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.

Study highlights disparities in stroke burden across regions

Although stroke is highly preventable and treatable, there has been a rapid rise in the global stroke burden between 1990 and 2021, due to both population growth and the rise of aging populations worldwide, as well as a substantial increase in people's exposure to environmental and behavioral risk factors.

19 Sep 2024

Cancer drug shows promise for treating rare bleeding disorder

A clinical trial has demonstrated that the cancer drug pomalidomide is safe and effective in treating hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare bleeding disorder that impacts more than 1 in 5,000 people worldwide. The trial, led by Keith McCrae, M.D., of Cleveland Clinic and supported by the National Institutes of Health, was stopped early because of these successful findings, and has been published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

19 Sep 2024

Researchers uncover receptor that dampens sensory input

Signals in our brain are not always processed in the same way: Certain receptors modulate these mechanisms, influencing our mood, perception, and behavior in various ways. One of these is the 5-HT2A receptor, which has a recently discovered unique characteristic.

18 Sep 2024

New biomarkers offer hope for early detection and prevention of Alzheimer's

The failure to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia in the elderly, at an early stage of molecular pathology is considered a major reason why treatments fail in clinical trials. Previous research to molecularly diagnose Alzheimer's disease yielded "A/T/N" central biomarkers based on the measurements of proteins, β-amyloid ("A") and tau ("T"), and "N" encompassing neurodegeneration. A/T/N can be measured in brain tissue, by in vivo brain imaging techniques, and by analysis of cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.

18 Sep 2024

Triptans prove to be more effective for acute migraines than newer drugs

Some triptans are a more effective treatment for acute migraines than newer, more expensive drugs, finds an analysis of the latest evidence published by The BMJ today.

18 Sep 2024

Leptin variations may influence brain health and dementia development

New research is more closely linking obesity to dementia. Higher levels of leptin, a hormone that helps maintain normal body weight, is associated with better signal-transmitting brain white matter in middle-aged adults, according to a study by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio).

18 Sep 2024

New tool unveils dynamic changes in brain extracellular matrix

Between and around the billions of neurons in the human brain is an equally vital scaffold, the extracellular matrix (ECM).

18 Sep 2024

Researchers discover how rare cell type controls scar tissue formation in spinal cord injuries

After a spinal cord injury, nearby cells quickly rush to action, forming protective scar tissue around the damaged area to stabilize and protect it.

18 Sep 2024

Study helps explain why having ApoE4 increases risk of neurodegeneration

A new study helps explain why having ApoE4—the gene variant most closely linked to Alzheimer's disease—increases the risk of neurodegeneration and white matter damage.

18 Sep 2024

MIND diet may reduce cognitive decline risk, study suggests

People whose diet more closely resembles the MIND diet may have a lower risk of cognitive impairment, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Results were similar for Black and white participants.

18 Sep 2024

New meta-analysis links dizziness in older adults to increased fall risk

The first meta-analysis of its kind has shown a conclusive link between older adults experiencing spells of dizziness and a dramatically elevated risk of falling.

18 Sep 2024

Clinical trial finds pomalidomide effective for treating rare bleeding disorder

A clinical trial supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was stopped early after researchers found sufficient evidence that a drug used to treat bone marrow cancer and Kaposi sarcoma is safe and effective in treating hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), a rare bleeding disorder that affects 1 in 5,000 people worldwide.

18 Sep 2024

Study links diabetes drugs to lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease

A class of drugs for diabetes may be associated with a lower risk of dementia and Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the September 18, 2024, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Sep 2024

Speech analysis phone app could identify early signs of hepatic encephalopathy

Research from the University of Michigan suggests that one day a phone app could be able to detect the development of hepatic encephalopathy in patients just by listening to them speak.

18 Sep 2024

Study explores microglial response to chronic hyponatremia and rapid sodium correction

Low serum sodium concentrations in blood are called hyponatremia, a prevalent clinical electrolyte disorder.

18 Sep 2024

FIFA and WHO unite to launch a concussion awareness initiative

In line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023–2027 and following on from the announcement at the IFAB AGM in March 2024, FIFA is launching Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk, a concussion awareness campaign, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).

18 Sep 2024

$1 million grant awarded to explore myelin repair mechanisms in multiple sclerosis

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society (USA) has awarded a grant of 1 million dollars to Dr. Isabel Pérez-Otaño, who leads the Plasticity and Remodeling of Neural Circuits laboratory at the Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) of Elche.

18 Sep 2024