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.

Study explores how cannabis use affects breast milk and lactation

Study reviews the impact of cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation, highlighting potential changes in breast milk composition and lactation due to cannabinoid effects.

3 Apr 2024

Researchers find a promising approach to remove amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease starts with a sticky protein called amyloid beta that builds up into plaques in the brain, setting off a chain of events that results in brain atrophy and cognitive decline.

3 Apr 2024

Wastewater study sheds light on tracking cannabis use challenges

Researchers explore wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) as a tool to monitor cannabis use, identifying analytical challenges and the need for more precise methodologies.

3 Apr 2024

Certain progestogens linked to higher brain tumor risk in women, study suggests

Study finds long-term use of specific progestogens increases the risk of benign brain tumors in women, while short-term use and other progestogens do not.

3 Apr 2024

Balanced diet linked to better brain health and cognition, large-scale study shows

Study utilizing the UK Biobank data identifies four dietary patterns, revealing the balanced diet subtype promotes superior cognitive functions and mental health outcomes compared to starch-free, vegetarian, or high-protein-low-fiber diets.

3 Apr 2024

Even moderate alcohol use by pregnant patients may affect babies' prenatal development

University of New Mexico researchers have found that even low to moderate alcohol use by pregnant patients may contribute to subtle changes in their babies' prenatal development, including lower birth length and a shorter duration of gestation.

2 Apr 2024

Chicks shed light on centuries-old question of sight and touch integration

In a study published in Biology Letters, researchers at Queen Mary University of London have cracked a centuries-old philosophical question about sight and touch. Led by Dr Elisabetta Versace, the team used chicks to finally answer the question posed by William Molyneux in 1688: can someone born blind instantly recognize objects by sight after gaining vision?

2 Apr 2024

Defining how exercise affects cardiovascular health in people using wheelchairs

Delphia Brown (left) exercises at the Stephen A. Orthwein Center, a wheelchair-accessible gym in St. Louis operated by Paraquad, an organization that helps people with disabilities achieve independence.

2 Apr 2024

“Zombie neurons” shed light on the cerebellum's critical teaching signals

Nestled at the back of your head, the cerebellum is a brain structure that plays a pivotal role in how we learn, adapting our actions based on past experiences.

2 Apr 2024

Ultrasound alone improves cognitive function in neurodegenerative disorders, UQ study finds

University of Queensland researchers have found targeting amyloid plaque in the brain is not essential for ultrasound to deliver cognitive improvement in neurodegenerative disorders.

2 Apr 2024

AI chatbot offers accurate answers to radiation oncology queries

Cancer patients about to undergo radiation oncology treatment have lots of questions. Could ChatGPT be the best way to get answers?

2 Apr 2024

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

In this interview, News Medical speaks to Isaac Chiu, Ph.D and Daping Yang, Ph.D. of Harvard Medical School, about their latest research, revealing the surprising properties of pain.

2 Apr 2024

Revolutionizing brain tumor treatment: the rise of AI in neuro-oncology

The current state of knowledge about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of brain tumors.

2 Apr 2024

Fasting's potential in fighting cognitive decline needs more human trials

Despite promising animal studies on fasting and caloric restrictions for neurodegenerative diseases, human clinical trials are scarce, underscoring the need for more research to validate these interventions for cognitive decline.

2 Apr 2024

Rare variants in the YKT6 gene cause new neurological disorder, study finds

A recent collaborative study has discovered rare variants in the YKT6 gene as the cause of a new neurological disorder characterized by developmental delays along with severe progressive liver disease and a potential risk for liver cancer.

1 Apr 2024

Scientists discover the diversity of human visual processing rates

Using a blink-and-you'll-miss-it experiment, researchers from Trinity College Dublin have discovered that individuals differ widely in the rate at which they perceive visual signals.

1 Apr 2024

Using neuromorphic engineering to reinvent visual processing systems with a biological inspiration

As computer vision (CV) systems become increasingly power and memory intensive, they become unsuitable for high-speed and resource deficit edge applications - such as hypersonic missile tracking and autonomous navigation - because of size, weight, and power constraints.

1 Apr 2024

Research reveals brain morphology and connectivity changes in postmenopausal women

A new research paper was published on the cover of Aging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as "Aging (Albany NY)" and "Aging-US" by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 6, entitled, "Altered brain morphology and functional connectivity in postmenopausal women: automatic segmentation of whole-brain and thalamic subnuclei and resting-state fMRI."

1 Apr 2024

Ketogenic diet can be a powerful aid in treating mental illness

For people living with serious mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, standard treatment with antipsychotic medications can be a double-edged sword.

1 Apr 2024