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.

Leading cancer researcher, Dr. Lewis Cantley, named a winner of the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Dr. Lewis Cantley, a leading cancer researcher credited with discovering a family of enzymes fundamental to understanding cancer, was named a winner of the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, the world’s richest academic prize for medicine and biology. The prize, which carries a $3 million cash award, recognizes excellence in research aimed at curing intractable diseases and human life.

22 Feb 2013

Physicians afraid to give thrombolytic drugs to pulmonary embolism patients for good reason

When doctors encounter a patient with a massive pulmonary embolism, they face a difficult choice: Is it wise to administer a drug that could save the patient's life, even though many people suffer life-threatening bleeding as a result? Based on new findings published in the American Journal of Medicine, Michigan State University researchers are answering that question in no uncertain terms.

22 Feb 2013

Research on animal models demonstrates that antidepressants are not a cure as such

We should reconsider how we use antidepressants more effectively. The latest studies have shown that antidepressants restore the capacity of certain areas of the brain to repair abnormal neural pathways. According to neuroscientist Eero Castrén, the recipient of EUR 2.5 million of ERC funding, recovery requires redirection of these pathways through practice, rehabilitation or therapy.

22 Feb 2013

Researchers use 3D printing and injectable gels to create bioengineered ears

Physicians at Weill Cornell Medical College and biomedical engineers at Cornell University have succeeded in building a facsimile of a living human ear that looks and acts like a natural ear. Researchers believe their bioengineering method will finally succeed in the long quest by scientists and physicians to provide normal looking "new" ears to thousands of children born with a congenital ear deformity.

22 Feb 2013

Targeting CSF1R with selective inhibitors could help Alzheimer's

Scientists from the University of Southampton have identified the molecular system that contributes to the harmful inflammatory reaction in the brain during neurodegenerative diseases.

22 Feb 2013

Brain cooling after severe head injury may prevent epileptic seizures

In the weeks, months and years after a severe head injury, patients often experience epileptic seizures that are difficult to control. A new study in rats suggests that gently cooling the brain after injury may prevent these seizures.

22 Feb 2013

New research offers clues for chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment

It's not unusual for cancer patients being treated with chemotherapy to complain about not being able to think clearly, connect thoughts or concentrate on daily tasks. The complaint - often referred to as chemo-brain - is common. The scientific cause, however, has been difficult to pinpoint.

22 Feb 2013

Disruption in the body's circadian rhythm can increase risk of diabetes, heart disease

Disruption in the body's circadian rhythm can lead not only to obesity, but can also increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.

22 Feb 2013

Teaching older adults to use Facebook could help improve their cognitive performance

For older adults looking to sharpen their mental abilities, it might be time to log on to Facebook. Preliminary research findings from the University of Arizona suggest that men and women older than 65 who learn to use Facebook could see a boost in cognitive function.

22 Feb 2013

People with increased genetic risk of schizophrenia more likely to have lower IQs at age 70

People who are at greater genetic risk of schizophrenia are more likely to see a fall in IQ as they age, even if they do not develop the condition. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh say the findings could lead to new research into how different genes for schizophrenia affect brain function over time.

22 Feb 2013

Elderly people can eliminate forgetfulness and perform as well as younger adults on memory tests

Scientists at Baycrest Health Sciences' Rotman Research Institute (RRI) and the University of Toronto's Psychology Department have found compelling evidence that older adults can eliminate forgetfulness and perform as well as younger adults on memory tests.

22 Feb 2013

CB2 receptors might serve as potential therapeutic targets for cerebral ischemia

A new study published in the March issue of The American Journal of Pathology suggests that cortical type 2 cannabinoid (CB2) receptors might serve as potential therapeutic targets for cerebral ischemia.

22 Feb 2013

Imatinib can relieve and slow down progression of multiple sclerosis

A drug that is currently used for cancer can relieve and slow down the progression of the autoimmune disease multiple sclerosis (MS) in rats, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE.

21 Feb 2013

Cancer genetics pioneer, Bert Vogelstein, awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Bert Vogelstein, M.D., co-director of the Ludwig Center at Johns Hopkins and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator has been awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. He was selected for his landmark work in cancer genomics and tumor suppressor genes.

21 Feb 2013

Omega-3 emulsions can decrease brain tissue damage following stroke

Triglyceride lipid emulsions rich in an omega-3 fatty acid injected within a few hours of an ischemic stroke can decrease the amount of damaged brain tissue by 50 percent or more in mice, reports a new study by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center.

21 Feb 2013

Gesture helps children with early brain injury learn linguistic connections

Children with brain lesions suffered before or around the time of birth are able to use gestures - an important aspect of the language learning process- to convey simple sentences, a Georgia State University researcher has found.

21 Feb 2013

Ultrathin nanowire-based electrode helps capture signals from brain nerve cells

Electrodes operated into the brain are today used in research and to treat diseases such as Parkinson's. However, their use has been limited by their size. At Lund University in Sweden, researchers have, for the first time, succeeded in implanting an ultrathin nanowire-based electrode and capturing signals from the nerve cells in the brain of a laboratory animal.

21 Feb 2013

Simple interventions could reduce delirium and improve patient perceptions about sleep quality

A hospital is not the best place to get a good night's sleep, especially in a noisy intensive care unit. It's a cause for concern because studies have shown that a lack of sleep can cause patients to experience delirium-an altered mental state that may delay their recovery and lead to short and long-term confusion and memory problems.

21 Feb 2013

BCHE gene variant predicts extent of plaque deposits in Alzheimer's

A study combining genetic data with brain imaging, designed to identify genes associated with the amyloid plaque deposits found in Alzheimer's disease patients, has not only identified the APOE gene -- long associated with development of Alzheimer's -- but has uncovered an association with a second gene, called BCHE.

21 Feb 2013

UCSD molecular biologist to receive Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Napoleone Ferrara, MD, PhD, the molecular biologist credited with helping decipher how tumors grow and now senior deputy director for basic sciences at the University of California, San Diego Moores Cancer Center, was today named one of 11 recipients of the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences, which comes with a $3 million cash award.

21 Feb 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Leading cancer researcher, Dr. Lewis Cantley, named a winner of the inaugural Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Physicians afraid to give thrombolytic drugs to pulmonary embolism patients for good reason

Research on animal models demonstrates that antidepressants are not a cure as such

Researchers use 3D printing and injectable gels to create bioengineered ears

Targeting CSF1R with selective inhibitors could help Alzheimer's

Brain cooling after severe head injury may prevent epileptic seizures

New research offers clues for chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment

Disruption in the body's circadian rhythm can increase risk of diabetes, heart disease

Teaching older adults to use Facebook could help improve their cognitive performance

People with increased genetic risk of schizophrenia more likely to have lower IQs at age 70

Elderly people can eliminate forgetfulness and perform as well as younger adults on memory tests

CB2 receptors might serve as potential therapeutic targets for cerebral ischemia

Imatinib can relieve and slow down progression of multiple sclerosis

Cancer genetics pioneer, Bert Vogelstein, awarded the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

Omega-3 emulsions can decrease brain tissue damage following stroke

Gesture helps children with early brain injury learn linguistic connections

Ultrathin nanowire-based electrode helps capture signals from brain nerve cells

Simple interventions could reduce delirium and improve patient perceptions about sleep quality

BCHE gene variant predicts extent of plaque deposits in Alzheimer's

UCSD molecular biologist to receive Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences

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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