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.

Gene variant affects brain function long before brain begins accumulating amyloid: Study

People with a known, high risk for Alzheimer's disease develop abnormal brain function even before the appearance of telltale amyloid plaques that are characteristic of the disease, according to a new study.

17 Dec 2010

Prions responsible for BSE can survive in new host environment

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have shown that prions, bits of infectious protein that can cause fatal neurodegenerative disease such as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or "mad cow disease," have the ability to adapt to survive in a new host environment.

17 Dec 2010

Genentech confirms EMA, FDA updates on Avastin for metastatic breast cancer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, confirmed that following the reviews of Avastin® (bevacizumab) in metastatic breast cancer by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the following regulatory announcements were made by the individual health authorities:

17 Dec 2010

Emotional intelligence and cognitive skills sharpen after 60

Older people have a hard time keeping a lid on their feelings, especially when viewing heartbreaking or disgusting scenes in movies and reality shows, psychologists have found. But they're better than their younger counterparts at seeing the positive side of a stressful situation and empathizing with the less fortunate, according to research from the University of California, Berkeley.

17 Dec 2010

Pediatric cancer researchers study medulloblastoma for new treatment

Pediatric cancer researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia contributed important expertise to a new landmark study of medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor typically found in children.

17 Dec 2010

First comprehensive guide to hospital emergency preparedness exercise development

With the publication of the nation's first comprehensive, federally funded guide to hospital emergency preparedness exercise development, Dr. Nathaniel Hupert at Weill Cornell Medical College and his collaborators have provided a new toolset for strengthening hospitals' ability to protect communities nationwide against public health disasters, such as creating care centers during an influenza pandemic or treating casualties in the wake of a bioterrorism attack.

17 Dec 2010

AFFiRiS AG receives 475,000 MJFF grant for Parkinson vaccine development

With a grant of USD 475,000, the Michael J. Fox Foundation is funding preclinical development of a vaccine against Parkinson's disease by AFFiRiS AG. The vaccine, known as PD01, targets the protein alpha-synuclein and might offer for the first time a possibility for a treatment that can slow or stop the progression of Parkinson's disease.

17 Dec 2010

Bayer's SAFYRAL oral contraceptive receives FDA approval

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new oral contraceptive (OC), SAFYRAL™ (drospirenone 3 mg/ ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg/ levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets and levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets). In women who choose an OC for birth control, SAFYRAL raises folate levels for the purpose of reducing the risk of rare neural tube defects (NTDs) in a pregnancy conceived while taking SAFYRAL or shortly after discontinuing it.

17 Dec 2010

Amygdala plays central role in generating fear reactions in humans too

A new study, published online on December 16 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, offers new insight into the emotional life of a unique individual who completely lacks the function of an almond-shaped structure in the brain known as the amygdala. Studies over the last 50 years have shown that the amygdala plays a central role in generating fear reactions in animals from rats to monkeys.

17 Dec 2010

FDA approves Neuralstem's IND to initiate NSI-189 Phase Ia safety trial in major depression

Neuralstem, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Investigational New Drug (IND) application to initiate a Phase Ia safety trial to test NSI-189, its first small molecule compound, in major depression. NSI-189 is a proprietary new chemical entity discovered by Neuralstem that stimulates new neuron growth in the hippocampus, an area of the brain that is believed to be involved in depression and other diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease.

17 Dec 2010

FDA recommends removal of breast cancer indication from Avastin label

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that the agency is recommending removing the breast cancer indication from the label for Avastin (bevacizumab) because the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.

17 Dec 2010

Scientists decipher genetic code for pediatric medulloblastoma

Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have deciphered the genetic code for medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric brain cancer and a leading killer of children with cancer.

16 Dec 2010

Researchers begin placebo-controlled trial to test drug treatment for Rett syndrome

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have begun a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to test a potential drug treatment for Rett syndrome, the leading known genetic cause of autism in girls.

16 Dec 2010

Stem cell therapy gives sight to four year old

Izabelle Evans, only four years of age, was born blind but in a medical miracle has been given sight. After a stem cell treatment in China she can see. Her parents James Evans and Hollie McHugh are “over the moon” that their daughter can finally see them. As of now she can see only 3ft away. The treatment that cost the family £50,000.

16 Dec 2010

Genome is one more factor to blame for unwanted pounds

In addition to fast food, desk jobs, and inertia, there is one more thing to blame for unwanted pounds-our genome, which has apparently not caught up with the fact that we no longer live in the Stone Age.

16 Dec 2010

Web-based screening tools for determining TBI or PTS among military service members

Military service members from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars attending this week's 6th annual Road to Recovery Conference and Tribute at Walt Disney World are being given access to two web-based screening tools that enable them to quickly and confidentially determine if they might have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or have Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). The three day event is being co-presented by the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes and The American Legion.

16 Dec 2010

Omega-3 EPA or combination of EPA and DHA provide clear antidepressant benefits

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago completed a review of previously published research on antidepressant benefits of Omega-3 essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The review comprised a meta-analysis of 15 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in patients with depression and results were presented at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

16 Dec 2010

Second brain death exam impacts organ donation rates

Requiring a second exam on a person who is considered brain dead may be unnecessary, according to a study on the impact of a second brain death exam on organ donation rates. The research is published in the December 15, 2010, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

16 Dec 2010

Living near freeway linked to increased risk of autism

Living near a freeway may be associated with increased risk of autism, according to a study published by a team of researchers from Children's Hospital Los Angeles, the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) and the UC Davis MIND Institute.

16 Dec 2010

Oxygen Biotherapeutics and SMP sign Binding Letter of Intent for joint chronic ischemic wound research

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. and privately held Sarasota Medical Products, Inc. (SMP) of Sarasota, FL, today announced they signed a Binding Letter of Intent to determine the feasibility of pursuing a joint research and development venture for treating chronic ischemic wounds. The venture will be based on combining Oxygen's Wundecyte™ PFC formulation with SMP's topical medical devices.

16 Dec 2010