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.

Successful separation of twin girls joined at the head

British surgeons have successfully separated conjoined twin baby girls in a complex and extremely rare operation. Sudan-born Rital and Ritag Gaboura are craniopagus twins, meaning they were born joined at the head.

19 Sep 2011

Scientists discover common genetic variants associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

Common genetic variants contribute to the risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, an international research consortium has discovered.

19 Sep 2011

OptiScan's new bedside glucose monitoring system receives European CE Mark

OptiScan Biomedical Corporation, a developer of innovative continuous glucose monitoring systems for use in intensive care units (ICU), today announced that the company's OptiScanner Automatic Bedside Glucose Monitoring System has received CE Mark certification for use in the European Union.

19 Sep 2011

Study investigates links between GWI and veterans' locations during war

Gulf War Illness (GWI)-the chronic health condition that affects about one in four military veterans of the 1991 Gulf War-appears to be the result of several factors, which differed in importance depending upon the locations where veterans served during the war, according to a Baylor University study.

19 Sep 2011

Capacity for learning in birds not linked to overall brain size

Call a bird "birdbrained" and they may call "fowl." Cornell University researchers have proven that the capacity for learning in birds is not linked to overall brain size, but to the relative size and proportion of their specific brain regions.

19 Sep 2011

Low-dose anticholinergic drugs do not appear to cause cognitive impairment in dementia patients

Researchers whose findings on the detrimental impact of some common medicines on elderly people were widely reported earlier in the summer have found that taking a few of these medicines does not appear to cause further cognitive impairment in those already suffering from dementia.

19 Sep 2011

NeuroVive, Selcia sign research collaboration agreement to develop new mitochondrial drugs

UK-based contract research organisation Selcia Limited and Swedish drug development company NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB have signed a significant research collaboration agreement to develop new medicines and drug compounds targeting mitochondrial physiology and pathophysiology.

19 Sep 2011

Scuba diving linked to improved PTSD symptoms in veterans with spinal cord injuries

A small group of veterans with spinal cord injuries who underwent a four-day scuba- diving certification saw significant improvement in muscle movement, increased sensitivity to light touch and pinprick on the legs, and large reductions in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

19 Sep 2011

VA sponsors National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic

Today, more than 100 recently injured Veterans are gathered in San Diego for the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, a special rehabilitation-related sporting event, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

19 Sep 2011

NPS announces data about hypoparathyroidism to be presented at ASBMR 2011 meeting

NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company developing innovative therapeutics for rare gastrointestinal and endocrine disorders, announced that data about hypoparathyroidism will be presented at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) in San Diego, CA, September 16-20, 2011.

19 Sep 2011

Nanoparticles have a detrimental effect on the fish brain

Scientists at the University of Plymouth have shown, for the first time in an animal, that nanoparticles have a detrimental effect on the brain and other parts of the central nervous system.

19 Sep 2011

Humour as effective as medication in treating agitation in dementia, research shows

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18 Sep 2011

Landmark international study confirms common genetic contribution to mental illness

An international research consortium has confirmed that common genetic variants contribute to a person’s risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest study of its kind provides new molecular evidence that 11 regions have strong association with these diseases, including six regions not previously observed. The researchers also found that many of these DNA variations contribute to both diseases. The findings, reported by the Psychiatric Genome-Wide Association Study Consortium (PGC) and published online in two papers in the journal Nature Genetics, represent significant advances in the understanding the causes of these severe and often debilitating disorders.

18 Sep 2011

Emergency mosquito control operations in flood affected Pennsylvania counties

The Department of Environmental Protection announced today it will begin conducting emergency mosquito control operations in 18 counties affected by flooding.

17 Sep 2011

VA extends retroactive traumatic injury benefits to Servicemembers

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is extending retroactive traumatic injury benefits to Servicemembers who suffered qualifying injuries during the period Oct. 7, 2001 to Nov. 30, 2005, regardless of the geographic location where the injuries occurred.

17 Sep 2011

High-fat maternal diet during pregnancy results in deposition of excess body fat in the newborn

New research in mice indicates that babies born to moms who eat a high-fat diet before and during pregnancy have a higher fat mass and smaller livers than babies whose moms consume low-fat fare, according to scientists at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital.

17 Sep 2011

Researchers discover molecular-level changes in brains of women with major depressive disorder

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have discovered molecular-level changes in the brains of women with major depressive disorder that link two hypotheses of the biological mechanisms that lead to the illness. Their results, published online this week in Molecular Psychiatry, also allowed them to recreate the changes in a mouse model that could enhance future research on depression.

17 Sep 2011

ALS damages neurons in parts of the brain responsible for cognition and behaviour

Recently published studies by a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry demonstrate that ALS - known as Lou Gehrig's disease - damages neurons in parts of the brain responsible for cognition and behaviour.

17 Sep 2011

Reducing levels of protein FKBP51 may yield new antidepressant therapies

Decreasing expression of a protein associated with susceptibility to depression made old mice resistant to depressive-like behavior while improving their hormonal response to stress, a study led by researchers at the University of South Florida found. The lack of this protein, FKBP51, did not adversely affect their memory, learning, or basic motor functions.

17 Sep 2011

New insight into how nervous system regulates immunity

Scientists have identified a surprising new role for a new type of T cell in the immune system: some of them can be activated by nerves to make a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine) that blocks inflammation. The discovery of these T cells is novel and suggests that it may be possible to treat inflammation and autoimmune diseases by targeting the nerves and the T cells. The study was published this week in Science.

17 Sep 2011

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Successful separation of twin girls joined at the head

Scientists discover common genetic variants associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder

OptiScan's new bedside glucose monitoring system receives European CE Mark

Study investigates links between GWI and veterans' locations during war

Capacity for learning in birds not linked to overall brain size

Low-dose anticholinergic drugs do not appear to cause cognitive impairment in dementia patients

NeuroVive, Selcia sign research collaboration agreement to develop new mitochondrial drugs

Scuba diving linked to improved PTSD symptoms in veterans with spinal cord injuries

VA sponsors National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic

NPS announces data about hypoparathyroidism to be presented at ASBMR 2011 meeting

Nanoparticles have a detrimental effect on the fish brain

Humour as effective as medication in treating agitation in dementia, research shows

Landmark international study confirms common genetic contribution to mental illness

Emergency mosquito control operations in flood affected Pennsylvania counties

VA extends retroactive traumatic injury benefits to Servicemembers

High-fat maternal diet during pregnancy results in deposition of excess body fat in the newborn

Researchers discover molecular-level changes in brains of women with major depressive disorder

ALS damages neurons in parts of the brain responsible for cognition and behaviour

Reducing levels of protein FKBP51 may yield new antidepressant therapies

New insight into how nervous system regulates immunity

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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