Brain Disease News and Research

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Researchers to use state-of-the-art brain imaging to study mucopolysaccharidosis

A team of researchers will use state-of-the-art brain imaging to unlock the secrets of a genetic disease, mucopolysaccharidosis, in a landmark study the team hope will lead to new treatments for this devastating disease.

27 Sep 2013

Discovery sheds light on boundaries between brain regions

If the violins were taken away from the musicians performing Beethoven's 9th symphony, the resulting composition would sound very different. If the violins were left on stage but the violinists were removed, the same mutant version of the symphony would be heard.

13 Sep 2013

Research: Men who exercise vigorously may reduce risk of epilepsy later in life

New research suggests that men who exercise vigorously as young adults may reduce their risk of developing epilepsy later in life. The study is published in the September 4, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Epilepsy is a brain disease that causes repeated seizures over time.

5 Sep 2013

Study: Deficiency of protein causes age-related memory loss and Alzheimer's disease

A team of Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers, led by Nobel laureate Eric R. Kandel, MD, has found that deficiency of a protein called RbAp48 in the hippocampus is a significant contributor to age-related memory loss and that this form of memory loss is reversible.

29 Aug 2013

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy may affect people's thinking, memory, behavior and mood

New research suggests that chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain disease associated with repeat brain trauma including concussions in athletes, may affect people in two major ways: initially affecting behavior or mood or initially affecting memory and thinking abilities.

22 Aug 2013

LBDA creates two LBD symptom checklists for physicians and patients

The Lewy Body Dementia Association announced today the launch of new resources for physicians and their patients. LBDA created two new LBD symptom checklists; an abbreviated checklist to assist in the reporting of LBD diagnostic symptoms and a more comprehensive checklist to help people already diagnosed with LBD or their caregivers to report new or concerning LBD symptoms as the disease progresses.

22 Aug 2013

Study: 3 enzymes required for building sugar superstructure involved in muscular dystrophies

For many inherited diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington disease, the disease-causing genetic mutation damages or removes a protein that has an essential role in the body. This protein defect is the root cause of the disease symptoms.

9 Aug 2013

Researchers discover solution to long-standing medical mystery in Huntington's disease

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a solution to a long-standing medical mystery in Huntington's disease (HD). HD is a brain disease that can affect 1 in about 7,000 people in mid-life, causing an increasing loss of brain cells at the centre of the brain.

30 Jul 2013

Manchester scientists treat fatal genetic brain disease using stem cell gene therapy

Scientists from The University of Manchester have used stem cell gene therapy to treat a fatal genetic brain disease in mice for the first time.

From The University of Manchester 25 Jul 2013

Study: Cannabis has no effect in slowing course of progressive multiple sclerosis

The first large non-commercial clinical study to investigate whether the main active constituent of cannabis (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) is effective in slowing the course of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), shows that there is no evidence to suggest this; although benefits were noted for those at the lower end of the disability scale.

24 Jul 2013

Astrocytes can protect brain tissue and reduce disability due to stroke

One of regenerative medicine's greatest goals is to develop new treatments for stroke. So far, stem cell research for the disease has focused on developing therapeutic neurons - the primary movers of electrical impulses in the brain - to repair tissue damaged when oxygen to the brain is limited by a blood clot or break in a vessel. New UC Davis research, however, shows that other cells may be better suited for the task.

24 Jul 2013

Researchers show cerebrovascular disease affecting blood circulation in brain associated with dementia

Researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that, across a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, cerebrovascular disease affecting circulation of blood in the brain was significantly associated with dementia.

10 Jul 2013

Sports concussions and repeated hits to head may cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy

It's been widely reported in the media that sports concussions and repeated hits to the head cause a progressive brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

20 Jun 2013

Study to help scientists better understand brain behavior, treat brain disease

A cross-disciplinary collaboration of researchers in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis explores the neural synchrony between circuits in the brain and their behavior under simulated drug addiction.

5 Jun 2013

Researchers report that two biomarkers appear to indicate risk for silent strokes

Two biomarkers widely being investigated as predictors of heart and vascular disease appear to indicate risk for "silent" strokes and other causes of mild brain damage that present no symptoms, report researchers from The Methodist Hospital and several other institutions in an upcoming issue of Stroke (now online).

5 Jun 2013

Researchers now one step closer to unlocking the nature of ALS

As the result of a major breakthrough by researchers at Northwestern University's School of Medicine, researchers studying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease, are now one step closer to unlocking the nature of ALS.

4 Jun 2013

Drug addiction can be visualized in specific regions of brain that determine decision-making

New research shows that craving drugs such as nicotine can be visualized in specific regions of the brain that are implicated in determining the value of actions, in planning actions and in motivation.

24 May 2013

Multiple studies examine ideal biomarkers for Huntington's disease

While Huntington's disease (HD) is currently incurable, the HD research community anticipates that new disease-modifying therapies in development may slow or minimize disease progression. The success of HD research depends upon the identification of reliable and sensitive biomarkers to track disease and evaluate therapies, and these biomarkers may eventually be used as outcome measures in clinical trials. Biomarkers could be especially helpful to monitor changes during the time prior to diagnosis and appearance of overt symptomatology.

21 May 2013

Research finds sharp rise of dementia, other neurological deaths in people under 74

Professor Colin Pritchard's latest research published in Public Health Journal has found that the sharp rise of dementia and other neurological deaths in people under 74 cannot be put down to the fact that we are living longer - the rise is because a higher proportion of old people are being affected by such conditions, and what is really alarming, it is starting earlier and affecting people under 55 years.

10 May 2013

Research shows probiotics reduce the development of hepatic encephalopathy

Probiotics could emerge as a treatment plan to manage hepatic encephalopathy (HE) therapy after a new study announced at the International Liver Congress- 2013 found they significantly reduced development of the notoriously difficult-to-treat disease.

26 Apr 2013