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.

Discovery opens up new opportunities to understand the genetics of cancer

University of Delaware molecular biologist Mona Batish and collaborators at Harvard Medical School and University of California, Los Angeles, have identified a new circular ribonucleic acid (RNA) that increases tumor activity in soft tissue and connective tissue tumors.

13 Sep 2019

Abnormal gut bacteria linked to poor cognitive performance in vets with PTSD and cirrhosis

A study involving military veterans with PTSD and cirrhosis of the liver points to an abnormal mix of bacteria in the intestines as a possible driver of poor cognitive performance--and as a potential target for therapy.

13 Sep 2019

Study reveals how breast cancer uses exosomes to metastasize to the brain

Metastasizing breast cancers typically seek out the bones, lung, and brain. Brain metastases are especially dangerous; many women survive for less than a year after diagnosis. How is the cancer able to get past the blood brain barrier? And can it be blocked?

13 Sep 2019

Antibiotic-impregnated shunt could prevent hydrocephalus infections, save millions

A new study reported that using shunt tubing impregnated with two common antibiotics is effective in preventing infection after brain surgery to relieve hydrocephalus. This simple but highly effective practice could save millions of pounds, prevent devastating brain damage, and shorten hospital stay and antibiotic use duration.

13 Sep 2019

Surgery crucial for people with drug-resistant epilepsy

Epilepsy is a chronic, central nervous system or neurological disorder wherein the brain activity becomes impaired, leading to seizures. In some cases, it leads to periods of unusual behavior, loss of awareness, or altered sensations.

12 Sep 2019

Virginia Tech scientist receives American Heart Association award to study stroke recovery

When someone has an ischemic stroke, doctors work swiftly to remove the arterial blockage and restore blood flow to the brain. But sometimes even once the blockage is removed, there's lasting - sometimes fatal - damage.

12 Sep 2019

New gene therapy helps stroke patients develop new neurons

Ischemic stroke is a condition in which parts of the brain lose their blood supply, causing nerve damage. Once brain tissue suffers irreparable harm, the patient will experience irreversible disability or death, depending on the extent of neuronal loss.

12 Sep 2019

Study provides new insights into how astrocytes help the brain process information

A collaboration between the laboratories of Vincent Bonin (NERF, empowered by VIB, imec and KU Leuven) and Matthew Holt (VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research) reveals that noradrenaline plays a key role in how astrocytes - star-shaped cells in the brain closely associated with neurons - track distinct information during behavior.

12 Sep 2019

Habitual tea drinking improves brain health, study shows

A recent study led by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) revealed that regular tea drinkers have better organized brain regions – and this is associated with healthy cognitive function – compared to non-tea drinkers.

12 Sep 2019

Scientists discover major regulator of schizophrenia that is active during early development

Researchers have discovered a gene that acts as a master regulator of schizophrenia during the early stages of human brain development.

12 Sep 2019

Research reveals new molecular mechanisms that contribute to plasticity of the adult brain

The team's findings describe for the first time the changes that take place in the genetic material of excitatory neurons in the hippocampus of adult mice when they activate.

12 Sep 2019

Optimal strategy for making multi-alternative decisions

Our brains are constantly faced with different choices: Should I have a chocolate éclair or macaroon? Should I take the bus or go by car? What should I wear: a woolen sweater or one made of cashmere? When the difference in quality between two choices is great, the choice is made very quickly.

12 Sep 2019

Asia-Pacific’s eminent minds to showcase latest breakthroughs in stroke research

More than 450 of the Asia-Pacific’s eminent minds in stroke will converge on Canberra this week to showcase the latest breakthroughs in research contributing to our understanding of stroke.

12 Sep 2019

Researchers discover mechanism that enables skillful fingering of pianists

In Japan Science and Technology Agency's Strategic Basic Research Programs, Dr. Masato Hirano of Sony Computer Science Laboratories and his colleagues discovered a sensorimotor function integration mechanism that enables the skillful fingering of pianists.

12 Sep 2019

Scientists identify molecule that plays key role in determining fate of cells under stress

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have identified a molecule that plays a pivotal role in determining the fate of cells under stress, much like a Roman emperor deciding the fate of gladiators in the coliseum.

12 Sep 2019

Insulin drug could treat glioblastoma

A research team from the University of Georgia's Regenerative Bioscience Center has found that a compound molecule used for drug delivery of insulin could be used to treat glioblastoma, an aggressive, usually fatal form of brain cancer.

12 Sep 2019

A gene that acts as master regulator of schizophrenia identified

Using computational tools to investigate gene transcription networks in large collections of brain tissues, a scientific team has identified a gene that acts as a master regulator of schizophrenia during early human brain development.

11 Sep 2019

Brain changes may help track people most likely to develop dementia

Even before dementia diagnosis, people with mild cognitive impairment may have different changes in the brain depending on what type of dementia they have, according to a study published in the September 11, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Sep 2019

Pupil dilation provides clues to future Alzheimer’s risk

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the quality of life of those affected by the disease. The most common form of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease negatively impacts thinking, memory, behavior. Currently, there is no cure for Alzheimer’s disease but treatments can slow its progression.

11 Sep 2019

Novel protein biomarker can help improve dementia risk prediction

Identifying those who are at risk of dementia, a type of neurodegenerative disease, is crucial for early treatment and development of new therapies, a new study suggests.

11 Sep 2019

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Discovery opens up new opportunities to understand the genetics of cancer

Abnormal gut bacteria linked to poor cognitive performance in vets with PTSD and cirrhosis

Study reveals how breast cancer uses exosomes to metastasize to the brain

Antibiotic-impregnated shunt could prevent hydrocephalus infections, save millions

Surgery crucial for people with drug-resistant epilepsy

Virginia Tech scientist receives American Heart Association award to study stroke recovery

New gene therapy helps stroke patients develop new neurons

Study provides new insights into how astrocytes help the brain process information

Habitual tea drinking improves brain health, study shows

Scientists discover major regulator of schizophrenia that is active during early development

Research reveals new molecular mechanisms that contribute to plasticity of the adult brain

Optimal strategy for making multi-alternative decisions

Asia-Pacific’s eminent minds to showcase latest breakthroughs in stroke research

Researchers discover mechanism that enables skillful fingering of pianists

Scientists identify molecule that plays key role in determining fate of cells under stress

Insulin drug could treat glioblastoma

A gene that acts as master regulator of schizophrenia identified

Brain changes may help track people most likely to develop dementia

Pupil dilation provides clues to future Alzheimer’s risk

Novel protein biomarker can help improve dementia risk prediction

Industry Focus eBook - Neurology/Neuroscience - 2nd 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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