Neuroscience News and Research

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Abnormal visual processing and circuitry in the brain impacts fixational saccades

Little is known about oculomotor function in amblyopia, or "lazy eye," despite the special role of eye movements in vision. A group of scientists has discovered that abnormal visual processing and circuitry in the brain have an impact on fixational saccades (FSs), involuntary eye movements that occur during fixation and are important for the maintenance of vision.

17 Oct 2012

Brain’s biological mechanisms may contribute to diet-related disorders

Studies released today explore the neurological component of dietary disorders, uncovering evidence that the brain's biological mechanisms may contribute to significant public health challenges - obesity, diabetes, binge eating, and the allure of the high-calorie meal. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

17 Oct 2012

New findings on sleep deprivation presented at Neuroscience 2012

New findings presented today report the important role sleep plays, and the brain mechanisms at work as sleep shapes memory, learning, and behavior. The findings were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

17 Oct 2012

Saint Mary's, Mercy Health and VAI sign agreements to expand biorepository

Van Andel Institute (VAI) and two West Michigan hospitals within the national Trinity Health system and members of Mercy Health - Saint Mary's Health Care and Mercy Health Partners - have signed agreements paving the way for the expansion of a world-class biorepository utilizing the infrastructure of the VAI Program for Biospecimen Science.

17 Oct 2012

UAF scientists discover evolutionary origin of air breathing in vertebrates

University of Alaska Fairbanks scientists have identified what they think is the ancestral trait that allowed for the evolution of air breathing in vertebrates. They will present their research at the 42nd annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience Oct. 17 in New Orleans.

17 Oct 2012

‘Gene for speed’ researcher awarded Ramaciotti Medal

Professor Kathryn North AM, the researcher responsible for discovering the ‘gene for speed’, has been awarded the prestigious Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence in Biomedical Research and a $50,000 grant.

16 Oct 2012

Mephedrone and memory loss: an interview with Craig Motbey

Mephedrone is a fairly new designer drug which has been around for a few years. It exploded in popularity in Europe (and particularly in the UK) before it started to spread in a major way elsewhere.

16 Oct 2012

LRRK2 inhibitors may provide neuroprotection for patients with Parkinson's

For decades, patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have had the same experience. Their hands start to shake uncontrollably, their limbs become rigid and they lose their balance. Years before those movement problems set in, many begin struggling with fainting, incontinence, sexual dysfunction, anxiety and depression. Many patients are still treated with a 42-year-old drug called L-DOPA, which temporarily staves off symptoms but can itself cause heart arrhythmias, stomach bleeding and hallucinations.

16 Oct 2012

Companionship can reduce nerve-related pain

Companionship has the potential to reduce pain linked to nerve damage, according to a new study.

16 Oct 2012

Animal research shows promise in treating AD, brain damage and heart problems resulting from SCIs

New animal studies provide additional support for investigating stem cell treatments for Parkinson's disease, head trauma, and dangerous heart problems that accompany spinal cord injury, according to research findings released today.

16 Oct 2012

Mother rats respond much differently to cocaine than non-mothers

Mother rats respond much differently to cocaine than female rats that have never given birth, according to new University of Michigan research that looks at both behavior and brain chemistry.

16 Oct 2012

First report of androgen-dependence of exercise on nerve regeneration

A study by researchers from Emory University and Indiana University found that the beneficial effects daily exercise can have on the regeneration of nerves also require androgens such as testosterone in both males and females. It is the first report of both androgen-dependence of exercise on nerve regeneration and of an androgenic effect of exercise in females.

16 Oct 2012

Study demonstrates how new scientific knowledge drives novel treatments for spinal cord injuries

Research released today demonstrates how new scientific knowledge is driving innovative treatments for spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord damage is debilitating and life-altering, limiting or preventing movement and feeling for millions worldwide, and leading to chronic health conditions and pain.

16 Oct 2012

New findings on depression, decision-making and cognition in the teen brain

The brain's "reward system," those brain circuits and structures that mediate the experience and pursuit of pleasure, figured prominently in several studies.

16 Oct 2012

Cannabis and the endocannabinoid system: an interview with Dr Leonora Long

Cannabis has both physical and behavioural effects. People using cannabis can experience feelings of euphoria (well-being), hunger, sleepiness, problems with motor coordination, and sometimes feelings of anxiety and paranoia.

15 Oct 2012

New findings on Alzheimer's disease presented at Neuroscience 2012

Curtailing the imminent rise in Alzheimer's disease (AD) will require early, accurate diagnostic tests and treatments, and researchers are closer to achieving these two goals. New findings in medical imaging, molecular analysis of neurological diseases, and development of treatments using mouse models were presented at Neuroscience 2012, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

15 Oct 2012

Einstein College receives $3M grant to establish Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging Research

Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University has received a $3 million grant from the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research to establish the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Human Aging Research. The grant will fund research to translate recent laboratory and animal discoveries into therapies to slow human aging.

15 Oct 2012

New research on how the brain develops during transition period from childhood to adulthood

Scientists presented new research today on how the brain develops during the dynamic and vulnerable transition period from childhood to adulthood. The findings underscore the uniqueness of adolescence, revealing factors that may influence depression, decision-making, learning, and social relationships.

15 Oct 2012

Scientists reveal interaction between the auditory cortex and amygdala

In a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience and funded by the Wellcome Trust, Newcastle University scientists reveal the interaction between the region of the brain that processes sound, the auditory cortex, and the amygdala, which is active in the processing of negative emotions when we hear unpleasant sounds.

15 Oct 2012

Pregnancy stress can cut brain benefits of motherhood

A new study in animals shows that chronic stress during pregnancy prevents brain benefits of motherhood, a finding that researchers suggest could increase understanding of postpartum depression.

15 Oct 2012