Articles tagged with Brain
Researchers identified the specific horizontal interneuron cell that gives rise to eye cancer retinoblastoma, challenging a long-standing principle of nerve growth and development. This finding suggests it may be possible to induce fully developed neurons to multiply and repair injured brains.
Primary central nervous system vasculitis is a rare and poorly understood disorder that can lead to stroke or death. A recent Mayo Clinic study provides clarification on the methods of diagnosis and treatment, suggesting a combined diagnostic approach using angiography, brain biopsy, and laboratory studies.
The European College of Neuropsychopharmacology emphasizes the need for early intervention and preventive measures for mental disorders. The vast majority of people with mental disorders remain untreated, particularly in adolescents and young adults.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a blood test that can identify changes in proteins in blood plasma, indicating an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The test showed 90% accuracy in matching clinical diagnoses and predicting the onset of the disease two to six years in advance.
A study in China found that body-mind meditation improved attention and reduced stress in college students. The integrative body-mind training (IBMT) approach showed greater benefits than relaxation training in reducing cortisol release, anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Researchers at Saint Louis University have found an injectable antibody that can reverse learning problems in mice with an animal version of Alzheimer's disease. The antibody, part of the IgM class, targets amyloid beta protein and prevents it from becoming toxic.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine found a molecular connection between amyloid-beta production and cholesterol levels in the brain, linking early- and late-onset Alzheimer's. This discovery suggests that abnormal brain cholesterol metabolism may play a role in the disease.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine found that a hormone released during emotional arousal 'primes' nerve cells to remember events by increasing their chemical sensitivity. This process, known as the 'priming effect,' enhances the sculpting of memories into long-term storage.
The study found that too little MeCP2 leads to fewer synapses, while too much causes an overabundance, resulting in mental retardation and autism-like symptoms. Understanding the regulation of MeCP2 is crucial for determining optimal synapse number.
Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features two new methods for neuroscience research: a step-by-step approach to prepare brain slices from rats or mice for growth in culture and how to properly assess courtship behavior in male fruit flies. These protocols allow researchers to examine the structure and function of neurons in their native en...
Researchers aim to improve diagnosis and treatment of neurologic emergencies with rapid, reliable information. The Point-of-Care Center will focus on developing technologies for fast and accurate diagnosis at the bedside or in the operating room.
Researchers found that a decrease in p53 activity in only 14 insulin-producing cells in the fly brain can significantly extend lifespan, supporting the link between metabolic regulation and aging. The findings also suggest a connection between aging and diabetes, providing a new laboratory model for studying these diseases.
A recent study has found that our brains respond more rapidly when visualizing two objects that may collide. This challenge traditional understanding of visual perception, which suggests a delay between the moment events occur and when they are perceived.
Researchers found evidence that the two sides of the retina interact to enhance shape recognition, coordinating their responses with unexpected temporal precision. This study challenges the traditional view that communication between brain hemispheres is necessary for shape recognition.
McMaster researchers have made an important finding about Fragile X Syndrome (FXS), a sex-linked genetic disorder that affects cognitive function and learning. The study discovered that glial cells in the brain also produce the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), contributing to abnormal neuronal structures seen in FXS patients.
Researchers found humans carry more gene copies than ape relatives to produce more amylase enzyme, which digests starch. This discovery bolsters the idea that starch played a crucial role in early human diet and evolution.
The study reveals that the brain encodes visual information with extreme precision, necessary to represent the slowly changing visual world. The researchers found that the brain's internal clock changes relative to the visual scene's timescale, with precise timing required for accurate perception.
Researchers have created 3D images of fruit fly brains using optical projection tomography, shedding light on genetic research into Alzheimer's and other human diseases. The images allow scientists to visualize gene expression patterns and gain insights into the human brain.
Researchers studied crayfish brain function, discovering integration of sensory inputs from antennae, legs, and antennules for environmental awareness and hunting success. Crayfish use distinct senses to detect food, predators, and mates in their aquatic environment.
Recent symposium discussions highlighted the brain's role in initiating and regulating obesity, as well as its response to nutrient abundance. Research suggests impaired brain function may contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance, fueling obesity and type 2 diabetes development.
Researchers discovered a link between impaired brain glucose sensing and type 2 diabetes development in mice. A high-fat diet may contribute to this impairment by disrupting ATP production, leading to reduced glucose-sensing ability.
Researchers found that statin treatment may curb Alzheimer's brain changes, with a study comparing brain scans of people who took statins to those who did not. The study, published in Neurology, included 110 Group Health members aged 65-79 and provided the first direct evidence of statin's potential protective effect on the brain.
Researchers used virtual reality to manipulate bodily self-consciousness, demonstrating that spatial unity and bodily self-awareness depend on brain mechanisms. The study indicates that humans' sense of the embodied self relies on brain activity at the temporo-parietal junction.
Researchers used VR goggles to induce out-of-body-like experiences in healthy people, suggesting a disconnect between brain circuits that process sensory information may be responsible. The findings help solve the question of how we perceive our own bodies and may have implications for training people to perform delicate tasks remotely.
Dr. Susana Martinez-Conde and her team will record neural activity in the brain's visual areas to understand why images appear stable during fixation. They aim to determine at what level of the brain visual perception becomes stable, shedding light on this critical aspect of our visual experience.
Researchers have developed a new test that can diagnose common brain diseases like Alzheimer's and schizophrenia with high accuracy. By analyzing tiny magnetic fields produced by neuron activity, the test can identify patterns associated with these debilitating diseases.
Research by Cindy Lustig and David Bissig found that people who use smart strategies, such as studying more than testing, show large improvements in memory. Meanwhile, those who focus on testing without studying do poorly. The study suggests that the way people approach training is more important than age or initial ability.
Researchers have discovered a second prion protein called 'Shadoo' that coexists with the well-known PrP protein, potentially shedding light on brain function in mad cow disease. The study, published in the EMBO Journal, reveals an unexpected alteration in prion infections where Shadoo disappears as PrP accumulates.
A new study published in Psychological Science examined how an animal's rearing environment influences its navigational strategy. The researchers found that while the ability to use geometry for navigation is innate, the use of geometric cues depends on both genetic and environmental factors.
A new study published in Psychological Science examines how early exposure to geometric cues influences navigational strategy. The researchers found that fish raised in circular tanks with minimal angular information still used geometry to navigate, while those from rectangular tanks were more likely to rely on features when present.
A newly developed DNA vaccine against multiple sclerosis appears safe and may produce beneficial changes in the brains and immune systems of individuals with MS. The vaccine showed a reduction in cytokine-producing cells targeting myelin proteins, as well as a trend toward a decrease in contrast-enhancing lesions on brain MRI.
A woman who suffered a brain bleed and aphasia due to a bicycle accident began hearing her own thoughts aloud and hallucinating hospital staff's voices. Her symptoms improved with treatment, but her experiences suggest that auditory hallucinations can arise from neurological conditions affecting speech processing.
Researchers found that suppressing the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS-3) gene led to intracranial aneurysm formation in 33% of study subjects. The study suggests that NOS-3 plays a crucial role in vascular remodeling and may be a marker for increased risk of brain aneurysms.
Bart Krekelberg seeks to understand how the brain ignores eye movement during visual processing, potentially leading to new treatments for dyslexia and schizophrenia. He will use a combination of electrophysiology and functional resonance imaging to identify key areas of the brain involved in visual perception.
Researchers investigated dynamic cortical networks in humans, confirming that familiar and unfamiliar objects activate distributed brain areas. They also measured directed information transfer between brain areas, revealing that most regions are involved in both receiving and sending signals during object recognition.
Research suggests that a sensory organ in the noses of mammals differentiates male and female behavior, rather than the brain. Female mice with mutant vomeronasal organs adopt male behaviors like mounting and pelvic thrusting, abandoning maternal actions.
Researchers at UCLA found that female mice have a lower threshold for cortical spreading depression (CSD), a key contributor to migraines. Memantine, a medication approved for Alzheimer's disease, shows promise in preventing migraines in patients with high frequency of attacks.
A Northwestern University study found that electrical activity in the brain is altered within 200 milliseconds when viewing subliminal emotional expressions, leading to biased ratings of facial expressions. Those with anxiety tend to exhibit stronger brain responses to fear-primed expressions.
The American Federation for Aging Research and the John A. Hartford Foundation have awarded $400,000 in collaborative research grants to five teams, fostering interdisciplinary research on aging and age-related diseases. The awards aim to accelerate collaborations among researchers and explore novel models of inter-disciplinary research.
Researchers at Saint Louis University have discovered a way to deliver medicine to the brain for treating Sly Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. The breakthrough uses epinephrine to induce the enzyme beta-glucuronidase, which is missing in patients with Sly Syndrome.
A 44-year-old man with a tiny brain and massive ventricular enlargement led a normal life despite mild leg weakness and cognitive impairments. He underwent various treatments, including shunt insertions and neuroendoscopic procedures, to manage his symptoms.
Researchers have identified a specific amino acid in the potassium channel protein that blocks anaesthetic activation, paving the way for targeted anaesthetics with fewer side effects. This discovery could lead to improved understanding of how anaesthetics work and the development of new, more specific alternatives.
A recent study published in Neuron found that the brain's neural activity changes when searching for specific objects, regardless of their location. The researchers used fMRI to measure brain activity and discovered patterns of activity that were not previously understood.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have discovered a new biochemical mechanism for memory storage, involving persistent changes in slow nerve currents. The discovery may also link memory and addiction, with potential implications for treating conditions such as epilepsy and diseases of memory.
Researchers used TMS to measure mirror neuron activity in response to American and Nicaraguan gestures, finding higher activity when observing shared culture. This study suggests culture shapes brain's neural mechanisms, influencing behavior and potentially informing motor skill and language learning.
Researchers distinguish between two classes of brain cells with distinct roles in visual attention and highlight mechanisms by which they mediate attention. They found that neurons respond more strongly when attention is directed to the stimulus in their receptive fields, with narrow-spiking cells firing more frequently under attention.
The study reveals that humans use two different methods to track moving objects: low-level motion perception and high-level motion perception. Participants showed varying capabilities in each area, with some excelling at catching up to a target and others better at locking onto it.
Researchers at Penn University have successfully restored brain function to blind animals using gene therapy, showing promise for treating genetic retinal disease. The treatment, which involves introducing a working copy of the RPE65 gene into the retina, also revived responses in the visual cortex of the canine brain.
MIT researchers have reversed symptoms of mental retardation and autism in mice with Fragile X Syndrome, a leading inherited cause of the conditions. The study identifies p21-activated kinase as a key enzyme that can be inhibited to reverse symptoms.
A Barrow researcher has received a $120,000 grant to study flicker fusion and its impact on people with epilepsy. The goal is to develop safe brain products that can make artificial lighting appear stable to the brain.
Scientists have developed a new method to deliver therapeutic molecules across the blood-brain barrier using a short protein from the rabies virus. This approach protects mice from infection caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus, suggesting potential for treating various brain infections and diseases.
Researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center have developed an attention training program that can help older adults block out distractions and improve concentration. The study found that brain activity in areas related to sight and sound increased, while performance on a task improved after the eight-week training.
Researchers found that TRAIL limits excessive immune responses in bacterial meningitis, decreasing brain cell death. The study suggests that TRAIL may be used as an anti-inflammatory agent in invasive bacterial infections.
Researchers identified a surprising trend in their study of 53 Ohio children with intracranial arterial aneurysms: most cases occurred spontaneously, without trauma or infection. This finding suggests unknown genetic factors, environmental exposures, or interaction between the two may predispose certain children to aneurysm development.
A new study found that most people with dementia have a combination of Alzheimer's disease and other chronic diseases in their brains. The researchers suggest that controlling blood cholesterol levels and hypertension may help prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, potentially reducing the risk of dementia.
People who experience negative emotions such as depression and anxiety are 40% more likely to develop mild cognitive impairment. Chronic stress affects the brain's stress response area, also regulating memory. Researchers found that distress-prone individuals are at a higher risk of developing memory problems over time.
A recent study published in PNAS U.S.A. utilized functional MRI to examine the brain activity of awake, mildly sedated zebra finches during song stimulation. The research found that the right side of the birds' brains discriminated sounds better, suggesting a possible link between bird song and human speech disorders like stuttering.
New study links unexplained late-life weight loss with Alzheimer's disease severity, suggesting it may be an early predictor. Researchers found that weight loss preceding dementia by more than 10 years is associated with the severity of brain changes in Alzheimer's patients.
Researchers have developed a dual-imaging technique that combines functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor tractography to outline important areas of brain function and their connections prior to surgery. This approach has been used in 20 cases at Cincinnati's University Hospital and shows promising results in o...
Two studies presented at the Seventh International Conference on Bipolar Disorder have identified novel pathways and markers for diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder. The findings suggest a new avenue for treating the underlying cause of the disease, rather than just treating symptoms.