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.

Nation's leading experts join forces to accelerate effective treatments for brain tumors

The nation's leading brain tumor and biotech industry experts again joined forces Friday, June 7, in a bid to accelerate more effective treatments for brain tumors and promote funding for the latest emerging therapies, as the Weill Cornell Brain and Spine Center and Voices Against Brain Cancer hosted its second annual Brain Tumor Biotech Summit.

10 Jun 2013

Optogenetics: A promising technique for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders

By applying light stimulation to highly specific neurons in the brain, the researchers managed to re-establish normal behaviour in mice that had beforehand presented pathological repetitive behaviour similar to that observed in human patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorders.

10 Jun 2013

Scientists discover how Arc protein helps translate learning into memory

Scientists at the Gladstone Institutes have deciphered how a protein called Arc regulates the activity of neurons-providing much-needed clues into the brain's ability to form long-lasting memories. These findings, reported today in Nature Neuroscience, also offer newfound understanding as to what goes on at the molecular level when this process becomes disrupted.

10 Jun 2013

Study sheds light on origin of wide range of brain disorders

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have uncovered a mechanism that guides the exquisite wiring of neural circuits in a developing brain -- gaining unprecedented insight into the faulty circuits that may lead to brain disorders ranging from autism to mental retardation.

10 Jun 2013

Researchers find way to differentiate iPSCs into mature human neurons in the brain

Difficult-to-study diseases such as Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and autism now can be probed more safely and effectively thanks to an innovative new method for obtaining mature brain cells called neurons from reprogrammed skin cells. According to Gong Chen, the Verne M. Willaman Chair in Life Sciences and professor of biology at Penn State University and the leader of the research team, "the most exciting part of this research is that it offers the promise of direct disease modeling, allowing for the creation, in a Petri dish, of mature human neurons that behave a lot like neurons that grow naturally in the human brain."

10 Jun 2013

Large study of deep brain stimulation underway for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Together, Butler Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital are participating in The ADvance Study, a clinical trial investigating the use of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for patients with Alzheimer's disease.

10 Jun 2013

Research shows visually impaired individuals have greater risk of diminished balance

UC Davis Health System Eye Center research has found that visually impaired individuals and those with uncorrected refractive error - those who could benefit from glasses to achieve normal vision but don't wear glasses - have a significantly greater risk of diminished balance with their eyes closed on a compliant, foam surface than individuals with normal vision.

7 Jun 2013

Study: Significant number of children suffers from complications caused by medical devices

As modern medical advances help more children with complex conditions live longer, a new study shows a significant number suffer from complications caused by medical devices that are also necessary for their survival.

7 Jun 2013

New gene variant found in human and animal tissue offers a promising treatment for cancer

A novel gene variant found in human and animal tissue may be a promising treatment for cancer, including breast and brain cancer, according to scientists from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

7 Jun 2013

New method allows omega-3 fatty acids to be added to popular foods

The omega-3 fatty acids contained in fatty salt-water fish are an important component of a healthy diet in humans. Despite being aware of this fact, Germans still do not eat enough fish. Now Fraunhofer researchers have developed a method that allows omega-3 fatty acids to be added to popular foods.

7 Jun 2013

Researchers mobilize brain's native stem cells to replenish neuron lost in Huntington's disease

Researchers have been able to mobilize the brain's native stem cells to replenish a type of neuron lost in Huntington's disease.

7 Jun 2013

Rewinding the developmental state of embryonic stem cells is possible, say researchers

Scientists at the Danish Stem Cell Center, DanStem, at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that they can make embryonic stem cells regress to a stage of development where they are able to make placenta cells as well as the other fetal cells.

7 Jun 2013

Study: Individuals with ASDs show decrease metabolism of amino acid L-tryptophan

Researchers at the JC Self Research Institute of the Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC), along with collaborators from Biolog, Inc. in California, have reported an important discovery in the understanding of autism which was published this week in Molecular Autism.

7 Jun 2013

Available drugs may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease

A team of researchers has made a significant discovery which may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease, a degenerative and fatal neurological condition that often strikes in the early months of life.

7 Jun 2013

Researcher studies mechanism of s-looping to prevent heart abnormalities in infants

Ashok Ramasubramanian, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Union College, believes that the study of the tiny tubes that make up the embryonic heart offers new hope to babies born with heart abnormalities. So, he's looking to chicken embryos for clues. Ramasubramanian's findings were published in the April 2013 issue of Developmental Dynamics.

7 Jun 2013

Arlington professor says computerized concussion assessment tool should be used with caution

Newly published research from an international team featuring UT Arlington assistant professor Jacob Resch has reaffirmed questions about portions of the popular computerized concussion assessment tool ImPACT.

7 Jun 2013

UBS study shows how people become obsessed with forbidden pleasures

A new study from the University of British Columbia helps explain how people become obsessed with forbidden pleasures.

7 Jun 2013

HSV-1 exploits immune system receptor to boost infectivity and cause disease

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and colleagues report that the herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1), which affects an estimated 50 to 80 percent of all American adults, exploits an immune system receptor to boost its infectivity and ability to cause disease.

7 Jun 2013

ZOLL Autopulse improves ROSC after sudden cardiac arrest

ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of medical devices and related software solutions, announced today that a paper just published in Critical Care Medicine reported the likelihood of achieving a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is 62% greater when the AutoPulse® Non-invasive Cardiac Support Pump is used to deliver CPR chest compressions.

7 Jun 2013

Changes in normal glycan behavior lead to fatal lysosomal disease, say researchers

From the neurons that enable thought to the keratinocytes that make toenails grow-a complex canopy of sugar molecules, commonly known as glycans, envelop every living cell in the human body.

6 Jun 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Nation's leading experts join forces to accelerate effective treatments for brain tumors

Optogenetics: A promising technique for treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorders

Scientists discover how Arc protein helps translate learning into memory

Study sheds light on origin of wide range of brain disorders

Researchers find way to differentiate iPSCs into mature human neurons in the brain

Large study of deep brain stimulation underway for Alzheimer's disease treatment

Research shows visually impaired individuals have greater risk of diminished balance

Study: Significant number of children suffers from complications caused by medical devices

New gene variant found in human and animal tissue offers a promising treatment for cancer

New method allows omega-3 fatty acids to be added to popular foods

Researchers mobilize brain's native stem cells to replenish neuron lost in Huntington's disease

Rewinding the developmental state of embryonic stem cells is possible, say researchers

Study: Individuals with ASDs show decrease metabolism of amino acid L-tryptophan

Available drugs may have a dramatic impact on children stricken with Tay-Sachs disease

Researcher studies mechanism of s-looping to prevent heart abnormalities in infants

Arlington professor says computerized concussion assessment tool should be used with caution

UBS study shows how people become obsessed with forbidden pleasures

HSV-1 exploits immune system receptor to boost infectivity and cause disease

ZOLL Autopulse improves ROSC after sudden cardiac arrest

Changes in normal glycan behavior lead to fatal lysosomal disease, say researchers

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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