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Mediterranean diet may lower risk of brain damage that causes thinking problems
A Mediterranean diet may help people avoid the small areas of brain damage that can lead to problems with thinking and memory, according to a new study.
Double agent: Glial cells can protect or kill neurons, vision
Scientists have identified a double agent in the eye that, once triggered, can morph from neuron protector to neuron killer. The discovery has significant health implications since the neurons killed through this process results in vision loss and blindness.
New CATCH rule to determine need for CT scans in children with minor head injury
A new tool may help standardize the use of computed tomography (CT scans) in children with minor head injury and help reduce the number of scans, according to a new study.
Scientists discover new treatment for chronic pain condition
Scientists have discovered that treating the immune system of patients with complex regional pain syndrome leads to a significant reduction in pain.
Helmets reduce the risk of head injuries among skiers and snowboarders by 35 percent
Helmets reduce the risk of head injury among skiers and snowboarders by 35 percent with no evidence of an increased risk of neck injury, a new study finds.
Blacks with MS have more severe symptoms, decline faster than whites, new study shows
Fewer African Americans than Caucasians develop multiple sclerosis, statistics show, but their disease progresses more rapidly, and they don't respond as well to therapies, a new study by neurology researchers has found.
New brain research: Hunger for stimulation driven by dopamine in the brain
Our need for stimulation and dopamine's action upon the brain are connected, which explains why people who constantly crave stimulation are in danger of addictive behavior such as drug abuse and gambling.
Reduced brain gray matter concentration found in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea
In a study of 36 newly diagnosed men with severe obstructive sleep apnea and 31 healthy controls, significant gray matter concentration deficits were found in multiple brain areas of men with OSA, including limbic structures, prefrontal cortices and the cerebellum. These changes in brain structure may be related to problems such as memory impairment and executive dysfunction that are observed in OSA patients.
Memory failing? You may be at higher risk for stroke
People who experience memory loss or a decline in their thinking abilities may be at higher risk of stroke, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with dementia, according to a new study.
Stem cells rescue nerve cells by direct contact
Scientists in Sweden have shown how transplanted stem cells can connect with and rescue threatened neurons and brain tissue. The results point the way to new possible treatments for brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases.
First evidence that the brain’s native dendritic cells can muster an immune response
The human brain is a delicate organ, robustly defended. A thick skull shields it from any direct exposure to the outside world, and the blood-brain barrier keeps out any foreign substances that are circulating within. New research shows that the brain may have its own specialized immune defenses, too.
Discovery of mechanism in brain cell injury in Huntington's offers new treatment approaches
Scientists have uncovered a key cellular mechanism that alters brain cell function in Huntington's disease, and identified a possible treatment for the disease.
Learning from the brain: Computer scientists develop new generation of neuro-computer
Intelligent machines that not only think for themselves but also actively learn are the vision of researchers who have been co-ordinating the European Union research project “Brain-i-Nets” (Novel Brain Inspired Learning Paradigms for Large-Scale Neuronal Networks). The scientists want to design a new generation of neuro-computers based on the principles of calculation and learning mechanisms found in the brain, and at the same time gain new knowledge about the brain’s learning mechanisms.
New class of brain-protecting drugs emerging
The compound 7,8-dihydroxyflavone mimics BDNF, one of the brain's own growth factors, and can protect brain cells against damage in animal models of seizure, stroke and Parkinson's disease. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone is a member of a family of antioxidant compounds naturally found in foods ranging from cherries to soybeans.
A mind at rest strengthens memories, researchers find
Our memories are strengthened during periods of rest while we are awake, researchers have found. The findings expand our understanding of how memories are boosted -- previous studies had shown this process occurs during sleep, but not during times of awake rest.
Treating depression by stimulating brain's pleasure center
Even with the best of available treatments, over a third of patients with depression may not achieve a satisfactory antidepressant response. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), a form of targeted electrical stimulation in the brain via implanted electrodes, is now undergoing careful testing to determine whether it could play a role in the treatment of patients who have not sufficiently improved during more traditional forms of treatment.
'Silent strokes' linked to kidney failure in diabetics
In patients with type 2 diabetes, silent cerebral infarction -- small areas of brain damage caused by injury to small blood vessels -- signals an increased risk of progressive kidney disease and kidney failure, according to a new study.
Novel computational model: How Parkinson's medications affect learning and attention
A new brain-based computational model is helping to understand how Parkinson's disease and dopamine medications -- used to treat motor symptoms caused by the disease -- can affect learning and attention.
Human brain uses a grid to represent space
"Grid cells" that act like a spatial map in the brain have been identified for the first time in humans, which may help to explain how we create internal maps of new environments.
Stroke's 'death signal' can be blocked; discovery may aid drug development
Biomedical scientists have identified a way to block a "cell death signal" that they believe triggers brain damage during strokes.
Brain abnormalities in Parkinson's patients develop before symptoms occur
Scientists who have identified brain networks damaged in Parkinson's disease have new evidence that these systems become abnormal a few years before symptoms appear. And what's more, parts of the network appear to respond in a last ditch attempt to rescue the brain.
Neurons developed from stem cells successfully wired with other brain regions in animals
Transplanted neurons grown from embryonic stem cells can fully integrate into the brains of young animals, according to new research. Healthy brains have stable and precise connections between cells that are necessary for normal behavior. This new finding is the first to show that stem cells can be directed not only to become specific brain cells, but to link correctly.
By measuring magnetic fields in brain, researchers identify post-traumatic stress disorder biomarker
Researchers have identified a biological marker in the brains of those exhibiting post-traumatic stress disorder. A group of 74 United States veterans were involved in the study, which for the first time objectively diagnoses PTSD using magnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive measurement of magnetic fields in the brain. It's something conventional brain scans such as an X-ray, CT, or MRI have failed to do.
HIV infection prematurely ages the brain
HIV infection or the treatments used to control it are prematurely aging the brain, researchers have found. Blood flow in the brains of HIV patients is reduced to levels normally seen in uninfected patients 15 to 20 years older.
New target for central nervous system drug development
Scientists have discovered that the small molecule withaferin-A simultaneously targets two intermediate filaments, GFAP and vimentin, which are implicated in reactive gliosis, a damaging biological process common to a variety of diseases of the central nervous system and eye.
Concussions not taken seriously enough, researcher finds
Despite growing public interest in concussions because of serious hockey injuries or skiing deaths, a researcher in Canada has found that we may not be taking the common head injury seriously enough.
Angiotensin receptor blockers associated with lower risk of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers have found that angiotensin receptor blockers -- a particular class of anti-hypertensive medicines -- are associated with a striking decrease in the occurrence and progression of dementia.
How one form of natural vitamin E protects brain after stroke
Blocking the function of an enzyme in the brain with a specific kind of vitamin E can prevent nerve cells from dying after a stroke, new research suggests. In a study using mouse brain cells, scientists found that the tocotrienol form of vitamin E, an alternative to the popular drugstore supplement, stopped the enzyme from releasing fatty acids that eventually kill neurons.
More accurate diagnosis for leading cancer killer in children may be possible
Brain cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in children. Now a more accurate diagnosis of childhood brain cancers may soon be possible.
New stroke therapy successful in rats: Protein completely restores motor function
People with impaired mobility after a stroke soon may have a therapy that restores limb function long after the injury, if a supplemental protein works as well in humans as it does in paralyzed rats.
Alzheimer's: Immune system alterations in mouse brain reduces two characteristic features of disease
Using laboratory mice that had been bred to have brain changes similar to Alzheimer's disease, scientists were able to reduce two characteristic features of the disease by modifying the mice's immune systems with a special peptide related to the myelin sheath that insulates nerve cells and nerve fibers. As a result, anti-inflammatory cells were recruited from the blood into the brain, dampening the local inflammatory response.
New molecular mechanism discovered that guides visual nerves towards brain
Scientists have discovered a new molecular mechanism that permits the guidance of visual nerves towards the brain.
New brain scan better detects earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease in healthy people
A new type of brain scan, called diffusion tensor imaging, appears to be better at detecting whether a person with memory loss might have brain changes of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.
Silencing brain cells with yellow and blue light
Neuroscientists have developed a powerful new class of tools to reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light. When targeted to specific neurons, they could potentially lead to new treatments for abnormal brain activity associated with disorders including chronic pain, epilepsy, brain injury and Parkinson's disease.
UV LED therapy shows promising results in preventing focal seizures
Researchers have discovered that light from an ultraviolet diode (UV LED) reduced "seizure-like" activity in a rat epilepsy model. Results of this study have considerable potential in treating focal epilepsy in humans.
Neuroscientists store information in isolated brain tissue; possible basis of short-term memory
For the first time, neuroscientists have created stimulus-specific sustained activity patterns in brain circuits maintained in vitro.
Secrets of the Brain: Researchers decipher parts of the neuronal code
The human brain works at a far higher level of complexity than previously thought. What has been given little attention up to now in the information processing of neuronal circuits has been the time factor. "Liquid computing" -- a new theory about how these complex networks of nerve cells actually work -- has just passed its first test.
New clues emerge for understanding morphine addiction
Scientists are adding additional brush strokes to the revolutionary new image now emerging for star-shaped cells called astrocytes in the brain and spinal cord. Their report suggests a key role for astrocytes in morphine's ability to relieve pain and cause addiction.
Growing evidence suggests progesterone should be considered a treatment option for traumatic brain injuries
Researchers recommend that progesterone, a naturally occurring hormone found in both males and females that can protect damaged cells in the central and peripheral nervous systems, be considered a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries.
Brain training can help improve specific abilities in older people
Many brain training products claim to be able to keep us mentally fit. Some products even claim that brain training can prevent dementia in old age. But there is no scientific proof that games or other brain exercises can have this effect.
Cannabis damages young brains more than originally thought, study finds
The damaging effects of the illicit drug Cannabis on young brains are worse than originally thought, according to a psychiatric researcher. A new study suggests that daily consumption of cannabis in teens can cause depression and anxiety, and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain.
Brain imaging shows kids' PTSD symptoms linked to poor hippocampus function
Psychological trauma leaves a trail of damage in a child's brain, say scientists. Their new study gives the first direct evidence that children with symptoms of post-traumatic stress suffer poor function of the hippocampus, a brain structure that stores and retrieves memories. The research helps explain why traumatized children behave as they do and could improve treatments for these kids.
How can some athletes play on through intense pain?
How can some sportsmen and women, in the heat of the moment, play on through pain that would floor anyone else? Bert Trautmann, the Manchester City goalkeeper, famously played on through to the end of the 1956 FA Cup final -- holding on for a 3-1 win -- despite suffering a broken neck from a collision in the second half.
With amino acid diet, mice improve after brain injury
Neurology researchers have shown that feeding amino acids to brain-injured mice restores their cognitive abilities and may set the stage for the first effective treatment for cognitive impairments suffered by people with traumatic brain injuries. If these animal results can be translated to human medicine, there would be a broad clinical benefit. Every 23 seconds, a man, woman or child in the US suffers a traumatic brain injury.
Don't I know you? How cues and context kick-start memory recall
We have all had the embarrassing experience of seeing an acquaintance in an unfamiliar setting. We know we know them but can't recall who they are. But with the correct cues from conversation or context, something seems to click and we can readily access very rich and vivid memories about the individual. Researchers have shed some light on this mysterious process, discovering that the hippocampus, a brain region in the temporal lobe, is only involved when cues enable us to recall these rich memories.
Nerve-cell transplants help brain-damaged rats fully recover lost ability to learn
Nerve cells transplanted into brain-damaged rats helped them to fully recover their ability to learn and remember, probably by promoting nurturing, protective growth factors, according to a new study.
Fruit fly neuron can reprogram itself after injury
Studies with fruit flies have shown that the specialized nerve cells called neurons can rebuild themselves after injury. The results are potentially relevant to research efforts to improve the treatment of patients with traumatic nerve damage or neurodegenerative disease.
Coaxing injured nerve fibers to regenerate by disabling 'brakes' in the system
Expanding on prior research, scientists provide further evidence that regeneration of nerve fibers after brain or spinal cord injury is limited by a lack of response to growth factors induced by the injury. They show in mice that axons can regenerate vigorously when responsiveness is restored genetically -- a finding that could lead to ways of helping people recover from brain or spinal cord injury.
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Stroke and Brain Injury Links
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