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.

Advancing towards 100% effective herpes vaccine

Genital herpes, caused by the herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) is a very common sexually transmitted infection (STI). It affects 14% of Americans aged 15-49 years. There is no herpes vaccine at present. Many failed attempts at vaccine production have centered around HSV proteins.

23 Sep 2019

Perturbed genes regulating white blood cells related to ASD genetics and symptom severity

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine say they are getting closer to identifying the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and biomarkers that can aid in early diagnosis and predictions of symptom severity.

23 Sep 2019

New finding could become glioblastoma’s Achilles heel

Glioblastoma is the most frequent and aggressive brain cancer due to its ability to escape the immune system. However, the way in which this tumor manages to induce this immune tolerance was not known in detail.

23 Sep 2019

Study highlights importance of MRI in helping diagnose minor strokes

A University of Calgary-led international study is highlighting the importance of magnetic resonance imaging in helping to diagnose minor stroke and transient ischemic attacks.

23 Sep 2019

Gene regulators work together to raise individual's risk of schizophrenia

Researchers have discovered that gene expression regulators work together to raise an individual's risk of developing schizophrenia.

23 Sep 2019

Mount Sinai announces creation of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute

The Mount Sinai Health System announced the creation of the Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Institute, the first of its kind in New York City, and one of a few in the world.

23 Sep 2019

New discovery may revolutionize treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have discovered that the spreading of seizures through the brain can be suppressed depending on the amount of pressure within the brain, an important discovery that may revolutionize the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.

23 Sep 2019

Study reveals possible role of hormone oxytocin in hypersexual disorder

A new study of men and women with hypersexual disorder has revealed a possible role of the hormone oxytocin, according to results published in the journal Epigenetics.

23 Sep 2019

Brain scans of newborn babies made available online to advance research

The Developing Human Connectome Project has published ground-breaking MR brain scans of over 500 newborn babies, which researchers from all over the world can download and use to study how the human brain develops.

23 Sep 2019

Ruthenium probes shed new light on cause of Alzheimer's disease

Rice University researchers have found a way to track the formation of soluble amyloid beta peptide aggregates implicated in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

23 Sep 2019

Scientists discover how neural circuits play critical role in learning and memory

A University of California, Irvine-led team of scientists has discovered how newly identified neural circuits in the brain's hippocampal formation play a critical role in object-location learning and memory.

23 Sep 2019

Light-activated metal compound cuts off cancer cell's 'power source'

A space-age metal that formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs could provide a new method of treating cancer tumors selectively using light.

23 Sep 2019

Autism may be caused by 'peturbed' gene network, say scientists

Discovering the mechanisms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is closer than ever, claim researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.

23 Sep 2019

Study sheds light on mechanisms behind correlated electrical activity in neurons

"Like a book in which the single pages are not all different but carry small portions of common text, or like a group of people who whistle a very similar tune": this is how our brain cells work, say scientists. It is the phenomenon of "co-relation", in which individual neurons do not always act as independent units in receiving and transmitting information but as a group of individuals with similar and simultaneous actions.

23 Sep 2019

MRI shown to be a powerful tool in the detection and prevention of minor stroke

Recently, researchers discovered that strokes in low risk patients could be predicted and potentially even prevented using MRI.

23 Sep 2019

Version of an antibiotic drug extends survival in mice with lethal pediatric brain tumors

Versions of an antibiotic drug called DON first isolated from soil bacteria more than 60 years ago have shown promising signs of extending survival in mice models of especially lethal pediatric brain tumors marked by the high expression of a cancer-causing gene known as the MYC oncogene, according to results of two studies from researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

23 Sep 2019

Researchers use high-throughput mutagenesis approach to study ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a devastating and incurable nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control and normally death within a few years of diagnosis.

23 Sep 2019

Leukemia drug appears to be effective in treating deadly pediatric brain tumor

A drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia appears to be more effective at stopping a type of medulloblastoma in mouse models than existing treatments for the deadly pediatric brain tumor, reports a multi-institutional team led by researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at University of California San Diego.

21 Sep 2019

Researchers aim to explore effects of age, gender on brain injury mechanics

Traumatic brain injury and chronic traumatic encephalopathy have become common in athletes who suffer repeated blows to the head. Most recently, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski revealed that he had sustained about 20 concussions during his nine-year career in the National Football League.

21 Sep 2019

Open Medicare data provides critical insights on hidden costs of health care

An interdisciplinary team of Indiana University scientists studying Medicare data have found an association between health care industry payments to medical providers for non-research expenses and what these providers charge for medical services -- shedding new light on potential hidden costs to the public.

20 Sep 2019