Brain

Deep brain mapping to isolate evidence of Gulf War syndrome

DALLAS –Researchers at Southern Methodist University in Dallas are pioneering the use of spatial statistical modeling to analyze brain scan data from Persian Gulf War veterans, aiming to pinpoint specific areas of the their brains affected by Gulf War Syndrome.

Rutgers researcher's study cites media violence as 'critical risk factor' for aggression

You are what you watch, when it comes to violence in the media and its influence on violent behavior in young people, and a new paper, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, researcher Paul Boxer, provides new evidence that violent media does indeed impact adolescent behavior.

Scientists are high on idea that marijuana reduces memory impairment

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The more research they do, the more evidence Ohio State University scientists find that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.

The research suggests that the development of a legal drug that contains certain properties similar to those in marijuana might help prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Though the exact cause of Alzheimer's remains unknown, chronic inflammation in the brain is believed to contribute to memory impairment.

Jefferson researchers define ideal time for stem cell collection for Parkinson's disease therapy

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Researchers have identified a stage during dopamine neuron differentiation that may be an ideal time to collect human embryonic stem cells for transplantation to treat Parkinson's disease, according to data presented at Neuroscience 2008, the 38th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.

Cedars-Sinai researchers present new findings at neuroscience meetings

LOS ANGELES (EMBARGOED UNTIL THE TIME OF PRESENTATION – ALL TIMES EST) – Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center are presenting recent findings during the 38th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Neuroscience 2008 is being held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., Nov. 15 through 19, and is expected to draw more than 30,000 attendees from around the world.

ADHD medications do not cause genetic damage in children

In contrast to recent findings, two of the most common medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) do not appear to cause genetic damage in children who take them as prescribed, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Duke University Medical Center.

More at-risk teens and young adults engaging in anal intercourse

PROVIDENCE, RI – A new study by researchers at the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center suggests that the incidence of heterosexual anal sex is increasing among teens and young adults – particularly those who have recently had unprotected vaginal sex. These findings mirror recent data that show anal sex rates among adults doubled between the years 1995 and 2004.

The study, published online by the American Journal of Public Health, is among the first to report on the little-known factors associated with heterosexual anal intercourse among adolescents and young adults.

First trachea transplant without immunosuppression

  • Tissue engineering has made possible this doubly innovative operation - the first trachea transplant and the first tissue transplant to be performed without the need for immunosuppression.
  • Professor Paolo Macchiarini, Head of the thoracic surgery department of Hospital Clínic has led the basic research and the international team formed by the universities of Bristol, Padua and Milan, who contributed to this success.

Scientists exploring new compounds to target muscular dystrophy

Scientists have identified a promising set of new compounds in the fight against muscular dystrophy.

Using a drug-discovery technique in which molecules compete against each other for access to the target – the strand of toxic RNA that causes the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults – a team at the University of Rochester Medical Center has identified several compounds that, in the laboratory, block the unwanted coupling of two molecules that is at the root of the disease.

Crafting your image for your 1,000 friends on Facebook or MySpace

Students are creating idealized versions of themselves on social networking websites — Facebook and MySpace are the most popular — and using these sites to explore their emerging identities, UCLA psychologists report. Parents often understand very little about this phenomenon, they say.

Gingko biloba does not appear to prevent dementia, Alzheimer's disease

Use of the herb Ginkgo biloba, claimed to have beneficial effects on memory and cognition, was not effective in reducing the rate of dementia or Alzheimer's disease among more than 1,500 elderly study participants after several years of use, according to a study in the November 19 issue of JAMA.

Ginkgo biloba does not reduce dementia risk according to Pitt-led study in JAMA

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 18 – The medicinal herb Ginkgo biloba does not reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease development in either the healthy elderly or those with mild cognitive impairment, according to a large multicenter trial led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Widely used cancer drug associated with significantly increased risk of blood clots

An analysis of randomized controlled trials indicates that use of the cancer drug bevacizumab is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (blood clots in the deep veins of the legs or in the lungs), according to an article in the November 19 issue of JAMA.

Brain compound 'throws gasoline onto the fire' of schizophrenia

COLUMBUS, Ohio – New research has traced elevated levels of a specific compound in the brain to problem-solving deficits in patients with schizophrenia.

The finding suggests that drugs used to suppress the compound, called kynurenic acid, might be an important supplement to antipsychotic medicines, as these adjuncts could be used to treat the disorder's most resistant symptoms – cognitive impairments.

Ginkgo proves ineffective in preventing dementia, Alzheimer's disease

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – One of the most widely used herbal supplements for improving memory and cognition has no impact on the development of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, according to new results from a $30 million, multi-center study.