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.

Medical brain drain from poorer to richer nations must be stopped

A doctor working in Ghana says that even though the migration of health workers from poorer to richer nations is unlikely to stop, policies must be put in place to minimise the damage it causes

4 Jul 2005

University of Michigan receives $10m grant for Alzheimer's research

Alzheimer’s disease research at the University of Michigan is getting a $10 million boost: a major grant that will fund a broad array of efforts aimed at finding and fighting the causes of the disease and other memory conditions.

1 Jul 2005

New drug to treat stroke complications tested in US for the first time as part of an international trial

A Roanoke, Va. woman is the first U. S. participant in an international, multi center trial of a new drug that shows promise in treating complications from a stroke.

1 Jul 2005

New study shows showering in manganese contaminated water could permanently affect the nervous system

A new analysis based on animal studies suggests that showering in manganese-contaminated water for a decade or more could have permanent effects on the nervous system. The damage may occur even at levels of manganese considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency.

1 Jul 2005

Experimental treatment regrows nerve fibres in patient suffering Parkinson's disease

Analysis of the brain of a patient suffering from Parkinson’s Disease has shown that the experimental treatment he received caused regrowth of the nerve fibres that are lost in this disease. The findings are reported in the July issue of Nature Medicine.

30 Jun 2005

Researchers find enzyme vital for controlling the early stages of cell death

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found an enzyme vital for controlling the early stages of cell death - a beneficial and normal process when it works right, but malignant in a variety of cancers when it malfunctions.

30 Jun 2005

Map of gene control regions provides tool for understanding cells' different roles

In another step to decipher information in the human genome, scientists have discovered the location and sequence of over 10,000 DNA regions that function as genetic on-off switches, or "promoters" in human fibroblasts.

29 Jun 2005

Myriad Genetics issued new patent under license

Myriad Genetics has announced the issuance of Patent No. 6,911,466 entitled, "AB42 Lowering Agents". Myriad holds exclusive rights to the patent under a licensing agreement with Mayo Clinic. The patent covers methods of using a broad class of compounds known as selective amyloid beta 42 lowering agents (SALAs) to lower levels of the toxic peptide.

29 Jun 2005

Raising the dead no longer just a fright movie!

It is almost unbelievable, but scientists have apparently say they have discovered a way to bring dead dogs back to life.

29 Jun 2005

Findings suggest important differences among smokers in brain responses that underlie the smoking habit

Not all smokers are alike when it comes to cravings, and a new study conducted by researchers at Duke University Medical Center suggests the difference may lie in their brains' sensitivity to drug cues.

29 Jun 2005

Mammalian brain is far more plastic than previously thought and thus may be able to recover from serious brain injuries

Infants born prematurely and with hypoxia - inadequate oxygen to the blood - are able to recover some cells, volume and weight in the brain after oxygen supply is restored, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in Experimental Neurology.

28 Jun 2005

Pomegranate juice may help babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen

Expectant mothers at risk of premature birth may want to consider drinking pomegranate juice to help their babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen and reduced blood flow, a new mouse study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests.

28 Jun 2005

Sleep helps memory

A good night's sleep triggers changes in the brain that help to improve memory, according to a new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).

28 Jun 2005

Treatment options for skull base tumors

It is estimated that in 2000, more than 359,000 persons were living with a diagnosis of a primary brain tumor in the United States. In 2005, it is estimated that nearly 12,800 deaths will be associated with malignant tumors of the brain and other parts of the central nervous system. Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children age 19 and younger.

28 Jun 2005

fMRI enables noninvasive evaluation of epilepsy patients

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the brain reduces the need for invasive testing of seizure disorder patients being considered for surgical treatment, according to a study published in the July issue of the journal Radiology.

28 Jun 2005

Researchers successfully treat laboratory model of a lysosomal storage disease called GM1

Physicians might one day be able to treat a disease that destroys brain cells in children using genetically modified cells to transport a "drug" to the site of the dying neural cells (cells that transmit impulses).

27 Jun 2005

Scientists successfully isolate stem cells from human skin

Scientists at Wake Forest University School of Medicine have successfully isolated stem cells from human skin, expanded them in the laboratory and coaxed them into becoming fat, muscle and bone cells.

27 Jun 2005

Light used to regulate protein synthesis

Proteins are the puzzle-pieces of life, involved in how organisms grow and flourish, but studying their complex biological processes in living systems has been extremely difficult.

27 Jun 2005

OHSU scientists say low FOXP3 means fewer disease-fighting cells, but new drug may help multiple sclerosis

Oregon Health & Science University researchers have measured genetic changes reflecting a drop in the body's ability to suppress inflammatory cells that attack nerve fibers and promote progression of multiple sclerosis.

27 Jun 2005

Guidelines for treatment of essential tremor

Imagine not being able to hold a glass, tie your shoelaces or write a check. For people with the common movement disorder known as essential tremor, simple tasks requiring fine motor coordination become increasingly difficult, sometimes even impossible.

27 Jun 2005

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Medical brain drain from poorer to richer nations must be stopped

University of Michigan receives $10m grant for Alzheimer's research

New drug to treat stroke complications tested in US for the first time as part of an international trial

New study shows showering in manganese contaminated water could permanently affect the nervous system

Experimental treatment regrows nerve fibres in patient suffering Parkinson's disease

Researchers find enzyme vital for controlling the early stages of cell death

Map of gene control regions provides tool for understanding cells' different roles

Myriad Genetics issued new patent under license

Raising the dead no longer just a fright movie!

Findings suggest important differences among smokers in brain responses that underlie the smoking habit

Mammalian brain is far more plastic than previously thought and thus may be able to recover from serious brain injuries

Pomegranate juice may help babies resist brain injuries from low oxygen

Sleep helps memory

Treatment options for skull base tumors

fMRI enables noninvasive evaluation of epilepsy patients

Researchers successfully treat laboratory model of a lysosomal storage disease called GM1

Scientists successfully isolate stem cells from human skin

Light used to regulate protein synthesis

OHSU scientists say low FOXP3 means fewer disease-fighting cells, but new drug may help multiple sclerosis

Guidelines for treatment of essential tremor

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Expanding access to NMR with the Fourier 80 Duo

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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