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3-D Map of Blood Vessels
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/06/2013] Blood vessels within a sensory area of the mammalian brain loop and connect in unexpected ways, a new map has revealed. The study describes vascular architecture within a well-known region of the cerebral cortex and explores what that structure means for functional imaging of the brain and the onset of a kind of dementia. 3-D Map of Blood Vessels - Read more
Experts Call for International Consensus
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/06/2013] The criteria used to diagnose both circulatory and brain death in a patient are subject to variability and as such can be controversial. Anaesthesiologists play an important role in procedures related to the determination of death. So experts will call for international consensus. Experts Call for International Consensus - Read more
Proteins in Migration
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/05/2013] Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have developed a new animal model that provides important clues on the mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease. Proteins in Migration - Read more
New Technique Helps Patients with Epilepsy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2013] New techniques in imaging of brain activity developed by Doctor Jean Gotman, from McGill University's Montreal Neurological Institute, and his colleagues lead to improved treatment of patients suffering from epilepsy. New Technique Helps Patients with Epilepsy - Read more
World Multiple Sclerosis Day - 05/29/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2013] Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease. Its different manifestations cause progressive forms of disability that strongly vary in severity. More than two million people are affected worldwide. For their whole lifetime, they have to deal both with the disease itself and its effects, once it has emerged.World Multiple Sclerosis Day - 05/29/2013 - Read more
Risk Factors May Decrease Brain Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/05/2013] Brain function in adults as young as 35 may decline as their heart disease risk factors increase, according to new research. Risk Factors May Decrease Brain Function - Read more
Atrophy Associated with Multiple Sclerosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/04/2013] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of atrophy in an important area of the brain are an accurate predictor of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. According to the researchers, these atrophy measurements offer an improvement over current methods for evaluating patients at risk for MS. Atrophy Associated with Multiple Sclerosis - Read more
Study Suggests Reduced Risk of Dementia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/04/2013] A new Swedish study shows the risk of developing dementia may have declined over the past 20 years, in direct contrast to what many previously assumed. The result is based on data from the SNAC-K, an ongoing study on aging and health started in 1987. Study Suggests Reduced Risk of Dementia - Read more
“With brain stimulation, you reach ethical limits to some extent”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/04/2013] Deep brain stimulation is used to treat Parkinson’s disease, tremor or dystonia, but also in cases of psychiatric disorders like depressions or addictions. But the procedure is not only able to heal: Stimulating the human brain with implanted electrodes can also improve cognitive performance. “With brain stimulation, you reach ethical limits to some extent” - Read more
Detecting Autism from Brain Activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/04/2013] Neuroscientists from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the University of Toronto have developed an efficient and reliable method of analyzing brain activity to detect autism in children. Detecting Autism from Brain Activity - Read more
How Alzheimer's Could Occur
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/04/2013] A new hypothesis has been developed by researchers from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) on how Alzheimer's disease could occur. They analyzed the interaction of the proteins FE65 and BLM that regulate cell division. How Alzheimer's Could Occur - Read more
Identifing Cognitive Decline Early
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2013] Researchers of the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) have used a brain-imaging tool and stroke risk assessment to identify signs of cognitive decline early on in individuals who do not yet show symptoms of dementia. Identifing Cognitive Decline Early - Read more
New Nerve Cells Formed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/03/2013] The field of cell therapy, which aims to form new cells in the body in order to cure disease, has taken another important step in the development towards new treatments. A new report from researchers at Lund University in Sweden shows that it is possible to re-programme other cells to become nerve cells, directly in the brain. New Nerve Cells Formed - Read more
The Thalamus Moves into the Spotlight
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/03/2013] A growing body of research by multiple sclerosis (MS) investigators at the University at Buffalo (UB) and international partners is providing powerful new evidence that the brain’s gray matter reflects important changes in the disease that could allow clinicians to diagnose earlier and to better monitor and predict how the disease will progress. The Thalamus Moves into the Spotlight - Read more
“Blood pressure adjustment takes time”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/03/2013] Electric stimulation is the artificial activation of nerves through electric current. The most widely known example from medicine may be the cardiac pacemaker. But chronic high blood pressure can also be treated with an active implant: the baroreceptor stimulator triggers a stimulus in the nervous system that causes a drop of blood pressure. “Blood pressure adjustment takes time” - Read more
Future Rehabilitation Options
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/03/2013] A compact, self-contained sensor recorded and transmitted brain activity data wirelessly for more than a year in early stage animal tests, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. Future Rehabilitation Options - Read more
Discovery of Destructive Protein
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/03/2013] Oxidative stress turns a protein that normally protects healthy cells into their executioner, according to a current study. This discovery could help scientists develop therapies to combat a host of conditions from stroke to Lou Gehrig's disease. Discovery of Destructive Protein - Read more
Brain Prevented from Storing Memories
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/01/2013] The connection between poor sleep, memory loss and brain deterioration as we grow older has been elusive. But for the first time, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have found a link between these hallmark maladies of old age. Brain Prevented from Storing Memories - Read more
Oxygen Chamber Can Boost Brain Repair
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2013] Doctor Shai Efrati of Tel Aviv University has found a way to restore a significant amount of neurological function in brain tissue thought to be chronically damaged — even years after initial injury. Oxygen Chamber Can Boost Brain Repair - Read more
One Form of Neuron Turned into Another
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/01/2013] A new finding by Harvard stem cell biologists turns one of the basics of neurobiology on its head – demonstrating that it is possible to turn one type of already differentiated neuron into another within the brain. One Form of Neuron Turned into Another - Read more
Pair of Proteins Gets Brain Cells into Shape
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/12/2012] Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) in Bonn have gained new insights into the early phase of the brain’s development. They identified two proteins that control the formation of cell protuberances. The typical ramifications through which nerve cells receive and forward signals ultimately originate from these outgrowths. Pair of Proteins Gets Brain Cells into Shape - Read more
”The project’s goal is to grow three-dimensional neural tissue“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/12/2012] The international partners of the “3D-NeuroN” research project want to cultivate nerve tissue in three dimensions. German researchers are working on micro sensors with which they want to measure and evaluate electrical activity of neurons in three-dimensional cell cultures. ”The project’s goal is to grow three-dimensional neural tissue“ - Read more
New Approach to Treat Alzheimer’s?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/12/2012] Researchers in Bonn, Germany, have identified a protein as a potential target for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The molecular complex is part of the immune system and a driving force for inflammatory responses of the brain. New Approach to Treat Alzheimer’s? - Read more
Silent Stroke Can Cause Parkinson's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/12/2012] Scientists at The University of Manchester have for the first time identified why a patient who appears outwardly healthy may develop Parkinson's disease. Silent Stroke Can Cause Parkinson's Disease - Read more
Precisely Engineering Tissue in 3D
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/12/2012] Borrowing from microfabrication techniques used in the semiconductor industry, MIT and Harvard Medical School (HMS) engineers have developed a simple and inexpensive way to create three-dimensional brain tissues in a lab dish. Precisely Engineering Tissue in 3D - Read more
“The body’s memory has an impact on neurological memory”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/12/2012] Our behavior is reflected in our body. Poor nutrition or addictions affect body functions and leave their mark on the body’s memory. The neurological memory also works similarly: the nervous system stores the traces of the signaling pathways in cells and recalls them as required. “The body’s memory has an impact on neurological memory” - Read more
Step Forward in Regenerating and Repairing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/11/2012] A team of researchers from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), led by Doctor Frédéric Charron, recently uncovered a nerve cell’s internal clock, used during embryonic development. Step Forward in Regenerating and Repairing - Read more
When Helper Cells Become Harmful
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/11/2012] In case of strokes, the immune system contributes to the brain injury. Scientists of the Universities of Würzburg and Münster, Germany, now show for the first time in which way certain T helper cells are involved in the process. When Helper Cells Become Harmful - Read more
How Social Isolation Disrupts Myelin Production
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/11/2012] Animals that are socially isolated for prolonged periods make less myelin in the region of the brain responsible for complex emotional and cognitive behavior, researchers at the University at Buffalo say. How Social Isolation Disrupts Myelin Production - Read more
Genetic Networks Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/11/2012] New computational analysis identifies gene networks affected in schizophrenia and shows that schizophrenia and autism share related genetic networks, each composed of hundreds of genes. Genetic Networks Identified - Read more
Slim Electrode Cozies Up to Single Neurons
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/11/2012] A thin, flexible electrode developed at the University of Michigan is ten times smaller than the nearest competition and could make long-term measurements of neural activity practical at last. Slim Electrode Cozies Up to Single Neurons - Read more
"Migraine is a complex disorder"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2012] A global collaboration of scientists with participation by a team of researchers from the Headache and Pain Center Kiel (“Schmerzklinik Kiel”) has decoded four new gene locations whose changes significantly increase the risk of migraines. Recently in the world’s largest migraine study, the genes of more than 5,000 migraine patients were being examined and compared to 7,000 control persons. "Migraine is a complex disorder" - Read more
Early Treatment Sparks Striking Brain Changes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2012] When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. Early Treatment Sparks Striking Brain Changes - Read more
Stimulating Brain Cells with Light
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/10/2012] Introducing a light-sensitive protein in transgenic nerve cells or transplanting nerve cells into the brains of laboratory animals to combat Parkinson’s disease – these events may sound like science fiction but they are soon to become a reality in Lund University in Sweden. Stimulating Brain Cells with Light - Read more
Eye Scan Can Predict Brain Damage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2012] An inexpensive, five-minute eye scan can accurately assess the amount of brain damage in people with the debilitating autoimmune disorder multiple sclerosis (MS), and offer clues about how quickly the disease is progressing, according to results of two Johns Hopkins studies. Eye Scan Can Predict Brain Damage - Read more
Study Identifies Pathology
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2012] A study led by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine provides novel insight into the disease’s impact on the brain. The findings pinpoint areas of the brain most affected and opens the door to examine why some people experience milder forms of the disease than others. Study Identifies Pathology - Read more
Rebuilding in The Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/10/2012] In patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, the brain is capable of compensating for certain disorders to some extent. How it does this has been examined in detail by medics from Würzburg University Hospital. Their findings may help to improve treatment. Rebuilding in The Brain - Read more
Dramatically Effective Against Strokes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2012] Every two minutes someone in Germany suffers a stroke, yet there are hardly any effective treatments. Scientists from the University of Würzburg are now pursuing a new approach: inhibiting a blood protein seems to mitigate the negative consequences of strokes quite dramatically. Dramatically Effective Against Strokes - Read more
Could Help Fight Alzheimer's Disease?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/09/2012] A drug designed for diabetes sufferers could have the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, a study by scientists at the University of Ulster has revealed. Type II diabetes is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s and it is thought that impaired insulin signalling in the brain could damage nerve cells and contribute to the disease. Could Help Fight Alzheimer's Disease? - Read more
Learning Faster with Neurodegenerative Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/09/2012] People who bear the genetic mutation for Huntington’s disease learn faster than healthy people. The more pronounced the mutation was, the more quickly they learned. This is reported by researchers from the Ruhr- Universität Bochum. The team has thus demonstrated for the first time that neurodegenerative diseases can go hand in hand with increased learning efficiency. Learning Faster with Neurodegenerative Disease - Read more
License for Self-destruction
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/09/2012] A research team of the University Medical Center Göttingen could now show that the Multiple Sclerosis-causing immune cells are programmed in the lung to be more motile and to efficiently break through blood vessel barriers. License for Self-destruction - Read more
Nanoparticles Reboot Blood Flow
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/08/2012] A nanoparticle developed at Rice University and tested in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) may bring great benefits to the emergency treatment of brain-injury victims, even those with mild injuries. Nanoparticles Reboot Blood Flow - Read more
Video Shows The Traffic Inside a Brain Cell
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/08/2012] Using bioluminescent proteins from a jellyfish, a team of scientists has lit up the inside of a neuron, capturing spectacular video footage that shows the movement of proteins throughout the cell. Video Shows The Traffic Inside a Brain Cell - Read more
An Artificial Retina Restores Normal Vision
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/08/2012] Two researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have deciphered a mouse's retina's neural code and coupled this information to a novel prosthetic device to restore sight to blind mice. The researchers say they have also cracked the code for a monkey retina and hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use. An Artificial Retina Restores Normal Vision - Read more
Acute Stress Alters Control of Gene Activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/08/2012] Acute stress alters the methylation of the DNA and thus the activity of certain genes. This is reported by researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany, together with colleagues from Basel, Trier and London for the first time. Acute Stress Alters Control of Gene Activity - Read more
They Hurt Your Head but Not Your Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/08/2012] Migraines currently affect about 20 percent of the female population, and while these headaches are common, there are many unanswered questions surrounding this complex disease. According to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), migraines are not associated with cognitive decline. They Hurt Your Head but Not Your Brain - Read more
Altered Brain Function in Elderly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/08/2012] Researchers at the Mayo Clinic say a common condition called leukoaraiosis is not harmless. It is made up of tiny areas in the brain that have been deprived of oxygen and appear as bright white dots on MRI scans. It is a part of the aging process, but rather a disease that alters brain function in the elderly. Altered Brain Function in Elderly - Read more
Risk of Stroke from Cardiac Catheterizations
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/08/2012] When a patient undergoes a cardiac catheterization procedure such as a balloon angioplasty, there's a slight risk of a stroke or other neurological complications. While the risk is extremely small, neurologists nevertheless may expect to see catheterization-induced complications because so many procedures are performed, according to researchers of Loyola University. Risk of Stroke from Cardiac Catheterizations - Read more
Autoantibodies Damage Blood Vessels in The Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/08/2012] The presence of specific autoantibodies of the immune system is associated with blood vessel damage in the brain. These findings were made by researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin, Germany, in studies on a rat model. Autoantibodies Damage Blood Vessels in The Brain - Read more
Stress Hormones Switch Off Areas of The Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/07/2012] Cognition psychologists at the Ruhr-Universität together with colleagues from the University Hospital Bergmannsheil have discovered why stressed persons are more likely to lapse back into habits than to behave goal-directed. Stress Hormones Switch Off Areas of The Brain - Read more
Nerve Stimulation Can Help Reorganise Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/07/2012] University of Texas at Dallas researchers recently demonstrated how nerve stimulation paired with specific experiences, such as movements or sounds, can reorganise the brain. This technology could lead to new treatments for stroke, tinnitus, autism and other disorders. Nerve Stimulation Can Help Reorganise Brain - Read more
Experimental Drug May Extend Therapeutic Window
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/07/2012] A team led by a physician-scientist at the University of Southern California (USC) has created an experimental drug that reduces brain damage and improves motor skills among stroke-afflicted rodents when given with federally approved clot-busting therapy. Experimental Drug May Extend Therapeutic Window - Read more
New Insights into the Parkinson’s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/07/2012] Scientists at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and the University Hospital of Tübingen have –as leaders of a large, international joint study – demonstrated the significance of new genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease in different population groups. New Insights into the Parkinson’s Disease - Read more
Tool to Track Real-time Chemical Changes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/07/2012] Mayo Clinic researchers have found a novel way to monitor real-time chemical changes in the brains of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS). The insight will help physicians more effectively use DBS to treat brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, depression and Tourette syndrome. Tool to Track Real-time Chemical Changes - Read more
Brain Scans Detect Early Signs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/07/2012] A new study shows significant differences in brain development in high-risk infants who develop autism starting as early as age 6 months. The findings reveal that this abnormal brain development may be detected before the appearance of autism symptoms in an infant's first year of life. Autism is typically diagnosed around the age of 2 or 3. Brain Scans Detect Early Signs - Read more
Tendency to be Bullied
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/07/2012] Students receiving special-education services for behavioural disorders and those with more obvious disabilities are more likely to be bullied than their general-education counterparts – and are also more likely to bully other students, a new study shows. Tendency to be Bullied - Read more
Why Chronic Pain is All in your Head
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/07/2012] A new study shows for the first time that chronic pain develops the more two sections of the brain - related to emotional and motivational behaviour - talk to each other. The more they communicate, the greater the chance a patient will develop chronic pain. Why Chronic Pain is All in your Head - Read more
Feel-good Glass for Windows
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/07/2012] Daylight acts on our body clock and stimulates the brain. Fraunhofer researchers have made use of this knowledge and worked with industry partners to develop a coating for panes of glass that lets through more light. Above all, it promotes the passage through the glass of those wavelengths of light that govern our hormonal balance. Feel-good Glass for Windows - Read more
Call for More Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/06/2012] When a neurologist and neurosurgeon believe deep brain stimulation may help a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease they target either of two structures – the internal globus pallidus or the subthalamic nucleus – in an area of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movements. Call for More Research - Read more
Depression Linked to Brain Impairment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/06/2012] Researchers studying stroke patients have found a strong association between impairments in a network of the brain involved in emotional regulation and the severity of post-stroke depression. Depression Linked to Brain Impairment - Read more
Treating Drug-resistant Tumour Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/06/2012] New research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison explains why the incurable brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), is highly resistant to current chemotherapies. Treating Drug-resistant Tumour Cells - Read more
Laser for Minimally Invasive Surgery
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/05/2012] Researchers from the Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy (MBI) were involved in the development of a table-top solid-state laser system that could cut brain tissue with unprecedented precision. Laser for Minimally Invasive Surgery - Read more
New Technique Mimics the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2012] A new technique that converts stem cells into brain cells has been developed by researchers at Lund University. The method is simpler, quicker and safer than previous research has shown and opens the doors to a shorter route to clinical cell transplants. New Technique Mimics the Brain - Read more
The Downside of Good Memory
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/05/2012] Experiencing distressing memories of a shocking experience. Scientists from the University of Basel have now discovered that a genetic factor for good memory is also associated with a heightened risk for the development of a posttraumatic stress disorder in war victims. The Downside of Good Memory - Read more
Retinal Prosthesis Could Better Restore Sight
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/05/2012] Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases. Retinal Prosthesis Could Better Restore Sight - Read more
Glial Cells Pass on Metabolites to Neurons
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/05/2012] Klaus Armin and his research group from the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Göttingen, Germany, have now discovered possible mechanisms by which these glial cells in the brain can support their associated axons and keep them alive in the long term. Glial Cells Pass on Metabolites to Neurons - Read more
Brain Regions Associated with Schizophrenia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/05/2012] New research from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has shown physical changes to exist in specific brain areas implicated in schizophrenia following the use of cannabis during adolescence. The research has shown how cannabis use during adolescence can interact with a gene, called the COMT gene, to cause physical changes in the brain. Brain Regions Associated with Schizophrenia - Read more
”We are not limited to one active ingredient group or one active ingredient“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/05/2012] Drugs that treat brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or multiple sclerosis are most effective directly where they are needed – in the brain. Unfortunately, it is difficult to develop drugs that are capable of getting there specifically, since the so-called blood-brain barrier prevents this from happening. However, now a team led by Doctor Heiko Manninga succeeded in doing precisely that. ”We are not limited to one active ingredient group or one active ingredient“ - Read more
New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2012] A highly toxic beta-amyloid – a protein that exists in the brains of Alzheimer's disease victims – has been found to greatly increase the toxicity of other more common and less toxic beta-amyloids, serving as a possible "trigger" for the advent and development of Alzheimer's, researchers at the University of Virginia have discovered. New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger - Read more
Glycogen Accumulation in Neurons Causes Brain Damage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/05/2012] Collaborative research by groups headed by scientists Joan J. Guinovart and Marco Milán at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) has revealed conclusive evidence about the harmful effects of the accumulation of glucose chains (glycogen) in fly and mouse neurons. Glycogen Accumulation in Neurons Causes Brain Damage - Read more
Single-neuron Observations Mark Steps
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/04/2012] Studying a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, neuroscientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), Germany, have observed correlations between increases in both soluble and plaque-forming beta-amyloid – a protein implicated in the disease process – and dysfunctional developments on several levels: individual cortical neurons, neuronal circuits, sensory cognition, and behaviour. Single-neuron Observations Mark Steps - Read more
Therapeutic Approach for Patients with Severe Depression
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/04/2012] Brain pacemakers have a long-term effect in patients with the most severe depression. This has now been proven by scientists from the Bonn University Medical Centre. Eleven patients took part in the study over a period of two to five years. A lasting reduction in symptoms of more than 50 per cent was seen in nearly half of the subjects. Therapeutic Approach for Patients with Severe Depression - Read more
Does the Brain 'Remember' Antidepressants?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/03/2012] While the relationship between prior treatment and the brain's response to subsequent treatment is unknown, a new study by University of California – Los Angeles researchers suggests that how the brain responds to antidepressant medication may be influenced by its remembering of past antidepressant exposure. Does the Brain 'Remember' Antidepressants? - Read more
Bone Marrow Transplant Arrests Symptoms
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/03/2012] The Organisation Rett Syndrome Research Trust describes the results of using bone marrow transplant (BMT) to replace faulty immune system cells in models of Rett Syndrome. The procedure arrested many severe symptoms of the childhood disorder, including abnormal breathing and movement, and significantly extended the lifespan of Rett mouse models. Bone Marrow Transplant Arrests Symptoms - Read more
Promise for Fatal Neurological Disorder in Kids
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/03/2012] Working in mice with the infantile form of Batten disease, a rare but fatal neurological disorder, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Kings College London have discovered dramatic improvements in life span and motor function by treating the animals with gene therapy and bone marrow transplants. Promise for Fatal Neurological Disorder in Kids - Read more
Loss of Appetite Deciphered in Brain Cell Circuit
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/03/2012] The meal is pushed way, untouched. Loss of appetite can be a fleeting queasiness or continue to the point of emaciation. While it's felt in the gut, more is going on inside the head. New findings are emerging about brain and body messaging pathways that lead to loss of appetite, and the systems in place to avoid starvation. Loss of Appetite Deciphered in Brain Cell Circuit - Read more
Prolonged Space Travel Causes Brain and Eye Abnormalities
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/03/2012] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the eyes and brains of 27 astronauts who have spent prolonged periods of time in space revealed optical abnormalities similar to those that can occur in intracranial hypertension of unknown cause, a potentially serious condition in which pressure builds within the skull. Prolonged Space Travel Causes Brain and Eye Abnormalities - Read more
View on Causal Mechanism in ALS
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/03/2012] In a study Munich-based researchers refute a widely accepted hypothesis about a causative step in neurodegenerative conditions. These results deal specifically with animal models of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease) but also raise questions for research on other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease. View on Causal Mechanism in ALS - Read more
How the Brain Communicates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/02/2012] An important mechanism by which the human brain hemispheres communicate with each other has been discovered by a team of researchers from Berlin and the University of Bern. The findings provide new insights into nerve cell communication in the brain that could also play a role in stroke. How the Brain Communicates - Read more
Hyperactivity in Brain May Explain Multiple Symptoms
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/02/2012] University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have shown for the first time that people with depression have increased connections among most brain areas. Indeed, their brains are widely hyper connected. The report sheds new light on the brain dysfunction that causes depression and its wide array of symptoms. Hyperactivity in Brain May Explain Multiple Symptoms - Read more
Babies' Colic Linked to Mothers' Migraines
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/02/2012] A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic as mothers without a history of migraines. Babies' Colic Linked to Mothers' Migraines - Read more
Brain-Imaging Differences in Infants who Develop Autism
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/02/2012] A new study led by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. Brain-Imaging Differences in Infants who Develop Autism - Read more
Key to Taming Chronic Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/02/2012] A team of researchers led by McGill neuroscientist Terence Coderre, who is also affiliated with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, has found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain. Key to Taming Chronic Pain - Read more
Sound Rather than Sight Can Activate ‘Seeing’ for the Blind
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/02/2012] Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to “see” and even describe objects. Sound Rather than Sight Can Activate ‘Seeing’ for the Blind - Read more
Why the Middle Finger Has Such a Slow Connection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/02/2012] Each part of the body has its own nerve cell area in the brain –we therefore have a map of our bodies in our heads. The functional significance of these maps is largely unclear. What effects they can have is now shown by Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany, neuroscientists through reaction time measurements combined with learning experiments and “computational modelling”. Why the Middle Finger Has Such a Slow Connection - Read more
Decaffeinated Coffee Preserves Memory Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2012] Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have discovered that decaffeinated coffee may improve brain energy metabolism associated with type 2 diabetes. This brain dysfunction is a known risk factor for dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Decaffeinated Coffee Preserves Memory Function - Read more
Training Has Biological Impact on Aging Process
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/01/2012] Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to a new study from Northwestern University. The study is the first to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience has an impact on the aging process. Training Has Biological Impact on Aging Process - Read more
New Understanding of Chronic Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/01/2012] Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective. But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, using a new approach known as metabolomics, has now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS). New Understanding of Chronic Pain - Read more
Why Do Smells Make Some People Sick
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/01/2012] Do you get a headache from the perfume of the lady next to you at the table? Do cleaning solutions at work make your nose itch? If you have symptoms prompted by everyday smells, it does not necessarily mean you are allergic but rather that you suffer from chemical intolerance. According to a scientist at Umea University this hypersensitivity can be the result of an inability to get used to smells. Why Do Smells Make Some People Sick - Read more
Where Categories Live in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/01/2012] Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorise a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. In new research from the University of Chicago, scientists have pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded. Where Categories Live in the Brain - Read more
Alzheimer’s damage occurs early
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/01/2012] The first changes in the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease can be observed as much as ten years in advance – ten years before the person in question has become so ill that he or she can be diagnosed with the disease. This is what a new study from Lund University in Sweden has found. Alzheimer’s damage occurs early - Read more
Benefits of Statin Therapy May Extend Beyond Lowering Lipids
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/01/2012] A study led by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, has identified a molecular pathway that leads to this abnormal blood clotting and turned it off using a popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins. Benefits of Statin Therapy May Extend Beyond Lowering Lipids - Read more
Neuroscientists Decode Mechanism of Nerve Cell Communication
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/12/2011] By researching fruit flies, neuroscientists of the NeuroCure Cluster of Excellence in Berlin were able to gain a better understanding of a meaningful mechanism of neuronal communication. Neuroscientists Decode Mechanism of Nerve Cell Communication - Read more
Multisensory Integration - When Correlation Implies Causation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/12/2011] New research involving scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Tübingen (Germany), the University of Oxford, and the University of Bielefeld (Germany) has demonstrated that humans exploit the correlation between the temporal structures of signals to decide which of them to combine and which to keep segregated. Multisensory Integration - When Correlation Implies Causation - Read more
How Brain Corrects Bumps to Body
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2011] Researchers of the Queen’s University have identified the area of the brain that controls our ability to correct our movement after we have been hit or bumped — a finding that may have implications for understanding why subjects with stroke often have severe difficulties moving. How Brain Corrects Bumps to Body - Read more
Video Game Players Advancing Genetic Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2011] Thousands of video game players have helped significantly advance our understanding of the genetic basis of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer over the past year. They are the users of a web-based video game developed by Doctor Jérôme Waldispuhl of the McGill School of Computer Science. Video Game Players Advancing Genetic Research - Read more
Gene Study of Defects in Brain Signalling Pathways
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/12/2011] Paediatric researchers analysing genetic influences in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found alterations in specific genes involved in important brain signalling pathways. The study raises the possibility that drugs acting on those pathways might offer a new treatment option for patients with ADHD who have those gene variants — potentially, half a million American children. Gene Study of Defects in Brain Signalling Pathways - Read more
“During times of stress, our inner autopilot tTakes the lead“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2011] You are on the edge of your nerves and you can no longer think clearly - stress is a phenomenon that all of us have probably experienced at one point or another. The way individual people deal with stress may be different, but the body processes always work the same way. “During times of stress, our inner autopilot tTakes the lead“ - Read more
New Clues to Development of Autism
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/11/2011] Neuroscientists at Stanford University School of Medicine have homed in on potential differences in autistic people's brain cells by studying brain like spheres grown in an elaborate process from skin cells. New Clues to Development of Autism - Read more
“Nerves cannot be compared with telephone wires“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2011] Chronic neuropathic pain has many reasons and is often poorly diagnosed - at the same time, the origin of the pain has not been fully understood. Therefore scientific pain research has been trying to analyse specific neuropathic pain for some time. “Nerves cannot be compared with telephone wires“ - Read more
Ultrathin Flexible Brain Implant Offers Unique Look at Seizures
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/11/2011] Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a flexible brain implant that could one day be used to treat epileptic seizures. In animal studies, the researchers used the device – a type of electrode array that conforms to the brain's surface – to take an unprecedented look at the brain activity underlying seizures. Ultrathin Flexible Brain Implant Offers Unique Look at Seizures - Read more
Brain Plays Role in Regulating Blood Sugar
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/11/2011] Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have demonstrated for the first time that the brain is a key player in regulating glucose metabolism in humans. The findings suggest that drugs targeting the brain and central nervous system could be a novel approach to treating diabetes. Brain Plays Role in Regulating Blood Sugar - Read more
Increased Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Methamphetamine Users
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2011] In a study, scientists from Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found evidence that heavy methamphetamine users might have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. This finding was based on a large study comparing the risk among methamphetamine users not only to a group that did not use drugs, but also to heavy users of other drugs. Increased Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Methamphetamine Users - Read more
Spinal Bleeding with Brain Injury May Suggest Abuse
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2011] According to the researchers of Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), abusive head trauma is the leading cause of significant traumatic brain injury in infants, with a 20 to 38 per cent mortality rate and significant neurological and developmental impairment in 30 to 78 per cent of survivors. Spinal Bleeding with Brain Injury May Suggest Abuse - Read more
“The cell activity can be modulated as desired“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2011] What exactly happens in the brain during an epileptic seizure? And can this knowledge help in finding better therapies for patients in the future? “The cell activity can be modulated as desired“ - Read more
“Back to sleep, tummy to play“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/11/2011] Starting at the third month after birth, babies should be able to lie straight on their backs, grab with both hands, prop themselves up on their elbows and be able to freely move their head to both sides. If more one-sided use of the body is detected instead, it could be a case of kinematic imbalance. “Back to sleep, tummy to play“ - Read more
Enzyme Controlling Cell Death
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/10/2011] Brain damage due to birth asphyxia – where the brain is starved of oxygen around the time of delivery – is normally treated by cooling the infant, but this only helps one baby in nine. New research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, could now pave the way for new ways of treating brain damage in newborns. Enzyme Controlling Cell Death - Read more
Autistic Brains Develop More Slowly Than Healthy Brains
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/10/2011] Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have found a possible explanation for why autistic children act and think differently than their peers. For the first time, they've shown that the connections between brain regions that are important for language and social skills grow much more slowly in boys with autism than in non-autistic children. Autistic Brains Develop More Slowly Than Healthy Brains - Read more
How Overcome Students Successful Math Anxiety?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/10/2011] Using brain-imaging technology for the first time with people experiencing mathematics anxiety, University of Chicago scientists have gained new insights into how some students are able to overcome their fears and succeed in math. How Overcome Students Successful Math Anxiety? - Read more
Does a Bigger Brain Make for a Smarter Child in Babies Born Prematurely?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/10/2011] New research suggests the growth rate of the brain’s cerebral cortex in babies born prematurely may predict how well they are able to think, speak, plan and pay attention later in childhood. The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain covering the cerebrum, and is responsible for cognitive functions, such as language, memory, attention and thought. Does a Bigger Brain Make for a Smarter Child in Babies Born Prematurely? - Read more
Aging's Effect on the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/10/2011] Research by biologists at the University of York and Hull York Medical School has revealed important new information about the way the brain is affected by age. Working with scientists at the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Plymouth, they have studied responses to stress in synapses - neuronal connections. Aging's Effect on the Brain - Read more
Lack of Sleep Affects Brain Synapses
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/10/2011] An ongoing lack of sleep during adolescence could lead to more than dragging, foggy teens, a University of Wisconsin-Madison study suggests. Researchers have found that short-term sleep restriction in adolescent mice prevented the balanced growth and depletion of brain synapses, connections between nerve cells where communication occurs. Lack of Sleep Affects Brain Synapses - Read more
Dioxin-like Chemical Messenger Makes Brain Tumours More Aggressive
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/10/2011] A research alliance of Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), jointly with colleagues of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumours (gliomas) more aggressive and weakens patients’ immune systems. Dioxin-like Chemical Messenger Makes Brain Tumours More Aggressive - Read more
How Fair Sanctions Are Orchestrated in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/10/2011] Scientists from the universities of Zurich and Basel reveal that two frontal regions of the brain need to interact with one another when people punish unfair partners at their own expense. The researchers combined a brain stimulation method with a method for measuring brain activity in order to explore this neuronal network. How Fair Sanctions Are Orchestrated in the Brain - Read more
Dyslexia Isn’t a Matter of IQ
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/09/2011] Historically, the label has been assigned to kids who are bright, even verbally articulate, but who struggle with reading—in short, whose high intelligence quotient (IQ) mismatch their low reading scores. When children are not as bright, however, their reading troubles have been chalked up to their general intellectual limitations. Dyslexia Isn’t a Matter of IQ - Read more
Researchers Discover Key to Survival of Brain Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/09/2011] Professor Nicolas G. Bazan and his colleagues of Louisiana State University Health Sciences Centre (LSUHSC) New Orleans have discovered how a key chemical neurotransmitter that interacts with two receptors in the brain promotes either normal function or a disease process - determining whether brain cells live or die. Researchers Discover Key to Survival of Brain Cells - Read more
Alzheimer's Disease Rises During Day and Falls with Sleep
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/09/2011] A marker for Alzheimer's disease rises and falls in the spinal fluid in a daily pattern that echoes the sleep cycle, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis have found. The pattern is strongest in healthy young people and reinforces a link between increased Alzheimer's risk and inadequate sleep that had been discovered in animal models. Alzheimer's Disease Rises During Day and Falls with Sleep - Read more
"Faces of Dementia"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2011] The theme for World Alzheimer's Day 2011 is 'Faces of dementia'. In much different materials and activities Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) and Alzheimer associations across the world will focus on the many issues surrounding the 'Faces of dementia'. "Faces of Dementia" - Read more
GPS in the Head?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/09/2011] Professor Motoharu Yoshida and colleagues from Boston University investigated how the rhythmic activity of nerve cells supports spatial navigation. The research scientists showed that cells in the entorhinal cortex, which is important for spatial navigation, oscillate with individual frequencies. These frequencies depend on the position of the cells within the entorhinal cortex. GPS in the Head? - Read more
Tinnitus Discovery Could Lead to New Ways to Stop the Ringing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/09/2011] Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, are offering hope to the 10 percent of the population who suffer from tinnitus – a constant, often high-pitched ringing or buzzing in the ears that can be annoying and even maddening, and has no cure. Tinnitus Discovery Could Lead to New Ways to Stop the Ringing - Read more
New Insight into Impulse Control
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/09/2011] How the brain controls impulsive behavior may be significantly different than psychologists have thought for the last 40 years. That is the unexpected conclusion of a study by an international team of neuroscientists. New Insight into Impulse Control - Read more
Success of Brain Surgery for Severe Epilepsy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/09/2011] Two-thirds of people with severe and otherwise untreatable epilepsy were completely cured of their frequent seizures after undergoing neurosurgery at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, according to a new study. Success of Brain Surgery for Severe Epilepsy - Read more
New Way to Target Shape-shifting Proteins
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2011] A molecule which can stop the formation of long protein strands, known as amyloid fibrils, that cause joint pain in kidney dialysis patients has been identified by researchers at the University of Leeds. New Way to Target Shape-shifting Proteins - Read more
Stroke Impairs Learning also in Remote Brain Regions
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/08/2011] Stroke patients often have difficulties with re-learning simple skills such as walking or talking, and the causes are still unknown. In a new study, researchers from the Bernstein Network and the Universities of Göttingen and Jena now show that a stroke even affects the learning ability of remote brain areas. Stroke Impairs Learning also in Remote Brain Regions - Read more
Bilingual Babies' Vocabulary Linked to Early Brain Differentiation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/08/2011] Researchers at the University of Washington's Institute for Learning & Brain Sciences are investigating the brain mechanisms that contribute to infants' prowess at learning languages, with the hope that the findings could boost bilingualism in adults, too. Bilingual Babies' Vocabulary Linked to Early Brain Differentiation - Read more
Learning Information the Hard Way May Be Best
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/08/2011] Canadian researchers have found the first evidence that older brains get more benefit than younger brains from learning information the hard way – via trial-and-error learning. The study was led by scientists at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute in Toronto. Learning Information the Hard Way May Be Best - Read more
Vitamin C Dissolves Toxic Protein Aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/08/2011] Researchers at Lund University have discovered a new function for vitamin C. Treatment with vitamin C can dissolve the toxic protein aggregates that build up in the brain in Alzheimer's disease. Vitamin C Dissolves Toxic Protein Aggregates in Alzheimer's Disease - Read more
Mutations Cause More Than Half the Cases of Schizophrenia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/08/2011] Columbia University Medical Center researchers have shown that new, or "de novo," protein-altering mutations—genetic errors that are present in patients but not in their parents—play a role in more than 50 percent of "sporadic"—for example, not hereditary—cases of schizophrenia. Mutations Cause More Than Half the Cases of Schizophrenia - Read more
New Light on the Mechanisms of Brain Development
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/08/2011] Scientists at the Allen Institute for Brain Science have taken an important step in identifying how the brain organizes itself during development. The findings describe – in more detail than ever before – the consequences of the loss of a key molecule involved in establishing proper brain architecture during brain development. New Light on the Mechanisms of Brain Development - Read more
Why Autistic Individuals Confuse Pronouns
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/08/2011] Autism is a mysterious developmental disease because it often leaves complex abilities intact while impairing seemingly elementary ones. For example, it is well documented that autistic children often have difficulty correctly using pronouns, sometimes referring to themselves as "you" instead of "I." Why Autistic Individuals Confuse Pronouns - Read more
REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder is a Risk Factor for Parkinson’s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/08/2011] Patients suffering REM sleep behaviour disorders dream nightmares in which they are attacked and pursued, with the particularity that they express them by screaming, crying, punching and kicking while sleeping. REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder is a Risk Factor for Parkinson’s Disease - Read more
How The Brain Keeps Track of What We're Doing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/07/2011] “Working memory” is what we have to keep track of things moment to moment: driving on a highway and focusing on the vehicles around us, then forgetting them as we move on; remembering all the names at the dinner party while conversing with one person about her job. How The Brain Keeps Track of What We're Doing - Read more
Brain Connectivity Disrupted
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/07/2011] A new study has found that patients with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) exhibit abnormal functional connectivity in the thalamus, a centrally located relay station for transmitting information throughout the brain. Brain Connectivity Disrupted - Read more
Fast Prediction of Axon Behaviour
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/07/2011] Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed a computer modeling method to accurately predict how a peripheral nerve axon responds to electrical stimuli, slashing the complex work from an inhibitory weeks-long process to just a few seconds. Fast Prediction of Axon Behaviour - Read more
Over Half of Alzheimer's Cases May Be Preventable
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/07/2011] Over half of all Alzheimer's disease cases could potentially be prevented through lifestyle changes and treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions, according to a study led by Doctor Deborah Barnes, a mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Over Half of Alzheimer's Cases May Be Preventable - Read more
Brain Ultrasounds Indicate Risk of Psychiatric Disorders
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/07/2011] Infants born prematurely are at risk for injuries to the white and gray matter of the brain that affect cortical development and neural connectivity. Certain forms of these injuries can be detected in the neonatal period using ultrasound, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers. Brain Ultrasounds Indicate Risk of Psychiatric Disorders - Read more
Speed Limit on Babies' Vision
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/07/2011] Babies have far less ability to recognize rapidly changing images than adults, according to research from the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain. The results show that while infants can perceive flicker or movement, they may not be able to identify the individual elements within a moving or changing scene as well as an adult. Speed Limit on Babies' Vision - Read more
It May Restore Cognitive Function in Brain Cancer Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/07/2011] Stem cell therapy may restore cognition in patients with brain cancer who experience functional learning and memory loss often associated with radiation treatment, according to a laboratory study. It May Restore Cognitive Function in Brain Cancer Patients - Read more
New Genetic Clues for Schizophrenia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/07/2011] De novo mutations – genetic errors that are present in patients but not in their parents – are more frequent in schizophrenic patients than in normal individuals, according to an international group of scientists led by Doctor Guy A. Rouleau of the University of Montreal and CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital. New Genetic Clues for Schizophrenia - Read more
Mental afflictions are the new civilization disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2011] The illness of depression affects about 121 million people worldwide and is among the most common causes of impending work incapacity. According to a WHO forecast, the number of affected people in the industrial nations will actually continue to rise – in the same way four other mental diseases will increase: alcohol addiction, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and dementia. Mental afflictions are the new civilization disease - Read more
New Brain Cell Production in Adults
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2011] A team of North Carolina State University researchers has discovered more about how a gene connected to the production of new brain cells in adults does its job. Their findings could pave the way to new therapies for brain injury or disease. New Brain Cell Production in Adults - Read more
Abnormal Brain Structure Linked to Chronic Cocaine Abuse
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/06/2011] Researchers at the University of Cambridge have identified abnormal brain structures in the frontal lobe of cocaine users' brains which are linked to their compulsive cocaine-using behaviour. Abnormal Brain Structure Linked to Chronic Cocaine Abuse - Read more
Non-Coding RNA Has Role in Inherited Neurological Disorder
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/06/2011] A team of scientists have uncovered a novel mechanism regulating gene expression and transcription linked to Spinocerebellar ataxia 7, an inherited neurological disorder. Non-Coding RNA Has Role in Inherited Neurological Disorder - Read more
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Helps
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/06/2011] Inhibitory control can be boosted with a mild form of brain stimulation, according to a study. Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Helps - Read more
Several Methods for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Developed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/06/2011] PredictAD is an EU-funded research project that develops objective and efficient methods for enabling earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Diagnosis requires a holistic view of the patient combining information from several sources, such as, clinical tests, imaging and blood samples. Several Methods for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease Developed - Read more
Appetite Suppression Site Identified in Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2011] It is widely known that smoking inhibits appetite, but what is not known, is what triggers this process in the brain. Now researchers have identified the nicotine receptors that influence the anorexigenic signaling pathway, or appetite suppression pathway. Appetite Suppression Site Identified in Brain - Read more
Skin Cells Converted Into Brain Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2011] A research has proven that it is possible to reprogram mature cells from human skin directly into brain cells, without passing through the stem cell stage. The unexpectedly simple technique involves activating three genes in the skin cells; genes which are already known to be active in the formation of brain cells at the foetal stage. Skin Cells Converted Into Brain Cells - Read more
Eating a High-Fat Diet May Rapidly Injure Brain Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/06/2011] Obesity among people who eat a high-fat diet may involve injury to neurons, or nerve cells, in a key part of the brain that controls body weight, according to the authors of a new animal study. Eating a High-Fat Diet May Rapidly Injure Brain Cells - Read more
Insulin Action in The Brain Can Lead to Obesity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/06/2011] The consumption of fat food causes more insulin to be released by the pancreas. This triggers a signalling cascade in special nerve cells in the brain, in which the enzyme P13-kinase plays an important role. Over the course of several intermediary steps, the insulin inhibits the transmission of nerve impulses in such a way that the feeling of satiety is suppressed and energy expenditure reduced. Insulin Action in The Brain Can Lead to Obesity - Read more
A Threat to Human Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2011] In addition to its damaging effect on the environment and its illegal smuggling into developing countries, researchers have now linked e-waste to adverse effects on human health, such as inflammation and oxidative stress – precursors to cardiovascular disease, DNA damage and possibly cancer. A Threat to Human Health - Read more
“The treatment for being overweight needs to be more individually adjusted to the patient’s problems“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2011] Men are from Mars, women are from Venus – now this wisdom appears to be confirmed even in the depths of the human brain. “The treatment for being overweight needs to be more individually adjusted to the patient’s problems“ - Read more
Stress May Increase Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/05/2011] Stress promotes neuropathological changes that are also seen in Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have discovered that the increased release of stress hormones in rats leads to generation of abnormally phosphorylated tau protein in the brain and ultimately, memory loss. Stress May Increase Risk - Read more
Why People May Have Trouble Reading Social Cues
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/05/2011] Understanding the actions of other people can be difficult for those with schizophrenia. Vanderbilt University researchers have discovered that impairments in a brain area involved in perception of social stimuli may be partly responsible for this difficulty. Why People May Have Trouble Reading Social Cues - Read more
CT Scans Are Frequently Unnecessary After Head Injury in Children
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/05/2011] Roughly, half of U.S. children taken to hospital emergency departments for a head injury receive a head CT scan. Yet true traumatic brain injury is uncommon. A multi-center study of more than 40,000 children with minor blunt head trauma, led by Children's Hospital Boston and UC Davis, shows that allowing a period of observation can reduce the use of head CT by as much as half without compromising. CT Scans Are Frequently Unnecessary After Head Injury in Children - Read more
Thinking Outside the Column
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/05/2011] For more than 50 years, a dominating assumption in brain research was that nerve cells in the cortex of the brain are organised in the form of microscopically small columns. Subsequently, it became a textbook standard that connections are created predominantly between nerve cells within these columns. Thinking Outside the Column - Read more
Can Traumatic Memories Be Erased?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/04/2011] Could veterans of war, rape victims and other people who have seen horrific crimes someday have the traumatic memories that haunt them weakened in their brains? In a new study, UCLA life scientists report a discovery that may make the reduction of such memories a reality. Can Traumatic Memories Be Erased? - Read more
Clocks in the Human Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/04/2011] Until now, the genes contributing to this timing, known as clock genes, have only been found to be active in areas outside the brain, such as the skin and blood cells. Recent findings are the first to show that these genes function in multiple areas of the human brain as well, as was shown previously in animals. Clocks in the Human Brain - Read more
Decrease the Risk of Cognitive Decline
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/04/2011] If you want to keep your brain healthy, it turns out that visiting friends, attending parties, and even going to church might be just as good for you as crossword puzzles. Decrease the Risk of Cognitive Decline - Read more
Link Between Brain Molecule, Obesity and Diabetes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/04/2011] The brain’s hypothalamus plays a key role in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Nerve cells in the hypothalamus detect nutrients and hormones circulating in the blood and then coordinate a complex series of behavioural and physiological responses to maintain a balance between calories eaten and calories burned. Obesity and diabetes can result when this regulatory mechanism goes awry. Link Between Brain Molecule, Obesity and Diabetes - Read more
Brain Speeds Up Learning
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/04/2011] In a breakthrough that may aid treatment of learning impairments, strokes, tinnitus and chronic pain, UT Dallas researchers have found that brain nerve stimulation accelerates learning in laboratory tests. Brain Speeds Up Learning - Read more
Increased Risk for Brain Damage?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/04/2011] Workers exposed to welding fumes may be at increased risk of damage to the same brain area harmed by Parkinson’s disease, according to a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Increased Risk for Brain Damage? - Read more
Cause of Weight Problems in Huntingon’s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/04/2011] Huntington’s disease has long been linked to jerky movements. Now, researchers in Lund, Sweden, have shown that the metabolism can also be seriously affected by the hereditary disease. Cause of Weight Problems in Huntingon’s Disease - Read more
Researchers May Predict Which Adults Will Develop Alzheimer's
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/04/2011] Using MRI, researchers may be able to predict which adults with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to progress to Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a study. Researchers May Predict Which Adults Will Develop Alzheimer's - Read more
Nurturing Newborn Neurons Sharpens Mind
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2011] Researchers, for the first time, pinpointed the effects of enhanced adult neurogenesis by creating mice lacking a gene required for programmed cell death of newborn neurons in the adult hippocampus. Nurturing Newborn Neurons Sharpens Mind - Read more
When the stress brake fails
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/03/2011] First discovered ten years ago, it is now the subject of new findings relating to its function: the protein SPRED2 inhibits the hormonal stress response in the body. Whether it also plays a role in the development of illnesses has yet to be established. When the stress brake fails - Read more
Major Clue in Long-term Memory Making
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/03/2011] You may remember the colour of your loved one's eyes for years. But how? Scientists at Duke University Medical Center believe that long-term potentiation (LTP) – the long-lasting increase of signals across a connection between brain cells – underlies our ability to remember over time and to learn, but how that happens is a central question in neuroscience. Major Clue in Long-term Memory Making - Read more
Reverse Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/03/2011] A gene therapy called NLX-P101 dramatically reduces movement impairment in Parkinson's patients, according to results of a Phase 2 study. The approach introduces a gene into the brain to normalize chemical signaling. Reverse Symptoms of Parkinson's Disease - Read more
Decoding Complex Eye Circuitry
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/03/2011] The properties of optical stimuli need to be conveyed from the eye to the brain. To do this efficiently, the relevant information is extracted by pre-processing in the eye. Decoding Complex Eye Circuitry - Read more
Anxiety Pathways in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/03/2011] Scientists at Stanford University recently used light to activate mouse neurons and precisely identify neural circuits that increase or decrease anxiety-related behaviors. Anxiety Pathways in the Brain - Read more
“The risk varies depending on the research“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/03/2011] As a patient about to go under general anesthesia for surgery, you are understandably nervous. Although complications in anesthetics have become rare, patients still fear two things in particular – to not wake up again after the surgery or to wake up during the surgery, respectively. The latter phenomenon is called awareness or also intra-operative awareness. “The risk varies depending on the research“ - Read more
Partnership of Genes Affects the Brain's Development
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/02/2011] The human brain consists of approximately one hundred billion nerve cells. Each of these cells needs to connect to specific other cells during the brain's development in order to form a fully functional organism. Partnership of Genes Affects the Brain's Development - Read more
Malaria Medication May Help Against Frontotemporal Dementia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/02/2011] Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich have found a promising approach for a possible treatment of so-called frontotemporal dementia, an Alzheimer-like form of dementia. Malaria Medication May Help Against Frontotemporal Dementia - Read more
Brain Nerve Cells Can Be Influenced
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/01/2011] What sounds like science fiction is actually possible: thanks to magnetic stimulation, the activity of certain brain nerve cells can be deliberately influenced. What happens in the brain in this context has been unclear up to now. Brain Nerve Cells Can Be Influenced - Read more
Mediator of Blood Pressure Regulation in the Liver Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/01/2011] Scientist have now discovered a new group of sensory neurons in the mouse liver which mediates the regulation of blood pressure and metabolism. This control center outside of the brain is triggered simply by drinking water and leads to an elevation of blood pressure in sick and elderly people. Mediator of Blood Pressure Regulation in the Liver Identified - Read more
No Risk to Cognitive Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2011] Recent work has used MRI to study the brains of migraine sufferers and has shown that a higher proportion of these patients exhibit lesions of the brain microvessels than the rest of the population. No Risk to Cognitive Function - Read more
Web-Based Screening Tool Developed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/01/2011] Researchers have developed the first web-based screening tool for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). This instrument has recently been used by soldiers returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who participated in the Sixth Annual Road to Recovery Conference and Tribute in Orlando to determine if they sustained a TBI. Web-Based Screening Tool Developed - Read more
Coma and General Anesthesia Demonstrate Similarities
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/01/2011] The brain under general anesthesia isn't "asleep" as surgery patients are often told - it is placed into a state that is a reversible coma, according to three neuroscientists. This insight could eventually lead to new approaches to general anesthesia and improved diagnosis and treatment for sleep abnormalities and emergence from coma. Coma and General Anesthesia Demonstrate Similarities - Read more
Link to Genetic Basis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/12/2010] A set of brain proteins is found to play a role in over 100 brain diseases and provides a new insight into evolution of behavior. Link to Genetic Basis - Read more
How Inhibition of Emotion May Affect Disease Development
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2010] Alexithymia is inversely related to mentalization and is associated with insecure attachment styles and emotional trauma, which influence the capacity to regulate affects induced by stressful events. Alexithymia and intrapsychic conflicts may both contribute to the pathogenesis of panic attacks. How Inhibition of Emotion May Affect Disease Development - Read more
Biological Changes in Suicidal Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2010] Depressed and suicidal individuals have low levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their blood and saliva. They also have substances in their spinal fluid that suggest there is increased inflammation in the brain. These findings could help to develop new methods for diagnosing and treating suicidal patients. Biological Changes in Suicidal Patients - Read more
A Molecular Switch for Memory and Addiction
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/11/2010] Scientists from Germany, UK and Italy identify a molecular switch that leads to a sustained increase of calcium in nerve cells and plays a crucial role in the formation of memory and addictive behaviours. A Molecular Switch for Memory and Addiction - Read more
Molecular Switch in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/11/2010] St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists report new details about mechanisms regulating a crucial step in brain development, offering insight into the origins of epilepsy, mental retardation and possibly brain tumour metastasis. Molecular Switch in the Brain - Read more
Special Risk for Alzheimer Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2010] Physical activity promotes changes in the brain that may protect high-risk individuals against cognitive decline, including development of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study done at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). Special Risk for Alzheimer Patients - Read more
New Areas for Alzheimer's Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/11/2010] Alzheimer's disease is widely believed to be caused by the gradual accumulation in the brain of amyloid-beta peptide which is toxic to nerve cells. Amyloid beta peptide is formed from a protein known as APP, which is found in three forms. Most research into APP – a key area of study for the disease – does not distinguish between the different forms of the protein. New Areas for Alzheimer's Research - Read more
Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Helps Improve Motor Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/11/2010] A noninvasive electric stimulation technique administered to both sides of the brain can help stroke patients who have lost motor skills in their hands and arms, according to a new study led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). Noninvasive Brain Stimulation Helps Improve Motor Function - Read more
Time Takes Its Toll
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/11/2010] We all know that living a stressful lifestyle can take its toll, making us age faster and making us more susceptible to the cold going around the office. Time Takes Its Toll - Read more
Neanderthals and Modern Humans Developed Differently
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/11/2010] Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany have documented species differences in the pattern of brain development after birth that are likely to contribute to cognitive differences between modern humans and Neanderthals. Neanderthals and Modern Humans Developed Differently - Read more
Prolonged Maternal Separation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2010] Young mice that experienced the psychosocial stress of prolonged separation from their mothers had a higher incidence and faster onset of breast tumors compared with young mice who did not experience this stressful life event. Prolonged Maternal Separation - Read more
Brain Has Limited Capacity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/11/2010] A new UCLA study offers insights into a major limitation in the brain's ability to recover function after a stroke and identifies a promising medical therapy to help overcome this limitation. Brain Has Limited Capacity - Read more
Association with Sleep Deprivation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/11/2010] Discovery of novel genes and brain areas associated with sleep deprivation may have implications for improved management of brain function Association with Sleep Deprivation - Read more
Promotion of Brain Health in Older Adults
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/11/2010] Researchers have shown that drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults – a finding that could hold great potential for combating the progression of dementia. Promotion of Brain Health in Older Adults - Read more
Helpful for Robots with Social Skills
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/10/2010] University of Miami psychologist finds patterns of nonverbal emotional communication between infants and mothers to help develop a baby robot that learns Helpful for Robots with Social Skills - Read more
The Science Behind It
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/10/2010] A new meta-analysis study reveals falling in love can elicit not only the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, but also affects intellectual areas of the brain. The Science Behind It - Read more
Peripheral Induction of Alzheimer-Like Brain Pathology in Mice
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/10/2010] Pathological protein deposits linked to Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy can be triggered by peripheral administration of pathogenic misfolded protein fragments outside the brain. This shows a new study done by researchers at the Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain Research and the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE). Peripheral Induction of Alzheimer-Like Brain Pathology in Mice - Read more
See no Shape, Touch no Shape, Hear a shape?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/10/2010] Scientists at The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital – The Neuro, McGill University have discovered that our brains have the ability to determine the shape of an object simply by processing specially-coded sounds, without any visual or tactile input. See no Shape, Touch no Shape, Hear a shape? - Read more
Open Way for Treating Alzheimer’s and Stroke
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/10/2010] While the blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from harmful chemicals occurring naturally in the blood, it also obstructs the transport of drugs to the brain. Scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet now present a potential solution to the problem. Open Way for Treating Alzheimer’s and Stroke - Read more
Effective Methods for Detecting Early Signs of Tremor
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/10/2010] Sensitive new quantitive methods could be used to detect small signs of increased tremor and impaired motor skills caused by exposure to certain metals, and to follow up the treatment of neurological disorders, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Effective Methods for Detecting Early Signs of Tremor - Read more
New Option for Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/10/2010] Surgeons at UW Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine have determined that transorbital neuroendoscopic surgery (TONES) is a safe, effective option for treating a variety of advanced brain diseases and traumatic injuries. New Option for Patients - Read more
Neuronal field simulates brain activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/09/2010] RUB Scientists of the Bernstein Group for Computational Neuroscience developed a computational model, which allows a mathematical description of far reaching interactions between cortical neurons. Neuronal field simulates brain activity - Read more
Immune Cells Also Attack Neurons Directly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/09/2010] Researchers in Germany have gained new insight into how the immune system causes damage associated with multiple sclerosis. Using imaging tools which enable investigation of processes in living organisms, they were able to show a direct interaction between immune cells and neurons which plays a significant role in neuronal injury. Immune Cells Also Attack Neurons Directly - Read more
70 Per Cent Increase In Basketball
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/09/2010] A new study conducted by researchers examined basketball-related injuries treated in emergency departments among children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 19 from 1997 to 2007. 70 Per Cent Increase In Basketball - Read more
Iron Supplements Contribute To An Effective Effort
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/09/2010] Giving iron supplements to children with marginally low birth weights (2000-2500 grams) dramatically reduces the risk of developing iron deficiency and anemia. Iron Supplements Contribute To An Effective Effort - Read more
Scientists Decode Words
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/09/2010] In an early step toward letting severely paralyzed people speak with their thoughts, University of Utah researchers translated brain signals into words using two grids of 16 microelectrodes implanted beneath the skull but atop the brain. Scientists Decode Words - Read more
HIV Virus Hides in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/08/2010] Studies of the spinal fluid of patients given anti-HIV drugs have resulted in new findings suggesting that the brain can act as a hiding place for the HIV virus. HIV Virus Hides in the Brain - Read more
Gene's Role for a Lifetime of Memories
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/08/2010] St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists identify a novel feedback mechanism that regulates differentiation of adult neural stem cells Gene's Role for a Lifetime of Memories - Read more
With the Help of Moderate Drinking?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/08/2010] A large prospective study of 5033 men and women in the Tromsø Study in northern Norway has reported that moderate wine consumption is independently associated with better performance on cognitive tests. With the Help of Moderate Drinking? - Read more
Brain Responds Same to Acute And Chronic Sleep Loss
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/08/2010] Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that five nights of restricted sleep – four hours a night – affect the brain in a way similar to that seen after acute total sleep deprivation. Brain Responds Same to Acute And Chronic Sleep Loss - Read more
Genetic Differences Make Some People Susceptible to Meningitis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/08/2010] The research is the largest ever genetic study of meningitis and septicaemia caused by meningococcal bacteria. It suggests that people who develop these diseases have innate differences in their natural defences that leave them unable to attack meningococcal bacteria successfully. Genetic Differences Make Some People Susceptible to Meningitis - Read more
Study Questions How MS Arises
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/08/2010] Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden have performed a study that indicates that neither blood flow nor the flow of spinal fluid in the brain contribute to the development of multiple sclerosis, MS. The findings run directly counter to a much-discussed and widely spread Italian theory. Study Questions How MS Arises - Read more
More Education Lowers Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/07/2010] A team of researchers from the UK and Finland has discovered why people who stay in education longer have a lower risk of developing dementia – a question that has puzzled scientists for the past decade. More Education Lowers Risk - Read more
Sirtuin1 May Boost Memory
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/07/2010] The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory report. Sirtuin1 May Boost Memory - Read more
Neural Stem Cells Attack
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/07/2010] In their latest research, scientists of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, have demonstrated how the brain’s own stem cells and precursor cells control the growth of glioblastomas. Neural Stem Cells Attack - Read more
Age Doesn't Necessarily Affect Decision-making
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/07/2010] Many people believe that getting older means losing a mental edge, leading to poor decision-making. But a new study from North Carolina State University shows that when it comes to making intuitive decisions – using your "gut instincts" – older adults fare as well as their juniors. Age Doesn't Necessarily Affect Decision-making - Read more
Is Your Left Hand More Motivated Than Your Right Hand?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2010] Motivation doesn't have to be conscious; your brain can decide how much it wants something without input from your conscious mind. Now a new study shows that both halves of your brain don't even have to agree. Motivation can happen in one side of the brain at a time. Is Your Left Hand More Motivated Than Your Right Hand? - Read more
Incidental Findings – Dilemma for Doctors and Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/06/2010] Paediatricians whose patients undergo "routine" brain MRIs need a plan to deal with findings that commonly reveal unexpected-but-benign anomalies that are unlikely to cause any problem, reports a research team led by Johns Hopkins Children's Centre investigators. Incidental Findings – Dilemma for Doctors and Patients - Read more
Idiopathic Childhood-Onset Epilepsy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2010] A study conducted by researchers in the Netherlands confirmed that children with idiopathic new-onset epilepsy have a significantly higher rate of remission than those with remote symptomatic epilepsy. Idiopathic Childhood-Onset Epilepsy - Read more
Regular bedtimes linked to better language, reading and math skills
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/06/2010] Study highlights the importance of a consistent bedtime reinforced by intentional parenting practices for a child's overall cognitive development. Regular bedtimes linked to better language, reading and math skills - Read more
First common gene found
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2010] Researchers have discovered a genetic variant on chromosome 5 that strongly raises the risk of congenital heart disease. First common gene found - Read more
Blood flows differently
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/05/2010] Researchers of the University Bonn in Germany have used a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique called continuous arterial spin labelling (CASL) to map cerebral blood flow patterns in schizophrenic patients quickly and without using radiation or contrast agents. Blood flows differently - Read more
Decreasing Among Whites, But Not Blacks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/05/2010] Tracking 1.3 million people in the USA, researchers found that stroke incidence fell significantly in whites between 1999 and 2005, but not among blacks. Decreasing Among Whites, But Not Blacks - Read more
New Device Adapts to Brain’s Surface
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/04/2010] A new brain implant that essentially melts into place, fitting to the brain's surface, could pave the way for better devices to monitor and control seizures, and to transmit signals from the brain past damaged parts of the spinal cord. New Device Adapts to Brain’s Surface - Read more
New Molecular Subtype of Brain Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/04/2010] A study may lead to better insight into the clinical outcome for some patients with a particularly aggressive type of brain cancer. The research may also provide a framework for development of targeted drug treatments. New Molecular Subtype of Brain Cancer - Read more
Tumour Cells Need Different Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/04/2010] Cancer cells leftover in the brain after surgery have different properties than the cells in the centre of the tumour, researchers found out. They also react differently to radiation therapy and chemotherapeutic substances. Tumour Cells Need Different Treatment - Read more
Potential Realized, Danger Not Averted
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/04/2010] Higher, faster, farther. It’s not just athletes who occasionally give their performance a little kick, but also students and professionals. They want to improve their concentration with pills, which are actually intended for sick people - and possibly become addicted. Potential Realized, Danger Not Averted - Read more
“The Affected Person Experiences a Dopamine Shower“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/04/2010] They cannot take a break and are afraid of a vacation: Workaholics. They are addicted to work like others to heroin. Behavioral addictions such as these are still not officially recognized. MEDICA.de talked with Kai Müller of the Health Care Center for Gambling Addiction at the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz about illnesses which don’t exist on paper and an entry way for such dependencies. “The Affected Person Experiences a Dopamine Shower“ - Read more
Anaesthesia Can Affect Ability to Learn
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/03/2010] There is a link between repeated anaesthesia in children and memory impairment, though physical activity can help to form new cells that improve memory, new research reveals. Anaesthesia Can Affect Ability to Learn - Read more
Many Americans More Than an Hour Away
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/03/2010] Forty-five percent of Americans – 135 million people -- are more than an hour away from primary stroke centres, the facilities that are best equipped to care for them if they are stricken by the condition, according to a new study. Many Americans More Than an Hour Away - Read more
How Nerve Cells Grow
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/02/2010] Brain researcher Hiroshi Kawabe has discovered the workings of a process that allows nerve cells in the brain to grow and form complex networks. How Nerve Cells Grow - Read more
Recent Immigrants May Have Lower Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/02/2010] New immigrants to North America may be less likely to have a stroke at a young age than long-time residents, according to a new study. Recent Immigrants May Have Lower Risk - Read more
Elderly Make Good Use of Useless Information
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/01/2010] A study has found evidence that the older brain's weakened ability to filter out irrelevant information may actually give aging adults a memory advantage over their younger counterparts. Elderly Make Good Use of Useless Information - Read more
Mixed-handed More Likely to Have Problems
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/01/2010] Children who are mixed-handed, or ambidextrous, are more likely to have mental health, language and scholastic problems in childhood than right- or left-handed children. Mixed-handed More Likely to Have Problems - Read more
Brain Imaging May Help Diagnose
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/01/2010] Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) process sound and language a fraction of a second slower than children without ASDs, and measuring magnetic signals that mark this delay may become a standardized way to diagnose autism. Brain Imaging May Help Diagnose - Read more
Why Light Worsens Migraine
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/01/2010] Scientists have identified a new visual pathway that underlies sensitivity to light during migraine. Why Light Worsens Migraine - Read more
Subjective Memory Loss Hints At Dementia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/01/2010] Forgot where you put your keys? Having trouble recalling your colleague’s name? If so, this may be a symptom of subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), the earliest sign of cognitive decline. Subjective Memory Loss Hints At Dementia - Read more
„Further Optimising the Natural Motion Sequence“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/01/2010] Today serious sport and disability do not exclude themselves anymore. Athletes with prostheses can achieve quite similar results in competitions as their colleagues without artificial bodily parts – thanks to modern technology. However, in future prostheses could do even more. „Further Optimising the Natural Motion Sequence“ - Read more
Bedside Skills Trump Technology
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/12/2009] Researchers found that physicians' bedside exams did a better job than Computer Tomography (CT) scans in predicting which patients would need to return to the operating room to treat complications such as bleeding. Bedside Skills Trump Technology - Read more
„A State Between Almost Awake and Deep Sleep“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2009] Very often, when a famous person falls very ill, it is this term that circulates in the media: Ariel Sharon or Felipe Massa, for example, have both been put into an artificial coma trying to save their lives. However, many people do not really know what this kind of coma is - including scientists. „A State Between Almost Awake and Deep Sleep“ - Read more
When One Forgets That One Forgets
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2009] Early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is important because drugs can decelerate the process in the beginning of the disease. However, the problem is that patients do not recognise their illness. And even medical staff often does not react if the first symptoms appear. When One Forgets That One Forgets - Read more
„There Is no Wrong Rhythm just a Different One“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2009] They are called owls and larks. The first ones only fall asleep at dawn whereas the latter are already up before sunrise. Recently, researchers have found an explanation inside the brain why the body clock ticks so differently. „There Is no Wrong Rhythm just a Different One“ - Read more
„There Is no Need to Outline any Horror Scenarios“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/01/2009] Juice in the head: Neuroprosthetics which are connected to nerve endings in the brain electrically stimulate certain brain regions. Thus, the implants are supposed to reduce the effects of Parkinson’s or to help with depressions or the Tourette syndrome. Nevertheless, many people feel uneasy about the idea that a machine perches in their head possibly influencing their behaviour. „There Is no Need to Outline any Horror Scenarios“ - Read more
Less Satisfaction Signalled For Obese
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/10/2008] Obese individuals may overeat because they experience less satisfaction from eating food due to a reduced response in their brains' reward circuitry, according to a new study. Less Satisfaction Signalled For Obese - Read more
3-D MRI Finds High-Risk Carotid Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/09/2008] Researchers have used three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3-D MRI) to accurately detect bleeding within the walls of diseased carotid arteries, a condition that may lead to a stroke. 3-D MRI Finds High-Risk Carotid Disease - Read more
Glimpse of Alcohol's Effect on Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/04/2008] New brain imaging research shows that, after consuming alcohol, social drinkers had decreased sensitivity in brain regions involved in detecting threats, and increased activity in brain regions involved in reward. Glimpse of Alcohol's Effect on Brain - Read more
New 3-D Ultrasound Could Improve Diagnosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/04/2008] Using 3-D ultrasound technology they designed, Duke University bioengineers can compensate for the thickness and unevenness of the skull to see in real-time the arteries within the brain that most often clog up and cause strokes. New 3-D Ultrasound Could Improve Diagnosis - Read more
Early Detection by Special MRI
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/03/2008] A special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can depict changes in blood volume in the brain that often precede cancerous transformation of brain tumors, according to a new study. Early Detection by Special MRI - Read more
Obese People Eat with Their Eyes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/03/2007] Seeing food with a high content of calories triggers a neural activation in the brain of obese people. This activation does not occur in normal-weight people, a study has shown. Obese People Eat with Their Eyes - Read more
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