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Study findings may provide insight into extreme behaviors associated with rejection

The pain and anguish of rejection by a romantic partner may be the result of activity in parts of the brain associated with motivation, reward and addiction cravings, according to a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology.

7 Jul 2010

Ceregene continues enrollment in new Phase 1/2 clinical study of CERE-120 for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that enrollment is proceeding in a new Phase 1/2 clinical study evaluating CERE-120, a gene therapy product which delivers the neurotrophic factor neurturin, to dying neurons in Parkinson's disease patients. This new clinical study follows a completed Phase 2 trial and builds on experience gained in that trial, by enhancing the dosing regimen and optimizing the duration of patient follow up.

29 Apr 2010

Neural differences in map of the brain when learning new nouns and verbs

Two Spanish psychologists and a German neurologist have recently shown that the brain that activates when a person learns a new noun is different from the part used when a verb is learnt. The scientists observed this using brain images taken using functional magnetic resonance, according to an article they have published this month in the journal Neuroimage.

26 Feb 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

Alnylam and Medtronic announce pre-clinical research findings from their Huntington’s disease program

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), a leading RNAi therapeutics company, and Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), the world’s leading developer of medical devices, announced today the presentation of new pre-clinical research findings from their Huntington’s disease program at the 2009 World Congress on Huntington’s Disease held September 12-15, 2009 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

15 Sep 2009

Hypertension may lead to ‘silent’ strokes

"Silent" strokes, which are strokes that don't result in any noticeable symptoms but cause brain damage, are common in people over 60, and especially in those with high blood pressure, according to a study published in the July 28, 2009, print issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

28 Jul 2009

Experimental Parkinson's therapy may have robust weight-loss effect

A growth factor used in clinical experiments to rescue dying brain cells in Parkinson patients may cause unwanted weight loss if delivered to specific areas of the brain, according to University of Florida researchers in the March online edition of Molecular Therapy.

24 Mar 2009

What role does the brain play in some women's lack of sexual desire?

More than 40 percent of women ages 18-59 experience sexual dysfunction, with lack of sexual interest - hypoactive sexual desire disorder, or HSDD - being the most commonly reported complaint, according to medical researchers.

2 Mar 2009

Ceregene announces data from phase 2 clinical trial of CERE-120 for Parkinson's

Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, today reported clinical data from a double-blind, controlled Phase 2 trial of CERE-120 in 58 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

26 Nov 2008

Brain's 'hate circuit' identified

People who view pictures of someone they hate display activity in distinct areas of the brain that, together, may be thought of as a 'hate circuit', according to new research by scientists at UCL (University College London).

28 Oct 2008

Stroke damage in a brain region known as the putamen is strongly linked to motor neglect

Scientists have untangled two similar disabilities that often afflict stroke patients, in the process revealing that one may be treatable with drugs for Parkinson's disease.

4 Apr 2007

High dopamine transporter levels not linked to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Results from a brain-imaging study conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory in collaboration with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York indicate that levels of a brain protein proposed as a diagnostic marker for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are not positively correlated with the disease.

2 Dec 2006

Bipolar disorder causes children to misinterpret facial expressions

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have discovered why children with bipolar disorder tend to be more aggressive and irritable and have poorer social skills than healthy children.

31 May 2006

Cognitive impairment in people with AIDS exists in two forms

The researchers say their findings indicate there probably are two separate mechanisms that can cause cognitive impairment in people with AIDS.

10 Apr 2006

Experimental treatment shown to reverse the loss of nerve fibres in Parkinson's Disease

Analysis of the brain of a patient suffering from Parkinson's Disease has shown that the experimental treatment he received caused regrowth of the nerve fibres that are lost in this disease. The findings are reported in the July issue of Nature Medicine.

6 Jul 2005

Withdrawn experimental drug found to reverse Parkinson's brain damage

Neuroscientists at Frenchay hospital in Bristol have discovered that an experimental drug for Parkinson's disease has been shown to trigger new nerve growth in the brain, the first time any treatment has been found to reverse the brain damage caused by the condition.

5 Jul 2005

Experimental treatment regrows nerve fibres in patient suffering Parkinson's disease

Analysis of the brain of a patient suffering from Parkinson’s Disease has shown that the experimental treatment he received caused regrowth of the nerve fibres that are lost in this disease. The findings are reported in the July issue of Nature Medicine.

30 Jun 2005

Scientists can now explain why the brain prefers one brand of soft drink to another

A study involving 67 people showed no preference for either Coca-Cola® (Coke®) or Pepsi® when the drinks were administered anonymously, according to results published in the Oct. 14 issue of the journal Neuron.

13 Oct 2004

Discovery of dopamine terminal injury in brains of people with HIV dementia

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered a key mechanism in the brains of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) dementia.

20 Sep 2004