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.

Balanced IV fluids can reduce death risk for critically ill patients

Results of a new meta-analysis in shows that intravenous fluid (IV) therapy using balanced solutions rather than commonly used saline can reduce the risk of in-hospital death of critically ill patients by four percent.

30 Nov 2023

Slow brain waves during wakefulness may protect against epilepsy

Slow waves that usually only occur in the brain during sleep are also present during wakefulness in people with epilepsy and may protect against increased brain excitability associated with the condition, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL.

30 Nov 2023

Cannabis and alcohol co-use disrupts brain development and impairs memory

The increased legalization of cannabis over the past several years can potentially increase its co-use with alcohol. Concerningly, very few studies have looked at the effects of these two drugs when used in combination.

30 Nov 2023

PTSD brain activity differs from normal memory formation

It is well known that people who have lived through traumatic events like sexual assault, domestic abuse, or violent combat can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including terrifying flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the incident.

30 Nov 2023

Study finds top three classes of medications more effective than ibuprofen for treating migraine attacks

For many people with migraine, it can be difficult to find a treatment that is effective and reliable, and information on how medications compare to one another is lacking.

29 Nov 2023

Study shows basketball playing sharpens manual dexterity in kids

A study in Scientific Reports reveals that playing basketball significantly enhances manual dexterity in children, outperforming other sports and non-sport activities. The research highlights basketball's unique demands for hand-eye coordination and motor skills, suggesting its potential as an effective, non-clinical method to improve manual dexterity in young individuals.

29 Nov 2023

Regular exercise can improve cognitive and physical, health of adults with Down syndrome

An exploratory study has shown that light, regular exercise can improve the cognitive, as well as physical, health of adults with Down syndrome.

29 Nov 2023

Routine thyroid hormone treatment for organ donors ineffective and potentially harmful

Doctors managing deceased organ donors routinely treat the donors' bodies with thyroid hormones in a bid to preserve heart function and increase the quantity and quality of hearts and other organs available for transplantation.

29 Nov 2023

Novel TMS protocol shows promise for treating hard-to-treat depression

By making slight modifications to an already approved brain stimulation technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), researchers have reported profound improvement in patients with hard-to-treat depression.

29 Nov 2023

Abnormally high levels of 'good cholesterol' linked to elevated risk of dementia in older adults

Abnormally high levels of HDL-C, colloquially known as 'good cholesterol', are associated with an increased risk of dementia in older adults, a Monash University-led study has found.

29 Nov 2023

Science tackles mental health: New tools against anxiety and depression in a stressed world

This review in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences discusses the role of scientific tools in combating mental health disorders like anxiety, MDD, and PTSD, emphasizing the need for a deep scientific understanding and diverse treatment approaches in the face of a global surge in psychological stress. The study explores stress biology, treatment strategies, and the importance of personalized scientific approaches to effectively address the mental health crisis.

29 Nov 2023

Deep brain, multipurpose fiber could revolutionize Alzheimer's research

Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer's disease, a devastating form of dementia that affects 6.2 million Americans.

29 Nov 2023

Research paves way for clinical trials of existing drugs for brain metastasis

The largest review of papers for brain cancer that has spread from the lungs has found abnormalities in the brain cancer and for which licensed drugs could be clinically trialled to find out if they could treat the disease.

29 Nov 2023

New insights into evolution of the “little brain”

The evolution of higher cognitive functions in human beings has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex – a region of the brain that is responsible, inter alia, for conscious thought, movement and sensory perception.

29 Nov 2023

Study uncovers cell signaling pathway that regulates melanoma brain metastasis

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer because of its ability to quickly grow and spread throughout the body.

29 Nov 2023

Mechanically reprogrammed connective tissue cells can promote wound healing

Researchers at PSI and ETH Zurich have taken connective tissue cells that have been mechanically reprogrammed to resemble stem cells and transplanted them into damaged skin.

29 Nov 2023

Targeting personality traits could be a way to reduce dementia risk

People with personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with neuroticism and negative affect, according to a new analysis by researchers at the University of California, Davis and Northwestern University.

29 Nov 2023

Study finds link between early coronary heart disease and dementia

Adults diagnosed with coronary heart disease, especially before the age of 45, may be at increased risk of developing dementia, Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia later in life, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

29 Nov 2023

AI may lead to more objective ADHD diagnosis

Using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze specialized brain MRI scans of adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers found significant differences in nine brain white matter tracts in individuals with ADHD.

29 Nov 2023

OCD therapy reshapes brain connectivity for better cognitive control

A first-line therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) reshapes connectivity of the brain, according to a new study in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, published by Elsevier.

29 Nov 2023