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.

New neuroprosthetic technology combines robotic control with users’ voluntary control

EPFL scientists are developing new approaches for improved control of robotic hands - in particular for amputees - that combines individual finger control and automation for improved grasping and manipulation.

11 Sep 2019

Calcium channel blockers may help effectively treat memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia but the changes in brain cell function underlying memory loss remains poorly understood.

11 Sep 2019

Researchers identify mechanism responsible for spatial issues in people with Down syndrome

Researchers reveal that an imbalance of gene Grik1 is behind the spatial issues that people with Down syndrome experience.

11 Sep 2019

Study provides important insights into music processing by the brain

Scientists have observed how the human brain represents a familiar piece of music, according to research published in JNeurosci. Their results suggest that listening and remembering music involve different cognitive processes.

11 Sep 2019

EEG slowing may be a valuable biomarker for delirium severity

An EEG (electroencephalogram) can provide a valuable biomarker for detecting delirium, a serious mental disturbance that is often underrecognized, as well as predicting poor clinical outcomes, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital have found.

11 Sep 2019

Existing drug could be used to 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.

11 Sep 2019

Genetic engineering could open possibilities for patients with Parkinson’s disease

People with Parkinson’s disease experience loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, leading to tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability, the primary symptoms of the disease.

11 Sep 2019

Brain circuit regulates individual responses to temptation cues, rat study finds

Differences in a key brain circuit may suggest why some individuals are less able than others to resist tempting cues, according to a study in rats published today in eLife.

11 Sep 2019

Developing next generation treatment to counteract opioid addiction

There are many moments in the human experience when tragedy elicits not only compassion, but inspiration. When Mike Zhang heard the story of a mother whose son died of an opioid overdose just one month after the teenager's introduction to the drug at a party, the Virginia Tech researcher wanted to help.

11 Sep 2019

Brain-computer interface: huge potential benefits and formidable challenges

A new Royal Society report called “iHuman: blurring lines between mind and machine” is for the first time systematically exploring whether it is “right” or not to use neural interfaces – machines implanted in or worn over the body to pick up or stimulate nervous activity in the brain or other parts of the nervous system.

11 Sep 2019

Scientists find a link between brain’s emotion circuit and movement

The brain is a powerful organ that controls all the body processes, including movement. In some athletes, however, they usually experience a phenomenon called “choking,” wherein their performance rapidly declines when they’re under a lot of pressure.

11 Sep 2019

Novel technology makes biopsies less invasive and more informative

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore has developed a novel technology that could sensitively and accurately detect and classify cancer cells, as well as determine the disease aggressiveness from the least invasive biopsies.

10 Sep 2019

Brown and Hebrew SeniorLife receive federal grant to enable expansion of Alzheimer's research

The National Institute on Aging has awarded a five-year grant expected to total $53.4 million to Brown University and Boston-based Hebrew SeniorLife to lead a nationwide effort to improve health care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, as well as their caregivers.

10 Sep 2019

Supercooling helps preserve human transplant organs longer

Now a new supercooling technique for human organs promises to extend the period from the moment of removal to 1.5 days rather than just a few hours. This provides a useful window of time within which transplant teams and patients can hope to get a viable organ.

10 Sep 2019

Memory-protective drug for Alzheimer’s on the horizon

Scientists have come up with a new drug which could prevent patients with features of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from suffering memory loss and brain damage.

10 Sep 2019

Move better, think faster - A fitter body sharpens the mind

A large German study that has just been presented at the Copenhagen ECNP Congress shows that in young adults, the fitter you are, the better your brain works and is organized, too. This could possibly mean that helping people with impaired thinking and memory to become fit could help boost their cognitive functioning. It could also help enhance brain structure.

10 Sep 2019

Genetic testing may help patients with metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer is a condition wherein the cells in the breast grow uncontrollably. Breast cancer can spread to the other parts of the body, termed as metastatic breast cancer. It is one of the most aggressive and potentially deadly types of cancer.

10 Sep 2019

Scientists unveil key brain cells that suppress drug cravings

Illicit drug use has been linked to disability, death, and the risk for many diseases. But more, it is associated with risks to the person’s family, friends, and the community.

10 Sep 2019

Kazan Federal University and Mayo Clinic implement novel spinal cord stimulation device

Three patients took part in clinical research - neuromodulators were implanted in their bodies below the level of injury. The work is a continuation of a research published in Nature Medicine in 2018.

10 Sep 2019

Nanocapsules packed with gene-editing tools could be promising platform for many gene therapies

New tools for editing genetic code offer hope for new treatments for inherited diseases, some cancers, and even stubborn viral infections. But the typical method for delivering gene therapies to specific tissues in the body can be complicated and may cause troubling side effects.

10 Sep 2019

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

New neuroprosthetic technology combines robotic control with users’ voluntary control

Calcium channel blockers may help effectively treat memory loss in Alzheimer's disease

Researchers identify mechanism responsible for spatial issues in people with Down syndrome

Study provides important insights into music processing by the brain

EEG slowing may be a valuable biomarker for delirium severity

Existing drug could be used to treat glioblastoma

Genetic engineering could open possibilities for patients with Parkinson’s disease

Brain circuit regulates individual responses to temptation cues, rat study finds

Developing next generation treatment to counteract opioid addiction

Brain-computer interface: huge potential benefits and formidable challenges

Scientists find a link between brain’s emotion circuit and movement

Novel technology makes biopsies less invasive and more informative

Brown and Hebrew SeniorLife receive federal grant to enable expansion of Alzheimer's research

Supercooling helps preserve human transplant organs longer

Memory-protective drug for Alzheimer’s on the horizon

Move better, think faster - A fitter body sharpens the mind

Genetic testing may help patients with metastatic breast cancer

Scientists unveil key brain cells that suppress drug cravings

Kazan Federal University and Mayo Clinic implement novel spinal cord stimulation device

Nanocapsules packed with gene-editing tools could be promising platform for many gene therapies

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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