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.

Brain size and intelligence are related

People with bigger brains are smarter than their smaller-brained counterparts, according to a study conducted by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher published in the journal "Intelligence."

19 Jun 2005

First demonstration that reduced metabolic activity in the hippocampus may be used to help predict future Alzheimer's disease

New York University School of Medicine researchers have developed a brain scan-based computer program that quickly and accurately measures metabolic activity in a key region of the brain affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

19 Jun 2005

Arterial spin labeling distinguishes between Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia

A non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called arterial spin labeling is just as accurate as invasive scanning techniques in distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in the brains of elderly people, according to a new study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC).

19 Jun 2005

Most common form of lung cancer may begin in a group of newly isolated lung stem cells

Working in a mouse model, the researchers isolated a novel type of lung cell that can divide into fresh copies of itself and into the two more specialized kinds of cells deep in the lung.

16 Jun 2005

Columbia University launches multi-year campaign to support stem cell researc

Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) has announced that it is halfway toward realizing the first phase of a multi-year campaign to build upon the university’s groundbreaking stem cell research and lead the effort to fully realize the therapeutic potential of stem cells.

16 Jun 2005

Neurocrine Biosciences issued new U.S. patent

Neurocrine Biosciences announced today the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 6,903,106 covering a novel polymorphic form (different crystal structure) of its proprietary compound indiplon for the treatment of insomnia.

16 Jun 2005

Hydroxyurea may prevent complications such as organ damage and stunted growth in treatment of sickle cell disease

Treating babies who have sickle cell disease (SCD) with oral liquid hydroxyurea appears to prevent the onset of long-term complications triggered by this disease, according to results of a preliminary study by investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

16 Jun 2005

Schiavo finally laid to rest

Hopefully autopsy findings released today will finally allow Terri Schiavo to be laid to rest.

16 Jun 2005

USDA still not coming clean on reasons for new mad cow tests

The U.S. Agriculture Department's inspector general is still not coming clean on why new tests were ordered unexpectedly on brain tissue from a cow declared free of mad cow disease seven months ago.

16 Jun 2005

First demonstration of a vaccine for Parkinson's

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine working with scientists at Elan Pharmaceuticals, have reported promising results in mice of a vaccine approach to treating Parkinson’s and similar diseases. These results appear in the June edition of the journal Neuron.

15 Jun 2005

Placebos can affect emotion as well relieving pain

Just as placebos have been shown to bring relief from pain, researchers have now found that they can affect emotion, alleviating the impact of unpleasant experiences.

15 Jun 2005

Protocol used to treat the first known survivor of rabies without prior vaccination published

The protocol used to treat the first known survivor of rabies without prior vaccination is published in the June 16, 2005, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. It is hoped that this approach can be replicated, tested, and provide a guide for treating this fatal condition, especially in parts of the world where the incidence of rabies is rampant.

15 Jun 2005

Jumping genes help detemine uniqueness of individual brains

Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies may have found one explanation for the puzzling variety in brain organization and function: mobile elements, pieces of DNA that can jump from one place in the genome to another, randomly changing the genetic information in single brain cells.

15 Jun 2005

Nicotine triggers the same neural pathways that give opiates their addictively rewarding properties

In experiments with mice, researchers have found that nicotine triggers the same neural pathways that give opiates such as heroin their addictively rewarding properties--including associating an environment with the drug's reward.

15 Jun 2005

Oral liquid Hydroxyurea promising for long-term use in babies with sickle cell disease

15 Jun 2005

Brain surgery for epilepsy means patients still free of fits 30 years later

A study has shown that thirty years after undergoing temporal lobectomy for epilepsy, half of patients are still free from seizures.

15 Jun 2005

Heavy drinkers at risk of lasting brain damage sooner rather than later

Researchers at Saint Louis University have shown, in a new animal study, that chronic alcohol consumption produces memory loss and learning problems in very heavy drinkers much sooner than previously thought.

15 Jun 2005

Nanotechnology used to smuggle a powerful chemotherapeutic drug inside tumor cells

University of Michigan scientists have created the nanotechnology equivalent of a Trojan horse to smuggle a powerful chemotherapeutic drug inside tumor cells - increasing the drug's cancer-killing activity and reducing its toxic side effects.

15 Jun 2005

Study examines biomarkers for response to erlotinib in glioma

Researchers have found two biomarkers that, in patients with a malignant type of brain tumor called glioblastoma multiforme, were associated with response to the cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva).

14 Jun 2005

Research urges a new approach to cancer detection

A few years ago, Medhat Osman, M.D., Ph.D., had a patient who was scanned due to a suspicion of lung cancer using positron emission tomography (PET) and computer tomography (CT) technology. The scan came back negative, but the patient then complained of a problem with his leg.

14 Jun 2005

Brain News and Research

Further Reading

Brain size and intelligence are related

First demonstration that reduced metabolic activity in the hippocampus may be used to help predict future Alzheimer's disease

Arterial spin labeling distinguishes between Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia

Most common form of lung cancer may begin in a group of newly isolated lung stem cells

Columbia University launches multi-year campaign to support stem cell researc

Neurocrine Biosciences issued new U.S. patent

Hydroxyurea may prevent complications such as organ damage and stunted growth in treatment of sickle cell disease

Schiavo finally laid to rest

USDA still not coming clean on reasons for new mad cow tests

First demonstration of a vaccine for Parkinson's

Placebos can affect emotion as well relieving pain

Protocol used to treat the first known survivor of rabies without prior vaccination published

Jumping genes help detemine uniqueness of individual brains

Nicotine triggers the same neural pathways that give opiates their addictively rewarding properties

Oral liquid Hydroxyurea promising for long-term use in babies with sickle cell disease

Brain surgery for epilepsy means patients still free of fits 30 years later

Heavy drinkers at risk of lasting brain damage sooner rather than later

Nanotechnology used to smuggle a powerful chemotherapeutic drug inside tumor cells

Study examines biomarkers for response to erlotinib in glioma

Research urges a new approach to cancer detection

Innovations in baculovirus–insect cell expression systems

Compound Management and its Crucial Role in Early Pharmaceutical Research

Natural products: the next frontier in drug discovery

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