Brain News and Research

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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.

New technique may offer a pathway to treat undruggable diseases

Certain diseases, including Alzheimer's, are currently considered "undruggable" because traditional small molecule drugs can't interfere with the proteins responsible for the illnesses.

2 Mar 2023

Efficient and powerful biological computing harnesses brain organoids

According to Johns Hopkins University scientists, a “biocomputer” fueled by human brain cells could be created within this lifetime. Such technology is expected to tremendously enhance the capabilities of modern computing and develop novel fields of study.

1 Mar 2023

New model, C. elegans, helps pursue research on Parkinson's disease

A tiny worm called the C. elegans is enabling scientists to explore the emerging theory that Parkinson's disease starts in the gut.

1 Mar 2023

RNA modification plays a vital role in TDP-43-related neurodegeneration in ALS

Nearly 100% of cases of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-the progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease known as ALS or Lou Gherig's disease-involve the buildup of a protein called TDP-43.

28 Feb 2023

Lieber Institute awarded $1 million grant to foster racial diversity across neuroscience

The Lieber Institute for Brain Development has received a $1 million, two-year grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to support the work of the African Ancestry Neuroscience Research Initiative (AANRI) to promote racial equity throughout the field of neuroscience.

28 Feb 2023

Study elucidates the cellular changes caused by exposure to adversity during childhood

A new brain connection discovered by University of California, Irvine researchers can explain how early-life stress and adversity trigger disrupted operation of the brain's reward circuit, offering a new therapeutic target for treating mental illness. Impaired function of this circuit is thought to underlie several major disorders, such as depression, substance abuse and excessive risk-taking.

28 Feb 2023

Artificial BBB model can help determine how well antibody-based therapies can enter the brain

A research group at Uppsala University has developed a simple and effective artificial blood-brain barrier model that can be used to determine how well antibody-based therapies can enter the brain.

27 Feb 2023

New molecular understanding of how head injury may contribute to glioma risk

Researchers from the UCL Cancer Institute have provided important molecular understanding of how injury may contribute to the development of a relatively rare but often aggressive form of brain tumor called a glioma.

27 Feb 2023

Synthetic hydrogels provide an effective scaffold for brain tissue growth

Synthetic hydrogels were shown to provide an effective scaffold for neuronal tissue growth in areas of brain damage, providing a possible approach for brain tissue reconstruction.

24 Feb 2023

Scientists discover two ways to preserve diseased upper motor neurons in ALS

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered two ways to preserve diseased upper motor neurons that would normally be destroyed in ALS, based on a study in mice. Upper motor neurons initiate movement, and they degenerate in ALS.

24 Feb 2023

Deep-learning approach to achieve faster and high-resolution photoacoustic computed tomography

It takes a few moments for the sound of thunder to reach our ears after a flash of lightning. This phenomenon is due to the photoacoustic (PA) effect where materials near the lightning instantly expand as the optical energy of the lightning is absorbed and converted into thermal energy.

24 Feb 2023

Study provides new insight into the brain circuits involved in opioid addiction

The ongoing opioid epidemic continues to take a heavy toll on American communities, with more than 80,000 opioid-related deaths reported in 2021, according to the National Institutes of Health.

23 Feb 2023

Study identifies genetic variants linked to mathematical abilities in children

A new study published in Genes, Brain and Behavior has identified several genetic variants that may be linked with mathematical abilities in children.

23 Feb 2023

Mount Sinai researchers illuminate the role of DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease

Mount Sinai researchers have published a study in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association that sheds new light on the role of DNA methylation in Alzheimer's disease (AD).

23 Feb 2023

Adults struggling with chronic constipation benefit from a vibrating capsule

A vibrating capsule designed to stir the colon to action appears to double the ability for adults struggling with debilitating chronic constipation to defecate more normally and without drugs, researchers report.

22 Feb 2023

ApoE4 from neurons plays a critical role in Alzheimer's disease

Of all the known genetic risk factors for late-onset Alzheimer's disease, the strongest is a gene for the protein called ApoE4.

22 Feb 2023

Realistic model explores new treatments for brain tumors

Until now, the use of models to study the barrier that differentiates the circulatory and nervous systems has been either limited or extremely complex. ETH Zurich researchers have created a more accurate model that can also be used to effectively investigate new treatments for brain tumors.

21 Feb 2023

Accelerating the structure-guided discovery of chemogenetic tools

In order to more fully understand how diseases arise in the brain, scientists must unravel the intricate way neurons relay messages (either chemical or electrical) along a complex web of nerve cells. One way is by using a tool called DREADDs, which stands for Designer Receptors Activated by Designer Drugs.

21 Feb 2023

Location is the key for psychedelic drugs to work

Location, location, location is the key for psychedelic drugs that could treat mental illness by rapidly rebuilding connections between nerve cells.

17 Feb 2023

"Poisoned" form of a protein could set off events that encourage cancer growth

Scientists at Scripps Research, with collaborators in Japan, have discovered how a "poisoned" form of a protein could set off a cascade of events that encourage the growth of some cancers.

17 Feb 2023