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.

New research identifies brain chemicals and circuits involved in mental illnesses

New research identifies the brain chemicals and circuits involved in mental illnesses like schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety, giving potential new directions to their treatment.

16 Nov 2011

Research offers clues that may explain behavior, mood changes in stress-related disorders

Research released today uses the latest genetic tools to explore how stress alters brain function, leading to anxiety, depression, and other stress-related mood disorders.

16 Nov 2011

N.Y. State Senator opens Einstein's new Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab

New York State Senator Jeffrey D. Klein joined administrators and faculty members of Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University last Friday to officially open their new Cognitive Neurophysiology Laboratory.

16 Nov 2011

New research demonstrates brain's remarkable capacity to repair itself

New research released today demonstrates the brain's remarkable capacity to repair itself. The animal studies, which propose ways to prevent or limit damage after blood and oxygen deprivation and blood clots, were presented at Neuroscience 2011, the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

16 Nov 2011

TU Darmstadt chemists develop new method to diagnose Alzheimer's

Chemists at the Technische Universität Darmstadt have developed a new method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease. The method involves making protein deposits on mucous nasal membranes that are detectable years before the disease erupts visible.

16 Nov 2011

New computer chip models how neurons communicate with each other at synapses

For decades, scientists have dreamed of building computer systems that could replicate the human brain's talent for learning new tasks. MIT researchers have now taken a major step toward that goal by designing a computer chip that mimics how the brain's neurons adapt in response to new information. This phenomenon, known as plasticity, is believed to underlie many brain functions, including learning and memory.

16 Nov 2011

Scientists discover definitive role for brain in regulating loss of muscle mass

Patients with cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness struggle not only with complications inherent to their disease, they also experience an involuntary loss of weight and muscle mass triggered by the body's natural response to infection and inflammation. Increasing nutrition intake does not mitigate the process and there is no treatment.

16 Nov 2011

Exercise may help fibromyalgia: Study

A new study shows that fibromyalgia patients who stopped taking medication but exercised regularly for six weeks reported improved memory function and less pain. While the finding is encouraging, it does not suggest a potential change in clinical care for fibromyalgia patients, the study authors stressed.

15 Nov 2011

Xarelto (rivaroxaban) shows success as blood thinner in acute coronary syndrome

A new anti-blood clotting drug – Xarelto (rivaroxaban) has shown clinical success. It may help people with “acute coronary syndrome” lower their risk of death, subsequent heart attack or stroke, a new study finds. Acute coronary syndrome is term that includes people with angina or prior history of heart attack.

15 Nov 2011

Head hits appear to cause brain injury among high school players

The brain scans of high school football and hockey players showed subtle injury -- even if they did not suffer a concussion - after taking routine hits to the head during the normal course of play, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study.

15 Nov 2011

CAS after prior revascularization safe, effective for carotid artery stenosis patients

A new study shows that carotid artery stenting (CAS) following prior same-side carotid artery revascularization is safe, effective and results in lower incidences of in-hospital death, stroke and heart attack compared to first-time CAS for carotid artery stenosis.

15 Nov 2011

NPR: VA is creating medical data 'gold mine'

"Not only do we have all their clinical records - laboratory, vital signs, pharmacy database - we have annual assessments that we will do that we can track people, assessments of depression, PTSD, suicide screening, alcohol and substances, traumatic brain injury," says Dr. Jennifer Hoblyn, who specializes in mental illness at the VA of Palo Alto. The VA will remove the names, so the data are anonymous.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists find new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders

Research released today shows that scientists are finding new tools to help understand neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and fragile X syndrome. These studies show in new detail how the brain's connections, chemicals, and genes interact to affect behavior.

15 Nov 2011

Kessler Foundation researchers to improve rehabilitation after stroke

Kessler Foundation received a $250,000 stroke research grant from the Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Life Improvement. Anna Barrett, MD, director of Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation, will apply the funds to finding better ways to treat hidden disabilities that often complicate recovery after stroke.

15 Nov 2011

New animal research finds life experiences influence brain development, behavior

Scientists presented new research today demonstrating the impact life experiences can have on genes and behavior. The studies examine how such environmental information can be transmitted from one generation to the next - a phenomenon known as epigenetics.

15 Nov 2011

New human research shows benefits and challenges for aging brain

New human research released today shows the benefits and challenges for the aging brain. The studies probe common characteristics of normal aging - including memory loss, reduced sleep quality, and decision-making problems - and suggest the benefits of exercise, hormone treatment, and social interaction.

15 Nov 2011

Lentigen, UH Case Medical Center initiate LG631 Phase I trial in glioblastoma

University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Lentigen Corporation announced today the initiation of a novel Phase I clinical trial of LG631 gene therapy for the protection of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from the dose limiting toxicity of chemotherapy with Temodar.

15 Nov 2011

Scientists discover promising approaches for treatment of pain

Scientists are discovering promising approaches to treating pain, one of the most common and debilitating neurological complaints, according to research released today at Neuroscience 2011, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

15 Nov 2011

Women with inflammatory breast cancer now have a chance of treatment

Women with the deadliest and rarest form of breast cancer now have a chance of treatment where once their options were severely limited, thanks to a new discovery by George Mason University researchers.

15 Nov 2011

New clues about connections among fat, inflammation and insulin resistance

In a new study, scientists report that they substantially curbed weight gain, improved metabolism, and improved the efficacy of insulin in mice by engineering them to express a specific human enzyme in their fat tissue. Although the obesity prevention came at the significant cost of widespread inflammation, the research offers new clues about the connections among obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and inflammation.

14 Nov 2011