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Researchers explore how brain circuitry and learning changes over time

New research shows our brains are a lot more chaotic than previously thought, and that this might be a good thing. Neurobiologists at the University of Maryland have discovered information about how the brain processes sound that challenges previous understandings of the auditory cortex, which had suggested an organization based on precise neuronal maps.

2 Feb 2010

Evidence suggests antidepressants may improve post-stroke recovery

Patients who received the antidepressant escitalopram following a stroke appeared to recover more of their thinking, learning and memory skills than those taking placebo or participating in problem-solving therapy, according to a report in the February issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

2 Feb 2010

Study assesses gray matter concentration deficits in multiple brain areas of people with OSA

A study in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal SLEEP found gray matter concentration deficits in multiple brain areas of people with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study suggests that the memory impairment, cardiovascular disturbances, executive dysfunctions, and dysregulation of autonomic and respiratory control frequently observed in OSA patients may be related to morphological changes in brain structure.

1 Feb 2010

UCLA's non-invasive pre-surgical testing approach leads to seizure-free surgical outcome in TSC patients

When medication fails to control seizures in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a rare genetic disorder that affects multiple organ systems and frequently causes epilepsy, surgery to remove part of the brain is often necessary. But pre-surgical testing, which involves the implanting of electrodes into a child's head, can lead to longer hospital stays and greater risks from surgery.

29 Jan 2010

New research suggests lead may trigger attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is among the costliest of behavioral disorders. Its combination of inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity leads to accidental injuries, school failure, substance abuse, antisocial behavior and more. Yet despite nearly a century of study, the disorder's roots remain mysterious.

29 Jan 2010

Posible new method to assess loss of consciousness

The brains of people under anesthesia respond to stimuli as they do in the deepest part of sleep - lending credence to a developing theory of consciousness and suggesting a new method to assess loss of consciousness in conditions such as coma.

28 Jan 2010

Discovery could help improve diagnosis and treatment for anxiety disorders

Draw a map of the brain when fear and anxiety are involved, and the amygdala-the brain's almond-shaped center for panic and fight-or-flight responses-looms large.

27 Jan 2010

Chronic insomnia may be associated with reduced cortical volume, says study

Chronic and severely stressful situations, like those connected to depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, have been associated with smaller volumes in "stress sensitive" brain regions, such as the cingulate region of the cerebral cortex and the hippocampus, a brain region involved in memory formation.

27 Jan 2010

Geron collaborates to explore hESC-based product for Alzheimer’s disease

Geron Corporation today announced that it has entered into a collaboration jointly funded by Geron and a University of California Discovery Research and Training Grant to investigate the therapeutic potential of its human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-based product, GRNOPC1, for Alzheimer’s disease. The company is currently developing GRNOPC1 for the potential treatment of spinal cord injury.

27 Jan 2010

Testing DBS for treating severe long-term depression

Bewernick and colleagues administered DBS treatment in ten patients with severe long-term depression who had not responded to multiple other antidepressant treatments, including psychotherapy, drug treatments and electroconvulsive treatment. After one year of DBS, all patients showed some improvement, and half of them experienced significant improvement in their symptoms of depression, astonishing considering they had not responded to any prior antidepressant treatment. In addition, the patients showed reduced ratings of anxiety and had only minor side effects. Importantly, none of their overall brain functioning was impaired by the DBS treatment.

27 Jan 2010

Thomas S. Kilduff named a Fellow of the AAAS

SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development institute, announced today that Thomas S. Kilduff, Ph.D., director of SRI International's Center for Neuroscience, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

22 Jan 2010

Study indicates size of brain structures may predict performance and learning rates

Researchers can predict your performance on a video game simply by measuring the volume of specific structures in your brain, a multi-institutional team reports this week.

21 Jan 2010

New computational model helps understand how dopamine medications affect non-motor functions

A new brain-based computational model is helping to understand how Parkinson's disease and dopamine medications-used to treat motor symptoms caused by the disease- can affect learning and attention.

21 Jan 2010

Study shows an intriguing relationship between cancer-related genes and schizophrenia susceptibility

People who inherit a specific form of a gene that puts them on a road to schizophrenia may be protected against some forms of cancer, according to a new study by scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

20 Jan 2010

Organization of the brain's dictionary

Two hundred years ago, archaeologists used the Rosetta Stone to understand the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Now, a team of Carnegie Mellon University scientists has discovered the beginnings of a neural Rosetta Stone. By combining brain imaging and machine learning techniques, neuroscientists Marcel Just and Vladimir Cherkassky and computer scientists Tom Mitchell and Sandesh Aryal determined how the brain arranges noun representations. Understanding how the brain codes nouns is important for treating psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

18 Jan 2010

Dopamine replacement therapy causes brain dysfunction in patients with Parkinson disease, study says

People with Parkinson's Disease are more likely to display abnormal social behaviour and make poor decisions in ambiguous circumstances if they are pathological gamblers, according to research in the January issue of the European Journal of Neurology.

18 Jan 2010

Reducing DA dosage causes acute withdrawal symptoms in Parkinson's patients

New research has shown that reducing the dosage of dopamine agonist (DA) drugs, a mainstay treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD), sometimes causes acute withdrawal symptoms similar to those reported by cocaine addicts -- including anxiety, panic attacks, depression, sweating, nausea, generalized pain, fatigue, dizziness and drug cravings. These symptoms can be severe, and are not alleviated by other PD medications.

12 Jan 2010

Functional disconnection between brain regions in ADHD children

Two brain areas fail to connect when children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder attempt a task that measures attention, according to researchers at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain and M.I.N.D. Institute.

12 Jan 2010

Combination of advanced techniques in robotics and neuroscience shows promise for stroke patients

Bioengineers have taken a small step toward improving physical recovery in stroke patients by showing that a key feature of how limb motion is encoded in the nervous system plays a crucial role in how new motor skills are learned.

8 Jan 2010

Tel Aviv University finds Mozart's music induces weight gain in premature babies

The music they listen to doesn't have any lyrics that tell them to grow, but new research from Tel Aviv University finds that premature babies who are exposed to music by 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart gain weight faster -- and therefore become stronger -- than those who don't.

7 Jan 2010

Cortex News and Research

Researchers explore how brain circuitry and learning changes over time

Evidence suggests antidepressants may improve post-stroke recovery

Study assesses gray matter concentration deficits in multiple brain areas of people with OSA

UCLA's non-invasive pre-surgical testing approach leads to seizure-free surgical outcome in TSC patients

New research suggests lead may trigger attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Posible new method to assess loss of consciousness

Discovery could help improve diagnosis and treatment for anxiety disorders

Chronic insomnia may be associated with reduced cortical volume, says study

Geron collaborates to explore hESC-based product for Alzheimer’s disease

Testing DBS for treating severe long-term depression

Thomas S. Kilduff named a Fellow of the AAAS

Study indicates size of brain structures may predict performance and learning rates

New computational model helps understand how dopamine medications affect non-motor functions

Study shows an intriguing relationship between cancer-related genes and schizophrenia susceptibility

Organization of the brain's dictionary

Dopamine replacement therapy causes brain dysfunction in patients with Parkinson disease, study says

Reducing DA dosage causes acute withdrawal symptoms in Parkinson's patients

Functional disconnection between brain regions in ADHD children

Combination of advanced techniques in robotics and neuroscience shows promise for stroke patients

Tel Aviv University finds Mozart's music induces weight gain in premature babies

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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