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.

Diets may cause loss of lean muscle mass

According to boomer-generation brother and sister authors Dian Griesel, Ph.D. and Tom Griesel, every well-known diet to date is destined to deliver loss of lean muscle mass, moodiness, disappointment and failure.

5 Apr 2011

Study suggests causal link between HSV1 and Alzheimer's disease

Laboratories at the University of New Mexico (UNM), Brown University, and House Ear Institute (HEI) have developed a new technique to observe herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) infections growing inside cells. HSV1, the cause of the common cold sore, persists in a latent form inside nerve cells.

5 Apr 2011

New insight into Parkinson's disease

As Parkinson's Awareness Month gets underway, a Canadian-led international study is providing important new insight into Parkinson's disease and paving the way for new avenues for clinical trials.

5 Apr 2011

Researchers identify new gene that can influence person's risk of developing epilepsy

Vanderbilt University researchers have identified a new gene that can influence a person's risk for developing epilepsy. The findings, reported in the March 29 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could improve molecular diagnostic tools and point to novel therapeutic targets for epilepsy.

5 Apr 2011

Promising results for new depression treatment

A new, non-invasive treatment for depression that delivers barely perceptible electric currents to the scalp has had promising results in a Sydney trial, and researchers are now looking for participants for a follow up study.

4 Apr 2011

Avanir files IND for NUEDEXTA/AVP-923 Phase II clinical trial for central neuropathic pain in MS patients

Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin a large Phase II clinical trial of AVP-923, an investigational drug for the treatment of central neuropathic pain in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The FDA has acknowledged receipt of the submission and the company expects that the IND filing will be subject to standard 30-day review.

4 Apr 2011

Stealth announces Bendavia Phase I clinical study results against ischemia reperfusion injury

Stealth Peptides Inc., a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies, announced today the results of a healthy volunteers Phase I clinical study of Bendavia™, a novel compound that targets the mitochondrion to treat ischemia reperfusion injury.

4 Apr 2011

Researchers pinpoint effects of enhanced adult neurogenesis in hippocampus

Adult mice engineered to have more newborn neurons in their brain memory hub excelled at accurately discriminating between similar experiences - an ability that declines with normal aging and in some anxiety disorders.

4 Apr 2011

NAA joins with organizations worldwide to raise awareness about autism

The National Autism Association joins with organizations worldwide in recognizing April as Autism Awareness month. With one in 110 children now diagnosed with autism, and autism mortality rates doubling that of the general population, NAA is once again calling upon legislators and government health agencies to declare autism a national health emergency.

4 Apr 2011

Researchers develop new way to stimulate neuron production in adult brain

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have developed a new way to stimulate neuron production in the adult mouse brain, demonstrating that neurons acquired in the brain's hippocampus during adulthood improve certain cognitive functions.

4 Apr 2011

Scientists identify five new genes that increase risk of developing Alzheimer's

A leading UK scientist's search for factors that increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's has uncovered five new genes to help pinpoint what's going wrong in the brain.

4 Apr 2011

Researchers identify four new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from a consortium of 44 universities and research institutions in the United States, including Rush University Medical Center, identified four new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease. Each gene individually adds to the risk of having this common form of dementia later in life.

4 Apr 2011

SMT announces $10.5 million financing to develop novel device for use in TAVI procedures

SMT Research and Development Ltd. of Herzliya Pituach, Israel announced today a significant investment by OrbiMed Advisors LLC. SMT is finalizing the development of a novel embolic protection device designed for use during Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation procedures.

4 Apr 2011

Study: Antidepressants can thicken arteries and lead to heart disease

Antidepressant use has been linked to thicker arteries, possibly contributing to the risk of heart disease and stroke, in a study of twin veterans. The data is being presented Tuesday, April 5 at the American College of Cardiology meeting in New Orleans.

4 Apr 2011

Antidepressants may increase heart attack or stroke risk in men: Study

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3 Apr 2011

Discovery of 4 new genes associated with Alzheimer's

In the largest study of its kind, researchers from a consortium led by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and the University of Miami identified four new genes linked to Alzheimer's disease. Each gene individually adds to the risk of having this common form of dementia later in life. These new genes offer a portal into what causes Alzheimer's disease and is a major advance in the field.

3 Apr 2011