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.

New insight into how iron gets deposited in the brain to cause some forms of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's

Researchers at the University of Warwick and the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur have discovered that the mechanism that we rely on to transport iron safely through our blood stream can, in certain circumstances, collapse into a state which grows long worm-like "fibrils" banded by lines of iron rust.

11 Feb 2008

Funding boost for research into epilepsy and hearing loss

Two research projects at the University of Bristol have been awarded over £600,000 in total, to help provide greater understanding of epilepsy, the most common serious primary brain disorder in the UK

11 Feb 2008

More doctors prescribe exercise to treat depression

A mental health charity in Britain says increasing numbers of doctors are prescribing exercise for people with depression.

11 Feb 2008

What gives us fingertip dexterity?

Quickly moving your fingertips to tap or press a surface is essential for everyday life to, say, pick up small objects, use a BlackBerry or an iPhone.

8 Feb 2008

VEGF-B helps nerve cells cheat death without unwanted side effects

The prototypical member of the VEGF family of proteins, VEGF, has recently been shown to protect cells in the nervous system from death and degeneration.

8 Feb 2008

Respiration device for detecting early-stage respiratory irregularities in premature babies

A start-up company is developing a novel, non-invasive device for detecting early-stage respiratory irregularities in premature babies, children and adults receiving ICU care.

8 Feb 2008

Moderate prenatal exposure to alcohol and stress in monkeys can cause touch sensitivity

A new study on monkeys has found that moderate exposure to alcohol and stress during pregnancy can lead to sensitivity to touch in the monkeys' babies.

8 Feb 2008

Genotyping and the treatment of alcohol dependence

Inherited genetic makeup often plays a role in determining the risk level for certain diseases, including alcoholism.

8 Feb 2008

Poor recognition of 'self' found in high functioning people with autism

Contrary to popular notions, people at the high end of the autism spectrum disorder continuum suffer most from an inability to model "self" rather than impaired ability to respond to others, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appear in the journal Neuron.

7 Feb 2008

New approach to genetic diagnosis in autism

A practical, stepwise approach to diagnosing genetic causes of autism and related disorders is proposed in the January issue of Genetics in Medicine, official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG), published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

7 Feb 2008

Predisposition for obesity might be wired into the brain

A predisposition for obesity might be wired into the brain from the start, suggests a new study of rats in the February issue of Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press.

7 Feb 2008

Ischaemic heart disease in Europe

New figures show there are still large variations between and within European countries in the numbers of stroke and heart disease-related deaths. Several countries, particularly in northern and eastern Europe, have rates of death that are as much as 7-14 times higher than other countries, while countries such as Poland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the UK have large regional variations.

7 Feb 2008

New devices to boost nematode research on neurons and drugs

A pair of new thin, transparent devices, constructed with soft lithography, should boost research in which nematodes are studied to explore brain-behavior connections and to screen new pharmaceuticals for potential treatment of parasitic infections in humans, report 10 scientists at three institutions.

7 Feb 2008

Microscopic imaging technique reveals rapid formation of Alzheimer's-associated plaques

The amyloid plaques found in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients may form much more rapidly than previously expected.

7 Feb 2008

Brain disturbances in chronic pain

People with unrelenting pain don't only suffer from the non-stop sensation of throbbing pain.

7 Feb 2008

Brain circuitry that drives drug-seeking compulsion identified

In experiments with rats, researchers have identified the change in brain circuitry that drives development of a compulsion to seek drugs, even when that compulsion is self-destructive.

7 Feb 2008

Brain study suggests way to measure, treat autism

Researchers have pinpointed subtle deficits in the brains of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that they say could aid more precise diagnoses and perhaps improve treatment of ASD.

7 Feb 2008

Release of blood stem cells from bone marrow is regulated by brain through human biological clock

These new findings, published online on the website of the journal Nature, point out that the harvest of stem cells for transplantation may be improved by timing it at the peak of their release.

7 Feb 2008

Both Alpha-Hydroxy and Beta-Hydroxy acid peels promise relief for acne sufferers

Chemical peels using either alpha-hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid are both highly effective in treating mild to moderately severe facial acne, researchers at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine have found - the first study to compare the two different types of acid peels as therapies for the skin disorder.

6 Feb 2008

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains

People with manic depression have a distinct chemical signature in their brains, according to a new study. The research, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, may also indicate how the mood stabilisers used to treat the disorder counteract the changes in the brain that it appears to cause.

5 Feb 2008