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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.

MDCT provides efficient way to analyze wounds from bullets and explosive devices

Multidetector computed tomography provides an efficient, effective way to analyze wounds from bullets and explosive devices, according to a study published online and in the March issue of Radiology.

11 Jan 2011

Population of highly active neurons could provide insight into neocortex

Carnegie Mellon University researchers have found that within the brain's neocortex lies a subnetwork of highly active neurons that behave much like people in social networks.

11 Jan 2011

VCU Massey Cancer Center introduces safer, more effective form of radiation therapy

Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center has introduced a safer and more effective form of radiation therapy to treat cancer. The Center now offers volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) delivery using the Philips Pinnacle3 SmartArc software to provide radiation treatment for multiple tumor sites, including prostate, head and neck, brain, breast and lung. VCU Massey is the first cancer center in the Richmond area to offer this cutting-edge radiation technique.

10 Jan 2011

Neuroptix announces closing of $4 million Series C funding round

Neuroptix Corporation, a leading innovator in the early detection of Alzheimer's Disease through a non-invasive eye test, today announced that it has closed the first approximately $4 Million tranche of a Series C funding round, as the company continues clinical development of its diagnostic platform.

10 Jan 2011

Omega-3 fatty acid may help protect against traumatic brain injury

Animal experiments suggest that taking the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA) might offer a new way of protecting against traumatic brain injury (TBI), reports the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

10 Jan 2011

Slowing engines of mitochondria could extend life

In making your pro-longevity resolutions, like drinking more red wine and maintaining a vibrant social network, here's one you likely forgot: dialing down your mitochondria. It turns out that slowing the engines of these tiny cellular factories could extend your life-an observation relevant not only to aging research but to our understanding of how cells communicate with each another.

10 Jan 2011

AMT enters agreement with Consortium for clinical development of novel gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B

Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics, a leader in human gene therapy, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Institut Pasteur, Paris, France, and a group of French research institutes (together the "Consortium") to support clinical development of a novel gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B.

10 Jan 2011

Researchers demystify death of brain cells in Parkinson's patients

Just 5 percent of Parkinson's disease cases can be explained by genetic mutation, while the rest have no known cause. But a new discovery by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio may begin to explain why the vast majority of Parkinson's patients develop the progressive neurodegenerative disease.

10 Jan 2011

Two signaling molecules communicate across nerve cells to regulate electrical, chemical activity: Study

In the Old West, camps sent smoke signals across distances to share key developments or strategy. Likewise, two important signaling molecules communicate across nerve cells to regulate electrical and chemical activity, neuroscientists from the UT Health Science Center San Antonio reported today.

10 Jan 2011

AFQ056 drug improves symptoms in Fragile X patients: Study

The first drug to treat the underlying disorder instead of the symptoms of Fragile X, the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability, shows some promise according to a new study published in the January issue of Science Translational Medicine.

9 Jan 2011

Gigantism gene inherited by hundreds: Study

A gene that predicted gigantism in humans was identified in the DNA of the 18th-century man known as the Irish Giant, who was more than 7 feet 7 inches tall. Copies of the same mutation have been found in patients today who suffer from excessive growth, and scientists have concluded they all inherited the gene from a common ancestor.

9 Jan 2011

Simple Alzheimer’s disease test developed

The latest research has shown that a simple blood test could detect Alzheimer’s disease. Applying the same technology it could also detect hard-to-detect cancers and other diseases. The study reports appeared this Thursday in the journal Cell.

9 Jan 2011

Sniffing women's tears reduces sexual arousal in men

Emotional crying is a universal, uniquely human behavior. When we cry, we clearly send all sorts of emotional signals. In a paper published online today in Science Express, scientists at the Weizmann Institute have demonstrated that some of these signals are chemically encoded in the tears themselves. Specifically, they found that merely sniffing a woman's tears - even when the crying woman is not present -- reduces sexual arousal in men.

7 Jan 2011

Scientists identify type of cell at the origin of brain tumors

Scientists have identified the type of cell that is at the origin of brain tumors known as oligodendrogliomas, which are a type of glioma - a category that defines the most common type of malignant brain tumor.

7 Jan 2011

Majority of U.S. adults strongly support innovative programs to discourage teen pregnancy

Every hour in the United States, about 40 children are born to teenage mothers. Americans consistently rate teen pregnancy as one of the top 10 biggest health problems for young people and the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate among all industrialized countries -- despite decreases in the birth rate during the past 20 years.

7 Jan 2011

Babies' brains process language the same way as adults

Babies, even those too young to talk, can understand many of the words that adults are saying - and their brains process them in a grown-up way.

7 Jan 2011

Impulse Monitoring announces acquisition of Great Lakes Intraoperative Monitoring

Impulse Monitoring, Inc. (IMI), a leading provider of intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) services to hospitals, today announced that it has acquired the assets of Great Lakes Intraoperative Monitoring, LP (GLIM), a subsidiary of Williamsville, NY-based Archer Medical Diagnostic Testing, Inc.

7 Jan 2011

Unexpected discovery holds promise for PTSD, other anxiety disorders

An unexpected discovery by UCLA life scientists holds promise for the future development of treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders, and potentially for Alzheimer's disease and other memory-impairment diseases.

7 Jan 2011

Radiosurgery may bring improvement for patients with extremely severe -compulsive disorder

For patients with extremely severe -compulsive disorder (OCD), a procedure called radiosurgery may bring improvement when other treatments have failed, according to a study in the January issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

7 Jan 2011

Low incentive fails to 'switch off' brain regions involved in mind-wandering among ADHD children

Brain scans of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have shown for the first time why people affected by the condition sometimes have difficulty in concentrating. The study, by experts at The University of Nottingham, may explain why parents often say that their child can maintain concentration when they are doing something that interests them, but struggles with boring tasks.

7 Jan 2011

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

MDCT provides efficient way to analyze wounds from bullets and explosive devices

Population of highly active neurons could provide insight into neocortex

VCU Massey Cancer Center introduces safer, more effective form of radiation therapy

Neuroptix announces closing of $4 million Series C funding round

Omega-3 fatty acid may help protect against traumatic brain injury

Slowing engines of mitochondria could extend life

AMT enters agreement with Consortium for clinical development of novel gene therapy to treat Sanfilippo B

Researchers demystify death of brain cells in Parkinson's patients

Two signaling molecules communicate across nerve cells to regulate electrical, chemical activity: Study

AFQ056 drug improves symptoms in Fragile X patients: Study

Gigantism gene inherited by hundreds: Study

Simple Alzheimer’s disease test developed

Sniffing women's tears reduces sexual arousal in men

Scientists identify type of cell at the origin of brain tumors

Majority of U.S. adults strongly support innovative programs to discourage teen pregnancy

Babies' brains process language the same way as adults

Impulse Monitoring announces acquisition of Great Lakes Intraoperative Monitoring

Unexpected discovery holds promise for PTSD, other anxiety disorders

Radiosurgery may bring improvement for patients with extremely severe -compulsive disorder

Low incentive fails to 'switch off' brain regions involved in mind-wandering among ADHD children

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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