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Brain-scan guided emergency stroke treatment can save more lives

A new study by the Endovascular Therapy Following Imaging Evaluation for the Ischemic Stroke (DEFUSE 3) trial demonstrated that brain-scan guided emergency stroke treatment can be effective up to 16 hours after symptom onset. The treatment led to improved outcomes, including increased functional independence and survival rates.

SourceNIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateJan 24, 2018

The ins and outs of Area 25

Neuroscientists have created a detailed map of the connections in the subgenual cingulate area 25 (A25) of non-human primates. The research reveals strong links between A25 and brain areas involved in emotional regulation, stress response, and memory formation.

New method to map miniature brain circuits

Scientists have developed a new technique to map electrical circuits in the brain with unprecedented accuracy, revealing the detailed architecture of microcircuits. This breakthrough enables researchers to understand how the brain processes complex information and may lead to insights into behavior and sensory processing.

SourceThe Francis Crick Institute·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 12, 2018

Decreased glucose metabolism in medial prefrontal areas is associated with nutritional status in patients with prodromal and early Alzheimer's disease

A new study found that decreased glucose metabolism in medial prefrontal areas is associated with nutritional status in patients with prodromal and early Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that hypometabolism in the medial prefrontal areas may explain the underlying mechanism of weight loss in AD. Decrease in fat mass was also lin...

Our brains do change from early to mid-adulthood

Researchers found significant microstructural changes in brain structure from early to mid-adulthood, allowing for accurate age estimation. These changes were associated with cognitive decline and disease, but the link to old-age cognitive decline is unclear.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Human Neuroscience·DateAug 21, 2017

Individual insight into brain networks

Harvard scientists have identified two brain networks that lie side-by-side in the brain and may play key roles in planning, remembering and imagination. These networks are intertwined, with one connected to memory structures while the other isn't, suggesting they originated from similar processes during brain development and evolution.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNeuron·DateJul 19, 2017

Blind people have brain map for 'visual' observations too

Researchers at KU Leuven found that blind individuals, including those without eyeballs, use the ventral-temporal cortex to categorize visual observations. This region is divided into smaller areas, each recognizing a particular category, such as faces, body parts, and objects.

SourceKU Leuven·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 17, 2017

What the age of your brain says about you

Using neuroimaging techniques and multivariate statistical models, researchers found that people with older-than-chronological-age brains are more likely to experience deteriorating conditions and early death. Combining brain-predicted age with DNA-related epigenetic biomarkers improves mortality predictions.

SourceSpringer·JournalMolecular Psychiatry·DateApr 25, 2017

Using light to map the circuitry of the brain

Researchers develop space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography (SDM-OCT) to image single neurons in live tissue, enabling label-free and depth-resolved images of neural activity. This breakthrough technology could revolutionize brain mapping and provide insights into brain disorders such as Alzheimer's and schizophrenia.

Brain scans could help predict response to psychotherapy for anxiety and depression

Research found promising initial evidence that specific neuroimaging markers can help predict the response to psychotherapy in patients with depression or anxiety. Neuroimaging markers such as activity in the amygdala, anterior insula, and anterior cingulate cortex may indicate which patients are more likely to benefit from psychotherapy.

SourceWolters Kluwer Health·JournalHarvard Review of Psychiatry·DateNov 10, 2016