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.

Balance abnormalities can exacerbate asthma symptoms

Asthma patients could be at a higher risk of worsening symptoms due to problems with their balance, according to new research.

1 Sep 2012

Study shows how NCAN gene results in manic symptoms of bipolar disorder

Flying high, or down in the dumps - individuals suffering from bipolar disorder alternate between depressive and manic episodes. Researchers from the University of Bonn and the Central Institute of Mental Health in Mannheim have now discovered, based on patient data and animal models, how the NCAN gene results in the manic symptoms of bipolar disorder. The results have been published in the current issue of "The American Journal of Psychiatry."

1 Sep 2012

Astellas Pharma receives FDA approval for Xtandi to treat metastatic CRPC

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Xtandi (enzalutamide) to treat men with late-stage (metastatic) castration-resistant prostate cancer that has spread or recurred, even with medical or surgical therapy to minimize testosterone.

1 Sep 2012

Stanford engineers demonstrate feasibility of super-small, implantable cardiac device

A team of engineers at Stanford has demonstrated the feasibility of a super-small, implantable cardiac device that gets its power not from batteries, but from radio waves transmitted from outside the body. The implanted device is contained in a cube just eight-tenths of a millimeter in radius. It could fit on the head of pin.

1 Sep 2012

Dysfunctional RyRs play a role in stress-induced cognitive dysfunction

ARMGO Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative small molecule drugs known as "Rycals™," which act on the ryanodine receptor calcium-release channel (RyR), announced that a study published today in the prestigious scientific journal Cell reveals the underlying role of calcium leak through the RyR as an important contributor to stress-induced cognitive dysfunction.

1 Sep 2012

Study may spur research into multi-model imaging based biomarker development for AD

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common brain disorders, with an estimated 35 million people affected worldwide. In the last decade, research has advanced our understanding of how AD affects the brain. However, diagnosis continues to rely primarily on neuropsychological tests which can only detect the disease after clinical symptoms begin. In a supplement to the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, investigators report on the development of imaging-based biomarkers that will have an impact on diagnosis before the disease process is set in motion.

31 Aug 2012

Tunes and T-shirts for cardiac rehabilitation

Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Munich, Germany, showed how researchers are developing innovative approaches to help patients get the most out of cardiac rehabilitation.

31 Aug 2012

Scientists establish genetic mouse model for primary ovarian insufficiency

Scientists have established a genetic mouse model for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), a human condition in which women experience irregular menstrual cycles and reduced fertility, and early exposure to estrogen deficiency.

31 Aug 2012

New research about brain and related disorders to be unveiled at Neuroscience 2012

New research about the brain and related disorders will be unveiled at Neuroscience 2012 in New Orleans, Oct. 13-17. Findings will include how the brain weighs complex decisions; progress being made in treating Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury; and novel understanding of how life experiences, diet, and sleep influence brain health and wellness.

31 Aug 2012

S107 drug can prevent learning and memory deficits associated with stress-related disorders

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers have identified a potential medical treatment for the cognitive effects of stress-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

31 Aug 2012

Glaucoma and cell death: an interview with Dr. Vivek Gupta

Glaucoma is normally caused by increased pressure of aqueous humour fluid in the eye. A defining feature of this disease is destruction of a particular type of cells in the retina called retinal ganglion cells and excavation of the optic disc region.

31 Aug 2012

Weill Cornell Medical College receives three new research grants for translational blood cancer study

Weill Cornell Medical College has been awarded three new research grants from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society totaling $1.8 million. The funds will support critically-needed translational research for blood cancers, accelerating promising discoveries from the laboratory to the patient's bedside.

31 Aug 2012

Renal artery stent revascularization reduces blood pressure in patients with severe hypertension

Patients with uncontrolled renovascular hypertension saw a significant improvement in their blood pressure with renal artery stent deployment. The multicenter HERCULES trial, evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the RX Herculink Elite Stent, found that patients with higher blood pressure levels at baseline had the most dramatic reduction in blood pressure following intervention.

31 Aug 2012

Researchers discover new immune response mechanism during infection

Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have discovered a new "first response" mechanism that the immune system uses to respond to infection. The findings challenge the current understanding of immunity and could lead to new strategies for boosting effectiveness of all vaccines. The study, conducted in mice, published online today in the journal Immunity.

31 Aug 2012

Scientists open new front against cause of sleeping sickness

Scientists of the Antwerp Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITG) opened a new front against the cause of sleeping sickness. This parasite is transmitted between humans by tsetse flies. The researchers learned a bacterium living in those flies how to produce antibodies against the parasite. Application in the field is still a long way of, but the technique shows quite some promise.

31 Aug 2012

PD0325901 drug may hold potential to prevent neurofibromatosis 1 in children

A drug originally developed to stop cancerous tumors may hold the potential to prevent abnormal brain cell growth and learning disabilities in some children, if they can be diagnosed early enough, a new animal study suggests.

31 Aug 2012

Achievable outcomes focus of long-term postmenopausal weight loss

Research shows that successful long-term weight loss in postmenopausal women is associated with implementation of realistic and achievable dietary changes such as reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and desserts.

30 Aug 2012

Early cannabis use damages developing brain

Persistent use of cannabis before the age of 18 years can lead to lowered intelligence, attention, and memory in adulthood, show results published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

30 Aug 2012

Strong neural communication between the hemispheres predicts math performance

A new study by researchers at UT Dallas' Center for Vital Longevity, Duke University, and the University of Michigan has found that the strength of communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain predicts performance on basic arithmetic problems. The findings shed light on the neural basis of human math abilities and suggest a possible route to aiding those who suffer from dyscalculia-- an inability to understand and manipulate numbers.

30 Aug 2012