Brain Disease News and Research

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Freiburg biochemists discover new mechanisms of brain disease

The failing in the work of nerve cells: An international team of researchers led by Prof. Dr. Chris Meisinger from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the University of Freiburg has discovered how Alzheimer's disease damages mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell.

29 Aug 2014

Researchers develop new way of using electricity to open blood-brain-barrier

A team of researchers from the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences have developed a new way of using electricity to open the blood-brain-barrier (BBB).

13 Aug 2014

People who develop depression, MCI after age 65 are more vulnerable for accelerated brain aging

People who develop depression and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) after age 65 are more likely to have biological and brain imaging markers that reflect a greater vulnerability for accelerated brain aging, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The findings were published online in Molecular Psychiatry.

8 Aug 2014

State highlights: New York hospital mergers surging; Calif. court says home health workers can't sue for damages, injuries associated with caring for Alzheimer's patients

A selection of health policy stories from New York, California, Ohio, Wisconsin and Massachusetts. Hospital takeovers are surging in the New York region, raising concerns that health costs could climb and care could change.

6 Aug 2014

First Edition: August 5, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage of a partnership between two of California's largest insurers in which they will join forces to create a database of patient medical records.

5 Aug 2014

New therapeutic interventions that target brain regions can prevent obesity

Unlocking the secrets to better treating the pernicious disorders of obesity and dementia reside in the brain, according to a paper from American University's Center for Behavioral Neuroscience.

24 Jul 2014

NYSCF and Beyond Batten Disease Foundation partner to find cure for juvenile Batten disease

The New York Stem Cell Foundation (NYSCF) and Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF) have partnered to develop stem cell resources to investigate and explore new treatments and ultimately find a cure for juvenile Batten disease, a fatal illness affecting children.

24 Jul 2014

Study details brain mechanisms involved with addictive substances

The National Institutes of Health has turned to neuroscientists at the nation's most "Stone Cold Sober" university for help finding ways to treat drug and alcohol addiction.

1 Jul 2014

UCLA’s BrainSPORT Program earns $10M to research, treat sport concussions in youth

Philanthropist Steve Tisch, co-owner of the New York Giants and an Academy Award-winning film producer, has pledged $10 million to the department of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA for the BrainSPORT Program, which has been renamed the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSPORT Program.

30 May 2014

Viewpoints: Political stand-off on insurance industry safeguards; VA's problems may lie in how government works

The Obama administration calls it an adjustment, Republicans call it a bailout and insurance companies call it the one thing that might keep them from raising rates and angering policyholders.

28 May 2014

Researcher receives $1.5M grant from NIH to find clues into causes of Alzheimer's

Alzheimer's is a progressive brain disease that affects older adults, slowly destroys their memories and may cause dementia. According to estimates from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the disease may affect as many as 5.1 million Americans.

22 May 2014

New optical approach to brain scanning for patients with electronic implants

Scientists have advanced a brain-scanning technology that tracks what the brain is doing by shining dozens of tiny LED lights on the head. This new generation of neuroimaging compares favorably to other approaches but avoids the radiation exposure and bulky magnets the others require, according to new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

20 May 2014

Researchers develop new ways to prevent repetitive sports related brain injuries

A new study has provided insight into the behavioral damage caused by repeated blows to the head. The research provides a foundation for scientists to better understand and potentially develop new ways to detect and prevent the repetitive sports injuries that can lead to the condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

30 Apr 2014

Bristol-Myers Squibb completes acquisition of iPierian

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and iPierian, Inc. announced today that Bristol-Myers Squibb has acquired iPierian, a privately held biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of new treatments for Tauopathies, a class of neurodegenerative diseases associated with the pathological aggregation of Tau protein in the human brain.

29 Apr 2014

Sleep disorder is the best current predictor of brain diseases, say U of T researchers

Researchers at the University of Toronto say a sleep disorder that causes people to act out their dreams is the best current predictor of brain diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.

22 Apr 2014

Apathy signals brain shrinkage in old people

Launer's team used brain volume as a measure of accelerated brain aging. Brain volume losses occur during normal aging, but in this study, larger amounts of brain volume loss could indicate brain diseases.

17 Apr 2014

Experts create new definition for epilepsy

An expert task force has created a new definition for epilepsy that refines the scope of patients diagnosed with this brain disease. The study published in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy, provides a greater level of detail to diagnose epilepsy by including individuals with two unprovoked seizures, and those with one unprovoked seizure and other factors that increase risk of seizure recurrence.

15 Apr 2014

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals changes its name to FORUM Pharmaceuticals

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the company has changed its name to FORUM Pharmaceuticals Inc. The new name better reflects the company's strong position as a late-stage, purpose-built organization that is focused on conquering challenging brain diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.

2 Apr 2014

Diabetes drug reduces amyloid-beta peptides, improves memory in experimental AD models

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine have found that the diabetic drug, pramlintide, reduces amyloid-beta peptides, a major component of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the brain and improves learning and memory in two experimental AD models.

25 Mar 2014

Neuroscientist hopes to paint fuller picture of minds and bodies in Neuroscape lab

How does an autistic child take in information when he sits in a classroom abuzz with social activity? How long does it take someone with multiple sclerosis, which slows activity in the brain, to process the light bouncing off the windshield while she drives?

7 Mar 2014