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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.

Scientists address a bottleneck in the protein trafficking system

Proteins are the essential substrate of learning and memory. However, while memories can last a life-time, proteins are relatively short-lived molecules that need to be replenished every couple of days.

23 Nov 2020

Study shows BICRA gene functions in neural development in humans, flies

Physicians and scientists are constantly on the lookout for new disease genes that can help them understand why patients have undiagnosed medical problems.

23 Nov 2020

Researchers are working on new project to develop brain implant for blind people

Implanting a device into the brain to generate a rough perception of sight for people with blindness may sound like the stuff of science fiction, but researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas and partner institutions aim to make that vision a reality.

23 Nov 2020

Researchers develop a new sensor to measure weak magnetic signals in the brain

Scientists at the University of Birmingham have developed a new sensor to measure weak magnetic signals in the brain, which has the potential to increase understanding of connectivity in the brain, and detect signs of traumatic brain injury, dementia and schizophrenia.

23 Nov 2020

New link found between Alzheimer's dementia and Dlgap2 gene

A gene known for helping facilitate communication between neurons in the nervous system has been discovered to be connected with Alzheimer's dementia and cognitive decline, according to a national research team led by The Jackson Laboratory and University of Maine.

23 Nov 2020

OHIO professor shines light on concussion risk in performing artists

Dr. Jeff Russell, associate professor of athletic training within the College of Health Sciences and Professions at Ohio University, is shining a light on a segment of concussion patients who often go unnoticed in comparison to athletes: performing artists.

23 Nov 2020

Molecular action of tarantula toxin may hold clues to better control of chronic pain

Oversized, hairy tarantulas may be unsightly and venomous, but surprisingly their hunter toxin may hold answers to better control of chronic pain.

23 Nov 2020

UNC scientists find brain cells that help drive arousal responses to strong emotions

Strong emotions such as fear and anxiety tend to be accompanied and reinforced by measurable bodily changes including increased blood pressure, heart rate and respiration, and dilation of the eyes' pupils. These so-called "physiological arousal responses" are often abnormally high or low in psychiatric illnesses such as anxiety disorders and depression.

23 Nov 2020

Targeting excessive calcium may provide a new way to improve outcomes in stroke patients

Excessive calcium contributes to harmful inflammation in ischemic stroke, and targeting it may provide doctors with a new way to improve patient outcomes, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests.

23 Nov 2020

Leptin plays a strong role in controlling the body weight of children

Young children of African ancestry are more at risk of developing obesity if they possess a genetic variant that reduces their ability to produce the hormone leptin.

23 Nov 2020

Novel targeted therapy blocks metabolic pathways in cancer cells with specific genetic defects

Researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a novel targeted therapy, called POMHEX, which blocks critical metabolic pathways in cancer cells with specific genetic defects.

23 Nov 2020

Nasal dryness could be an early warning sign of COVID-19

A new study published by an international team of researchers on the preprint medRxiv* server in November 2020 details the nasal symptoms that are associated with anosmia and ageusia (loss of smell and taste) in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), including the early warning signs of infection.

23 Nov 2020

Anxiety may help to progress Alzheimer’s disease

The results of a new study reveal the link between increased levels of anxiety and an elevated rate of progression to Alzheimer's disease.

23 Nov 2020

Research can bring new possibilities for earlier diagnosis, preventive treatment of dementia

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden have studied the incidence and regional distribution of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in the brains of people with Down's syndrome.

23 Nov 2020

Researchers discover mechanism by which abnormal proteins unleash toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases

Thanks to modern medicine, humans tend to live much longer than before. Unfortunately, this also opens a wider window to develop chronic diseases with late onset, such as neurodegenerative diseases.

23 Nov 2020

International trialists receive prestigious award for research on low-dose aspirin

The international trialists Professors Lars Wallentin, Jan van Gijn, Bo Norrving and Tom Meade were recognized for their work on low-dose aspirin, with the presentation of the International Aspirin Foundation Senior Science Award.

22 Nov 2020

COVID-19 potentially has negative impacts on male fertility

A review recently published in the Journal of Medical Virology has discussed some of the effects that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – may have on male fertility.

22 Nov 2020

Inflammatory factors that aggravate COVID-19 may come from adipose tissue

There is growing evidence that adipose tissue plays a key role in the aggravation of COVID-19. One of the theories under investigation is that fat cells (adipocytes) act as a reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 and increase viral load in obese or overweight individuals.

20 Nov 2020

Researchers receive $8.3 million NIH grant to illuminate the causes of spina bifida

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, in collaboration with Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine, have been awarded a five-year, $8.3 million grant from the National Institutes of Health's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to further illuminate the causes of spina bifida, the most common structural defect of the central nervous system.

20 Nov 2020

Scientists investigate how cell membrane and COVID-19 virus impact each other

The cell membrane is the cell's outermost line of defense against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 disease.

20 Nov 2020

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Scientists address a bottleneck in the protein trafficking system

Study shows BICRA gene functions in neural development in humans, flies

Researchers are working on new project to develop brain implant for blind people

Researchers develop a new sensor to measure weak magnetic signals in the brain

New link found between Alzheimer's dementia and Dlgap2 gene

OHIO professor shines light on concussion risk in performing artists

Molecular action of tarantula toxin may hold clues to better control of chronic pain

UNC scientists find brain cells that help drive arousal responses to strong emotions

Targeting excessive calcium may provide a new way to improve outcomes in stroke patients

Leptin plays a strong role in controlling the body weight of children

Novel targeted therapy blocks metabolic pathways in cancer cells with specific genetic defects

Nasal dryness could be an early warning sign of COVID-19

Anxiety may help to progress Alzheimer’s disease

Research can bring new possibilities for earlier diagnosis, preventive treatment of dementia

Researchers discover mechanism by which abnormal proteins unleash toxicity in neurodegenerative diseases

International trialists receive prestigious award for research on low-dose aspirin

COVID-19 potentially has negative impacts on male fertility

Inflammatory factors that aggravate COVID-19 may come from adipose tissue

Researchers receive $8.3 million NIH grant to illuminate the causes of spina bifida

Scientists investigate how cell membrane and COVID-19 virus impact each other

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

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Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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