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.

Junk DNA plays important role in brain development

Specific DNA once dismissed as junk plays an important role in brain development and might be involved in several devastating neurological diseases, UC San Francisco scientists have found.

16 Apr 2013

Study shows taste of alcoholic drink can elicit dopamine activity in brain's reward centers

The taste of beer, without any effect from alcohol itself, can trigger dopamine release in the brain, which is associated with drinking and other drugs of abuse, according to Indiana University School of Medicine researchers.

16 Apr 2013

NeuroDerm enrolls patients for Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612

NeuroDerm, Ltd. announced today that enrollment of patients is ongoing in its Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612, a novel drug formulation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

16 Apr 2013

Working-memory training can improve range of skills, new study reveals

A brain-training task that increases the number of items an individual can remember over a short period of time may boost performance in other problem-solving tasks by enhancing communication between different brain areas.

16 Apr 2013

Study: p38α MAPK protein functions as important switch to drive inflammatory responses in brain

Even a mild injury to the brain can have long lasting consequences, including increased risk of cognitive impairment later in life. While it is not yet known how brain injury increases risk for dementia, there are indications that chronic, long-lasting, inflammation in the brain may be important.

16 Apr 2013

Researchers discover new technique that directly converts skin cells into functional brain cells

Researchers at Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have discovered a technique that directly converts skin cells to the type of brain cells destroyed in patients with multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other so-called myelin disorders.

15 Apr 2013

Researchers identify gene mutations responsible for subtype of childhood brain tumor

The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has identified mutations responsible for more than half of a subtype of childhood brain tumor that takes a high toll on patients.

15 Apr 2013

Overcoming fear of gym

It may be easy to embrace the concept of exercising at a gym but difficult to face the people there. The stares, the snickering, the unwanted advice and the questions are what many overweight individuals associate with attending a fitness center.

15 Apr 2013

Amazing look at neurological conditions in fiction and film

Classical and modern literature is full of patients with interesting neurological, cognitive, or psychiatric diseases, often including detailed and accurate descriptions, which suggests the authors were inspired by observations of real people.

15 Apr 2013

Viewpoints: Progress toward a 'grand bargain'; States' 'rare chance' to expand Medicaid

Obama has acknowledged that the federal budget is on an unsustainable path. ... The president has set the right contours for a deal, and some of the specific proposals - including higher Medicare premiums for high-income seniors and those with generous Medigap policies, as well as a more aggressive effort to move providers to more efficient payment systems - are welcome (4/11).

15 Apr 2013

Researchers use miniature electronic device to tap into internal reward system of mice

Using a miniature electronic device implanted in the brain, scientists have tapped into the internal reward system of mice, prodding neurons to release dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure.

15 Apr 2013

UCLA physicians perform new procedure to clear plaque-ridden carotid arteries

Physicians at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center are the first on the West Coast to perform a new, less-invasive procedure that is part of a clinical trial to help clear plaque-ridden carotid arteries.

15 Apr 2013

Research findings implicate endocannabinoids in development of autism

Mutations found in individuals with autism block the action of molecules made by the brain that act on the same receptors that marijuana's active chemical acts on, according to new research reported online April 11 in the Cell Press journal Neuron.

15 Apr 2013

Artificial neural connection bridging spinal cord injury may help restore paretic hand function

Functional loss of limb control in individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke can be caused by interruption of the neural pathways between brain and spinal cord, although the neural circuits located above and below the lesion remain functional. An artificial neural connection that bridges the lost pathway and connects brain to spinal circuits has potential to ameliorate the functional loss.

12 Apr 2013

FDA clears Elekta's Versa HD radiation therapy system

Elekta recently received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing the company to begin shipping and installation of all components of the Versa HD™ system within the United States. Featuring high precision beam shaping and tumor targeting, and capable of delivering radiation doses three times faster than previous Elekta linear accelerators, Versa HD sets a higher benchmark for cancer treatment.

From Elekta 12 Apr 2013

Study reveals inner workings of master regulator that controls diverse functions

New discoveries by a team of scientists at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans for the first time reveal the inner workings of a master regulator that controls functions as diverse as the ability of nerve cells to "rewire" themselves in response to external stimuli and the mechanism by which certain viruses hijack normal cellular processes to facilitate their replication that can ultimately lead to cancer. The research will be published in the April 12, 2013 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

12 Apr 2013

Study shows more women develop chronic low back pain, sciatica than men

More women than men develop chronic low back pain and sciatica. The explanation may lie with a gene variant that plays into the body's pain regulation.

12 Apr 2013

NTU scientists develop new stroke rehabilitation device

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University have developed a new stroke rehabilitation device which greatly improves recovery in stroke patients.

12 Apr 2013

Nalmefene can provide important clinical benefit for alcohol-dependent patients

A potential new treatment for alcoholism called nalmefene is effective and safe for reducing alcohol consumption in alcohol dependent individuals, says a new study published this week in Biological Psychiatry.

12 Apr 2013

Research demonstrates easy way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep, enhance memory

Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers reporting online April 11 in the Cell Press journal Neuron have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory.

12 Apr 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Junk DNA plays important role in brain development

Study shows taste of alcoholic drink can elicit dopamine activity in brain's reward centers

NeuroDerm enrolls patients for Phase IIa clinical trial of ND0612

Working-memory training can improve range of skills, new study reveals

Study: p38α MAPK protein functions as important switch to drive inflammatory responses in brain

Researchers discover new technique that directly converts skin cells into functional brain cells

Researchers identify gene mutations responsible for subtype of childhood brain tumor

Overcoming fear of gym

Amazing look at neurological conditions in fiction and film

Viewpoints: Progress toward a 'grand bargain'; States' 'rare chance' to expand Medicaid

Researchers use miniature electronic device to tap into internal reward system of mice

UCLA physicians perform new procedure to clear plaque-ridden carotid arteries

Research findings implicate endocannabinoids in development of autism

Artificial neural connection bridging spinal cord injury may help restore paretic hand function

FDA clears Elekta's Versa HD radiation therapy system

Study reveals inner workings of master regulator that controls diverse functions

Study shows more women develop chronic low back pain, sciatica than men

NTU scientists develop new stroke rehabilitation device

Nalmefene can provide important clinical benefit for alcohol-dependent patients

Research demonstrates easy way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep, enhance memory

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

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