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.

Research reveals molecular basis of neural circuits

The basal ganglia is a series of highly connected brain areas localised deep in the cerebral cortex that recently has attracted interest of neuroscientists when it was linked to learning, and discovered to be affected in a number of disorders of the addictive and obsessive spectrum, but also in Parkinson's disease (PD). And now researchers think they have understood why as they found that neurons in this area signal the beginning and the end of voluntary actions. In fact, problems in these neurons could explain the "incapacity to stop" seen in obsession or compulsive behaviour, but also the problems in learning and control of movement characteristic of Parkinson's

26 Jul 2010

School program to help children continue normal educational activities during treatment

Treatment for cancer and other catastrophic disease can last months or years and often makes it impossible for young patients to keep up with their local school curriculum. Teachers in the St. Jude School Program Presented by Target help patients continue their normal educational activities while away from their local schools. They are also part of the health care team that provides opportunities to continue normal educational activities through homebound or hospital-bound educational services. In addition, the team provides school re-entry services to ease the transition back to the community school.

26 Jul 2010

No such thing as “safe” cigarettes

In a new development a 12-member US panel is debating over the issue of menthol cigarettes being more addictive. If the results go against the cigarettes Australia too will have to ban the sale of such cigarettes. This would mean a significant loss to Alpine cigarettes and imported brands such as Kool, Virginia Slims and Salem.

26 Jul 2010

Methodist surgical team completes first phase training to implant new total artificial heart

A 13-member surgical team from the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center completed the first phase of training to implant a new total artificial heart designed to completely replace the heart's function while the patient waits for a heart transplant. Methodist will be the first hospital in Texas to offer this total heart replacement.

26 Jul 2010

Mismanagement of diabetes leads to fatal accident

One of the worst case scenarios that can happen to a diabetic is if he or she falls into a hypoglycemic coma. This is caused by a severe deficiency in glucose levels found in the blood which causes the brain to seek other energy sources at the same time shutting down other important body functions. If treatment is delayed or neglected by the diabetic person, such a coma can cause not only loss of consciousness but also irreversible brain damage and death.

26 Jul 2010

Glioblastomas patients with affected stem cell niche experience progression-free survival

Patients with deadly glioblastomas who received high doses of radiation that hit a portion of the brain that harbors neural stem cells had double the progression-free survival time as patients who had lower doses or no radiation targeting the area, a study from the Radiation Oncology Department at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center has found.

26 Jul 2010

Report on neuropsychological effects after surgery for acyanotic heart defects

School-aged children who undergo cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) during surgery for less complicated congenital heart defects do not appear to suffer any impairments in neurocognitive abilities, such as intelligence, memory, motor skills and behavior.

26 Jul 2010

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered that a kind of sugar molecule common to chimpanzees, gorillas and other mammals but not found in humans provokes a strong immune response in some people, likely worsening conditions in which chronic inflammation is a major issue.

26 Jul 2010

Annette Bowling of Albany awarded 2010 Pathfinder Award for Outstanding Service

The Brain and Spinal Injury Trust Fund Commission has awarded the 2010 Pathfinder Award for Outstanding Service to Annette Bowling of Albany, GA. The Pathfinder Award recognizes Georgians who have performed exemplary service to the Commission and to the disability community in Georgia.

26 Jul 2010

Education makes people cope with changes in brain associated with dementia: Researchers

A team of researchers from the UK and Finland has discovered why people who stay in education longer have a lower risk of developing dementia - a question that has puzzled scientists for the past decade.

26 Jul 2010

Einstein scientists awarded $4.1M to test microbicide Carraguard against HPV

The National Cancer Institute has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University $4.1 million to test the microbicide Carraguard- against the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer. The research will evaluate the efficacy of Carraguard- - a clear gel made from the seaweed derivative carrageenan - in preventing new HPV infections in women.

26 Jul 2010

First patient enrolled in Phase 3 SyNAPSe study of BHR-100 for TBI

BHR Pharma, LLC announced today that the first patient has been enrolled in its SyNAPSe study, a global, Phase 3, pivotal trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of its intravenous progesterone infusion product (BHR-100) as a neuroprotective agent for treating severe (Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 4-8) traumatic brain injury patients.

23 Jul 2010

Reducing calorie intake can restrict growth, spread of brain cancer: Researchers

Researchers at Boston College, MA, have found that reducing calorie intake can restrict the growth and spread of brain cancer. Writing in ASN NEURO, Laura Shelton and colleagues report success with mice suffering from glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and invasive form of primary human brain cancer.

23 Jul 2010

Preclinical data of new acamprosate prodrug to be presented at International Fragile X Conference

XenoPort, Inc. announced today that it has discovered a novel prodrug that has the potential to improve significantly the blood concentration of acamprosate compared with the currently approved formulation of acamprosate. Preclinical data on this new product candidate will be presented tomorrow at the National Fragile X Foundation's 12th International Fragile X Conference in Detroit, Michigan.

23 Jul 2010

IBS associated with structural changes in specific brain regions

A large academic study has demonstrated structural changes in specific brain regions in female patients with irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that causes pain and discomfort in the abdomen, along with diarrhea, constipation or both

23 Jul 2010

Repetition of DRD4 genotype may increase risk for extensive alcohol use

Your friend walks into a bar to meet you for happy hour. He sidles up to the bar and orders a drink - does that make you more likely to get a drink yourself? According to new findings reported in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, genetics may determine the extent to which you are influenced by social drinking cues - signals such as advertisements, drinks placed on a bar, and seeing other people around you drinking.

23 Jul 2010

Cytrx’s tamibarotene achieves molecular complete remission in advanced acute promyelocytic leukemia

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today announced that a 44-year-old female patient with advanced acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) achieved molecular complete remission with no evidence of disease in the blood cells and/or bone marrow following treatment with CytRx's oncology drug candidate tamibarotene.

23 Jul 2010

Major breakthrough in Alzheimer's disease research

Researchers from the University of Sydney's Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Disease Laboratory have achieved a major breakthrough by finding the causes of Alzheimer's disease at a cellular level and thereby identifying a potential therapy as a result.

23 Jul 2010

New drug to treat chronic pain in SCD patients

A University of Minnesota Medical School research team led by Kalpna Gupta, Ph.D., has discovered that cannibinoids offer a novel approach to ease the chronic and acute pain caused by sickle cell disease.Using a mouse model of SCD, Gupta and University of Minnesota colleagues studied the pain mechanisms by observing animals that exhibited both musculoskeletal pain and temperature sensitivity, symptoms similarly experienced by humans with SCD. The team compared two classifications of drugs in their ability to manage pain sensed by the animals, the traditionally prescribed classification of drugs, opioids, with a new therapeutic approach, cannabinoids, a synthetic compound based on marijuana derivatives. Currently, the only approved treatment for management of severe pain in SCD is opioids.

23 Jul 2010

Nestle announces collaborative study with Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute on diet rich in whole grains

Nestle USA Chairman and CEO Brad Alford has announced that Nestle Research Center, based in Lausanne, Switzerland, has donated US $500,000 to Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute. The gift will fund a collaborative study focused on examining the effects of a diet rich in whole grains on body composition and energy metabolism.

23 Jul 2010

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Research reveals molecular basis of neural circuits

School program to help children continue normal educational activities during treatment

No such thing as “safe” cigarettes

Methodist surgical team completes first phase training to implant new total artificial heart

Mismanagement of diabetes leads to fatal accident

Glioblastomas patients with affected stem cell niche experience progression-free survival

Report on neuropsychological effects after surgery for acyanotic heart defects

Neu5Gc in drugs provokes strong immune response

Annette Bowling of Albany awarded 2010 Pathfinder Award for Outstanding Service

Education makes people cope with changes in brain associated with dementia: Researchers

Einstein scientists awarded $4.1M to test microbicide Carraguard against HPV

First patient enrolled in Phase 3 SyNAPSe study of BHR-100 for TBI

Reducing calorie intake can restrict growth, spread of brain cancer: Researchers

Preclinical data of new acamprosate prodrug to be presented at International Fragile X Conference

IBS associated with structural changes in specific brain regions

Repetition of DRD4 genotype may increase risk for extensive alcohol use

Cytrx’s tamibarotene achieves molecular complete remission in advanced acute promyelocytic leukemia

Major breakthrough in Alzheimer's disease research

New drug to treat chronic pain in SCD patients

Nestle announces collaborative study with Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute on diet rich in whole grains

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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