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.

Inflammation in the gut and brain may exacerbate symptoms linked with opioid withdrawal

Opioid dependence has become a national crisis with serious impact on economic and social welfare, and numerous casualties.

29 Aug 2019

Monolinguals living in a linguistically diverse environment have an edge in language learning

Numerous studies have noted the brain benefits that come from being bilingual – among them increased executive-level cognitive function and a four- to five-year delay in the risk of developing dementia symptoms.

29 Aug 2019

Parenting stress may weaken mother-child communication, study shows

A study led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore has revealed the effects of the stress of parenting in the brains of both mothers and their children.

29 Aug 2019

Claims that cesarean sections increase the risk of autism are “highly unlikely”, say experts

Recent research into over 20 million births concluded that babies born by Cesarean section are more likely to develop autism has divided the medical community.

29 Aug 2019

New optical technology heralds exciting potential for mammalian behavioral studies

In an article published in the peer-reviewed, open-access SPIE publication Neurophotonics, "A multi-site microLED optrode array for neural interfacing," researchers present an implantable optrode array capable of exciting below-surface neurons in large mammal brains at two levels, both by structured-light delivery and large-volume illumination.

29 Aug 2019

Hyperactive signaling pathway blocks cell division in the aging brain

Scientists from Basel have investigated the activity of stem cells in the brain of mice and discovered a key mechanism that controls cell proliferation.

29 Aug 2019

Researchers shed new light on how the brain constructs itself

The cerebral cortex acts as the control center of our cognitive processes. During embryogenesis, dozens of types of neurons with distinct functions come together to form the circuits that drive our thoughts and actions.

29 Aug 2019

Using 3D nanoparticle printing to fabricate ultra-high density neural probes

Carnegie Mellon University's Rahul Panat, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Eric Yttri, an assistant professor of biological sciences, have received a $1.95 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to use a low-cost, rapid additive manufacturing method to create a new class of high-density neural probes to record neurological data.

29 Aug 2019

Investigational drug reduces stuttering symptoms in open-label pilot study

A team led by a psychiatrist at the University of California, Riverside, has tested the orally administered investigational medication ecopipam on adults who stutter in an open-label, uncontrolled clinical trial and found that it reduced their stuttering symptoms from the start of therapy after eight weeks of dosing.

28 Aug 2019

Potential drug could revolutionize the treatment of neurological conditions

The international team of scientists from Gero Discovery LLC, the Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, and Nanosyn, Inc. has found a potential drug that may prevent neuronal death through glucose metabolism modification in stressed neurons.

28 Aug 2019

AAN publishes new guideline on vaccinations for people with multiple sclerosis

Can a person with multiple sclerosis get regular vaccines? According to a new guideline, the answer is yes. The guideline, developed by the American Academy of Neurology, recommends that people with MS receive recommended vaccinations, including yearly flu shots.

28 Aug 2019

UTA receives CPRIT funding to support cancer research programs

The University of Texas at Arlington received more than $2.1 million in grants from the Cancer Prevention & Research Institute of Texas to support the University's flourishing cancer research programs.

28 Aug 2019

UC San Francisco scientists identify second 'short sleep' gene after 10-year search

After a decade of searching, the UC San Francisco scientists who identified the only human gene known to promote "natural short sleep" -- lifelong, nightly sleep that lasts just four to six hours yet leaves individuals feeling fully rested -- have discovered a second.

28 Aug 2019

Cannabis use may alter gene linked to autism in male sperm

Researchers from Duke University Medical centre, Durham, USA have come up with an important study that shows that use of cannabis among men could alter a specific gene in their sperm that is linked to autism. The study titled, “Cannabis use is associated with potentially heritable widespread changes in autism candidate gene DLGAP2 DNA methylation in sperm,” and is published in the latest issue of the journal Epigenetics.

28 Aug 2019

Exposure to pesticides in the womb linked to changes in brain activity in adolescents

Pesticide exposure has been linked to many conditions, especially after long-term exposure. These chemicals can cause short-term adverse effects and in some cases, chronic adverse health effects that can emerge months or even years after exposure.

28 Aug 2019

Supervised exercise following concussion improves recovery, study suggests

After a sports-related concussion, traditional recovery recommendations have previously called for weeks or months of rest, depending on the duration of a person's symptoms.

28 Aug 2019

Researchers uncover how the brain remembers motor sequences

Ever wondered what was going on in the brain of John Coltrane when he played the famous solo on his album Giant Steps? Researchers at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan, and Western University, Canada, have succeeded in visualizing how information is represented in a widespread area in the human cerebral cortex during a performance of skilled finger movement sequences.

28 Aug 2019