Brain

Reported in the journal Nature Communications, the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology´s (VHIO) Gene Expression and Cancer Group, led by Joan Seoane, has pioneered research evidencing the use of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as liquid biopsy for the potential prognosis, treatment, identification and tracking of brain tumor genomic alterations not only in real time but over time. Concentrations of circulating central nervous system tumor DNA are very low in plasma, but very high in CSF.

Hamilton, ON (Nov. 9, 2015) - Painkillers prescribed by doctors are the starting point for an opioid addiction for more than half of female methadone clinic patients, and they need different treatment from men with addiction, says a study led by McMaster University researchers.

One experimental result doesn't mean much in science. To truly know whether a result is valid, it needs to be reproduced in the same way over and over again. Yet research that may not be reproduced often finds its way into well-regarded journals, due to limited resources, human error or, rarely, outright fraud.

Our cells are constantly communicating, using neurotransmitters and hormones to signal to each other. Molecular receptors on each cell receive these chemical signals and allow cells to accomplish a task important for health. Astonishingly, for about half of these receptors, the chemical signals remain unknown. These "orphan receptors" are highly expressed in particular tissues but their functions remain a mystery. They are considered "dark" elements of the genome, and yet they hold great potential for drug development for a variety of diseases and conditions.

Some nerve cells in the inner ear can signal tissue damage in a way similar to pain-sensing nerve cells in the body, according to new research from Johns Hopkins. If the finding, discovered in rats, is confirmed in humans, it may lead to new insights into hyperacusis, an increased sensitivity to loud noises that can lead to severe and long-lasting ear pain.

While there are no cures for neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, many researchers believe that one could be found in neural stem cells. Unfortunately, scientists do not yet have a full understanding of how these cells behave and differentiate, which has put a roadblock in the path to potential life-saving treatments.

HANOVER, N.H. - Dartmouth scientists have created an automatic speech analysis tool that pushes the technological envelope for what types of sociolinguistic dialect research are possible.

When you see a familiar face, when a bird-watcher catches a glimpse of a rare bird perched on a limb, or when a car-fancier spots a classic auto driving past, the same small region in the brain becomes engaged.

For almost two decades, neuroscientists have known that this area, called the fusiform face area (FFA), plays a vital role in the brain's ability to recognize faces and objects that an individual has learned to identify.

ORLANDO (Nov. 9, 2015) - The number of angioplasty procedures classified as rarely appropriate declined sharply between 2010 and 2014, as did the number of those performed on patients with non-acute conditions, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association and simultaneously presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando.

It turns out that we may be the best forecasters of our own health.

New research from Carnegie Mellon University psychologists shows that a simple self-rating of health accurately predicts susceptibility to the common cold in healthy adults aged 18-55 years. Published in Psychosomatic Medicine, the study - led by CMU's Sheldon Cohen - indicates that low self-rated-health is associated with poorer immune system competence.

Loss of consciousness is a common presenting symptom in patients after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to brain aneurysm. Corresponding author Stephan A. Mayer, M.D., of the Ichan School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, and coauthors suggest loss of consciousness may be an indicator of a severe bleeding event and therefore a predictor of death or poor functional outcome a year later, according to an article published online by JAMA Neurology.

Although adults with serious psychiatric disorders are at high risk for diabetes, a large study led by UC San Francisco reveals that low-income patients on Medicaid are rarely screened for it. The findings support growing efforts to integrate mental health services and primary care to improve diagnosis and treatment of medical issues associated with mental illness, the researchers said.

Engaging in brief, cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for helping people with problematic caffeine use lower their caffeine consumption, according to a new study coauthored by Laura M. Juliano, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at American University.

CHAPEL HILL, NC - Our cells are constantly communicating, using neurotransmitters and hormones to signal to each other. Molecular receptors on each cell receive these chemical signals and allow cells to accomplish a task important for health. Astonishingly, for about half of these receptors, the chemical signals remain unknown. These "orphan receptors" are highly expressed in particular tissues but their functions remain a mystery. They are considered "dark" elements of the genome, and yet they hold great potential for drug development for a variety of diseases and conditions.

Incurable astrocytomas, including the particularly malignant glioblastomas, diffusively grow like mycelium into healthy brain tissue. Therefore, these tumors cannot be completely removed by surgery and invariably start growing again at some point despite intensive treatment. They appear to have effective resistance mechanisms.