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.

Mothers' second-hand smoke exposure while pregnant linked to children's ADHD

Children whose mothers were exposed to second-hand smoke while they were pregnant have more symptoms of serious psychological problems compared to the offspring of women who had no prenatal exposure to smoke, according to a new University of Washington study.

28 Jun 2007

Men and women with multiple sclerosis equally transmit the genetic risk of the disease to their children

The research contradicts the results of a recent study, which found affected fathers were more likely than affected mothers to transmit the risk of developing MS to their children.

28 Jun 2007

An active mind in old age reduces risk of Alzheimer's disease

How often old people read a newspaper, play chess, or engage in other mentally stimulating activities is related to risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a study published June 27, 2007, in the online edition of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Jun 2007

Early exposure to iron and later exposure to herbicide paraquat may accelerate age-related neurodegeneration

Exposure to iron during the first weeks of life in combination with exposure later in life to a common herbicide may contribute to the subsequent degeneration of brain cells associated with the onset of Parkinson's disease (PD), according to a new study in mice.

28 Jun 2007

CARS microscopy reveals clues to myelin damage

Researchers have discovered that calcium ions could play a crucial role in multiple sclerosis by activating enzymes that degrade the fatty sheath that insulates nerve fibers.

28 Jun 2007

Training autistic brains to recognize visual and vocal cues

To understand the meaning of a conversation, kids automatically do what adults do - besides processing the meaning of words, they unconsciously "read" the expression on a person's face and listen to their tone of voice, then integrate that information with the context at hand to discern meaning, be it humor, anger, irony or straightforwardness.

28 Jun 2007

Notch2 locus predicts prognosis in brain tumor patients

PLoS ONE has just published a study which defines a gene locus on chromosome 1 that predicts prognosis of brain tumor patients and may even set the basis for the development of more efficient drugs to combat brain cancer.

28 Jun 2007

Embryonic stem cell in rodents could lead to treatment for Parkinson's

Scientists in Britain have discovered a new type of embryonic stem cell in mice and rats that could accelerate research into degenerative brain diseases such as Parkinson's.

27 Jun 2007

Role of environmental factors in the development of Parkinson's disease

Scientists at the Buck Institute for Age Research have shown that combining two environmental toxic substances accelerated age-related degeneration in neurons associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) in mice.

27 Jun 2007

Use of SSRIs during pregnancy does not increase the risk for most birth defects

Use of certain antidepressants, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors most commonly known as SSRIs, during pregnancy does not significantly increase the risk for most birth defects, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, released in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

27 Jun 2007

Gene variant increases risk for alcoholism following childhood abuse

Girls who suffered childhood sexual abuse are more likely to develop alcoholism later in life if they possess a particular variant of a gene involved in the body's response to stress, according to a new study led by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

27 Jun 2007

Amphinase molecule from frog could provide first drug treatment for brain tumours

A synthetic version of a molecule found in the egg cells of the Northern Leopard frog (Rana pipiens) could provide the world with the first drug treatment for brain tumours.

27 Jun 2007

Emotional state plays a significant role in recovery from hip surgery

A patient's emotional state plays a significant role in his or her recovery from hip surgery, suggests Saint Louis University research published this month.

27 Jun 2007

Link between depression and low levels of folate

In research published in the July edition of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, the York team led by Dr Simon Gilbody, concluded that there was a link between depression and low folate levels, following a review of 11 previous studies involving 15,315 participants.

27 Jun 2007

National Organization for Acoustic Neuroma Tumor Patients to celebrate 25th anniversary

The national Acoustic Neuroma Association (ANA), will mark its 25th anniversary at its 18th annual symposium in Philadelphia.

26 Jun 2007

Estrogen injections protect brain cells from age-related deterioration

The study suggests that age is a factor in estrogen treatment and sheds light on the intricate relationship between mind, age, and hormones. The study will be published in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences during the week of June 25.

26 Jun 2007