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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.

Neuroscientists document deliberate control of touch sensations in human working memory

Neuroscientists of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin have now been able for the first time to document deliberate control of touch sensations in human working memory. It has been shown that the human brain can remember several touch sensations at the same time and consciously retrieve the touch if concentration is focused on these touches.

12 May 2011

Being mildly overweight benefits ALS patients

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, may be an exception to the rule that being overweight is a health hazard. In a retrospective study of over 400 ALS patients, Massachusetts General Hospital researchers found that those who were mildly obese survived longer than patients who were normal weight, underweight or even overweight.

12 May 2011

Visual perception and attention can be changed by passive stimulation

What was previously known from animal studies has thus for the first time been demonstrated for human individuals too. "The findings open new perspectives in the intervention and treatment of visual perceptual disorders, because the changes can be induced quite simply" said Dr. Christian Beste of the RUB Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.

12 May 2011

Scientists to discuss latest autism research findings at IMFAR meeting

The 10th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research will host more than 1900 researchers, delegates, autism specialists, and students in the world's largest gathering of researchers and clinicians devoted to a better understanding of autism. The meeting will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt from May 12-14, 2011.

12 May 2011

TSA, Psyadon Pharmaceuticals partner for ecopipam clinical trial in Tourette Syndrome

The national Tourette Syndrome Association and Psyadon Pharmaceuticals Inc. are pleased to announce their collaboration on a clinical trial to determine the potential efficacy of a novel drug, ecopipam, for managing the symptoms of the neurological disorder Tourette Syndrome.

11 May 2011

NAA calls for immediate Congressional hearings and scientific investigation into autism-vaccine link

Despite numerous studies cited repeatedly by federal officials as proof that vaccines do not cause autism, a new study released today in the Pace Environmental Law Review revealed that over the last two decades, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program has been quietly compensating dozens of vaccine injury cases involving a child with autism.

11 May 2011

Research provides insight into brain reorganization following sensory loss

The part of the brain that uses hearing to determine sound location is reorganized in deaf animals to locate visual targets, according to a new study by a team of researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Western Ontario in Canada.

11 May 2011

Novel two-drug combination cures young patient with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis

Belgian physicians report they have cured a young patient with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) using a novel two-drug combination developed by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The report, published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, marks the first known clinical use of this treatment for XDR-TB, the most deadly form of the disease.

11 May 2011

Second subject enrolled in human embryonic stem cell therapy trial for subacute thoracic spinal cord injury

Researchers at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) recently enrolled their first subject in a national clinical research trial of a human embryonic stem cell-based therapy for participants with a subacute thoracic spinal cord injury.

11 May 2011

16-year-old uses supercomputing network to invent new drug cocktail for cystic fibrosis

While many 16-year-olds are content with PlayStation, Toronto-area student Marshall Zhang used the Canadian SCINET supercomputing network to invent a new drug cocktail which could one day help treat cystic fibrosis.

11 May 2011

UCLA researchers amp up power of killer CD8 T-cells to fight melanoma

Researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered a way to amp up the power of killer T-cells, called CD8 cells, making them more functional for longer periods of time and boosting their ability to multiply and expand within the body to fight melanoma, a new study has found.

11 May 2011

New risk factors that may trigger stroke: Sex, coffee and anger

According to a new study people who have a Brain Aneurysm may be at a higher risk of stroke while drinking coffee, having sex or even getting angry. Although the risk is extremely small, people who have aneurysms should be careful, said Dr Sahil Parikh, assistant professor of medicine at University Hospitals Case Medical Centre in Cleveland. “For those patients who do have aneurysms, it would be advisable to avoid those behaviours,” said Parikh, who’s familiar with the study findings.

11 May 2011

IUPUI psychology professor to receive 2011 Young Scientist award for alcoholism research

Stephen L. Boehm II, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, has been named the 2011 Young Scientist of the Year by the International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society. The award will be presented May 13 at the society's annual meeting in Rome, Italy.

10 May 2011

Geron comments on recent European telomerase peptide cancer vaccine patents

Geron Corporation today commented on a ruling from the European Patent Office with regard to its European patent 084139, and the issuance of a second Geron patent covering telomerase peptides, EP1783139.

10 May 2011

Elekta to integrate cancer workflow and patient management tools into IBA's Proteus TK2 center

Elekta, a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders, will integrate cancer workflow and patient management tools into the Proteus TK2, a turnkey proton therapy center from Belgium-based Ion Beam Applications.

From Elekta 10 May 2011

biocrea and Pfizer jointly presented details on novel PDE10 inhibitors

biocrea, a biopharmaceutical company focusing on novel treatments for disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), today reported details on the design and synthesis of novel, brain-penetrating phosphodiesterase-10 (PDE10) inhibitors developed in collaboration with Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE). The data were featured in joint presentations1 with Pfizer at the recent 241st ACS National Meeting & Exposition, an event organized by the American Chemical Society (ACS).

10 May 2011

Fat returns after liposuction

Liposuction has become one of the most popular plastic surgeries in the country. It has been around since 1974 and there are now more than 450,000 operations a year. But does the fat come back? A recent study by Teri L. Hernandez, PhD, RN and Robert H. Eckel, MD, at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that the fat eventually returns within one year, and is redistributed to other areas of the body, especially the upper abdomen.

10 May 2011

MGH, Duke University and Angion Biomedica partner to develop novel therapeutics for ischemic stroke

Angion Biomedica Corp. announced today the establishment of an alliance with Duke University and Massachusetts General Hospital to pursue advanced development and clinical studies of its lead therapeutics for treatment of ischemic stroke.

10 May 2011

EAS receives NIH grant to continue Alzheimer's disease research

An estimated five million Americans have Alzheimer's disease. Health experts expect the number of cases to rise dramatically as the population ages - reaching 13.5 million by 2050.

10 May 2011

Seventh Annual Neuro-Oncology Symposium to be held at Hackensack University Medical Center

The John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center will host the Seventh Annual Neuro-Oncology Symposium on Friday, May 20 from 7:30am - 1:00pm. This continuing medical education conference will present the latest neuro-oncology trends by leaders in the field.

10 May 2011

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Neuroscientists document deliberate control of touch sensations in human working memory

Being mildly overweight benefits ALS patients

Visual perception and attention can be changed by passive stimulation

Scientists to discuss latest autism research findings at IMFAR meeting

TSA, Psyadon Pharmaceuticals partner for ecopipam clinical trial in Tourette Syndrome

NAA calls for immediate Congressional hearings and scientific investigation into autism-vaccine link

Research provides insight into brain reorganization following sensory loss

Novel two-drug combination cures young patient with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis

Second subject enrolled in human embryonic stem cell therapy trial for subacute thoracic spinal cord injury

16-year-old uses supercomputing network to invent new drug cocktail for cystic fibrosis

UCLA researchers amp up power of killer CD8 T-cells to fight melanoma

New risk factors that may trigger stroke: Sex, coffee and anger

IUPUI psychology professor to receive 2011 Young Scientist award for alcoholism research

Geron comments on recent European telomerase peptide cancer vaccine patents

Elekta to integrate cancer workflow and patient management tools into IBA's Proteus TK2 center

biocrea and Pfizer jointly presented details on novel PDE10 inhibitors

Fat returns after liposuction

MGH, Duke University and Angion Biomedica partner to develop novel therapeutics for ischemic stroke

EAS receives NIH grant to continue Alzheimer's disease research

Seventh Annual Neuro-Oncology Symposium to be held at Hackensack University Medical Center

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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