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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

How sweet-taste perception changes with age

Compared with adults, children are less sensitive to the sweet taste and need 40% more sucrose for them to detect the taste of sugar, a new study found.

4 Aug 2020

'Little brain' contains almost 80% of the cerebral cortex’s surface area

When we say someone has a quick mind, it may be in part thanks to our expanded cerebellum that distinguishes human brains from those of macaque monkeys, for example.

3 Aug 2020

Animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts, research suggests

Among the many things rodents have taught neuroscientists is that in a region called the hippocampus, the brain creates a new map for every unique spatial context - for instance, a different room or maze.

3 Aug 2020

Novel therapeutics targeting primary cilia may reverse neurodevelopmental disorders

Primary cilia are structures that act like antennas for cells to identify signals and occur less in mice affected by Fragile X syndrome since birth.

31 Jul 2020

Study shows how psychological stress leads to debilitating vessel-clogging episodes

Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have demonstrated that chronic psychological stress can result in painful vessel-clogging episodes—a frequent cause of hospitalizations and the most typical complication of sickle-cell disease or SCD.

31 Jul 2020

Researchers create a new mouse model for studying glioblastoma

More than 200 genes with novel and known roles in glioblastoma - the most aggressive type of brain cancer - offer promising new drug targets.

30 Jul 2020

Researchers map DNA methylation changes to study developmental disorders

Researchers performed a study in which they created a total of 168 new maps of chemical marks on DNA strands, known as methylation, in developing mice.

30 Jul 2020

Scientists use computational biology to identify functional elements in the human genome

UMass Medical School researchers Zhiping Weng, PhD, and Jill Moore, PhD, and MD/PhD students Michael Purcaro and Henry Pratt are lead authors on the latest publication of data from the ambitious ENCODE project.

30 Jul 2020

Grotesque side effects from unproven stem cell therapies more common than thought

Grotesque side effects from unproven 'stem cell' therapies are more common than we realized, reports a team of researchers led by UConn Health in Annals of Neurology on July 29.

30 Jul 2020

Specific protein found at high levels in the blood of people with early signs of Alzheimer's

Two decades or more before symptoms arise, plaques of a sticky protein called amyloid begin forming in the brains of people later diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

29 Jul 2020

Discovering the Critical Role of Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Diseases

AZoLifeSciences talks to Dr. Shane Liddelow about their research into discovering the critical role of astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases like glaucoma.

29 Jul 2020

Virginia Tech scientists reveal molecular cause underlying rare genetic disorder

Virginia Tech scientists have revealed how a nonfunctioning version of an ordinary gene impairs brain structure and function. The findings help explain a genetic form of microcephaly -- a condition where babies' heads are small and grow more slowly than their peers.

28 Jul 2020

Study validates new pharmacological target for Alzheimer’s disease

A UB study published in the journal Neurotherapeutics has validated a new pharmacological target for Alzheimer's disease.

28 Jul 2020

Artificial intelligence-based process can help design novel proteins

Proteins are known to perform complex tasks and catalyze chemical reactions, making them crucial for cell survival.

27 Jul 2020

Research identifies how the gut communicates with spinal cord and brain

You're faced with a big decision so your second brain provides what's normally referred to as 'gut instinct', but how did this sensation reach you before it was too late?

27 Jul 2020

Optical fibers made of agar have potential for various medical applications

An optical fiber made of agar has been produced at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This device is edible, biocompatible and biodegradable.

27 Jul 2020

Large-brained species can master complex motor skills than primates with smaller brains

People are very skilled with their hands, but take a very long time to learn various dexterous abilities. It takes babies generally around five months before they can purposely grip an object.

27 Jul 2020

Researchers identify mechanism that prevents death of neurons

When our neurons -- the principle cells of the brain -- die, so do we. Most neurons are created during embryonic development and have no "backup" after birth.

27 Jul 2020

Clinical trial shows CAR-T cell therapy can be used for treating Hodgkin lymphoma

CAR-T cell therapy, which attacks cancer cells using a person's reprogrammed immune cells, has been used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma with remarkable success for the first time, according to the results of an early phase clinical trial led by researchers at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

24 Jul 2020

Researchers identify the role of calcium channel subunits in synapse development

The ability of the human brain to process and store information is determined to a large extent by the connectivity between nerve cells. Chemical synapses are very important in this context as they constitute the interface for the transmission of information between individual nerve cells.

23 Jul 2020

Brain News and Research

How sweet-taste perception changes with age

'Little brain' contains almost 80% of the cerebral cortex’s surface area

Animals think probabilistically to distinguish contexts, research suggests

Novel therapeutics targeting primary cilia may reverse neurodevelopmental disorders

Study shows how psychological stress leads to debilitating vessel-clogging episodes

Researchers create a new mouse model for studying glioblastoma

Researchers map DNA methylation changes to study developmental disorders

Scientists use computational biology to identify functional elements in the human genome

Grotesque side effects from unproven stem cell therapies more common than thought

Specific protein found at high levels in the blood of people with early signs of Alzheimer's

Discovering the Critical Role of Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Virginia Tech scientists reveal molecular cause underlying rare genetic disorder

Study validates new pharmacological target for Alzheimer’s disease

Artificial intelligence-based process can help design novel proteins

Research identifies how the gut communicates with spinal cord and brain

Optical fibers made of agar have potential for various medical applications

Large-brained species can master complex motor skills than primates with smaller brains

Researchers identify mechanism that prevents death of neurons

Clinical trial shows CAR-T cell therapy can be used for treating Hodgkin lymphoma

Researchers identify the role of calcium channel subunits in synapse development

Discovering the Critical Role of Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Are Clouds Causing Increased Warming in Recent Climate Models?

Importance of Sustainable Food

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