Articles tagged with Brain
A new study published in Neurosurgery finds that surgery provides good functional outcomes and a high cure rate for patients with lower-grade arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the brain. The research evaluated 105 patients with AVMs from 2005 to 2012, concluding that treatment is recommended for appropriately selected patients.
Researchers found that extra sleep can restore memory formation in fruit flies with disrupted genes, similar to Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that sleep helps reinforce connections between brain cells and cut back on useless information.
Sunil Sheth, MD, a clinical instructor at UCLA, is receiving $154,000 to develop a lab test that can diagnose stroke from a single drop of blood. The award aims to validate this test in emergency rooms and potentially revolutionize initial stroke evaluation and treatment.
Walter F. Mondale is recognized for his efforts to raise awareness about brain diseases after losing his wife and daughter to these conditions. He advocates for research breakthroughs, aiming to improve patient care and save the country from potential $1.1 trillion in Alzheimer's-related care costs by 2050.
A Baltimore researcher has received a $260,000 award from the American Academy of Neurology to investigate the role of nitric oxide in multiple sclerosis. The goal is to examine the ability of selegiline and related drugs to alleviate disease symptoms in rodent models of MS.
Researchers at UBC have discovered a single gene that causes brain swelling after trauma, providing a target for drug development. By turning off this gene, they successfully stopped swelling in rodent brains.
Hristelina S. Llieva will receive a two-year Clinical Research Training Fellowship in ALS to investigate glial cell dysfunction contributing to familial ALS. The award supports her work on the C9ORF72 linked subtype of familial ALS, which is viewed as a predominantly neuronal disease.
Benjamin Tolchin, a Massachusetts researcher, will receive a $130,000 award to investigate psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) and develop new treatment approaches. His research aims to identify ways to increase the number of patients who successfully complete therapy and eliminate their PNES.
A new study by neuroscientists at the Bernstein Center Munich found that previous experience plays a significant role in shaping our perceptions of physical quantities. The researchers developed a Bayesian model that integrates two classic theories and explains how prior knowledge affects judgment, leading to systematic estimation biases.
A new approach has reversed Parkinson's-like symptoms in rats by delivering dopamine via biodegradable nanoparticles that crossed the blood-brain barrier without side effects. This breakthrough could lead to a new treatment for human patients.
Researchers discovered structural brain abnormalities in white matter among those experiencing loss of consciousness due to mTBI, linked to decreased verbal memory performance. The study highlights the importance of diffusion tensor imaging in detecting subtle white matter changes associated with mild TBI.
A novel in vitro live-cell platform allows direct visualization of endothelial cell injury patterns after clot removal. Researchers validated their findings with in vivo testing, offering significant promise for future device design and improving post-stroke recovery outcomes.
A study found that removing clots in severe strokes, combined with medication, improves blood flow and may lead to better long-term outcomes. The treatment shows promise as a game-changer for certain types of stroke patients.
A new endovascular therapy procedure for ischemic stroke has been shown to improve patient outcomes, increasing positive results from 35% to 60%. The study, SWIFT-PRIME, randomized 196 patients and found a significant reduction in mortality rates, with an overall decrease of 50% compared to standard treatment.
Researchers have identified significant vascular changes in Huntington's disease brains, finding mutant huntingtin in blood vessels and increased permeability of the blood-brain-barrier. These findings suggest that healthy cells can be infected by the mutant protein, offering new potential therapeutic targets.
Research reveals suppression of brain area responsible for object recognition by that for face recognition is necessary for 'normal' face recognition. Mathematical simulation shows neural networks between brain areas are essential for 'normal' face recognition, potentially shedding light on disorders like developmental prosopagnosia.
Researchers using brain-controlled prosthetics can gain real-time feedback on neural activity, allowing for the study of how the brain encodes information and changes with learning. This technology holds promise for developing new treatments for epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological disorders.
A single metabolic protein called estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) controls the flow of blood and nutrients throughout the body. It turns on fat-burning pathways in muscles and sugar-burning pathways in the brain.
A new laboratory study by the University of Michigan Medical School reveals that near-death brain activity can destabilize heart function and accelerate cardiac demise. The study suggests that blocking brain-heart connections during cardiac arrest may improve survival chances for patients.
Researchers used simulations of evolving computational brain models to show that more modular brains learn more and forget less. This finding could accelerate attempts to create artificial intelligence (AI) that can learn multiple skills over time, like humans and animals.
Researchers are testing light therapy on brain function in veterans with Gulf War Illness, using red and near-infrared light to improve blood flow and stimulate damaged brain cells. The study aims to determine if this therapy can be a valuable adjunct to standard cognitive rehabilitation.
Researchers attach microstimulator and geomagnetic compass to blind rat brains, allowing them to learn new navigation skills. The findings suggest that humans could also expand their senses through artificial sensors, restoring allocentric sense in blind individuals.
A new study found that apps with ads consume more energy, slow down phones, and use up to 100% more data than those without ads, leading to lower user ratings. The research compared 21 top apps from the past year and measured their impact on phones using analysis tools.
Researchers found depressed levels of cytokines, including interleukin 1, in individuals with ME/CFS compared to healthy controls, while an inflammatory molecule called eotaxin was elevated in the group. These findings may contribute to symptoms such as brain fog and offer hope for objective diagnostic tests and therapies that correct ...
Researchers found that combining different photos of a user leads to better recognition on Samsung Galaxy phones, often to perfect levels. Storing an 'average' image formed by morphing together several photos can greatly improve performance.
A Yale-led study found that people who search for information online overestimate their knowledge base compared to those who obtain information through other methods. The effect was strong enough that even without providing a full answer, internet searchers still felt smarter.
Scientists have developed a mouse model that lacks the nSR100 gene, which regulates microexon splicing. This process is essential for protein production and brain function. The study found defects in neuron formation and wiring, similar to those found in people with autism and schizophrenia.
A new study by University of Maryland researchers reveals that the brain's 'gender' may be more flexible than previously thought. The study found that a specific enzyme plays a key role in masculinization, allowing certain genes to be 'unsilenced'. This process can even occur after the window for brain sexual differentiation has closed.
A new reality substitution prototype unveiled at The Brain Forum 2015 aims to revolutionize virtual reality production and experience. By capturing real-world situations and playing them back in head-mounted displays, the system enables users to immerse themselves in authentic environments with real cognitive implications.
Researchers tracked neuronal activity in dendritic nerve branches as mice learned motor tasks, finding that calcium ion spikes triggered changes in connection strengths. The study identified a unique cell type controlling lightning bolt patterns, which stored new information without disrupting existing memories.
Researchers mapped how neurons fired in the brain of a sea slug while it moved, revealing large groups of co-active neurons that can be dramatically simplified and interpreted. This approach may help understand how brain networks change in disease states and how drugs act to restore normal brain function.
Researchers at University College London used the thermal grill illusion to study pain perception. They found that crossing fingers can change what you feel on a single finger by manipulating the spatial arrangement of nerve pathways.
A new study published in JAMA finds that using a stent to widen narrowed brain arteries does not provide better outcomes than medication alone. The trial enrolled 112 patients and found increased stroke or TIA risk with stent use, as well as higher mortality rates.
A Georgetown University Medical Center study found that brain neurons learn words quickly by tuning to recognize complete words as visual objects, not parts of them. The 'visual word form area' in the left side of the visual cortex remembers how whole words look, facilitating fast reading and helping people with reading difficulties.
Researchers found that the immune system's attack on new blood vessel cells in fetuses may be responsible for life-threatening brain bleeds. This discovery challenges the previous belief that low platelet counts were the cause of fetal brain bleeds, suggesting a need for alternative therapies.
Research reveals anorexics' brain mechanisms that enable them to resist food temptations. Women recovered from anorexia nervosa exhibited decreased response to hunger and increased activation of cognitive control circuits.
As the US population ages, chronic subdural hemorrhage (SDH) is expected to become the most common adult brain condition requiring neurosurgical intervention. By 2030, hospitals and neurosurgeons may be under-manned to handle the projected increase in patients with SDH.
The common squid has 60% of its RNA transcripts edited, creating vast protein diversity and potential role in brain physiology
Researchers at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco found that giving participants a drug that changes brain chemistry makes them more willing to divide resources equally. The study may lead to better understanding of mental illnesses like schizophrenia or addiction, and potentially diagnostic tools or treatments.
A new study using brain imaging shows that intentional recall can lead to the suppression of competing memories, altering their accessibility. The research found that remembering dynamically changes which aspects of our past remain available, and this mechanism is not limited to specific memory types.
A new device called TriGuard has been tested in a multicenter trial to protect the brain during heart-valve replacement procedures. The results show that patients with protection had fewer ischemic brain lesions and improvements in cognitive function, including short-term memory and delayed memory.
A comprehensive programme providing healthy eating guidance, exercise, and brain training appears to slow down cognitive decline in older people at risk of dementia. The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability found a 25% increase in mental function scores in the intervention group.
Researchers have developed speciality glass optical fibres that can mimic the brain's neural networks and synapses, enabling faster signal transmission speeds and lower power consumption. This breakthrough could pave the way for scalable brain-like computing systems.
A study at Ohio State University found that color images lead to a greater focus on small product details, while black-and-white images aid in focusing on key features. This discovery suggests that marketers can strategically use color or its absence to alter consumer perceptions of products.
The research provides a unified model that explains how layer properties and bonding determine surface textures, applicable to various biological processes and material applications. The findings could lead to the creation of materials with tailored surface properties for specific uses, such as disease treatment or water-shedding.
Researchers have discovered how light disrupts biological clocks and propose a two-day recovery time for jet lag. They found that weakening synchronization among neurons governed by circadian patterns enables rapid adaptation to new time zones.
Researchers have found that the receptor TLR4 and protein galectin-3 are crucial in amplifying brain inflammation. Galectin-3 is secreted by microglial cells and binds to TLR4, intensifying the inflammatory response.
Researchers at IUPUI are conducting a study on how alcohol affects the brain's reward system, using a unique blend of mathematical modeling and experimental neuroscience. The goal is to gain a better understanding of how alcohol hijacks dopamine release, a key factor in addiction.
A new study reveals that prenatal exposure to low doses of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can alter the developing brain in an area involved in metabolism. The effects are apparent even two generations later, with increased body weight observed only in descendants of females exposed to PCBs during pregnancy.
Researchers challenge current theories of ageing by finding that brain activity in older adults is not reduced as previously thought. A new study using resting state fMRI measurements suggests that age-related differences in brain signal amplitude are due to vascular health, rather than brain function.
Researchers found altered opioid neurotransmission in obese individuals, with reduced opioid receptors in the brain. The study provides new insights into the mechanisms of overeating and obesity, but its findings do not indicate whether the changes are a cause or consequence of obesity.
The brain uses the sharper image from the less aberrated eye as a reference point to compensate for optical differences between the eyes. This neural mechanism is important for understanding refractive errors and developing effective treatments like monovision for presbyopia.
Researchers at Northwestern University have discovered how a fruit fly's brain represents temperature, mapping it neuron by neuron. The study reveals three types of neurons that respond to hot, cold, or both temperatures, converging in the brain to create a cohesive response.
Researchers found that deleting TREM2 receptor in mice with AD-like disease reduced plaque formation, brain inflammation, and improved neuron survival. Macrophages lacking TREM2 were more effective at clearing beta-amyloid aggregates, suggesting a potential role for the receptor in neurodegeneration.
A teenager returned from a discotheque with classic stroke symptoms was actually diagnosed with Lyme disease due to elevated white blood cell counts in spinal fluid. The patient improved immediately after antibacterial and antiviral treatment began.
A deficiency in GLUT1 protein worsens Alzheimer's disease symptoms by breaking down blood-brain barrier, while targeting this protein may help prevent the disease progression among those at risk. Researchers found that GLUT1 deficiency led to neuronal dysfunction and behavioral changes.
Researchers found that beliefs about nicotine can modulate brain activity and influence behavior, potentially leading to new addiction treatments. The study suggests that belief systems can induce physiological changes, allowing for the reverse-engineering of addiction.
Researchers found that the Gomafu gene is dynamically regulated in the adult brain, affecting behavior related to anxiety and schizophrenia. The discovery sheds light on the gene's potential as a surveillance system for rapid brain responses to environmental changes.
A study published in Science Translational Medicine shows that treating cats with Niemann Pick Type C with cyclodextrin significantly improved their neurological symptoms. The treatment halted disease progression and allowed the cats to live past three years of age, making it a promising potential therapy for human patients.
Researchers evaluated four football helmet add-ons, including Guardian Cap and Concussion Reduction Technology, which showed limited impact on reducing concussion risk. The study found that helmets with these add-ons reduced linear accelerations by about 11 percent but had little effect on angular accelerations.