Brain News and Research

RSS

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.

Researchers explain how adiponectin prevents stress-induced damage in heart

One of the many advantages of maintaining a normal body weight is having healthy fat, which in turn supports a healthy heart. Fat tissue is increasingly seen as more than just a storage depot - it's also an active secretory organ that normally produces high levels of a cardioprotective hormone called adiponectin. How adiponectin protects the hearts of healthy people has long been a mystery, and now a team led by Barbara Ranscht, Ph.D. and Pilar Ruiz-Lozano, Ph.D. at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) reveals that the protein T-cadherin is the receptor that anchors adiponectin to heart cells.

2 Nov 2010

Brain MRI could predict duration of stroke onset

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain could expand the number of stroke patients eligible for a potentially life-saving treatment, according to a new study, published online and in the December issue of the journal Radiology.

2 Nov 2010

Effective treatment for brain cancer in daffodils

When looking for new ways to treat aggressive brain cancers, an international team of scientists turned a new leaf and "discovered" the lowly daffodil. A new research study published in the November 2010 print issue of The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) offers hope that a natural compound found in daffodil bulbs, called narciclasine, may be a powerful therapeutic against biologically aggressive forms of human brain cancers.

2 Nov 2010

Elekta awarded delivery of three Leksell Gamma Knife systems to Chinese hospitals

In winning a tender to deliver three Leksell Gamma Knifeâ models to hospitals in China, Elekta will help more cancer patients receive the therapy they need. The agreement also helps Elekta increase its leading market position in China.

From Elekta 2 Nov 2010

Older adults are three times as likely to die following ground-level fall

While simple falls, such as slipping while walking off a curb, may seem relatively harmless, they can actually lead to severe injury and death in elderly individuals, according to a new study published in The Journal of Trauma: Injury, Infection, and Critical Care.

2 Nov 2010

Stroke Teams enroll first patient in clinical trial of Penumbra System with Pulse flow restoration device

The Stroke Teams at the University Hospital Dresden in Dresden, Germany, and the University Hospital Göttingen in Göttingen, Germany, have enrolled the first patients in an international clinical trial to assess the safety and effectiveness of aspiration with the Penumbra System in conjunction with the Pulse flow restoration device.

2 Nov 2010

Oxygen Biotherapeutics receives $245,000 grant under PPACA 2010

Oxygen Biotherapeutics, Inc. today announced it has received nearly $245,000 in a grant under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Program Act of 2010 (PPACA).

2 Nov 2010

Einstein College's new website features latest information on aging research

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has launched SuperAgers.com, a new website that features the latest information on more than a decade of aging research at Einstein.

2 Nov 2010

Arthritis drugs also prevent post-operative cognitive decline: Study

Anti-inflammatory drugs currently used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis may also help prevent cognitive problems after surgery, according to a new study by researchers at Imperial College London and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

2 Nov 2010

Boehringer Ingelheim announces availability of PRADAXA in U.S. pharmacies

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its new oral anticoagulant, Pradaxa® (dabigatran etexilate mesylate) 150mg capsules, will be available starting Wednesday by prescription in pharmacies across the United States, including CVS/pharmacy, Rite Aid, Walmart, Target, Kmart® and The Kroger Co. In addition, leading independents under the Health Mart®, Good Neighbor Pharmacy® and Medicine Shoppe® banners will be stocked.

2 Nov 2010

Long-term cell phone usage doubles risk of developing brain tumors

The highest-quality research data available suggests that long-term exposure to microwaves from cellular phones may lead to an increased risk of brain tumors, reports a paper in the November/December issue of Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

2 Nov 2010

H. pylori infection reduces severity of Salmonella-induced colitis: Research

Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacterium, reduced the severity of inflammation of the colon caused by Salmonella in mice, according to research from U-M Medical School scientists.

2 Nov 2010

FDA approves cancer drug Afinitor for treatment of rare genetic disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the cancer drug Afinitor (everolimus) on Friday to treat patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) associated with tuberous sclerosis (TS), a rare genetic disorder. This approval was for treatments of SEGA that can not be treated with surgery.

1 Nov 2010

Acorda reports net income of $12.4 million for third quarter 2010

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2010.

1 Nov 2010

America's biopharmaceutical companies researching 98 medicines for Alzheimer's: PhRMA report

As the champagne corks are popping this New Year's Eve, the first American Baby Boomers will turn age 65. Members of the demographic bulge that transformed American politics and culture are expected to usher in yet another momentous change a huge increase in the number of Alzheimer's disease patients.

1 Nov 2010

UCSD announces agreement with PHP to develop UC San Diego Proton Therapy and Research Center

Building on a plan announced in September of 2007, UC San Diego Health Sciences and the Department of Radiation Oncology are pleased to announce an agreement with Proton Health Partners, LLC (PHP) to plan, develop, and operate The UC San Diego Proton Therapy and Research Center.

1 Nov 2010

Child Life Program organizes Halloween celebration for children undergoing treatment

Once a year cartoon characters, fairy princesses and action heroes gather at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital as hundreds of employees work together to turn the hospital into a giant trick-or-treat trail for children battling cancer and other catastrophic diseases. The event spans buildings and floors throughout the campus in Memphis, Tenn.

1 Nov 2010

Study examines effects of social stimulation and personality on humans' sleep functions

A study in the Nov. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found that vulnerability to sleep deprivation is influenced by the interaction between waking social activity and individual personality traits.

1 Nov 2010

Philips launches HFO Oncology Configuration for radiation therapy

Royal Philips Electronics today introduced the Philips Panorama High Field Open (HFO) Oncology Configuration for radiation therapy, a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging solution for dedicated oncology use, at this year's American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in San Diego, CA.

From Philips Healthcare 1 Nov 2010

FDA approves Afinitor drug for tuberous sclerosis complex

The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance (TS Alliance) today announced the first drug approved for a tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) indication by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA). This drug, manufactured by Novartis Oncology, is called Afinitor and will be used to treat subependymal giant cell astrocytomas (SEGAs) in individuals with TSC.

1 Nov 2010