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.

Study: Exposure to air particulate matter impairs metabolism of olfactory mucosal cells

Exposure to air particulate matter impairs the metabolism of olfactory mucosal cells, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland. The results can contribute to a better understanding of how air pollutants may harm brain health, as the olfactory mucosa can act as a key pathway to the brain.

15 Jun 2020

Biomarkers needed to support the diagnosis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Biomarkers to support the diagnosis of frontotemporal lobar degeneration and to assess the severity and expected prognosis of the disease are needed.

15 Jun 2020

Creating the first 3D neural map of a heart

News-Medical spoke to Dr. Vadigepalli and Dr. Schwaber about their groundbreaking research in which they managed to map the neurons in the heart.

15 Jun 2020

A teen’s death from COVID

It started as a normal day. Dawn Guest, 54, got up and headed out to her job as a nurse around 5 a.m. She heard her 16-year-old son, Andre, stirring in his room, but he had always been an earlier riser, even when his school was shut for COVID-19.

15 Jun 2020

Experts recommend tweezers to protect children from ticks

Not all bloodsuckers are created equal in parents' eyes. When it comes to bug bites, parents are twice as likely to be concerned about ticks as they are about mosquitoes transmitting disease, a new national poll finds.

15 Jun 2020

New MRI techniques can improve outcomes in patients with Parkinson's disease

Recently developed MRI techniques used to more precisely target a small area in the brain linked to Parkinson's disease and essential tremor may lead to better outcomes without surgery and with less risk of negative effects, a new study led by UT Southwestern researchers suggests.

15 Jun 2020

Tuberculosis and polio vaccines may offer temporary protection against SARS-CoV-2

As the world grapples with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, scientists race to develop an effective vaccine to protect against the deadly SARS-CoV-2 virus. While potential vaccines are still being developed and tested, researchers propose that existing vaccines could give the immune system a temporary boost to ward off infection.

14 Jun 2020

Inhibitory interneurons cause excitation in the developing brain

Brain function depends on inhibitory cells that balance or 'brake' excitation. These neurons allow the brain to process information and also prevent runaway seizures.

12 Jun 2020

Case series: COVID-19 in teriflunomide-treated patients with MS

During the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and their clinicians have had questions and concerns about whether immunotherapies for MS could influence risk for infection or lead to an unfavorable outcome.

12 Jun 2020

Silicone molecules may induce cell death in human cells

Silicone molecules from breast implants can initiate processes in human cells that lead to cell death. Researchers from Radboud University have demonstrated this in a new study that will be published on 12 June in Scientific Reports.

12 Jun 2020

Activating specific brain cells can trigger hibernation-like state in mice

In Sci-Fi movies, astronauts often enter an inactive state in "hibernation chambers" to cross the vastness of space.

12 Jun 2020

MGH researchers identify key mechanism in X chromosome inactivation

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have identified a key mechanism in X chromosome inactivation, a phenomenon that may hold clues that lead to treatments for certain rare congenital disorders.

12 Jun 2020

Creative solutions may offer new opportunities to address the shortage of geriatricians

Geriatrics is the field of health care focused on care for older adults. Experts suggest that our current geriatrics workforce needs better prepared to care for the 5.7 million people living with dementia in this country.

12 Jun 2020

Study shows how a nervous system coordinates distinct behavioral outputs

For a nematode worm, a big lawn of the bacteria that it eats is a great place for it to disperse its eggs so that each hatchling can emerge into a nutritive environment.

11 Jun 2020

New computational system to understand how the brain works

Accelerating progress in neuroscience is helping us understand the big picture--how animals behave and which brain areas are involved in bringing about these behaviors--and also the small picture--how molecules, neurons, and synapses interact.

11 Jun 2020

Researchers use human stem cell models to analyze degeneration in glaucoma

More than 3 million Americans have glaucoma, a serious eye condition causing vision loss. Using human stem cell models, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine found they could analyze deficits within cells damaged by glaucoma, with the potential to use this information to develop new strategies to slow the disease process.

11 Jun 2020