Brain | Page 1063 | Science Codex

UCLA researchers develop new way to screen for brain cancer stem cell killers

Researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed and used a high-throughput molecular screening approach that identifies and characterizes chemical compounds that can target the stem cells that are responsible for creating deadly brain tumors.

Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest malignancies, typically killing patients within 12 to 18 months. These brain cancers consist of two kinds of cells, a larger, heterogeneous population of tumor cells and a smaller sub-population of stem cells, which are treatment-resistant.

Men with disabilities 4 times more likely to be sexually abused than men without disabilities

San Diego, CA, October 11, 2011 – Previous studies have documented that women with disabilities are more likely to be sexually assaulted than women without disabilities. A new study published online today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine is the first population-based investigation to examine sexual violence victimization against men with disabilities. Researchers report that men with disabilities are more than four times more likely to be victimized by sexual assaults compared to men without disabilities.

Small study shows association between medication and reduction in brain amyloid levels related to AD

CHICAGO -- Although it is a small study and more clinical trials are needed, treatment with the medication gantenerumab appeared to result in a reduction in brain amyloid levels in patients with Alzheimer disease, according to a report published Online First by Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Researchers study aging's effect on the brain

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.

The researchers discovered that under stressful conditions, such as neuro-degeneration, resulting high energy forms of damaging oxygen cause synapses to grow excessively, potentially contributing to dysfunction.

Brain imaging reveals why we remain optimistic in the face of reality

For some people, the glass is always half full. Even when a football fan's team has lost ten matches in a row, he might still be convinced his team can reverse its run of bad luck. So why, in the face of clear evidence to suggest to the contrary, do some people remain so optimistic about the future?

If you don't snooze, do you lose?

MADISON – 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.

Rhodopsin6: Sinatra-named fly shows how to see the blues (and the greens)

New York University biologists have identified a new mechanism for regulating color vision by studying a mutant fly named after Frank ('Ol Blue Eyes) Sinatra. Their findings, which appear in the journal Nature, focus on how the visual system functions in order to preserve the fidelity of color discrimination throughout the life of an organism. They also offer new insights into how genes controlling color detection are turned on and off.

Notre Dame researchers report progress on compound to treat neurological diseases

Results of a study by a group of University of Notre Dame researchers represent a promising step on the road to developing new drugs for a variety of neurological diseases.

The group from the University's Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Biological Sciences and the Friemann Life Sciences Center focused on the design, synthesis and evaluation of water-soluble "gelatinase inhibitor" compounds.

Babies show sense of fairness, altruism as early as 15 months

A new study presents the first evidence that a basic sense of fairness and altruism appears in infancy. Babies as young as 15 months perceived the difference between equal and unequal distribution of food, and their awareness of equal rations was linked to their willingness to share a toy.

"Our findings show that these norms of fairness and altruism are more rapidly acquired than we thought," said Jessica Sommerville, a University of Washington associate professor of psychology who led the study.

Study confirms genetic link to suicidal behavior

October 7, 2011 – (Toronto) – A new study from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health has found evidence that a specific gene is linked to suicidal behavior, adding to our knowledge of the many complex causes of suicide. This research may help doctors one day target the gene in prevention efforts.

In the past, studies have implicated the gene for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in suicidal behavior. BDNF is involved in the development of the nervous system.

Jonesing for java: Caffeine use may predict risk for cocaine

Parents of young caffeine consumers take heed: that high-calorie energy drink or soda might present more than just obesity risk. In fact, according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that examined responses to stimulants, an individual's subjective response to caffeine may predict how he or she will respond to other stimulant drugs, possibly reflecting differences in risk for abuse of other more serious drugs of abuse, such as amphetamine and cocaine.

Learning to live in mountain lion country

Researchers at Stanford's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve often encounter signs of mountain lion activity, from lion scat to the occasional deer carcass covered with leaves. But few have actually caught a glimpse of the shy feline.

Now, images captured by remote wildlife cameras confirm that mountain lions (also called pumas or cougars) make regular visits to Stanford's 1,189-acre preserve in the hills five miles west of the main campus.

Sniffing out the brain's predictive power

CHICAGO --- In the moments before you "stop and smell the roses," it's likely your brain is already preparing your sensory system for that familiar floral smell. New research from Northwestern Medicine offers strong evidence that the brain uses predictive coding to generate "predictive templates" of specific smells -- setting up a mental expectation of a scent before it hits your nostrils.

Timing is crucial for family consent in brain dead organ donors

Hearts used in transplants can only be sourced from donors that are brain dead before circulation to their heart has ceased. Data from a study published in BioMed Central's open access journal Critical Care indicate that the time at which organ donation in brain dead donors is first discussed with family members could affect whether or not they consent to donation.

The researchers believe that discussing the issue of donation with relatives of victims of catastrophic brain injury earlier on in the process may have a negative effect on the consent rate.

Neural stem cell transplant may tackle diabetes

Researchers in Japan have discovered how a patient's neural stem cells could be used as an alternative source of the beta cells needed for a regenerative treatment for diabetes. The research, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine today, reveals how harvesting stem cells could overcome a lack of beta cell transplants from donors.