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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.

Geron highlights telomerase inhibitor's activity against cancer stem cells at AACR Special Conference

Geron Corporation today announced several presentations at the American Association for Cancer Research Special Conference on The Role of Telomeres and Telomerase in Cancer Research held in Fort Worth, TX between February 27th and March 1st.

3 Mar 2010

Soluble fiber in oats, apples and nuts reduces inflammation; strengthens immune system

A new University of Illinois study touts the benefits of soluble fiber-found in oats, apples, and nuts, for starters-saying that it reduces the inflammation associated with obesity-related diseases and strengthens the immune system.

3 Mar 2010

Scientists uncover vital clue that could steer research into nervous system disorders

Scientists at the Queensland Brain Institute have uncovered a vital clue into how the brain is wired, which could eventually steer research into nervous system disorders such as Parkinson's disease and cognitive disorders including autism.

3 Mar 2010

Study suggests mental activity could stave off age-related cognitive and memory decline

UC Irvine neurobiologists are providing the first visual evidence that learning promotes brain health - and, therefore, that mental stimulation could limit the debilitating effects of aging on memory and the mind.

3 Mar 2010

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics receives Notice of Allowance on ICT-69 monoclonal antibody

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd., a biotechnology company that is developing immune based therapies for the treatment of various forms of cancer, announced today it received a Notice of Allowance on monoclonal antibody ICT-69 which targets multiple myeloma and ovarian cancers. The antibody has demonstrated high specificity to these cancers by targeting a novel cell surface antigen.

2 Mar 2010

Cleveland HeartLab completes $3.0M fundraising round

Cleveland HeartLab LLC (CHL) today announced that it has completed a $3.0-million fundraising round. The company’s new shareholders include local business leaders, and Glengary LLC, Second Generation Ltd. and Zapis Capital Group LLC.

2 Mar 2010

Irregular work schedules can play havoc on sleep patterns

With pressure from the tough economy to bring in extra dollars, more people are sacrificing sleep to work night shifts or two jobs in order to make ends meet, says Raman Malhotra, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Saint Louis University and director of the SLU Sleep Disorders Center.

2 Mar 2010

Prenatal cocaine exposure affects sustained attention and self-regulated behavior in children

Children exposed to cocaine in the womb face serious consequences from the drug, but fortunately not in certain critical physical and cognitive areas as previously believed, according to a new comprehensive review of research on the subject from scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. When a pregnant woman uses cocaine, it can interrupt the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the baby, putting such children at risk for premature birth, low birth weight and many other problems.

2 Mar 2010

First-ever international Omega-3 Awareness Day

Omega-3 Awareness Day, the nonprofit is proud to announce its plans for the first-ever international awareness day scheduled on March 3rd, 2010 at the University of California, Irvine. Teams of world-renowned doctors founded by Carol A. Locke, MD are scheduled to speak on the science and health benefits of Omega-3 essential fatty acids from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST in front of thousands of students at UCI.

2 Mar 2010

Clot-busting drug therapy after stroke beneficial for women

New research shows women who don't receive a clot-busting drug after a stroke fare worse than men who are not treated. The study is published in the March 2, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

2 Mar 2010

Causal relation between multiple factors and occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders: ANNs help understand better

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is often considered an early symptom of Alzheimer's disease (AD). An analysis of genetic risk factors predisposing to MCI is critical for accessing individual predisposition and reliably evaluating the effectiveness of early treatment. In a groundbreaking study published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease investigators successfully used artificial neural networks (ANNs) to help understand the causal relation between multiple factors and the occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders.

2 Mar 2010

$28M grant to examine neural and behavioral profiles of healthy cognitive aging

The Research Partnership in Cognitive Aging, a public-private effort to promote the study of brain function with age, will award up to $28 million over five years to 17 research grants to examine the neural and behavioral profiles of healthy cognitive aging and explore interventions that may prevent, reduce or reverse cognitive decline in older people.

2 Mar 2010

Long-time cannabis use linked to psychosis-related outcomes

Young adults who have used cannabis or marijuana for a longer period of time appear more likely to have hallucinations or delusions or to meet criteria for psychosis, according to a report posted online today that will appear in the May print issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Mar 2010

Research focuses on DYRK1A gene in association with Down's syndrome

Research undertaken in recent years on Down's syndrome has focused on the DYRK1A gene. The superexpression of this gene affects transmission in the neurones, according to Mr Garikoitz Azkona. In his PhD thesis, The molecular bases of neuropathology in Down's syndrome: the role of DYRK1A, Mr Azkona argues that this failure in neurone transmission could be behind the problem that persons with Down's syndrome have regarding visual-spatial memory.

2 Mar 2010

Study indicates GABA neurotransmitters could play a key role in major depressive disorder

The next advance in treating major depression may relate to a group of brain chemicals that are involved in virtually all our brain activity, according to a study published today in Biological Psychiatry.

2 Mar 2010

Researchers develop sensitive measuring system for cGVHD

Researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a new assessment tool to measure the severity of symptoms that can complicate stem cell transplantation. The tool assesses symptoms resulting from chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD), and was presented with supporting research at the 2010 Bone and Marrow Transplant Tandem Meeting.

2 Mar 2010

Researchers uncover new explanation for the spread of tau protein within human brain

A team of researchers at UMass Lowell has found a new mechanism by which a key protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can spread within the human brain.

2 Mar 2010

Researchers proceed to develop vaccination to reverse neurological damage seen with Parkinson's disease

Researchers at the University of Nebraska Medical Center have taken a significant step forward in developing a vaccination approach to reverse the neurological damage seen with Parkinson's disease.

2 Mar 2010

Quark Pharmaceuticals commences dosing in clinical study of QPI-1007 for NAION

Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a world leader in the discovery and development of RNAi-based therapeutics, announced today the dosing of the first patient in a Phase I study of the investigational neuroprotective agent, QPI-1007.

2 Mar 2010

Acorda Therapeutics' AMPYRA now available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico

Acorda Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that AMPYRA™ (dalfampridine) Extended Release Tablets, 10 mg is now available by prescription in the United States and Puerto Rico. AMPYRA was approved on January 22, 2010 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment to improve walking in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This was demonstrated by an increase in walking speed. AMPYRA is indicated for use in all types of MS, and can be used either alone or with existing therapies, including disease-modifying agents.

1 Mar 2010

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Geron highlights telomerase inhibitor's activity against cancer stem cells at AACR Special Conference

Soluble fiber in oats, apples and nuts reduces inflammation; strengthens immune system

Scientists uncover vital clue that could steer research into nervous system disorders

Study suggests mental activity could stave off age-related cognitive and memory decline

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics receives Notice of Allowance on ICT-69 monoclonal antibody

Cleveland HeartLab completes $3.0M fundraising round

Irregular work schedules can play havoc on sleep patterns

Prenatal cocaine exposure affects sustained attention and self-regulated behavior in children

First-ever international Omega-3 Awareness Day

Clot-busting drug therapy after stroke beneficial for women

Causal relation between multiple factors and occurrence of neurodegenerative disorders: ANNs help understand better

$28M grant to examine neural and behavioral profiles of healthy cognitive aging

Long-time cannabis use linked to psychosis-related outcomes

Research focuses on DYRK1A gene in association with Down's syndrome

Study indicates GABA neurotransmitters could play a key role in major depressive disorder

Researchers develop sensitive measuring system for cGVHD

Researchers uncover new explanation for the spread of tau protein within human brain

Researchers proceed to develop vaccination to reverse neurological damage seen with Parkinson's disease

Quark Pharmaceuticals commences dosing in clinical study of QPI-1007 for NAION

Acorda Therapeutics' AMPYRA now available in the U.S. and Puerto Rico

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

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