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 a novel marker of adult human neural stem cells

The mammalian center for learning and memory, hippocampus, has a remarkable capacity to generate new neurons throughout life. Newborn neurons are produced by neural stem cells (NSCs) and they are crucial for forming neural circuits required for learning and memory, and mood control.

24 Mar 2021

Researchers examine acriflavine's antiviral potential against SARS-CoV-2

Acriflavine is traditionally employed as a topical antiseptic, though has more recently been implicated as an antiviral agent at low doses, potentially by stimulating the production of interferon. In a new study recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, the application of the drug to SARS-CoV-2 infection is investigated, demonstrating a broad activity towards a range of other betacoronaviruses.

24 Mar 2021

Persistent loneliness during midlife can increase risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease

Being persistently lonely during midlife (ages 45-64) appears to make people more likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer's Disease (AD) later in life. However, people who recover from loneliness, appear to be less likely to suffer from dementia, compared to people who have never felt lonely.

24 Mar 2021

Sargramostim drug can also improve memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease

A new study suggests that Sargramostim, a medication often used to boost white blood cells after cancer treatments, is also effective in treating and improving memory in people with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

24 Mar 2021

Neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in mice depend on Fc effector function

A new study reports the essential nature of Fc-mediated functionalities in determining the efficacy of such antibodies.

24 Mar 2021

Communication between the brain’s auditory and reward circuits underpins music-induced pleasure

Communication between the brain’s auditory and reward circuits is the reason why humans find music rewarding, according to new research published in JNeurosci.

24 Mar 2021

How do fingerprints enhance our sense of touch?

Dr. Ewa Jarocka speaks to News-Medical about our senses, and how fingerprints can enhance our sense of touch.

24 Mar 2021

Researchers discover a gene mutation linked to schizophrenia

Researchers at The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, in collaboration with Columbia University, have identified a gene mutation that could result in schizophrenia, a chronic brain disorder that affects nearly one percent of the world’s population. T

24 Mar 2021

Novel gene therapy reprograms glioma cells into functional neurons

Glioma is a fatal neurological disorder that has limited interventional treatment, despite extensive research over the past several decades.

24 Mar 2021

CureVac's COVID-19 vaccine protects mice against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants

The CVnCoV mRNA vaccine showed neutralizing antibody levels and completely protected mice infected with the B.1.351 variant. No viral genomes were seen in oral swabs, lungs, or brain.

23 Mar 2021

Pilot study finds Bartonella infection in the blood of people with schizophrenia

A pilot study from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found evidence of Bartonella infection in the blood of people with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

23 Mar 2021

Changes in OASI gene expression increases risk of Alzheimer's and severe COVID-19 infection

Previous research identified the interferon-responsive OAS1 gene as a risk gene for Alzheimer's disease. OAS1 is an enzyme that binds to double-stranded RNA and induces the conformation to create oligoadenylates. They also activate RNase L to break down RNA.

23 Mar 2021

Research identifies ways to prevent coronavirus spread to the nervous system

A number of studies have shown that human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19, appear to attack neurons and the nervous system in vulnerable populations.

23 Mar 2021

Artificial neural network for automatically decoding and interpreting cortical signals

Russian scientists have proposed a new algorithm for automatic decoding and interpreting the decoder weights, which can be used both in brain-computer interfaces and in fundamental research. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Neural Engineering.

23 Mar 2021

‘Zombie’ cells come to life after the death of the brain

In the hours after we die, certain cells in the human brain are still active. Some cells even increase their activity and grow to gargantuan proportions, according to new research from the University of Illinois Chicago.

23 Mar 2021

Gene responsible for cholesterol dysregulation in brain cancer cells could be a target for future drugs

Most people relate cholesterol to heart health, but it is also a critical component in the growth and spread of brain cancer.

23 Mar 2021

Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, study shows

It's not just your legs and heart that get a workout when you walk briskly; exercise affects your brain as well. A new study by researchers at UT Southwestern shows that when older adults with mild memory loss followed an exercise program for a year, the blood flow to their brains increased.

23 Mar 2021