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Basic brain mechanism that causes drug-seeking behavior

In studies with rats, researchers have distinguished a burst of the brain chemical dopamine from a reward-related brain region that is associated with anticipating the delivery of cocaine. The finding, publishing in the May 19 issue of Neuron, reveals the brain signal that likely underlies the fundamental motivation to obtain such drugs, said the scientists.

20 May 2005

Mathematical way to identify babies at risk for epilepsy

Confusion and speech problems are frequent signs of seizures, but babies offer few such clues as to what ails them.

17 May 2005

Expandable electrodes safe and effective for radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors

The use of expandable electrodes with multiple tips in the treatment of liver tumors by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is safe and effective, making it a useful alternative to surgery in selected patients, say researchers from the University of Brescia in Italy.

17 May 2005

Jefferson vascular surgeons go on web to demonstrate less invasive treatment than vein stripping for varicose veins

Stripping is a lengthy procedure often performed under general anesthesia and requires a surgeon to make incisions in the groin and below the knee and remove the vein with a long, surgical instrument extending inside the leg to the knee.

10 May 2005

Researchers present information on artificial retina

Researchers from the University of Southern California and the Doheny Eye Institute will be presenting data on the first six patients implanted with an intraocular retinal prosthesis-more popularly referred to as an artificial retina-developed and manufactured in partnership with Second Sight Medical Products, of Sylmar, Calif.

2 May 2005

Breast cancer detector that uses electricity instead of X-rays

A painless, portable device that uses electrical current rather than X-ray to examine breasts for cancer is under study at the Medical College of Georgia.

25 Apr 2005

Electroshock therapy speeds improvement in schizophrenia patients

Shock therapy, a controversial practice conjuring frightening images of behavior control, still has a place in schizophrenia treatment, a newly updated research review shows.

20 Apr 2005

Research offers promise for people with learning disabilities

Learning disabilities such as dyslexia are believed to affect nearly one in 10 children. To better study them, a Northwestern University research team has developed a data-driven conceptual framework that links two well-established scientific concepts. In doing so, they also have developed a non-invasive diagnostic tool called BioMAP that can quickly identify children with learning disabilities.

4 Apr 2005

Bionic eyes from Stanford

Stanford physicists and eye doctors have teamed up to design a "bionic eye," of sorts. On Feb. 22 in the Journal of Neural Engineering, Daniel Palanker, Alexander Vankov and Phil Huie from the Department of Ophthalmology and the Hansen Experimental Physics Laboratory and Stephen Baccus from the Department of Neurobiology published a design of an optoelectronic retinal prosthesis system that can stimulate the retina with resolution corresponding to a visual acuity of 20/80

4 Apr 2005

Clinical study of mirror neurons provides insights into autism and other disorders

Seeing is doing – at least it is when mirror neurons are working normally. But in autistic individuals, say researchers from the University of California, San Diego, the brain circuits that enable people to perceive and understand the actions of others do not behave in the usual way.

29 Mar 2005

Study finds spikes in blood pressure, heart rate, adrenaline after 'dipping' snuff

After snuff use, heart rate increased by about 15 beats per minute (25 percent), systolic blood pressure went up by 12 mmHg (10 percent), and measurements of adrenalin in the bloodstream increased by more than 50 percent.

15 Mar 2005

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide needed by the brain's biological clock to coordinate daily rhythms

A biologist at Washington University in St. Louis is giving the VIP treatment to laboratory mice in hopes of unraveling more clues about our biological clock.

7 Mar 2005

Deep brain stimulation alleviates severe depression

Canadian researchers have found that severe depression, which is often unresponsive to standard treatments, may be alleviated with an experimental treatment called deep brain stimulation.

3 Mar 2005

Computer obeys thoughts via Brain-Computer Interface

A research group led by Academy Professor Mikko Sams is developing a brain-computer interface, a device that transforms electrical or magnetic brain signals into commands a computer can understand.

3 Mar 2005

Unique study of the use of deep brain stimulation

Canadian researchers have seen promising results from a unique study of the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS), in severely depressed patients resistant to standard treatments.

28 Feb 2005

Electrical deep brain stimulation can dramatically alleviate depression

Electrical deep brain stimulation can dramatically alleviate depression that is resistant to other treatments, researchers have found in an initial study on six patients.

28 Feb 2005

Mathematical model describes the electrical storm that rages during a brain seizure

"We're trying to get to the underlying state of the brain that leads to these seizures," said Mark Kramer, a Ph.D. student in UC Berkeley's Applied Science and Technology Program and lead author of the paper. "Our hope is that the model can highlight potential areas where a seizure can be stopped."

24 Feb 2005

Just fifteen minutes of training could make it possible for anyone to use a defibrillator to stop sudden cardiac arrest

A study published today in the journal Critical Care shows that a brief training session is all that is needed for safe and efficient use of an automated external defibrillator.

30 Jan 2005

Home HIV-AIDS test could be a reality within two years

A portable device similar to a home pregnancy test that can quickly detect the presence of infectious diseases, including HIV-AIDS and measles as well as biological agents such as Ricin and anthrax, is the goal of a new joint research project

17 Jan 2005

New system may help babies avoid brain damage

The same heightened electrical activity that indicates an adult taking a treadmill test isn’t getting enough oxygen to his heart is now being measured during labor to see if it can better identify babies in serious distress who need immediate delivery.

12 Jan 2005