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.

EU-funded project to help control appetite, combat obesity

The University of Liverpool is leading a £6milllion European project to develop and test new food products with satiating qualities to help control appetite, manage weight and combat obesity.

29 Mar 2012

Potential new therapy that kills cancer cells selectively

Researchers have made a drug that helps the immune system to break down cancerous tumors. It has worked on breast, bowel, prostate, ovarian, brain, bladder and liver cancers, while previous studies show it can also be used to fight some blood cancers. If given early, the drug could even be a cure, researchers say.

28 Mar 2012

New biography on intuitive genius of CT

This new biography sheds light on a Nobel Laureate who changed the world as a result of his breakthrough in medical imaging CT scans in 1972. Godfrey Hounsfield: Intuitive Genius of CT explores his life through stories and recollections of his colleagues, family and friends.

28 Mar 2012

Stress response reduces memory during tests in older adults

Your mother had a doctor's appointment for a memory test. The results are conclusive: she presents with the first signs of Alzheimer type dementia. Now, to get to her appointment, your mother, who is no longer used to driving in town, took her car, looked for a parking space for 15 minutes, got lost in a labyrinth of one-way streets, had never used those new electronic parking meters before and is convinced that the "machine" stole her credit card number.

28 Mar 2012

New MRI method to test effectiveness of baking soda against breast cancer

A University of Arizona study that looks to improve the way doctors can measure the effectiveness of drinking baking soda to fight breast cancer has received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

28 Mar 2012

Rationality of infants has been overstated, finds study

In a widely noticed study, developmental psychologists reported that 14-month-old infants imitate an unusual action if it was chosen deliberately by the person they observed, but not if it could be attributed to external constraints. This selective imitation was put forth as evidence for an early understanding of rational action and action goals.

28 Mar 2012

ACCR designates Georgetown student as early-career scientist

David A. Solomon, who will graduate from Georgetown University School of Medicine this year with M.D. and Ph.D. degrees, has been designated one of four outstanding early-career scientists by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) -- a highly prestigious honor. Solomon will present his work at a special symposium, Future Leaders in Basic Cancer Research, on April 2nd at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012 in Chicago.

28 Mar 2012

Direct Molecular Recognition technique can quantitate multiple DNA species

Researchers at UCLA and New York University have developed a method to detect sequence differences in individual DNA molecules by taking nanoscopic pictures of the molecules themselves.

28 Mar 2012

Placentophagia may offer benefits to human mothers

A paper by neuroscientists at the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College suggests that ingestion of components of afterbirth or placenta -- placentophagia -- may offer benefits to human mothers and perhaps to non-mothers and males.

28 Mar 2012

New gene transfer technique can treat beta-thalassemia, sickle cell anemia

A team of researchers led by scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College has designed what appears to be a powerful gene therapy strategy that can treat both beta-thalassemia disease and sickle cell anemia. They have also developed a test to predict patient response before treatment.

28 Mar 2012

Lower dose of thrombolytics can treat moderate pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism -- the sudden blockage of an artery in the lung -- is estimated to cause over 100,000 deaths each year in the U.S. Although thrombolytics, or "clot-buster" drugs, are currently reserved to treat only the most severe cases of pulmonary embolism, new data suggest that when used at lower doses, these drugs are also safe and effective for more common, moderate cases of pulmonary embolism, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

28 Mar 2012

Structural adaptations found in short-track speed skaters' brains

Specialized training of complex motor skills may induce sports-specific structural changes in the human brain

27 Mar 2012

Sientra receives FDA approval for new silicone gel-filled breast implant

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a silicone gel-filled breast implant manufactured by Sientra Inc. to increase breast size (augmentation) in women at least 22 years old and to rebuild breast tissue (reconstruction) in women of any age.

27 Mar 2012

Simple placebo pill can track footprints of prior antidepressant use

Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) often undergo multiple courses of antidepressant treatment during their lives. This is because the disorder can recur despite treatment and because finding the right medication for a specific individual can take time.

27 Mar 2012

Ten warning signs of ASD or other communication disorders

Though autism is often not diagnosed until the age of three, some children begin to show signs of developmental delay before they turn a year old. While not all infants and toddlers with delays will develop autism spectrum disorders (ASD), experts point to early detection of these signs as key to capitalizing on early diagnosis and intervention, which is believed to improve developmental outcomes.

27 Mar 2012

Children with ASD more frequently to be bullied

Today, the Interactive Autism Network (IAN), the nation's largest online autism research initiative and a project of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, reports preliminary results of the first national survey to examine the impact of bullying on children with autism spectrum disorders.

27 Mar 2012

AGS selects Regenstrief Institute pharmacoepidemiologist for New Investigator Award

Regenstrief Institute investigator Noll Campbell, PharmD, has been chosen by the American Geriatrics Society to receive a Merck/American Geriatrics Society 2012 New Investigator Award. He is the first doctor of pharmacy to receive this award, which is designed to recognize individuals who are committed to a career in aging research.

27 Mar 2012

Pacemaker may effectively prevent NMS-related fainting spells

A select number of patients who suffer from neurally mediated synope (NMS) - a disorder in which the brain fails to regulate heart rate and blood pressure - may be good candidates to receive a dual-chamber pacemaker to prevent common NMS-related fainting spells, according to research presented today at the American College of Cardiology's 61st Annual Scientific Session.

27 Mar 2012

Bariatric surgery effectively controls diabetes

Overweight, diabetic patients who underwent bariatric surgery achieved significant improvement or remission of their diabetes, according to new research from Cleveland Clinic.

27 Mar 2012

NMSS re-funds Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Grant in MS at Kessler Foundation

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) has re-funded a Postdoctoral Fellowship Training Grant in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) at Kessler Foundation. The total award is $383,000 for five years beginning on July 1st, 2012.

27 Mar 2012