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.

Research confirms benefits of PET scan in early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Westside Medical Associates of Los Angeles and Westside Medical Imaging (WMI) of Beverly Hills announce the benefit of early positron emission tomography (PET) scanning to identify Alzheimer's in its early more treatable phase.

17 Mar 2010

Low-income patients with brain tumors are less likely to be referred to specialty hospitals

African-American, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged patients with brain tumors are significantly less likely to be referred to high-volume hospitals that specialize in neurosurgery than other patients of similar age, the same gender, and with similar comorbidities, according to new research by Johns Hopkins doctors.

17 Mar 2010

Researchers identify a novel way to study species-specific reproductive behavior

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have discovered that injecting a simple hormone into leeches creates a novel way to study how hormones and the nervous system work together to produce species-specific reproductive behavior.

17 Mar 2010

New heart-healthy omega-3 crops on horizon

A new heart-healthy, essential omega-3 fatty acid is about to improve an American pantry staple: soybean oil. The new scientific advance will move biotechnology onto the average consumer's daily radar.

17 Mar 2010

Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy leads to structural abnormalities in brain of children

It has long been known that alcohol exposure is toxic to the developing fetus and can result in lifelong brain, cognitive and behavioral problems. Now, a new report out of UCLA shows that the effects of prenatal methamphetamine exposure - or worse, a combination of methamphetamine and alcohol - may be even more damaging.

17 Mar 2010

Test tube studies offer new hope for Alzheimer’s patients

A team of scientists from SLU in Uppsala and University of Cambridge have discovered a molecule that can prevent a toxic protein involved Alzheimer's disease from building up in the brain.

17 Mar 2010

Despite accomplishments and improvements, cancer remains too common disease in the U.S.

Although there have been achievements in the battle against cancer, including a decrease in the rate of death and new diagnoses, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the U.S., with a need for continued improvement in the areas of prevention, detection and treatment, according to a commentary in the March 17 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on cancer.

17 Mar 2010

Key cellular defect in protein synthesis can lead to cancer susceptibility

UCSF researchers have discovered that a key cellular defect that disturbs the production of proteins in human cells can lead to cancer susceptibility. The scientists also found that a new generation of inhibitory drugs offers promise in correcting this defect.

17 Mar 2010

Aging and Alzheimer's disease: Novel brain imaging technologies help create new insights

The emergence of multiple new brain imaging technologies and the combined application of these new approaches is helping to create new insights into aging and Alzheimer's disease. One of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease is the deposition of amyloid beta protein in clumps or "plaques" within the brain. These plaques can be measured in humans with PET scans that use a chemical marker or radiotracer called 11C-PIB.

16 Mar 2010

CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves cognitive function of MS patients

CogniFit™, Inc., a leading maker of Brain Fitness Software (www.cognifit.com), announced a new, independent study that shows CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves the cognitive function and skills of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients.

16 Mar 2010

Moms Against Mercury battle federal government's vaccine court

Now that the federal government's vaccine court has again denied claims that mercury in vaccines cause autism, frankly, we have to agree with them. Because mercury poisoning and autism produce identical symptoms, we parents of autistic children in America have been barking up the wrong tree. Mercury in vaccines causes mercury poisoning which causes brain damage which can look like autism.

16 Mar 2010

Long-term tobacco dependence may affect memory and thinking in women

Men and women with a history of alcohol abuse may not see long-term negative effects on their memory and thinking, but female smokers do, a new study suggests.

16 Mar 2010

Differences in brain's reward system may underlie vulnerability to psychopathy: Study

Normal individuals who scored high on a measure of impulsive/antisocial traits display a hypersensitive brain reward system, according to a brain imaging study by researchers at Vanderbilt University. The findings provide the first evidence of differences in the brain's reward system that may underlie vulnerability to what's typically referred to as psychopathy.

16 Mar 2010

This Brain Awareness Week, Canadians are urged to take control and protect their health

With the prevalence of dementia expected to reach 1.1 million Canadians within a generation, taking care of your brain health has never been more important.

16 Mar 2010

Human brain processes predictable sensory input more efficiently

The human brain processes predictable sensory input more efficiently. Alink and colleagues based this conclusion on the characteristics of responses in the primary visual cortex. It is known that the primary visual cortex is critical for vision and that responses in this brain area create a map of what we are currently looking at.

16 Mar 2010

ThinkFirst Brain Day program for school children

Today marks the start of international Brain Awareness Week, a unique partnership of more than 1,700 organizations in 57 countries. In Canada, ThinkFirst Canada is teaching children to use their brains to protect their bodies by presenting the ThinkFirst Brain Day program in schools this spring.

16 Mar 2010

New cerebral protection device prevents stroke during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries

An important interventional radiology advancement-the use of a new cerebral protection device in combination with FDA-approved carotid stents in high-surgical-risk patients-provides a minimally invasive, safe and effective way to prevent stroke from occurring during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries, according to research released at the Society of Interventional Radiology's 35th Annual Scientific Meeting in Tampa, Fla.

16 Mar 2010

A guide on ethics and neuroscience

As scientists continue to explore how the brain works, using ever more sophisticated technology, it seems likely that new findings will radically alter the traditional understanding of human nature.

16 Mar 2010

Drug-eluting stents offer new hope to patients with critical limb ischemia

In the United States, more than 100,000 amputations are performed each year on individuals with critical limb ischemia, the most severe form of peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The number one priority in treating these patients is to re-establish blood flow to avoid limb amputation.

16 Mar 2010

Houston scientists unveil new technique for growing 3-D cell cultures

The film "Avatar" isn't the only 3-D blockbuster making a splash this winter. A team of Houston scientists this week unveiled a new technique for growing 3-D cell cultures, a technological leap from the flat petri dish that could save millions of dollars in drug-testing costs. The research is reported in Nature Nanotechnology.

16 Mar 2010

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Research confirms benefits of PET scan in early detection of Alzheimer's disease

Low-income patients with brain tumors are less likely to be referred to specialty hospitals

Researchers identify a novel way to study species-specific reproductive behavior

New heart-healthy omega-3 crops on horizon

Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy leads to structural abnormalities in brain of children

Test tube studies offer new hope for Alzheimer’s patients

Despite accomplishments and improvements, cancer remains too common disease in the U.S.

Key cellular defect in protein synthesis can lead to cancer susceptibility

Aging and Alzheimer's disease: Novel brain imaging technologies help create new insights

CogniFit Personal Coach brain training software improves cognitive function of MS patients

Moms Against Mercury battle federal government's vaccine court

Long-term tobacco dependence may affect memory and thinking in women

Differences in brain's reward system may underlie vulnerability to psychopathy: Study

This Brain Awareness Week, Canadians are urged to take control and protect their health

Human brain processes predictable sensory input more efficiently

ThinkFirst Brain Day program for school children

New cerebral protection device prevents stroke during treatment to clear blocked carotid arteries

A guide on ethics and neuroscience

Drug-eluting stents offer new hope to patients with critical limb ischemia

Houston scientists unveil new technique for growing 3-D cell cultures

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd 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

Latest News