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.

Scientists identify new therapeutic targets to inhibit progression of Alzheimer's disease

To stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease in the early stage, it is necessary to identify new therapeutic targets. Prof. Yunpeng Cao and team from the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University examined striatal-enriched phosphatase 61 expression in the brain tissues of Alzheimer's disease rats using in vivo and in vitro models, and analyzed the molecular mechanism by which striatal-enriched phosphatase 61 regulates N-methyl-D- aspartate receptor 2B transport.

17 Aug 2013

UCSF study shows potential for new treatment strategy for Parkinson’s disease

UC San Francisco scientists working in the lab used a chemical found in an anti-wrinkle cream to prevent the death of nerve cells damaged by mutations that cause an inherited form of Parkinson-s disease.

17 Aug 2013

Autistic children demonstrate superior math skills compared with normal children in same IQ range

Children with autism and average IQs consistently demonstrated superior math skills compared with nonautistic children in the same IQ range, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital.

17 Aug 2013

Novel way of observing electrical response in brain before and during fall through EEG

It's always in front of a million people and feels like eternity. You're strolling along when suddenly you've stumbled-the brain realizes you're falling, but your muscles aren't doing anything to stop it.

17 Aug 2013

Prion proteins responsible for Mad cow disease, Creutzfeld-Jakob disease

Mad cow disease and its cousin Creutzfeld-Jakob disease cause fatal spongy changes in brain tissue. Today, we know that these diseases are caused by prions, proteins that are folded incorrectly. A team of German researchers have now been able to follow how the diseased proteins aggregate and "infect" healthy ones on the atomic scale. Their report appears in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

16 Aug 2013

Study provides information that validates genetic basis of adaptation to high altitudes

Research led by scientists from the University of California, San Diego has decoded the genetic basis of chronic mountain sickness (CMS) or Monge's disease. Their study provides important information that validates the genetic basis of adaptation to high altitudes, and provides potential targets for CMS treatment.

16 Aug 2013

International experts on vision and driving coming to metro Detroit

Autonomous cars, driver distraction, and traffic signals for color-blind drivers are just some of the many topics to be discussed at a meeting of international experts on vision and driving, coming to metro Detroit.

16 Aug 2013

Phase II trial to investigate vaccine therapy combined with Avastin for patients with recurrent GBM

Northwestern Medicine- recently joined a landmark clinical trial to investigate if a vaccine made from a patient's own brain tumor is effective in slowing tumor progression and extending survival.

16 Aug 2013

Neurologist writes "explosion of new and innovative" therapies for neurologic conditions

There has been an "explosion of new and innovative" therapies for neurologic conditions such as stroke, epilepsy, Parkinson disease and multiple sclerosis, Loyola University Medical Center neurologist Dr. Jose Biller writes in the August issue of the journal Neurologic Clinics.

16 Aug 2013

Kinetin stops the effects of Parkinson's disease on brain cells, say scientists

The active ingredient in an over-the-counter skin cream might do more than prevent wrinkles. Scientists have discovered that the drug, called kinetin, also slows or stops the effects of Parkinson's disease on brain cells.

16 Aug 2013

Diabetic patients taking oral fluoroquinolones may have high risk of severe blood sugar-related problems

Diabetic patients taking oral fluoroquinolones, a frequently prescribed class of antibiotics, were found to have a higher risk of severe blood sugar-related problems than diabetic patients taking other kinds of antibiotics, according to a recent study from Taiwan published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

16 Aug 2013

Novel potential biomarker present in CSF reveals signs of dementia decade before

A study published today reported the identification of what may be the earliest known biomarker associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD). The results suggest that this novel potential biomarker is present in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) at least a decade before signs of dementia manifest.

16 Aug 2013

Individuals with ASD display altered brain activations when processing facial images

Difficulty in registering and responding to the facial expressions of other people is a hallmark of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Relatedly, functional imaging studies have shown that individuals with ASD display altered brain activations when processing facial images.

16 Aug 2013

Sugar offers noninvasive way to precisely image tumors through new imaging technology

A natural form of sugar could offer a new, noninvasive way to precisely image tumors and potentially see whether cancer medication is effective, by means of a new imaging technology developed at UC San Francisco in collaboration with GE Healthcare.

16 Aug 2013

Children exposed to HIV in womb are no more likely to show language delays

Children who were exposed to HIV in the womb whose mothers received anti-HIV medications during pregnancy were no more likely to show language delays by age two than HIV-exposed children whose mothers were not treated during pregnancy, according to a study by University of Kansas Distinguished Professor Mabel L. Rice with researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other universities.

16 Aug 2013

Study suggests that about 70% of total Alzheimer's risk is hereditary

Alzheimer's, and intervene to reduce the risk of the disease? We may be closer to that goal, thanks to a team at the University of Kentucky. Researchers affiliated with the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging have completed new work in Alzheimer's genetics; the research is detailed in a paper published today in the Journal of Neuroscience.

16 Aug 2013

Preterm babies are at high risk for lower academic achievement, says researchers

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have received a five-year, $3 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Institute of Child Health and Human Development, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

16 Aug 2013

Research: Visual representation of heart contributes to self-consciousness

While we're not necessarily aware of our heartbeat, this inner rhythm actually contributes to how we experience the body, and what belongs to it, according to research recently conducted at EPFL.

16 Aug 2013

Hitting treadmill today won't help you sleep tonight; it takes 4 months to kick in

Exercise is a common prescription for insomnia. But spending 45 minutes on the treadmill one day won't translate into better sleep that night, according to new Northwestern Medicine- research.

16 Aug 2013

Novel neural mechanism may help improve therapies for spinal injuries, neurodegenerative diseases

University of Arizona scientists have discovered an unknown mechanism that establishes polarity in developing nerve cells. Understanding how nerve cells make connections is an important step in developing cures for nerve damage resulting from spinal cord injuries or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

16 Aug 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Scientists identify new therapeutic targets to inhibit progression of Alzheimer's disease

UCSF study shows potential for new treatment strategy for Parkinson’s disease

Autistic children demonstrate superior math skills compared with normal children in same IQ range

Novel way of observing electrical response in brain before and during fall through EEG

Prion proteins responsible for Mad cow disease, Creutzfeld-Jakob disease

Study provides information that validates genetic basis of adaptation to high altitudes

International experts on vision and driving coming to metro Detroit

Phase II trial to investigate vaccine therapy combined with Avastin for patients with recurrent GBM

Neurologist writes "explosion of new and innovative" therapies for neurologic conditions

Kinetin stops the effects of Parkinson's disease on brain cells, say scientists

Diabetic patients taking oral fluoroquinolones may have high risk of severe blood sugar-related problems

Novel potential biomarker present in CSF reveals signs of dementia decade before

Individuals with ASD display altered brain activations when processing facial images

Sugar offers noninvasive way to precisely image tumors through new imaging technology

Children exposed to HIV in womb are no more likely to show language delays

Study suggests that about 70% of total Alzheimer's risk is hereditary

Preterm babies are at high risk for lower academic achievement, says researchers

Research: Visual representation of heart contributes to self-consciousness

Hitting treadmill today won't help you sleep tonight; it takes 4 months to kick in

Novel neural mechanism may help improve therapies for spinal injuries, neurodegenerative diseases

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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