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Patients with traumatic cervical spine injury benefit from early surgery

Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson have shown that patients who receive surgery less than 24 hours after a traumatic cervical spine injury suffer less neural tissue destruction and improved clinical outcomes.

7 Mar 2012

New research provides explanation for some of autism's mysteries

New research from Carnegie Mellon University's Marcel Just provides an explanation for some of autism's mysteries - from social and communication disorders to restricted interests - and gives scientists clear targets for developing intervention and treatment therapies.

7 Mar 2012

Left hemisphere of the brain plays a critical role in creative thinking

It takes two to tango. Two hemispheres of your brain, that is. USC researchers are working to pin down the exact source of creativity in the brain - and have found that the left hemisphere of your brain, thought to be the logic and math portion, actually plays a critical role in creative thinking.

6 Mar 2012

MicroRNAs key to memory and learning process

Studying tiny bits of genetic material that control protein formation in the brain, Johns Hopkins scientists say they have new clues to how memories are made and how drugs might someday be used to stop disruptions in the process that lead to mental illness and brain wasting diseases.

5 Mar 2012

FDA accepts Eisai's resubmission of perampanel NDA for review

Eisai Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted for review Eisai's resubmission of the New Drug Application (NDA) for perampanel (E2007), an investigational drug, for the treatment of partial-onset seizures associated with epilepsy.

5 Mar 2012

New depression treatment “safe and effective”

Stimulating the brain with a weak electrical current is a safe and effective treatment for depression and could have other surprise benefits for the body and mind, a major Australian study of transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has found.

5 Mar 2012

High blood pressure due to stress maybe due to the immune system

If stress is giving you high blood pressure, blame the immune system. T cells, helpful for fighting infections, are also necessary for mice to show an increase in blood pressure after a period of psychological stress, scientists have found.

5 Mar 2012

Certain microRNAs key to controlling actions of BDNF, linked to brain cell survival

5 Mar 2012

Young children with SDB more likely to develop neurobehavioral problems

A study of more than 11,000 children followed for over six years has found that young children with sleep-disordered breathing are prone to developing behavioral difficulties such as hyperactivity and aggressiveness, as well as emotional symptoms and difficulty with peer relationships, according to researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.

5 Mar 2012

Brain more flexible and trainable than previously thought

Opening the door to the development of thought-controlled prosthetic devices to help people with spinal cord injuries, amputations and other impairments, neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Portugal have demonstrated that the brain is more flexible and trainable than previously thought.

4 Mar 2012

Deficits in mirror neuron system contribute to social impairments in ASD

Impaired social function is a cardinal symptom of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). One of the brain circuits that enable us to relate to other people is the "mirror neuron" system. This brain circuit is activated when we watch other people, and allows our brains to represent the actions of others, influencing our ability to learn new tasks and to understand the intentions and experiences of other people.

3 Mar 2012

Researchers identify mechanism by which cannabis affects working memory

A deterioration of working memory is observed in people who consume drugs containing cannabinoid compounds found in cannabis leaves and buds. A team led by Giovanni Marsicano in collaboration with a team led by Xia Zhang, has recently identified the mechanism by which these substances affect working memory.

3 Mar 2012

Union County Commission honors KF scientist with Women of Excellence Award

Helen Genova, PhD, research scientist at Kessler Foundation, received a Women of Excellence Award in Health Sciences from the Union County Commission on the Status of Women. In the Foundation's Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Laboratory, she investigates the effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) and traumatic brain injury on cognitive function with grant funding.

3 Mar 2012

New way to culture stem cells in 3D environment

Stem cells are the body's mechanics, repairing damaged tissues and organs. Because these cells are able to grow into any type of cell in the body, scientists believe they hold the key to groundbreaking new therapies. To help further this research, scientists from the University of Victoria have found a new way to culture cells in 3D- a significant step forward for regenerative medicine.

2 Mar 2012

Pharmacological antagonist can inhibit body's response to cold

Researchers at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, in collaboration with Amgen Inc. and several academic institutions, have discovered a way to block the body's response to cold using a drug. This finding could have significant implications in treating conditions such as stroke and cardiac arrest.

2 Mar 2012

Review highlights potential strategies for treatment of Down syndrome, AD

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disorder in live born children arising as a consequence of a chromosomal abnormality. It occurs as a result of having three copies of chromosome 21, instead of the usual two. It causes substantial physical and behavioral abnormalities, including life-long cognitive dysfunction that can range from mild to severe but which further deteriorates as individuals with DS age.

2 Mar 2012

Parkinson's drug Amantadine may help brain injury victims: Study

The study shows that Amantadine helps boost brain levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter linked to arousal. And for patients who are in a vegetative state following a brain injury, the drug can help -- possibly by improving responsiveness during rehabilitation.

1 Mar 2012

CNS invites press to annual meeting in Chicago

The Cognitive Neuroscience Society (CNS) invites members of the press to attend its annual meeting, March 31- April 3, 2012, in Chicago at the Palmer House Hotel. See the latest scientific research in perception, action, memory, language - including the connections between sleep and memory, the neurological processes that govern our eating habits, and how we interpret and understand events in our lives.

1 Mar 2012

Gluten-free, casein-free diet more effective in improving ASD behaviors and symptoms

A gluten-free, casein-free diet may lead to improvements in behavior and physiological symptoms in some children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to researchers at Penn State. The research is the first to use survey data from parents to document the effectiveness of a gluten-free, casein-free diet on children with ASD.

1 Mar 2012

Researchers refute widely accepted hypothesis about causative step in ALS

In science, refuting a hypothesis can be as significant as proving one, all the more so in research aimed at elucidating how diseases proceed with a view toward preventing, treating, or curing them. Such a discovery can save scientists from spending precious years of effort exploring a dead end. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Munich-based researchers refute a widely accepted hypothesis about a causative step in neurodegenerative conditions.

1 Mar 2012