Brachial plexus root avulsion is the most serious type of peripheral nerve injury. Valproic acid has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects and promote neurite outgrowth in several peripheral nerve injury models. However, whether valproic acid can exert its beneficial effect on neurons after brachial plexus avulsion injury is currently unknown. A recent study by Prof.
Brain
According to the International Transport Forum Malaysia has one of the highest death rates from road traffic accidents in the world. While the number of road deaths continues to rise in Malaysia the number in the United Kingdom is much lower and experiencing a downward trend.
There are few data on the effectiveness and mechanism underlying mild hypothermia in the treatment of central nervous system injuries. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the potentially beneficial effects of mild hypothermia on central nervous system injuries. Rami Dar and colleagues from Chongqing Medical University summarize and analyze mild hypothermia's protective effects, no matter whether they are positive or negative, on central nervous system injuries through several aspects.
Malignant glioma is very sensitive to heat. Prof. Yunlong Ge and team from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, China used a brain tumor hyperthermia apparatus to treat malignant glioma patients, and achieved good therapeutic efficacy. The researchers found that the blood-brain barrier within and surrounding the tumor was completely destroyed after hyperthermia treatment, and chemotherapy drugs could then reach and target the tumor. Meanwhile, hyperthermia and radiotherapy could contribute synergistically to the treatment of brain glioma.
Studies have found that brain ischemic tolerance is associated with endothelial cells, inflammatory factor and intercellular adhesion molecule, but its mechanism of action role in prevention and treatment of cerebral ischemia is still not very clear. Prof.
The human brain is anatomically and functionally sexually dimorphic. While specific debates on this topic have occurred for decades, sexual dimorphism is generally acknowledged with respect to brain size, cognitive function, emotional expression, and other behavior patterns. One of the most widely-accepted sexually dimorphic brain structures is the sexually dimorphic nucleus, a cluster of cells located in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus. As demonstrated in laboratory animal studies, the sexually dimorphic nucleus is critically implicated in sexual behavior.
In peripheral axonal regeneration, Schwann cells play an integral role and Schwann cells transplantation has been shown to enhance axonal outgrowth both in vitro and in vivo. However, harvesting autologous Schwann cells may result in defects to the peripheral nerves of the donor. Thus, Prof. Jong-Ho Lee and team from School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Korea have confirmed that periodontal ligament stem cells can differentiate into Schwann-like cells. Their recent study published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No.
CHICAGO – Using a special type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), researchers have found that soldiers who suffered mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) induced by blast exposure exhibit long-term brain differences, according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Recent wars have resulted in veterans with an exposure rate of approximately 20 percent to blast-induced MTBI, or trauma resulting from mortar fire and improvised explosive devices. Diagnosis can be challenging, especially in mild cases.
CHICAGO – Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a noninvasive way to measure iron levels in the brains of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Researchers said the method could help physicians and parents make better informed decisions about medication.
CHICAGO – Using a novel stroke rehabilitation device that converts an individual's thoughts to electrical impulses to move upper extremities, stroke patients reported improvements in their motor function and ability to perform activities of daily living. Results of the study were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Attention, parents: The messier your child gets while playing with food in the high chair, the more he or she is learning.
Researchers at the University of Iowa studied how 16-month-old children learn words for nonsolid objects, from oatmeal to glue. Previous research has shown that toddlers learn more readily about solid objects because they can easily identify them due to their unchanging size and shape. But oozy, gooey, runny stuff? Not so much.
Exposure to air pollution appears to increase the risk for autism among people who carry a genetic disposition for the neurodevelopmental disorder, according to newly published research led by scientists at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC).
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Sex may in fact be one of the secrets to good health, youth and a longer life – at least for fruit flies – suggests a new University of Michigan study that appears in the journal Science.
Male fruit flies that perceived sexual pheromones of their female counterparts – without the opportunity to mate – experienced rapid decreases in fat stores, resistance to starvation and more stress. The sexually frustrated flies lived shorter lives.
Mating, on the other hand, partially reversed the negative effects on health and aging.
Using a video game in which people navigate through a virtual town delivering objects to specific locations, a team of neuroscientists from the University of Pennsylvania and Freiburg University has discovered how brain cells that encode spatial information form "geotags" for specific memories and are activated immediately before those memories are recalled.
Their work shows how spatial information is incorporated into memories and why remembering an experience can quickly bring to mind other events that happened in the same place.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Although newlyweds may not be completely aware of it, they may know whether their march down the aisle will result in wedded bliss or an unhappy marriage, according to new study led by a Florida State University researcher.