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.

Hospital MRIs may effectively predict long-term outcomes for people with mild TBI

Hospital MRIs may be better at predicting long-term outcomes for people with mild traumatic brain injuries than CT scans, the standard technique for evaluating such injuries in the emergency room, according to a clinical trial led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (SFGH).

19 Dec 2012

Link between silent stroke and Parkinson's disease

Scientists at The University of Manchester have for the first time identified why a patient who appears outwardly healthy may develop Parkinson's disease.

19 Dec 2012

Jagaricin and antifungal drugs: an interview with Prof Christian Hertweck

Most people have already experienced a fungal infection (mycosis) of the outer layer of the skin, athlete’s foot or ringworm. Whereas such infections may be cumbersome and often difficult to cure, usually they are not dangerous. However, in cases where a fungus causes a systemic infection, this is, it infects internal organs such as lungs or brain, the infection may turn into a life-threatening disease. Of course, only pathogenic fungi cause problems and the degree of virulence varies.

18 Dec 2012

$Young men, cyclists at risk for facial fractures$

Young men, cyclists at risk for facial fractures

Young men and individuals involved in road accidents on a bicycle are the most likely candidates for maxillofacial fractures, indicate Dutch study results.

18 Dec 2012

Default mode network impaired in young adults at risk for psychosis

Young adults at genetic risk for psychosis show reduced activity in the default mode network area of the brain compared with those without such a family history, researchers report.

18 Dec 2012

Transcranial stimulation improves symptoms of Tourette’s

A month of daily transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the supplemental motor area results in lasting improvements in symptoms of Tourette syndrome, show study findings.

18 Dec 2012

High AngII levels put stress on the ER and cause hypertension

When the heart works too hard, the brain may be to blame, says new Cornell University research that is changing how scientists look at high blood pressure (hypertension). The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in November, traces hypertension to a newfound cellular source in the brain and shows that treatments targeting this area can reverse the disease.

18 Dec 2012

AHA/ASA identify top cardiovascular and stroke research advances for 2012

Resuscitation, cell regeneration, a new high blood pressure treatment and developments in devices for treating stroke are among the key scientific findings that make up this year's top cardiovascular and stroke research identified by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

18 Dec 2012

e-Therapeutics’ ETS2101 cancer trials on track

e-Therapeutics plc today provides an update on the clinical trials of its cancer drug ETS2101. Two phase I studies, one in patients with primary or secondary brain cancer and the other in patients with various solid tumours, remain on track to report final data in Q4 2013 and Q1 2014, respectively. Interim data from the trials are expected in H1 2013.

18 Dec 2012

Study investigates muscle weakness in mouse model of Down syndrome

It is well known that people with Down syndrome (DS) suffer from marked muscle weakness. Even the simple tasks of independent living, such as getting out of a chair or climbing a flight of stairs, can become major obstacles. This can reduce the quality of life for those with DS and lead to a loss of independence. Now, a new study sheds light on some of the suspected causes of muscle weakness.

18 Dec 2012

SLU receives $460,000 grant to expand efforts to detect and treat postpartum depression

Saint Louis University has received a three-year, $460,000 grant from the Maternal Child and Family Health Coalition (MCHFC) and St. Louis Mental Health Board to expand efforts to detect and treat postpartum depression in new mothers.

18 Dec 2012

University of North Carolina awards 13th Perl prize to two NTNU-Trondheim scientists

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has awarded the 13th Perl-UNC Neuroscience prize jointly to Edvard and May-Britt Moser at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU-Trondheim) in Trondheim, Norway.

17 Dec 2012

Elekta receives clearance for Clarity 4D Monitoring software

Elekta has received 510(k) clearance for its Clarity 4D Monitoring software, enabling U.S. medical centers to implement this new way of reducing the uncertainty caused by prostate motion during radiation treatment.

From Elekta 17 Dec 2012

Naurex announces completion of $38M Series B financing

Naurex Inc., a clinical-stage company developing innovative treatments to address unmet needs in psychiatry and neurology, today announced the completion of a $38 million Series B financing led by new investor Baxter Ventures.

17 Dec 2012

Paternal exposure to cocaine can impair gene expression and behavior in their offspring

Research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reveals that sons of male rats exposed to cocaine are resistant to the rewarding effects of the drug, suggesting that cocaine-induced changes in physiology are passed down from father to son.

17 Dec 2012

Blocking single tiny blood vessel in the brain can harm neural tissue and even alter behavior

Blocking a single tiny blood vessel in the brain can harm neural tissue and even alter behavior, a new study from the University of California, San Diego has shown. But these consequences can be mitigated by a drug already in use, suggesting treatment that could slow the progress of dementia associated with cumulative damage to miniscule blood vessels that feed brain cells.

17 Dec 2012

Three critical illness factors independently associated with increased risk of dementia

Older people often worry about dementia and while some risks are known, for example alcoholism or stroke, the effects of illness are less clear. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care looks at illness requiring hospitalization and treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) and finds that infection or severe sepsis, neurological dysfunction, such as delirium, or acute dialysis are all independently associated with an increased risk of a subsequent diagnosis of dementia.

17 Dec 2012

LCSB, AxoGlia receive Michael J. Fox Foundation grant for Parkinson's project

AxoGlia Therapeutics SA, a biopharmaceutical company which drives the development of innovative neural stem/progenitor cell differentiation and neuroprotective therapeutics, today announced that it has been awarded a Rapid Response Innovative Award from The Michael J. Fox Foundation, for a project that is performed in collaboration with the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB).

15 Dec 2012

Researchers identify 125 genetic components in temozolomide-resistant, GBM-derived cell line

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) researchers have identified over 125 genetic components in a chemotherapy-resistant, brain tumor-derived cell line, which could offer new hope for drug treatment to destroy the cancer cells.

15 Dec 2012

Study describes new, paradoxical characteristics of HER2-negative breast cancer

A multicenter study led by researchers at UC Davis describes new, paradoxical characteristics of the most common type of breast cancer. The findings shed light on how the disease can evade treatment and could improve diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

15 Dec 2012