Brain

Most of us know that the way we feel emotionally and physically can influence how we do on tests. That's why we're told to get lots of rest and eat a good breakfast before taking a big exam. And previous studies have found that people do worse on tests and solving problems when they're tired, hungry, or upset.

Millions of American teenagers participate in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, 4-H, and other programs designed to develop responsibility in young people. A new study suggests that it's not the fun and games of these programs, but the tough tasks—those that ask young people to make sacrifices and do difficult things for the good of the group—that are most likely to foster responsibility and self-discipline.

According to popular stereotype, young teenagers are shortsighted, leaving them prone to poor judgment and risky decision-making when it comes to issues like taking drugs and having sex. Now a new study confirms that teens 16 and younger do think about the future less than adults, but explains that the reasons may have less to do with impulsivity and more to do with a desire to do something exciting.

Montreal, February 5, 2009 – Narcotics have an irreversible effect on the brains of people already suffering from mental illness, according to Dr. Stéphane Potvin of the Université de Montréal affiliated Centre de recherche Fernand-Seguin at the Louis-H Lafontaine Hospital.

Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. – Before a cell can divide into two, first it must duplicate its genetic material--the DNA packed in its chromosomes. The two new sets of chromosomes then have to be separated from one another and correctly distributed to the resulting "daughter" cells, so that both daughter cells are genetically identical to the original, or "parent," cell.

New Rochelle, NY, February 5, 2009—The blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a major obstacle to the successful delivery of drugs to treat central nervous system (CNS) disorders, reports Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News (GEN).

A new University of British Columbia study reconciles a debate that has long raged among marketers and psychologists: What colour most improves brain performance and receptivity to advertising, red or blue?

It turns out they both can, it just depends on the nature of the task or message. The study, which could have major implications for advertising and interior design, finds that red is the most effective at enhancing our attention to detail, while blue is best at boosting our ability to think creatively.

(Santa Barbara, Calif.) –– Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have discovered that a protein called BAG2 is important for understanding Alzheimer's disease and may open up new targets for drug discovery. They are ready to move from studying these proteins in culture to finding out how they work with mice.

ATLANTA — Researchers at Georgia State University have found that fat cells give feedback to the brain in order to regulate fat burning much the same way a thermostat regulates temperature inside a house.

With as increase in obesity threatening the health and life expectancies of people across the world, the research may help scientists better understand how weight is shed.

A new study identifies specific chromosomal regions linked to auditory visual synaesthesia, a neurological condition characterized by seeing colors in response to sounds. The research, published online on February 5th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, makes major strides towards identifying the genes that underlie synaesthesia and may eventually lead to improved understanding of typical and atypical cognitive development.

New research reveals a model of host-pathogen interaction that explains how the immune system finds and destroys cells infected with a potentially lethal brain virus. The study, published online on February 5th in Immunity, a Cell Press publication, may lead to new treatments for West Nile virus (WNV) and other similar viral infections.

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 29, 2009 – EMBARGOED UNTIL FEB. 5, 2009 AT NOON EST) – In animal studies, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Yale University have identified molecular interactions that govern the immune system's ability to defend the brain against West Nile virus, offering the possibility that drug therapies could be developed to improve success in treating West Nile and other viral forms of encephalitis, a brain inflammation illness that strikes healthy adults and the elderly and immunocompromised.

Montreal, Canada – February 05, 2009 – A new study describes the psychological profile of adolescents who have received kidney transplants and compares them to those of healthy peers. The findings reveal a significantly higher prevalence of psychiatric conditions (depression, phobia, ADHD), educational impairment and social isolation among adolescents who had undergone a transplant. The study appears in Pediatric Transplantation.

CAREFREE, A.Z. - As science continues to show an increasing lack of access and poor outcomes among minority patients with cancer, the American Association for Cancer Research is working toward understanding the fundamental issues of trust and awareness among these populations. At the Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Carefree, Arizona, the AACR will host a teleconference that highlights important strides in this area.

Philadelphia, 05 February 2009 – Nearly half of patients with heart failure (HF) have problems with memory and other aspects of cognitive functioning, reports a new study published by Elsevier, in the February issue of Journal of Cardiac Failure (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/cardfail).