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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 analyzes racial disparities in end-of-life care

In a new medical records analysis of racial disparities in end-of-life care, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and three collaborating institutions report that Black patients voluntarily seek substantially more intensive treatment.

29 Oct 2020

Physicists find way to circumvent an old theory to cancel magnetic fields remotely

A team of scientists including two physicists at the University of Sussex has found a way to circumvent a 178-year old theory which means they can effectively cancel magnetic fields at a distance.

29 Oct 2020

Researchers develop guidelines to standardize performance tests for neural interfaces

How can scientists measure and define the performance of neural electrodes if there are no uniform standards? Freiburg microsystems engineer Dr. Maria Asplund together with Dr. Christian Böhler and Prof. Dr. Thomas Stieglitz, as well as Prof. Dr. Luciano Fadiga and Dr. Stefano Carli from the Italian Institute of Technology at the University of Ferrara, Italy, have developed guidelines to standardize the testing of the performance of electrodes for neural interfaces and bioelectronic systems.

29 Oct 2020

Research program aims to thwart prion-like spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease

Tangles of misfolded tau proteins in the brain are closely associated with memory loss in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In order for this tau pathology to spread, the protein must interact with heparan sulfate, a sugar molecule found on the surface of neurons.

28 Oct 2020

Study finds no association between leisure activities and lower dementia risk

Studies have suggested that taking part in leisure activities such as playing cards or gardening may be associated with a lower risk of developing dementia.

28 Oct 2020

Antiseizure drug use during pregnancy linked with double the risk of having children with autism

Women with epilepsy who take the antiseizure drug valproic acid while pregnant are at more than double the risk of having children with autism spectrum disorder and nearly double the risk of having children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study in the October 28, 2020, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Oct 2020

Researchers reduce positional error in brain-controlled robot arms

By measuring brain signals and implementing a clever feedback scheme, researchers from India and the UK have reduced the positional error in brain-controlled robot arms by a factor of 10, paving the way to greatly enhancing the quality of life for people suffering from strokes and neuro-muscular disorders.

28 Oct 2020

Brain-computer interface enables patients with severe paralysis to resume daily tasks

Researchers demonstrated the success of a fully implantable wireless medical device, the Stentrode™ brain-computer interface (BCI), designed to allow patients with severe paralysis to resume daily tasks -- including texting, emailing, shopping and banking online -- without the need for open brain surgery.

28 Oct 2020

A systematic review and meta-analysis of stroke in COVID-19 patients

Fourteen out of every 1,000 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospital experience a stroke, a rate that is even higher in older patients and those with severe infection and pre-existing vascular conditions, according to a report published this week.

28 Oct 2020

New portable arm rehabilitation device launched to help patients perform robot-aided therapy at home

A new portable arm rehabilitation robot will help patients to carry out robot-aided therapy at home, allowing them to perform intensive exercises without visiting hospitals or clinics, which can possibly reduce the risk of exposure to infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

28 Oct 2020

Cognitive disorders associated with risk for developing severe COVID-19

Dementia and other cognitive disorders now appear to be risk factors for developing severe COVID-19, according to research from the University of Georgia. The findings highlight the need for special care for populations with these preexisting conditions during the pandemic.

28 Oct 2020

Sleep could be targeted to improve post-stroke recovery, study shows

Until today neurorehabilitation is the only approach that promotes recovery after stroke. Researchers at the Neurology Department of the University of Bern and Inselspital have provided first evidence that sleep could be targeted to improve post-stroke recovery.

28 Oct 2020

Grant programs will provide $2.2 million to support biomedical research on healthy aging

The Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and the American Federation for Aging Research announce the 2020 recipients of three grant programs: the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grants for Junior Faculty, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Postdoctoral Fellowships in Aging Research, and the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research Breakthroughs in Gerontology Awards.

28 Oct 2020

Novel mechanism increases arterial diameter, allows increased inflow

Upon a heart infarct or stroke, rapid restoration of blood flow, and oxygen delivery to the hypoperfused regions is of eminent importance to prevent further damage to the heart or brain. Arterial diameter is a critical determinant of blood flow conductance.

28 Oct 2020

Researchers describe factors that reduce placenta's capacity to protect fetus from zika virus

Genetic factors that reduce the placenta's capacity to protect the fetus from the zika virus are described by Brazilian researchers in an article published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases.

28 Oct 2020

Scripps Research professor receives prestigious award for advocacy efforts

Courtney Miller, PhD, an associate professor in the departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience at Scripps Research, has been awarded the Louise Hanson Marshall Special Recognition Award from the Society for Neuroscience for her efforts promoting women in science.

28 Oct 2020

Foods rich in omega-3 EPA & ALA improve outcomes in people who suffered serious heart attack

A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that regular consumption of foods rich in omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), found in marine foods like fatty fish, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), found in plant foods like walnuts, was associated with improved outcomes in individuals who suffered a heart attack, including decreased risk of death.

28 Oct 2020

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Study analyzes racial disparities in end-of-life care

Physicists find way to circumvent an old theory to cancel magnetic fields remotely

Researchers develop guidelines to standardize performance tests for neural interfaces

Research program aims to thwart prion-like spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease

Study finds no association between leisure activities and lower dementia risk

Antiseizure drug use during pregnancy linked with double the risk of having children with autism

Researchers reduce positional error in brain-controlled robot arms

Brain-computer interface enables patients with severe paralysis to resume daily tasks

A systematic review and meta-analysis of stroke in COVID-19 patients

New portable arm rehabilitation device launched to help patients perform robot-aided therapy at home

Cognitive disorders associated with risk for developing severe COVID-19

Sleep could be targeted to improve post-stroke recovery, study shows

Grant programs will provide $2.2 million to support biomedical research on healthy aging

Novel mechanism increases arterial diameter, allows increased inflow

Researchers describe factors that reduce placenta's capacity to protect fetus from zika virus

Scripps Research professor receives prestigious award for advocacy efforts

Foods rich in omega-3 EPA & ALA improve outcomes in people who suffered serious heart attack

Ultramicroscopy helps visualize tumor tissues in three dimensions

Study: Four in 10 people with advanced multiple sclerosis are emotionally abused by caregivers

High dose of radiation eliminates brain tumors in mice without key side effects

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

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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