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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.

NTU to develop Five Peaks of Excellence under 5-year strategic plan

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) today unveiled NTU 2015, a five-year strategic plan that maps out how the university will become a great global university by 2015. Under this blueprint, NTU will build on its current strengths and heritage to make its mark globally in sustainability, healthcare, new media, the best of the East and West, and innovation.

18 Nov 2010

Neural differences may help explain prevalence of mental disorders in boys

Many mental health disorders, such as autism and schizophrenia, produce changes in social behavior or interactions. The frequency and/or severity of these disorders is substantially greater in boys than girls, but the biological basis for this difference between the two sexes is unknown.

18 Nov 2010

New comprehensive program effective in reducing neurological injuries among rugby players: Report

A comprehensive program combining education and rule enforcement has been effective in reducing the high rate of brain and spinal cord injuries among rugby players, reports the November issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

18 Nov 2010

Spleen cells may do more harm than good at site of spinal cord injury

The spleen, an organ that helps the body fight infections, might also be a source of the cells that end up doing more harm than good at the site of a spinal cord injury, new research suggests.

18 Nov 2010

Pericyte cells become key players in shaping blood flow in the brain

Cells in the brain called pericytes that have not been high on the list of targets for treating diseases like Alzheimer's may play a more crucial role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases than has been realized.

18 Nov 2010

Study finds association between personality, cognitive ability and neuroendocrinal dysfunction in exhaustion syndrome

Exhaustion syndrome, also called burnout and exhaustion depression, leaves objectively measurable changes in the brain including reduced activity in the frontal lobes and altered regulation of the stress hormone cortisol. This is shown in a new dissertation from Umeå University in Sweden.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers use brain images to identify neural signature of achieving 'positive emotional attractor'

Effective coaching can lead to smoothly functioning organizations, better productivity and potentially more profit. In classrooms, better student performance can occur. Doctors or nurses can connect more with patients. So, doing coaching right would seem to be a natural goal, and it has been a major topic of research at Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management since 1990.

18 Nov 2010

New findings identify Sortilin as a potential therapeutic site to alter PGRN pathology in dementia

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) refers to a group of disorders associated with degeneration of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Symptoms include dementia, aphasia, and semantic disorders.

18 Nov 2010

Multiple sclerosis drug shows promise to counteract effects of botulinum neurotoxin

Scientists are reporting that variants of a drug already approved for treating multiple sclerosis show promise as a long sought treatment for victims of bioterrorist attack with botulinum neurotoxin which is 10,000 times deadlier than cyanide and the most poisonous substance known to man.

18 Nov 2010

Dim light at night linked to depression

Exposure to even dim light at night is enough to cause physical changes in the brains of hamsters that may be associated with depression, a new study shows.

18 Nov 2010

Anti-cancer drug smuggled using a nanocarrier past protective blood-brain barrier into brain tumours

Scientists in Germany have developed a way of smuggling an anti-cancer drug past the protective blood-brain barrier and into brain tumours and metastases using a nanocarrier - a tiny capsule specially designed to pass through cell membranes and deliver its anti-cancer drug to the cancer cell.

18 Nov 2010

Special glasses to spot people at risk for PTSD

Around 30 percent of people surviving a traumatic event, such as a serious car crash, will go on to develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Doctors don't know who is susceptible and treating people who don't have PTSD can make things worse. However, new research by psychologist Dr Peter Naish, of the Open University, and his colleague Dr Ksenja da Silva, may help.

18 Nov 2010

Naurex's antidepressant shares efficacy mechanisms with NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine

Naurex Inc., a company developing innovative treatments to address unmet needs in psychiatry and neurology, today reported that data presented at Neuroscience 2010 show that GLYX-13, its clinical-stage candidate for the treatment of depression, shares key mechanistic features associated with the antidepressant efficacy of the NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine.

18 Nov 2010

Study reveals introspection anchored in specific part of brain

A new study reveals that 'introspection' (thinking about our own thoughts or behaviour) is anchored in a specific part of our brain. The research by scientists from the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging at UCL (University College London) examined people's accuracy when reflecting on decisions they had made.

18 Nov 2010

State-of-the-art imaging system helps locate and count myriad connections between brain nerve cells

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine, applying a state-of-the-art imaging system to brain-tissue samples from mice, have been able to quickly and accurately locate and count the myriad connections between nerve cells in unprecedented detail, as well as to capture and catalog those connections' surprising variety.

18 Nov 2010

Beams of light advance prosthetic limbs

Using beams of light to allow amputees not only to control but also to feel the movement of prosthetic limbs is the ambitious goal of a new $5.6 million Department of Defense initiative.

18 Nov 2010

Researchers find clue behind dementia development

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic campus in Florida have found a clue as to how some people develop a form of dementia that affects the brain areas associated with personality, behavior, and language.

18 Nov 2010

New technique to identify cancer biomarkers

The University of Liège has presented TARGETOME, the most recent of its spin-offs, which is also the first to spring from its applied geno-proteomics centre, GIGA.

18 Nov 2010

Cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust and french fries increase risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

There is growing evidence that exposure to a group of chemicals known as type-2 alkenes -- which are found in the smoke inhaled from cigarettes, the exhaust of automobiles and even in French fries - can increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease.

18 Nov 2010

Merck announces FDA Advisory Committee approval of GARDASIL for anal cancer and AIN treatment

Merck announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee has advised that the data presented support an indication for GARDASIL® [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant] for the prevention of anal cancer and anal intraepithelial neoplasia (AIN) in both males and females 9 through 26 years of age.

18 Nov 2010

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

NTU to develop Five Peaks of Excellence under 5-year strategic plan

Neural differences may help explain prevalence of mental disorders in boys

New comprehensive program effective in reducing neurological injuries among rugby players: Report

Spleen cells may do more harm than good at site of spinal cord injury

Pericyte cells become key players in shaping blood flow in the brain

Study finds association between personality, cognitive ability and neuroendocrinal dysfunction in exhaustion syndrome

Researchers use brain images to identify neural signature of achieving 'positive emotional attractor'

New findings identify Sortilin as a potential therapeutic site to alter PGRN pathology in dementia

Multiple sclerosis drug shows promise to counteract effects of botulinum neurotoxin

Dim light at night linked to depression

Anti-cancer drug smuggled using a nanocarrier past protective blood-brain barrier into brain tumours

Special glasses to spot people at risk for PTSD

Naurex's antidepressant shares efficacy mechanisms with NMDA receptor antagonist ketamine

Study reveals introspection anchored in specific part of brain

State-of-the-art imaging system helps locate and count myriad connections between brain nerve cells

Beams of light advance prosthetic limbs

Researchers find clue behind dementia development

New technique to identify cancer biomarkers

Cigarette smoke, automobile exhaust and french fries increase risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

Merck announces FDA Advisory Committee approval of GARDASIL for anal cancer and AIN treatment

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st 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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