Neuroscience News and Research

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Measurement of IQ by a singular, standardized test is misleading, finds study

After conducting the largest online intelligence study on record, a Western University-led research team has concluded that the notion of measuring one's intelligence quotient or IQ by a singular, standardized test is highly misleading.

21 Dec 2012

Molecule imitating a virus may trigger inappropriate immune response

Why would our immune system turn against our own cells? This is the question that the combined Inserm/CNRS/ Pierre and Marie Curie University/Association Institut de Myologie have strived to answer in their "Therapies for diseases of striated muscle", concentrating in particular on the auto-immune disease known as myasthenia gravis.

21 Dec 2012

Study provides clear understanding of how the brain organizes visual input

Our eyes may be our window to the world, but how do we make sense of the thousands of images that flood our retinas each day? Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that the brain is wired to put in order all the categories of objects and actions that we see. They have created the first interactive map of how the brain organizes these groupings.

21 Dec 2012

Dragonfly capable of higher-level thought processes when hunting its prey

In a discovery that may prove important for cognitive science, our understanding of nature and applications for robot vision, researchers at the University of Adelaide have found evidence that the dragonfly is capable of higher-level thought processes when hunting its prey.

20 Dec 2012

Scientists map sensory nerves in mouse skin

Johns Hopkins scientists have created stunning images of the branching patterns of individual sensory nerve cells. Their report, published online in the journal eLife on Dec. 18, details the arrangement of these branches in skin from the backs of mice.

20 Dec 2012

Link made between muscular dystrophy and defective nerve wiring

Working with mice, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered that a particular protein helps nerve cells extend themselves along the spinal cord during mammalian development. Their results shed light on the subset of muscular dystrophies that result from mutations in the gene that holds the code for the protein, called dystroglycan, and also show how the nerve and muscle failings of the degenerative diseases are related.

20 Dec 2012

Ion channel acts as powerful ‘brake’ after epileptic seizures

Given that epilepsy impacts more than 2 million Americans, there is a pressing need for new therapies to prevent this disabling neurological disorder. New findings from the neuroscience laboratory of Mark S. Shapiro, Ph.D., at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, published Dec. 20 in the high-impact scientific journal, Neuron, may provide hope.

19 Dec 2012

Transcranial stimulation improves symptoms of Tourette’s

A month of daily transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the supplemental motor area results in lasting improvements in symptoms of Tourette syndrome, show study findings.

18 Dec 2012

University of North Carolina awards 13th Perl prize to two NTNU-Trondheim scientists

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has awarded the 13th Perl-UNC Neuroscience prize jointly to Edvard and May-Britt Moser at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU-Trondheim) in Trondheim, Norway.

17 Dec 2012

Paternal exposure to cocaine can impair gene expression and behavior in their offspring

Research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reveals that sons of male rats exposed to cocaine are resistant to the rewarding effects of the drug, suggesting that cocaine-induced changes in physiology are passed down from father to son.

17 Dec 2012

Blocking single tiny blood vessel in the brain can harm neural tissue and even alter behavior

Blocking a single tiny blood vessel in the brain can harm neural tissue and even alter behavior, a new study from the University of California, San Diego has shown. But these consequences can be mitigated by a drug already in use, suggesting treatment that could slow the progress of dementia associated with cumulative damage to miniscule blood vessels that feed brain cells.

17 Dec 2012

Schizophrenia tends to be elevated in more urban communities: Study

Higher rates of schizophrenia in urban areas can be attributed to increased deprivation, increased population density and an increase in inequality within a neighbourhood, new research reveals.

15 Dec 2012

Researchers question animal models that measure generalized anxiety disorder

Pre-clinical trials - the stage at which medications or therapies are tested on animals like laboratory mice - is a crucial part of drug development. It's only then that scientists can assess benefits and side effects before a drug is administered to patients.

14 Dec 2012

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital offers comprehensive surgical program

No matter what age you are, surgery can be a scary thing. Knowing you are in good hands, though, can help soothe fears. K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center offers a comprehensive child-friendly, family-oriented program that includes surgical specialties, dentistry, general surgery, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, ENT, orthopedic surgery and urology.

14 Dec 2012

Scientists identify new mutation in a gene that causes Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Scientists have identified a new mutation in the gene that causes the inherited disease known as Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Alpha-1), which affects roughly one in 2,500 people of European descent.

14 Dec 2012

Top-line results from AstraZeneca’s fostamatinib Phase IIb monotherapy study on RA

AstraZeneca today announced top-line results of OSKIRA-4, a Phase IIb monotherapy study of fostamatinib, the first kinase inhibitor with selectivity for SYK (spleen tyrosine kinase) in development as an oral treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

13 Dec 2012

New ESF strategic report identifies opportunities for research on human brain

A new strategic report, The Human Brain - From Cells to Society, Toward Better Mental Health in Europe, has been published today by the European Science Foundation (ESF). In a Europe where an estimated 38% of the population is affected by a disorder of the brain, it is becoming increasingly important to bring greater support to research in all areas of neuroscience.

13 Dec 2012

Skin vibrations convey information to the brain much the same way as auditory system

When you walk into a darkened room, your first instinct is to feel around for a light switch. You slide your hand along the wall, feeling the transition from the doorframe to the painted drywall, and then up and down until you find the metal or plastic plate of the switch. During the process you use your sense of touch to develop an image in your mind of the wall's surface and make a better guess for where the switch is.

12 Dec 2012

American Association of Anatomist announces winners of Young Investigator Awards

The American Association of Anatomist's (AAA) Young Investigator Awards combine three long-standing AAA awards-Bensley, Herrick, and Mossman-with the Morphological Sciences Award, all recognizing investigators in the early stages of their careers who have made important contributions to biomedical science through their research in cell/molecular biology, developmental biology, comparative neuroanatomy, or the morphological sciences.

12 Dec 2012

Scientists determine specific genetic switches that sync liver activity to the circadian cycle

When it's dark, and we start to fall asleep, most of us think we're tired because our bodies need rest. Yet circadian rhythms affect our bodies not just on a global scale, but at the level of individual organs, and even genes.

12 Dec 2012

Neuroscience News and Research

Measurement of IQ by a singular, standardized test is misleading, finds study

Molecule imitating a virus may trigger inappropriate immune response

Study provides clear understanding of how the brain organizes visual input

Dragonfly capable of higher-level thought processes when hunting its prey

Scientists map sensory nerves in mouse skin

Link made between muscular dystrophy and defective nerve wiring

Ion channel acts as powerful ‘brake’ after epileptic seizures

Transcranial stimulation improves symptoms of Tourette’s

University of North Carolina awards 13th Perl prize to two NTNU-Trondheim scientists

Paternal exposure to cocaine can impair gene expression and behavior in their offspring

Blocking single tiny blood vessel in the brain can harm neural tissue and even alter behavior

Schizophrenia tends to be elevated in more urban communities: Study

Researchers question animal models that measure generalized anxiety disorder

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital offers comprehensive surgical program

Scientists identify new mutation in a gene that causes Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Top-line results from AstraZeneca’s fostamatinib Phase IIb monotherapy study on RA

New ESF strategic report identifies opportunities for research on human brain

Skin vibrations convey information to the brain much the same way as auditory system

American Association of Anatomist announces winners of Young Investigator Awards

Scientists determine specific genetic switches that sync liver activity to the circadian cycle

Neuroscience - Second Edition eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

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