxic buildup of certain proteins and related molecules in cells, including neurons. The research, published recently in the scientific journal Cell, offers a new approach for developing treatments against these devastating diseases.

29 Aug 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Blood test provides tool essential to trials of therapies for Huntington's disease

Protein activated by inflammation converts glioblastoma multiforme cells to most aggressive form

Researchers discover new gene mutations which cause devastating mitochondrial disorders

Blood biomarkers predict suicidality

Study explains how sensory input impacts fruit flies' decisions about sweet taste

Scientists develop complex human brain tissue in 3D culture system

Researchers discover old cancer drug can be used to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue

AARDA study reveals mothers antibodies may cause autism in babies

Study identifies cognitive factor in voice familiarity that helps older listeners to hear better

Study reveals relationship between migraine and low income status

Johns Hopkins researchers use low-energy light to solve serious heart problems

Scientists develop method to generate functioning brain cells that produce myelin

Genetic analysis of intestinal bacteria shows Danes have 40% less gut bacteria genes

AATS agrees with USPSTF recommendation for lung cancer screening of asymptomatic smokers

Study shows that migraine may have long-term effects on the brain's structure

ASD children appear to outgrow critical social communication disability

Problems with key enzymes potentially lead to autism spectrum disorder

Study: Deficiency of protein causes age-related memory loss and Alzheimer's disease

Study points to potential new therapeutic target for preventing birth defects in women with diabetes

Researchers identify possible treatment strategy for ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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