Brain

Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University. The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems.

People with schizophrenia have an increased number of unusual chromosomal changes, particularly structural changes that have the potential to alter the function of the genes. These results were published today in the scientific journal Nature.

Cells rely on calcium as a universal means of communication. For example, a sudden rush of calcium can trigger nerve cells to convey thoughts in the brain or cause a heart cell to beat. A longstanding mystery has been how cells and molecules manage to appropriately sense and respond to the variety of calcium fluctuations within cells.

A routinely available laboratory result called the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) provides a simple indicator of kidney function and may increase early diagnoses of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, widespread use of eGFR for this purpose may have inherent flaws and dangers—including a risk that large numbers of elderly patients will be misclassified as having CKD.

NEW YORK, July 26, 2008 – The following news tips are based on poster and oral presentations at the Alzheimer's Association 2008 International Conference to be held in Chicago from July 26 to July 31. Each presentation is embargoed for a specific date and time.

Brain Atrophy and Biomarkers May Help Identify People at Risk for Alzheimer's Susan de Santi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, NYU Langone Medical CenterEMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL TUESDAY, July 29, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. CT

CHICAGO (July 30, 2008) -- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center announced today the nine-month interim results of an ongoing Phase II clinical trial of GAMMAGARD Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IGIV) for Alzheimer's disease at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease (ICAD) in Chicago.

The nine-month results show significantly better global outcomes, cognitive performance and daily functioning in patients treated with IGIV compared to initially placebo-treated patients.

PORTLAND, Ore. – An experimental drug that blocks the euphoric feelings associated with drinking may prevent alcoholics from relapsing. The finding, the result of a mouse study at Oregon Health & Science University, could lead to human clinical trials within the next year.

CHAPEL HILL – You could say two is a small number.

But that's still two too many for Frederick O. Mueller, Ph.D., professor of exercise and sports science in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The figure represents the number of reported cases of heat stroke deaths among high school level football players in 2007. To Mueller, it also represents two young lives unnecessarily lost: one was 17-years-old; the other, just 16.

NEW YORK, July 30, 2008 – A maternal history of Alzheimer's disease appears to predispose individuals to the mind-robbing disease because their brains aren't using glucose efficiently, according to new findings presented at the Alzheimer's Association 2008 International Alzheimer's Disease Conference held in Chicago.

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious mental illnesses and is accompanied by symptoms that include delusions and blunted affect. Environmental as well as genetic factors form a complex interplay that leads to the illness. Two papers published in the Internet editions of the professional journals "Nature" and "Nature Genetics" have offered a ground-breaking step in the complex and extraordinarily difficult search for relevant genetic factors.

Rats that voluntarily use cocaine show a persistent cellular memory in the brain's reward center even after several months of abstinence from the drug, while their involuntary counterparts had no such memory, according to a new study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

Alzheimer's disease is the end result of gradual, progressive brain aging. Positron emission technology (PET) scans of patients' brains typically reveal a decreased rate of metabolism, a hallmark of the disorder.

Which gay and lesbian couples are more likely to legalize their relationship and hold a commitment ceremony? Those with children and strong religious beliefs, says a new University of Illinois study.

A multinational group of investigators has discovered that people suffering from schizophrenia are far more likely to carry rare chromosomal structural changes of all types, particularly those that have the potential to alter gene function. In addition, the study uncovered two new specific genomic areas that, when altered, significantly increase the risk of developing the disease. The report from the International Schizophrenia Consortium, the largest and most complete such study to date, is being published online today by the journal Nature.

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have found the brain's appetite center uses fat for fuel by involving oxygen free radicals—molecules associated with aging and neurodegeneration. The findings, reported in the journal Nature, suggest that antioxidants could play a role in weight control.

The study's lead authors were Sabrina Diano and Tamas Horvath, who are an associate professor and professor, respectively, in the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences and Neurobiology. Horvath is also chair of the Section of Comparative Medicine.