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.

Researchers discover new molecular mechanism that may allow for stem cell-based therapies to treat eye disorders such as retinal degeneration

The finding also reveals how the retina's own stem cells can be directed to aid the growth of new cells to replace diseased or dying ones in the eye. Study results appear in the June 24 issue of the journal Science.

27 Jun 2005

Tsunami leaves patients with unusual infections

According to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine, the December tsunami which left more than 200 000 people dead or missing in Asia and Africa, appears to have caused some unusual lung and sinus infections and also a paralysing brain infection.

27 Jun 2005

New clue to the causes of neurodegenerative diseases

Scientists funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Wellcome Trust, BBSRC - the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the EU have made an important discovery about the mechanisms underlying degenerative brain diseases.

26 Jun 2005

While USDA confirms second mad cow case officials defend safeguards

Consumer groups in the U.S. are demanding more comprehensive testing of beef after the government yesterday confirmed the second case of mad cow disease.

26 Jun 2005

Naturally produced 'cannabis' in the brain helps with pain relief

Researchers in the United States have found that a cannabis like chemical produced naturally in the brain helps with pain relief.

23 Jun 2005

This years first reported case of West Nile in the U.S. in Kansas

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported this year's first human case of West Nile virus in the United States in Kansas, but has not released details on the patient.

23 Jun 2005

Folic acid improves memory and protects the brain from aging

According to scientists in Holland high doses of folic acid might help slow the cognitive decline of aging.

22 Jun 2005

Foxp2 gene plays an essential role in the development of social communication

The association between Foxp2 and language was first identified in a family in which half the members had severe speech and grammar impairments. Studies showed that all the affected family members had a mutation in the Foxp2 gene.

21 Jun 2005

New insight into autoimmune disease

The immune system is a complex and powerful weapon that provides protection against bacteria and viruses that, if left unchecked, would wreak havoc throughout the human body.

21 Jun 2005

Danger of mixing mobile phones and motoring

The reason talking on a cell phone makes drivers less safe may be that the brain can't simultaneously give full attention to both the visual task of driving and the auditory task of listening, a study by a Johns Hopkins University psychologist suggests.

21 Jun 2005

Researchers discover mechanism that causes a protein to clump together in brain cells of people with Parkinson's disease

The protein clumping is part of a "vicious cycle," the researchers said. As the proteins cluster, they inhibit an enzyme that normally breaks them down, leading to the formation of even more masses.

21 Jun 2005

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure device helps heart failure patients with obstructive sleep apnea get a good night's rest

Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device not only helps heart failure patients with obstructive sleep apnea get a good night's rest, it lowers blood pressure and heart rate well into the morning, apparently, by reducing sympathetic nervous system activity, according to a new study (PDF) in the June 21, 2005, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

21 Jun 2005

Evidence grows for change in cannabis laws

Studies linking cannabis use to mental illnesses and addictive drugs such as heroin are compelling reasons for the State Government to revise its soft-on-drugs legislation, the Australian Medical Association (WA) said today.

21 Jun 2005

Pioneering new thyroid treatment

The doctor has developed a revolutionary technique for treating hyperthyroidism, also known as Graves' Disease. And earlier this month, Culham became the first person in North America to undergo the new procedure.

21 Jun 2005

Researchers isolate substance most responsible for the tissue damage that follows initial spinal cord injury

Purdue University researchers may have isolated the substance most responsible for the tissue damage that follows initial spinal cord injury, a discovery that could also improve treatments for a host of other neurodegenerative conditions.

21 Jun 2005

Breakthrough in understanding of children's brain development to help parents set kids on path to emotional, intellectual health

A major new research initiative at York University will build on new knowledge of the brain’s development, and help set children --including those with developmental disorders -- on the path towards emotional and intellectual health.

21 Jun 2005

When it comes to brains bigger is definitely better

New research has settled an historical debate that the larger the brain the brighter the individual.

21 Jun 2005

Brain differences in bipolar disorder shown in MRI

Experts in the U.S., in an attempt to define the abnormalities in the brains of people with bipolar disorder, have used used functional MRI to measure levels of metabolic activity in different areas of the brain.

21 Jun 2005

Motor skills: power for life

'Motor Magic', a program that works with pre-school children who are experiencing developmental difficulties, their parents and kindergarten staff, produces marked benefits in terms of motor skills and sensory processing, leading to improved self-confidence and concentration, and better engagement in learning activities.

21 Jun 2005

Computer program that enhances the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET)

German scientists developed a computer program that enhances the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography (PET) scans with Alzheimer's patients, opening the door for earlier treatment of this progressive brain disorder. Details of their findings were provided at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 52nd Annual Meeting in Toronto.

20 Jun 2005