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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.

Study shows how 9/11 attacks impacted psychological processes of those not directly exposed to the event

In the wake of the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks, research published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress reveals how the attacks impacted the psychological processes of those not directly exposed to the event. The study, which focused on college students in Massachusetts, found that even those who were not directly connected to New York or Washington showed increased stress responses to run of the mill visual images.

13 Sep 2011

UC Berkeley scientists offer treatment hope for patients with tinnitus

Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, are offering hope to the 10 percent of the population who suffer from tinnitus - a constant, often high-pitched ringing or buzzing in the ears that can be annoying and even maddening, and has no cure.

13 Sep 2011

People with high cholesterol more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease

People with high cholesterol may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published in the September 13, 2011, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

13 Sep 2011

ImmunoCellular announces updated long-term data from ICT-107 Phase I trial on GBM

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel immune-based cancer therapies, today announced updated long-term data from a Phase I clinical trial of ICT-107, the Company's lead cancer vaccine candidate for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer.

13 Sep 2011

Clinical trial planned in Australia and the USA to help patients with ‘orphan’ disease

Prana Biotechnology Limited announced today that researchers are planning recruitment for a phase II clinical trial of the experimental drug PBT2 in Huntington’s patients. There are currently no treatments for the genetic, neurodegenerative disease; Australia is increasingly seen as a leader in the development of therapies for neurologic disorders. Huntington’s often affects young adults and progressively impacts the body, mind and emotions. The disease causes incapacitation and death about 15-25 years after onset.

12 Sep 2011

UB transgenic mouse model of Timothy Syndrome improves understanding of autism

The first transgenic mouse model of a rare and severe type of autism called Timothy Syndrome is improving the scientific understanding of autism spectrum disorder in general and may help researchers design more targeted interventions and treatments.

12 Sep 2011

University of Adelaide research focuses on techniques to treat swallowing disorders

A simple function that most of us take for granted - swallowing - is the focus of University of Adelaide research which could help thousands of stroke sufferers around the world.

12 Sep 2011

Transcendental Meditation practice reduces health care costs

According to a study published this week in the September/October 2011 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, people with consistently high health care costs experienced a 28 percent cumulative decrease in physician fees after an average of five years practicing the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation technique compared with their baseline.

12 Sep 2011

Exposure to 'white' LED light suppresses melatonin production

Exposure to the light of white LED bulbs, it turns out, suppresses melatonin 5 times more than exposure to the light of High Pressure Sodium bulbs that give off an orange-yellow light. "Just as there are regulations and standards for 'classic' pollutants, there should also be regulations and rules for the pollution stemming from artificial light at night," says Prof. Abraham Haim of the University of Haifa.

12 Sep 2011

Enrollment complete in HemaQuest HQK-1001 Phase 2 study in sickle cell disease

HemaQuest Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing small molecule therapeutics to treat hemoglobin disorders, announced today that it has completed enrollment in a randomized multi-dose Phase 2 study of HQK-1001 in patients with sickle cell disease.

12 Sep 2011

IsoRay receives FDA clearance for GliaSite radiation therapy system to treat brain cancer

IsoRay, Inc. announced today that the FDA has cleared its GliaSite radiation therapy system, a balloon catheter device used in the treatment of brain cancer.

12 Sep 2011

Researchers discover that recognisable facial expressions develop before birth

Babies in the womb develop a range of facial movements in such a way that it is possible to identify facial expressions such as laughter and crying. For the first time a group of researchers were able to show that recognisable facial expressions develop before birth and that, as the pregnancy progresses from 24 to 36 weeks gestation, fetal facial movements become more complex.

12 Sep 2011

Lund University professor receives Fernström Foundation Nordic Prize for brain cell transplants

This year's Fernström Foundation Nordic Prize, with prize money of SEK 1 million, goes to Professor Anders Björklund from Lund University, Sweden. He is a neurology researcher focusing on neurodegenerative diseases, diseases in which the nerve cells die. Professor Björklund's research group is trying to develop customised stem cells to treat Parkinson's disease.

12 Sep 2011

Chronic pain gene discovered

Scientists have found the gene responsible for chronic pain. It said that this could lead to drugs for treating long-lasting back pain.

12 Sep 2011

USC team produces world's first high-resolution images of α7 neuroreceptor

For the first time, USC scientists have mapped out a neuroreceptor. This scientific breakthrough promises to revolutionize the engineering of drugs used to treat ailments such as Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.

12 Sep 2011

Huge economic, social and personal burden of AF-related strokes across Latin America

Urgent coordinated action from national governments, medical societies and patient organizations is needed to avoid a public health crisis resulting from the tide of preventable strokes that leave many people with atrial fibrillation (AF) mentally and physically disabled or dead, every year. How Can We Avoid a Stroke Crisis in Latin America?, a report from Action for Stroke Prevention - a group of health experts from around the world - reveals the huge economic, social and personal burden of AF-related strokes across the region.

12 Sep 2011

Work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal: Study

Contrary to longstanding assumptions, new findings suggest the work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal. The study, funded by the American Academy of Neurology along with several other medical associations and published online ahead of print in the journal Medical Care, provides the groundwork for the development of a more reliable, scientific measurement of physician work intensity that may guide future national policy in patient safety, practice management and payment.

12 Sep 2011

General anesthesia can cause cognitive impairment in children

General anesthesia administered to the developing animal brain depresses much needed neuronal activity and communication resulting in long-lasting cognitive impairment, according to an article published in the August issue of Current Opinion in Anesthesiology.

12 Sep 2011

Diamyd receives NIH grant to develop NTDDS for Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Diamyd Medical AB with collaborators has received a three million dollar grant from the US National Institutes of Health to develop the Company's patented Nerve Targeting Drug Delivery System (NTDDS) for prevention of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy.

12 Sep 2011

Roche initiates Phase 1 clinical trial of investigational drug for Down syndrome

Roche today announced the initiation of its first Phase 1 clinical trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of a molecule designed to address the cognitive and behavioral deficits associated with Down syndrome.

12 Sep 2011

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study shows how 9/11 attacks impacted psychological processes of those not directly exposed to the event

UC Berkeley scientists offer treatment hope for patients with tinnitus

People with high cholesterol more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease

ImmunoCellular announces updated long-term data from ICT-107 Phase I trial on GBM

Clinical trial planned in Australia and the USA to help patients with ‘orphan’ disease

UB transgenic mouse model of Timothy Syndrome improves understanding of autism

University of Adelaide research focuses on techniques to treat swallowing disorders

Transcendental Meditation practice reduces health care costs

Exposure to 'white' LED light suppresses melatonin production

Enrollment complete in HemaQuest HQK-1001 Phase 2 study in sickle cell disease

IsoRay receives FDA clearance for GliaSite radiation therapy system to treat brain cancer

Researchers discover that recognisable facial expressions develop before birth

Lund University professor receives Fernström Foundation Nordic Prize for brain cell transplants

Chronic pain gene discovered

USC team produces world's first high-resolution images of α7 neuroreceptor

Huge economic, social and personal burden of AF-related strokes across Latin America

Work intensity of physicians across several specialties is fairly equal: Study

General anesthesia can cause cognitive impairment in children

Diamyd receives NIH grant to develop NTDDS for Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Roche initiates Phase 1 clinical trial of investigational drug for Down syndrome

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd edition eBook

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

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