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.

Brain overgrowth in 1-year-olds linked to development of autism

Brain overgrowth in the latter part of an infant's first year may contribute to the onset of autistic characteristics, according to research presented today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting.

10 Dec 2007

New radiotherapy system benefits high-risk patients

A new radiotherapy system that combines high-tech imaging with precision tumor-targeting capability is helping cancer specialists at Stony Brook University Medical Center treat patients.

10 Dec 2007

Neurons in the frontal lobe may be responsible for rational decision-making

You study the menu at a restaurant and decide to order the steak rather than the salmon. But when the waiter tells you about the lobster special, you decide lobster trumps steak. Without reconsidering the salmon, you place your order - all because of a trait called "transitivity."

10 Dec 2007

Tuberculosis found in 500,000-year-old human

Although most scientists believe tuberculosis emerged only several thousand years ago, new research from The University of Texas at Austin reveals the most ancient evidence of the disease has been found in a 500,000-year-old human fossil from Turkey.

10 Dec 2007

Fever may restore nerve cell communications in regions of the autistic brain

The behavior of children with autism may improve during a fever, according to a first-of-kind study, "Behaviors Associated With Fever in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders," published Nov. 30 in Pediatrics.

10 Dec 2007

Mobile phones increase the risk of tumours

Israeli researchers say they have found that the regular use of mobile phones increases the risk of developing tumours.

10 Dec 2007

Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, depression and dementia

British researchers from Bristol University say following a regular exercise programme can significantly reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as a third.

10 Dec 2007

Winter flu doubles the risk of heart attacks and stroke

Scientists in Britain say a dose of winter infections such flu can double the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

9 Dec 2007

Older brains out of sync - memory and reasoning impaired

According to new research from the U.S., as people get older communication between different regions of the brain breaks down.

6 Dec 2007

Most baby-food manufacturers using toxic chemical in packaging

An environmental organization in the U.S. says that cans containing liquid infant formula and sold in North America, contain the toxic chemical Bisphenol A (BPA).

6 Dec 2007

Transcranial magnetic stimulation effective treatment for major depression

For the first time in a large-scale study, transcranial magnetic stimulation has been shown to be an effective, non-drug treatment for major depression.

5 Dec 2007

Growing old can affect the higher-level brain systems that govern cognition

A team of Howard Hughes Medical Institute researchers has shown that normal aging disrupts communication between different regions of the brain.

5 Dec 2007

Smell experience during critical period alters brain

Unlike the circuitry of the visual system, that of the olfactory system was thought to be hardwired: Once the neurons had formed, no amount of sensory input could change their arrangement.

5 Dec 2007

Discovery of potential "getting drunk" gene

A variant of a gene involved in communication among brain cells has a direct influence on alcohol consumption in mice, according to a new study by scientists supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Army.

5 Dec 2007

Pheromones identified that trigger aggression between male mice

A family of proteins commonly found in mouse urine is able to trigger fighting between male mice, a study in the Dec. 6, 2007, issue of Nature has found.

5 Dec 2007

Premature babies on the increase

The preterm birth rate rose again in 2005 and preliminary data for 2006 show a continued increase, underscoring the urgent need for a sustained, comprehensive plan to address this growing crisis.

5 Dec 2007

Missing brain protein may be one of the culprits behind autism and other brain disorders

The protein helps synapses develop. Synapses--through which neurons communicate with one other-underlie our ability to learn and remember. Now Li-Huei Tsai, Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT, has uncovered an enzyme that is key to that protein's activity.

5 Dec 2007

Stress-induced analgesia - new understanding

One way to alleviate the pain of banging your shin while on a hike is to encounter a grizzly bear - a well-known phenomenon called stress-induced analgesia.

5 Dec 2007

$Dads break or fracture the bones of their children far more often than moms$

Dads break or fracture the bones of their children far more often than moms

...and they tend to inflict their abusive rage on infants younger than five months old, according to a study in Child Abuse & Neglect.

5 Dec 2007

Cognitive 'fog' of normal aging linked to brain system disruption

Comparisons of the brains of young and old people have revealed that normal aging may cause cognitive decline due to deterioration of the connections among large-scale brain systems.

5 Dec 2007