Brain

A new discovery may help explain the surprisingly strong connections between sleep problems and neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Sleep loss increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease, and disrupted sleeping patterns are among the first signs of this devastating disorder.

Irvine, Calif., Nov. 25, 2013 — Inhibitor compounds developed by UC Irvine structural biologists and Northwestern University chemists have been shown to bolster the ability of antibiotics to treat deadly bacterial diseases such as MRSA and anthrax.

Buffalo, N.Y. – Studies on Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have long focused on what's happening inside the brain. Now an international research team studying Alzheimer's and mild cognitive impairment is reporting potentially significant findings on a vascular abnormality outside the brain.

The finding has potential implications for a better understanding of Alzheimer's and other neurological disorders associated with aging.

A novel immune-boosting drug combination eradicates brain cancer in mice, according to a study in The Journal of Experimental Medicine.

PHILADELPHIA - As we age, our body rhythms lose time before they finally stop. Breaking the body clock by genetically disrupting a core clock gene, Bmal1, in mice has long been known to accelerate aging , causing arthritis, hair loss, cataracts, and premature death.

New research now reveals that the nerve cells of these mice with broken clocks show signs of deterioration before the externally visible signs of aging are apparent, raising the possibility of novel approaches to staving off or delaying neurodegeneration – hallmarks of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases.

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers found that improvement of mood over the course of post-acute brain rehabilitation is associated with increased participation in day-to-day activities, independent living, and ability to work after rehabilitation is complete.

Each year, millions of patients are diagnosed with acquired brain injuries, such as concussion, strokes, and brain tumors, many of whom go on to have persistent symptoms. For these patients, brain rehabilitation is an important part of their recovery.

WASHINGTON – Playing video games, including violent shooter games, may boost children's learning, health and social skills, according to a review of research on the positive effects of video game play to be published by the American Psychological Association.

The study comes out as debate continues among psychologists and other health professionals regarding the effects of violent media on youth. An APA task force is conducting a comprehensive review of research on violence in video games and interactive media and will release its findings in 2014.

STANFORD, Calif. — Stanford University School of Medicine neuroscientists have discovered a new role played by a common but mysterious class of brain cells.

Their findings, to be published online Nov. 24 in Nature, show that these cells, called astrocytes because of their star-like shape, actively refine nerve-cell circuits by selectively eliminating synapses — contact points through which nerve cells, or neurons, convey impulses to one another — much as a sculptor chisels away excess bits of rock to create an artwork.

Mysterious brain cells called microglia are starting to reveal their secrets thanks to research conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Putnam Valley, NY. (Nov. 25 2013) – After Schwann cells (SCs), the principal cells in the peripheral nervous system, and olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs), cells that ensheath the non-myelinated peripheral neurons in the nose, were co-transplanted into laboratory rats with spinal cord injury, researchers in Beijing, China put the rats on a 30 minute per day treadmill training program for ten weeks to determine if the effects of the workouts would benefit aspects of the animals' recovery.

Putnam Valley, NY. (Nov. 25 2013) – Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising therapy for treating type 1 diabetes, but the majority of transplanted cells die soon after they are transplanted.

This news release is available in German.

Animal experiments show that it is relatively easy to treat cancer in the early stages. However, it is far more difficult to successfully treat advanced cancer. Treatment of brain tumors is particularly challenging because regulatory T-cells accumulate in brain tumors and suppress an immune attack.

(PHILADELPHIA) – In one of the first randomized control trials studying an intervention for sensory problems in children with autism, researchers found that occupational therapy using the principles of sensory integration (OT-SI) provided better outcomes on parent-identified goals than standard care, according to results published November 10th in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

Measurement of heart rate variability (HRV) is a useful method when assessing the role of the nervous system for heart function. Standard reference values for heart rate variability in adults have existed for a long time already, but similar values have not been available for children until now. Children's HRV reference values have not been determined earlier, because heart rate variability from rest electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings has not been studied in sufficiently large population samples before.

Research from North Carolina State University shows companies that screen the social media accounts of job applicants alienate potential employees – making it harder for them to attract top job candidates. In some cases, social media screening even increases the likelihood that job candidates may take legal action against the offending company.