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.

Penicillamine challenge ineffective for detecting Wilson's disease in asymptomatic children

An Italian research team confirmed that the scoring system for Wilson's disease (WD) provides good diagnostic accuracy with 93% positive and 92% negative predictive values, respectively in children with mild liver disease. In asymptomatic children, a urinary copper excretion above 40 μg/24 hours was suggestive of WD, however the penicillamine challenge test (PCT) did not provide an accurate diagnosis in this patient subset.

1 Dec 2010

Early eye exam can save sight and prevent a life time disability

Jennifer Hartman had no idea her child had a significant vision problem. The day after her daughter's sixth birthday, after an eye exam, she was diagnosed as being legally blind in one eye with a condition called amblyopia or lazy eye.

1 Dec 2010

Clinicians should assess sleep-wake disturbances to understand physiology of Parkinson's disease

Nearly three-quarters of patients with Parkinson's disease experience fatigue or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), but clinicians should assess both problems separately in order to improve the profession's understanding of their distinct, but overlapping, physiology. That is the key finding of a study published in the December issue of the European Journal of Neurology.

1 Dec 2010

Diabetes plays a vital role in regulating brain cholesterol: Research

The brain contains more cholesterol than any other organ in the body, has to produce its own cholesterol and won't function normally if it doesn't churn out enough. Defects in cholesterol metabolism have been linked with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. Now researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered that diabetes can affect how much cholesterol the brain can make.

1 Dec 2010

Mitochondrial brain changes contribute to risk of Alzheimer's disease: Research

What are the earliest brain changes associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. A scientific report published in the October Journal of Alzheimer's Disease finds reduced activity of an energy-generating enzyme in deceased young adult brain donors who carry a common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

1 Dec 2010

Physician-scientists enroll patients with NSCLC cancer in MAGE-A3 Phase III trial

An experimental immunotherapy may someday become the newest weapon against lung cancer. Physician-scientists from Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University Medical Center are enrolling patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital as part of an ongoing Phase III trial.

1 Dec 2010

Odors in womb sensitize fetus to smells, alters brain development

A major new study shows that a pregnant mother's diet not only sensitizes the fetus to those smells and flavors, but physically changes the brain directly impacting what the infant eats and drinks in the future.

1 Dec 2010

New cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers to monitor Parkinson's disease

KineMed Inc. presents data on the new use of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of microtubule-mediated neuronal transport for the monitoring of disease progression and the advancement of therapeutic interventions in Parkinson's disease, a debilitating neurological condition with considerable unmet need for new treatments.

1 Dec 2010

MRS imaging technique may help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy

In a study of ex-pro athletes, researchers found that a specialized imaging technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) may help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder caused by repetitive head trauma that currently can only be definitively diagnosed at autopsy. Results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

1 Dec 2010

New tool helps gauge care for people with neurological disorder

A national conversation continues about the best ways to improve both the quality of medical care and to contain costs. So far, developing quality measurements has focused on primary care or highly prevalent, chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes. But what about brain disorders? To date, the number of measures that apply to neurologic care has been limited.

1 Dec 2010

Mitochondrial dysfunction observed in children with full syndrome autism

Preliminary research has found that children with autism are more likely to have impaired mitochondrial function (structures within cells responsible for energy production) and mitochondrial DNA abnormalities than typically developing children, according to a study in the December 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Dec 2010

New brain imaging technique can trace effects of SYN115 drug in Parkinson's disease

Neuroscientists using a new brain imaging technique could see an investigational drug for Parkinson's disease get into a patient's brain and affect blood flow in several key structures, an indicator the drug may be effective.

1 Dec 2010

Willpower can be learned

Good things come to those who wait. A scientist who showed that willpower can be learned–and that it carries lifelong benefits–has won the 2011 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Psychology.

1 Dec 2010

Underwood-Memorial Hospital joins Jefferson Neuroscience Network as New Jersey participant

Underwood-Memorial Hospital of Woodbury, New Jersey has joined the Jefferson Neuroscience Network (JNN) as one of the first New Jersey participants. Through this collaboration, Jefferson and Underwood will provide some of the most sophisticated care and expertise available to patients with time-sensitive neurovascular diseases.

1 Dec 2010

Study finds boosting glucose levels can reduce aggressive behavior

A spoonful of sugar may be enough to cool a hot temper, at least for a short time, according to new research. A study found that people who drank a glass of lemonade sweetened with sugar acted less aggressively toward a stranger a few minutes later than did people who consumed lemonade with a sugar substitute.

1 Dec 2010

NIA awards Aphios Phase I Fast Track SBIR grant for development of novel AD nanodrug

Aphios® Corporation today announced that it was awarded Phase I of a Fast Track SBIR grant from the National Institute of Aging (NIA), National Institutes of Health (NIH) for Developing a Novel Alzheimer's Disease Nanodrug.

30 Nov 2010

New findings offer insights into novel treatment avenue for Crohn's Disease, sarcoidosis

A new finding out in the December 1st issue of Genes & Development offers insight into a new treatment avenue for two painful inflammatory diseases: Crohn's Disease and sarcoidosis.

30 Nov 2010

Scientists identify signaling pathway and receptor for thymosin beta 4

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. nnounced that scientists have identified a long sought-after extracellular signaling pathway and receptor for thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4). The observation that Tβ4 increases cell surface ATP (energy produced by cells), could explain its ability to protect and regenerate tissue after ischemic injury and hypoxia (oxygen deficiency).

30 Nov 2010

May Institute, Borders partner to raise funds for critical services during Benefit Days

May Institute, an award-winning national nonprofit serving children and adults with autism and other special needs, and Borders, a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items, are partnering this holiday season to raise funds for critical services during May Institute's Benefit Days at Borders, December 3-5, 2010. Visit May Institute's website to download a voucher with the promotional code for this special fundraising event.

30 Nov 2010

Cytheris' combinational therapy demonstrates possible therapeutic strategy for PML

Cytheris SA, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of new therapies for immune modulation, today announced the publication of a case study report based on successful treatment of Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) with combination therapy consisting of two investigational agents, Cytheris' recombinant human interleukin-7 (CYT107) and CMX001, an investigational, oral broad-spectrum antiviral drug (Chimerix, Research Triangle Park, NC) in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

30 Nov 2010

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Penicillamine challenge ineffective for detecting Wilson's disease in asymptomatic children

Early eye exam can save sight and prevent a life time disability

Clinicians should assess sleep-wake disturbances to understand physiology of Parkinson's disease

Diabetes plays a vital role in regulating brain cholesterol: Research

Mitochondrial brain changes contribute to risk of Alzheimer's disease: Research

Physician-scientists enroll patients with NSCLC cancer in MAGE-A3 Phase III trial

Odors in womb sensitize fetus to smells, alters brain development

New cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers to monitor Parkinson's disease

MRS imaging technique may help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy

New tool helps gauge care for people with neurological disorder

Mitochondrial dysfunction observed in children with full syndrome autism

New brain imaging technique can trace effects of SYN115 drug in Parkinson's disease

Willpower can be learned

Underwood-Memorial Hospital joins Jefferson Neuroscience Network as New Jersey participant

Study finds boosting glucose levels can reduce aggressive behavior

NIA awards Aphios Phase I Fast Track SBIR grant for development of novel AD nanodrug

New findings offer insights into novel treatment avenue for Crohn's Disease, sarcoidosis

Scientists identify signaling pathway and receptor for thymosin beta 4

May Institute, Borders partner to raise funds for critical services during Benefit Days

Cytheris' combinational therapy demonstrates possible therapeutic strategy for PML

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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