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.

Brca2 gene prevents medulloblastoma

Investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital have gained some of the first major insights into how certain genes known to prevent cancer also guide the normal development of the nervous system before birth and during infancy by repairing DNA damage.

22 May 2007

Parkin protein protects neurons from stress induced cell death

Parkinson’s disease, also known as shaking palsy, is one of the most frequent diseases of the nervous system.

22 May 2007

Nanomedicine opens the way for nerve cell regeneration

The ability to regenerate nerve cells in the body could reduce the effects of trauma and disease in a dramatic way.

22 May 2007

In some species estrogen plays a key role in aggressiveness

Imagine if a naturally occurring chemical in your body could help make you feel more calm and relaxed ? but it would only work during the long days of summer.

22 May 2007

Chemotherapy drug temozolomide shrinks brain tumors

Cancerous brain tumors appear to respond favorably to the drug temozolomide when used as primary chemotherapy after surgery, and the treatment appears to work best in people missing a certain gene, according to a study published in the May 22, 2007, issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

22 May 2007

One tipple a day may keep dementia at bay!

According to new research one alcoholic drink a day could slow the progression of dementia in older people.

22 May 2007

The Medical Research Council welcomes FSA decision to add folic acid to flour

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has welcomed the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) decision to recommend the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid.

20 May 2007

Large trial to identify the long-term health effects of West Nile virus infection

UT Southwestern Medical Center has joined a national clinical trial to identify the long-term health effects of West Nile virus infection and to learn more about the disease's progression, symptoms and mortality.

18 May 2007

Study of normal brain development

Children appear to approach adult levels of performance on many basic cognitive and motor skills by age 11 or 12, according to a new study coordinated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

18 May 2007

Left-right wiring determined by neural communication in the embryonic worm

Most animals appear symmetrical at first glance, but we're full of internal lop-sidedness.

18 May 2007

Latent memory of cells comes to life

New Danish research has examined the mechanisms behind latent cell memory, which can come to life and cause previously non-existent capacities suddenly to appear.

18 May 2007

Celecoxib offers promise for premature babies

Scientists have found evidence that the cox-2 inhibitor celecoxib, a common pain reliever used to treat arthritis, may offer a new way to reduce the risk of the most common cause of brain damage in babies born prematurely.

18 May 2007

Circadian clock gene plays role in weight gain

Scientists at the University of Virginia and the Medical College of Wisconsin have discovered that a gene that participates in the regulation of the body's biological rhythms may also be a major control in regulating metabolism.

18 May 2007

Stroke prevalence varies across U.S.

Stroke prevalence varies widely from state to state, with some states and U.S. territories having more than double the stroke prevalence of others, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

18 May 2007

American Dental Association praises pediatric dental bill

The American Dental Association (ADA) applauds Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) for introducing legislation to help end the silent epidemic of untreated dental disease among the nation's disadvantaged children.

18 May 2007

AMDL receives Israeli patent for animal model for the evaluation of vaccines

AMDL, Inc. has announced that it has received an important Israeli patent for an animal model for the evaluation of vaccines, which is a part of its unique Combination Immune Therapy (CIT) technology.

18 May 2007

Structural brain development and behavior from birth to young adulthood

Yes, there are gender differences in cognitive function, but they're more limited than previously thought.

18 May 2007

Link between extreme sleep disorder and onset of parkinsonism or dementia

Mayo Clinic researchers and a group of international collaborators have discovered a correlation between an extreme form of sleep disorder and eventual onset of parkinsonism or dementia.

17 May 2007

Novel device helps monitor mental illness

Psychiatric researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine will report important new findings from a study of patients with bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia at the upcoming meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry, to be held in San Diego May 17-20.

17 May 2007

Researchers develop first images of physical changes in brain cells thought to underlie memory

University of California, Irvine researchers have developed the first images of the physical changes in brain cells thought to underlie memory, a discovery that is already uncovering clues about memory loss linked to cognitive disorders.

17 May 2007