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 combined imaging promises insights into multiple sclerosis

Researchers have developed a way to use three types of microscopic imaging techniques simultaneously to analyze living tissue and learn more about the molecular mechanisms of multiple sclerosis, information that could help lead to earlier detection and new treatments.

18 Apr 2007

More effective therapies for individual cancers - personalized medicine

Genetic and epigenetic variations ensure that no two people are exactly alike, and the same holds true for any two cancers.

18 Apr 2007

Omega-3 fatty acids protect against Alzheimer's

Scientists in the United States say that diets rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) can help prevent the development of the two brain lesions that are hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

18 Apr 2007

Scientists tackle cancer with different approaches

Studies presented at the 2007 meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research show how researchers are using the new, as well as the natural, to help design and test new drugs to treat cancer.

18 Apr 2007

Sensory-deprived brain compensates - increases its plasticity

Whiskers provide a mouse with essential information to negotiate a burrow or detect movement that could signal a predator's presence.

18 Apr 2007

Cancer patients are at high risk for potential drug interactions

Potential drug interactions from prescribed medications are common among cancer patients and may cause unnecessary harm, according to a study in the April 18 Journal of the National Cancer Institute .

18 Apr 2007

Bioluminescence part of new imaging technique

CNRS scientists in collaboration have developed a new technique for the in vivo imaging of neuronal function using bioluminescence, based on a GFP-aequorin fusion protein.

18 Apr 2007

Better understanding of membrane fusion

Cells constantly swap cargo bound in vesicles, miniscule membrane-enclosed packages of proteins and other chemicals. Before the swap can take place, the vesicle membrane must fuse with another membrane, creating channels packages can pass through.

18 Apr 2007

Clioquinol shows promise in fighting cancer

Researchers from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, MI presented strong evidence today that an antibiotic typically prescribed for Alzheimer's patients could be effective in eventually treating certain types of cancers.

18 Apr 2007

Brain tumor vaccine shows promise

A vaccine for treating a recurrent cancer of the central nervous system that occurs primarily in the brain has shown promise in preliminary data from a clinical trial at the University of California, San Francisco.

17 Apr 2007

New hope for spinal cord injury sufferers

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the most significant forms of neurotrauma with major economic and social impact.

17 Apr 2007

Single master gene crucial for nerve cell insulation

Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have discovered how a defect in a single master gene disrupts the process by which several genes interact to create myelin, a fatty coating that covers nerve cells and increases the speed and reliability of their electrical signals.

17 Apr 2007

A candidate neural circuit for stress-induced analgesia

Recent statistics indicate that one in five people worldwide suffer from moderate to severe chronic pain and that one in three are unable or less able to maintain an independent lifestyle due to their pain.

17 Apr 2007

Study identifies trends in cerebral aneurysm treatment

Cerebrovascular disease is a leading cause of serious long-term disability, affecting as many as 700,000 people every year.

17 Apr 2007

Effective noninvasive treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia-related pain

Trigeminal neuralgia or tic douloureux is sometimes described as the most excruciating pain known to humanity.

17 Apr 2007

Predicting cancer risk in the long term

Every day, people make assumptions, educated and not, about their risk for developing cancer.

17 Apr 2007

Natalizumab (Tysabri) reduces vision loss in MS patients

According to a study that appears in the April 17 issue of Neurology, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found that natalizumab (TYSABRI), a drug that slows disability and reduces relapse rates in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), also reduces vision loss in patients with relapsing MS.

17 Apr 2007