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.

Research findings implicate endocannabinoids in development of autism

Mutations found in individuals with autism block the action of molecules made by the brain that act on the same receptors that marijuana's active chemical acts on, according to new research reported online April 11 in the Cell Press journal Neuron.

15 Apr 2013

Artificial neural connection bridging spinal cord injury may help restore paretic hand function

Functional loss of limb control in individuals with spinal cord injury or stroke can be caused by interruption of the neural pathways between brain and spinal cord, although the neural circuits located above and below the lesion remain functional. An artificial neural connection that bridges the lost pathway and connects brain to spinal circuits has potential to ameliorate the functional loss.

12 Apr 2013

FDA clears Elekta's Versa HD radiation therapy system

Elekta recently received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing the company to begin shipping and installation of all components of the Versa HD™ system within the United States. Featuring high precision beam shaping and tumor targeting, and capable of delivering radiation doses three times faster than previous Elekta linear accelerators, Versa HD sets a higher benchmark for cancer treatment.

From Elekta 12 Apr 2013

Study reveals inner workings of master regulator that controls diverse functions

New discoveries by a team of scientists at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans for the first time reveal the inner workings of a master regulator that controls functions as diverse as the ability of nerve cells to "rewire" themselves in response to external stimuli and the mechanism by which certain viruses hijack normal cellular processes to facilitate their replication that can ultimately lead to cancer. The research will be published in the April 12, 2013 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

12 Apr 2013

Study shows more women develop chronic low back pain, sciatica than men

More women than men develop chronic low back pain and sciatica. The explanation may lie with a gene variant that plays into the body's pain regulation.

12 Apr 2013

NTU scientists develop new stroke rehabilitation device

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University have developed a new stroke rehabilitation device which greatly improves recovery in stroke patients.

12 Apr 2013

Nalmefene can provide important clinical benefit for alcohol-dependent patients

A potential new treatment for alcoholism called nalmefene is effective and safe for reducing alcohol consumption in alcohol dependent individuals, says a new study published this week in Biological Psychiatry.

12 Apr 2013

Research demonstrates easy way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep, enhance memory

Slow oscillations in brain activity, which occur during so-called slow-wave sleep, are critical for retaining memories. Researchers reporting online April 11 in the Cell Press journal Neuron have found that playing sounds synchronized to the rhythm of the slow brain oscillations of people who are sleeping enhances these oscillations and boosts their memory.

12 Apr 2013

Study sheds light on role of microglia during progression of Alzheimer's disease

The plaque deposits in the brain of Alzheimer's patients are surrounded by the brain's own immune cells, the microglia. This was already recognized by Alois Alzheimer more than one hundred years ago. But until today it still remains unclear what role microglia play in Alzheimer's disease.

12 Apr 2013

Salk neuroscientists propose how visual system automatically adapts to new environments

The irony of getting away to a remote place is you usually have to fight traffic to get there. After hours of dodging dangerous drivers, you finally arrive at that quiet mountain retreat, stare at the gentle waters of a pristine lake, and congratulate your tired self on having "turned off your brain."

12 Apr 2013

Antipsychotics seemed to normalize gene expression pattern in people with bipolar disorder: Study

Every day, millions of people with bipolar disorder take medicines that help keep them from swinging into manic or depressed moods.

12 Apr 2013

Targeting pathway may lead to better hypertension treatments for at-risk patients

Obesity, heart disease, and high blood pressure (hypertension) are all related, but understanding the molecular pathways that underlie cause and effect is complicated.

12 Apr 2013

Baylor University study shows acute dose of alcohol may cause greater impairment in elderly

An acute dose of alcohol may cause greater impairment in coordination, learning and memory in the elderly than in young people, according to a study by Baylor University.

12 Apr 2013

Brains of different people respond in same way to music, Stanford study says

Do the brains of different people listening to the same piece of music actually respond in the same way? An imaging study by Stanford University School of Medicine scientists says the answer is yes, which may in part explain why music plays such a big role in our social existence.

12 Apr 2013

Illuminating deep mysteries of brain

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Washington University in St. Louis developed ultrathin, flexible optoelectronic devices - including LEDs the size of individual neurons - that are lighting the way for neuroscientists in the field of optogenetics and beyond.

12 Apr 2013

Alzheimer's Association lauds Obama Administration for dedicating additional $100M to fight Alzheimer's

The Alzheimer's Association commends the Obama Administration for dedicating an additional $100 million within the President's FY 2014 budget toward the fight against Alzheimer's and the implementation of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease.

12 Apr 2013

New initiative launched to create more effective ED therapies based on brain imaging studies

Current treatments for anorexia and bulimia nervosa, which afflict an estimated 10 to 24 million Americans, are often limited and ineffective.

12 Apr 2013

Self-propelled microrockets using stomach acid as fuel may help perform microsurgery

An advance in micromotor technology akin to the invention of cars that fuel themselves from the pavement or air, rather than gasoline or batteries, is opening the door to broad new medical and industrial uses for these tiny devices, scientists said here today. Their update on development of the motors - so small that thousands would fit inside this "o" - was part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, being held here this week.

11 Apr 2013

Omeros' GPCR platform unlocks new drug targets against multiple sclerosis

Omeros Corporation today announced positive data in the most commonly used model for studying the clinical and pathological features of multiple sclerosis (MS), further advancing its development program of GPR17-targeting compounds for the treatment of MS. Compounds previously discovered by Omeros that inhibit GPR17, an orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) unlocked by Omeros, significantly improved function from experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in mice.

11 Apr 2013

Small, low-powered studies produce unreliable research in neuroscience

New research has questioned the reliability of neuroscience studies, saying that conclusions could be misleading due to small sample sizes.

11 Apr 2013

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Research findings implicate endocannabinoids in development of autism

Artificial neural connection bridging spinal cord injury may help restore paretic hand function

FDA clears Elekta's Versa HD radiation therapy system

Study reveals inner workings of master regulator that controls diverse functions

Study shows more women develop chronic low back pain, sciatica than men

NTU scientists develop new stroke rehabilitation device

Nalmefene can provide important clinical benefit for alcohol-dependent patients

Research demonstrates easy way to influence human brain activity to improve sleep, enhance memory

Study sheds light on role of microglia during progression of Alzheimer's disease

Salk neuroscientists propose how visual system automatically adapts to new environments

Antipsychotics seemed to normalize gene expression pattern in people with bipolar disorder: Study

Targeting pathway may lead to better hypertension treatments for at-risk patients

Baylor University study shows acute dose of alcohol may cause greater impairment in elderly

Brains of different people respond in same way to music, Stanford study says

Illuminating deep mysteries of brain

Alzheimer's Association lauds Obama Administration for dedicating additional $100M to fight Alzheimer's

New initiative launched to create more effective ED therapies based on brain imaging studies

Self-propelled microrockets using stomach acid as fuel may help perform microsurgery

Omeros' GPCR platform unlocks new drug targets against multiple sclerosis

Small, low-powered studies produce unreliable research in neuroscience

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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