http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/disorders_and_syndromes/ Read the latest research on psychological conditions, neuroscience and diseases of the brain. Symptoms and treatment options. en-us Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:05:01 EST Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:05:01 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/disorders_and_syndromes/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114803.htm Women who store fat on their waist in middle age are more than twice as likely to develop dementia when they get older, reveals a new study. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114803.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114813.htm Scientists have found that the amyloid-beta protein, currently the target of Alzheimer's drug research, is essential for normal information transfer through nerve cell networks in the brain. "If this protein is removed from the brain," says one of the researchers, "it may cause an impairment of neuronal function, as well as a further and faster accumulation of amyloid-beta in Alzheimer's." Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120081629.htm It's a naturally occurring brain chemical with an unwieldy name: 4-hydroxybutyrate (4-HB). Taken by mouth, it can be abused or used as a date-rape drug. Now, scientists have determined new routes by which 4-HB is metabolized by the body. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120081629.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125110849.htm Angst could be more than a rite of passage for insecure teenagers, according to a new study. Researchers have discovered that insecure adolescents experience more intense pain in the form of frequent headaches, abdominal pain and joint pain. These teens are also more likely to be depressed than peers with secure attachments. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091125110849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124093546.htm People with multiple sclerosis (MS) feel more than twice as much withheld anger as the general population, but expressed anger levels are similar. Researchers were surprised by the results from the 195 MS patients. They also found that elevated withheld anger levels were not related to the severity of the patients' MS. This suggests that these inconsistent changes were caused by nervous system damage, rather than an emotional reaction to the stress of the disease. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124093546.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171418.htm New research suggests that a common oral bacterium may exacerbate autoimmune disease. Multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease where the immune system attacks the brain and spinal cord, affects nearly 1 in 700 people in the United States. Patients with multiple sclerosis have a variety of neurological symptoms, including muscle weakness, difficulty in moving, and difficulty in speech. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171418.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171410.htm Falls among elderly people are significantly associated with several classes of drugs, including sedatives often prescribed as sleep aids and medications used to treat mood disorders, according to a new study. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123171410.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124093543.htm Researchers in Spain have confirmed that a diet rich in polyphenols and polyunsaturated fatty acids, patented as an LMN diet, helps boost the production of the brain's stem cells -- neurogenesis -- and strengthens their differentiation in different types of neuron cells. The research revealed that mice fed an LMN diet, when compared to those fed a control diet, have more cell proliferation in the two areas of the brain where neurogenesis is produced, the olfactory bulb and the hippocampus. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091124093543.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094137.htm Surgeons who are burned out or depressed are more likely to say they had recently committed a major error on the job, according to the largest study to date on physician burnout. The new findings suggest that the mental well-being of the surgeon is associated with a higher rate of self-reported medical errors, something that may undermine patient safety more than the fatigue that is often blamed for many of the medical mistakes. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123094137.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165735.htm Magnetic resonance images of patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in childhood show that pediatric onset multiple sclerosis is more aggressive, and causes more brain lesions, than MS diagnosed in adulthood, researchers have reported. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165735.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165737.htm In a study that promises to improve diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease, scientists have developed a fast and accurate method for quantifying subtle, sub-regional brain volume loss using magnetic resonance imaging. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116165737.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123083652.htm Children exposed prenatally to tobacco smoke and during childhood to lead face a particularly high risk for ADHD, according to new research. The study estimates that up to 35 percent of ADHD cases in children between the ages of 8 and 15 could be reduced by eliminating both of these environmental exposures. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123083652.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122095411.htm Researchers have determined that children who suffer physical or emotional abuse may be faced with accelerated cellular aging as adults. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122095411.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122161821.htm Scientists have uncovered new information about the mechanism by which brain cells die following a stroke, as well as a possible way to mitigate that damage. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091122161821.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093234.htm Treatment that includes medication plus a structured training program for parents reduces serious behavioral problems in children with autism and related conditions, according to a new study. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091121093234.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114807.htm The generation of new nerve cells in the brain is regulated by a peptide known as C3a, which directly affects the stem cells' maturation into nerve cells and is also important for the migration of new nerve cells through the brain tissue. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091123114807.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119210836.htm A new treatment route for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and its human form Creutzfeldt Jakob disease could be a step closer based on new results from scientists in the UK. The team has found that a protein called Glypican-1 plays a key role in the development of BSE. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119210836.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116192345.htm Coronary artery bypass graft patients who were screened for depression after surgery and then cared for by a nurse-led team of health care specialists via telephone reported improved quality of life and physical function compared to those who received their doctors' usual care, according to a new study. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116192345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000633.htm Drug dependency is a recurrent but treatable kind of addiction. However, not all people who are drug dependent progress in the same way once they stop taking drugs. A new study shows that, in the case of cocaine, a high score on the so-called ‘scale of craving’, an antisocial personality type and previous heroin abuse are the factors most commonly involved in people falling back into the habit. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120000633.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141048.htm Scientists studying nerve cells in fruit flies have uncovered a new function for a gene whose human equivalent may play a critical role in schizophrenia. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119141048.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102034.htm Researchers have identified a gene that tells embryonic stem cells in the brain when to stop producing nerve cells called neurons. The research is a significant advance in understanding the development of the nervous system, which is essential to addressing conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102034.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193626.htm Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have a number of cognitive deficits. Mathematical ability seems particularly damaged in children with FASD. A new study supports the importance of the left parietal area for mathematical abilities in children with FASD. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193626.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118072053.htm A recent study determined there is a significant risk of seizure for individuals who currently smoke cigarettes. This is the first prospective study to examine the potential risks associated with cigarette smoking, caffeine intake, and alcohol consumption as they independently relate to epilepsy. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118072053.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117184531.htm So a baby can detect outside signals, the brain cells use a a "pump" that drains chloride out of newborn neurons, making these highly chaotic, developing cells quiet down. Researchers have figured out the genetic control of the pump in rodents. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117184531.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194122.htm Maternal depression can worsen asthma symptoms in their children, according to new research. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119194122.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111339.htm For years, it has been widely assumed that older adults may experience memory loss and other cognitive problems following surgery. But a new study questions that assumption. In the 575 patients they studied, the investigators did not detect any long-term cognitive declines attributable to surgery. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119111339.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143207.htm At birth, children with Down syndrome aren't developmentally delayed. But as they age, these kids fall behind. Memory deficits inherent in Down syndrome hinder learning, making it hard for the brain to collect experiences needed for normal cognitive development. Scientists have now demonstrated a possible new approach to slowing the inevitable progression of cognitive decline found in Down syndrome. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118143207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161118.htm Until recently, scientists believed that, following a stroke, a patient had about six months to regain any lost function. After that, patients would be forced to compensate for the lost function by focusing on their remaining abilities. Although this belief has been refuted, an occupational therapy professor believes that the current health system is still not giving patients enough time to recover. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161118.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193638.htm Treatment for alcohol use disorders and tuberculosis (TB) is rarely integrated, even though the two diseases have a high co-occurrence. American and Russian researchers have jointly designed and are monitoring an innovative program that will deliver alcohol treatment as part of routine TB care. The trial study is continuing. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193638.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118092620.htm Patients with recent-onset schizophrenia have higher levels of inflammatory substances in their brains, according to new research. This findings offer hope of being able to treat schizophrenia with drugs that affect the immune system. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118092620.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117124009.htm Tiny insects could be as intelligent as much bigger animals, despite only having a brain the size of a pinhead, say scientists. Animals with bigger brains are not necessarily more intelligent. This begs the important question: what are they for? Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117124009.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118101357.htm Scientists have significantly advanced our understanding of dopamine release from nerve cells, findings that should speed the development of more effective drugs for treating Parkinson's disease. People with Parkinson's disease suffer from muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement and, in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. These primary symptoms are caused by the loss of dopamine producing nerve cells in the brain. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091118101357.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094933.htm A new study has found that depression is as much of a risk factor for mortality as smoking. The study also shows that patients with depression face an overall increased risk of mortality, while a combination of depression and anxiety in patients lowers mortality compared with depression alone. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094933.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117143413.htm Brain imaging can offer a window into risk for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. A new study has demonstrated that genetic risk is expressed in the brains of even those who are healthy, but carry some risk for AD. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117143413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094931.htm Parents have long suspected that the brains of their teenagers function differently from those of adults. With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, we have begun to appreciate how the brain continues to develop structurally through adolescence and on into adulthood. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117094931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116163212.htm Researchers have discovered a genetic variation that may contribute to how empathetic a human is, and how that person reacts to stress. In the first study of its kind, a variation in the hormone/neurotransmitter oxytocin's receptor was linked to a person's ability to infer the mental state of others. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116163212.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161120.htm A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep. Add frequent overtime to that schedule, and an officer may be climbing into bed as the sun comes up, setting the stage for short and unrestful slumber. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161015.htm An analysis of patients with a syndrome similar to the genetic disorder, neurofibromatosis type 1, indicates that diagnosis may be difficult because of shared clinical findings, such as certain pigmentary characteristics, according to a new study. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161015.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161006.htm Women who participated in a motivational cardiac rehab program designed for women experienced less symptoms of depression. The positive impact of the women-centered program remained six months after the 12-week study ended. Other research shows that positive emotions in men and women may protect from heart disease. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117161006.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094501.htm An international study of schizophrenia has found striking similarities in symptoms, medication, employment and sexual problems, despite the fact that it covered a diverse range of patients and health care systems. It is estimated that schizophrenia will affect as many as one in every 250 people at some point in their lives. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094501.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116085043.htm Pooled results from three separate clinical trials of flibanserin, a drug originally created as an antidepressant, show it is effective in treating women with acquired hypoactive sexual desire disorder. These trials were the first ever to test a therapy that works at the level of the brain to enhance libido in women reporting low sexual desire. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116085043.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094455.htm Pooling results from 21 studies, involving 622,381 men and women, researchers have affirmed that migraine headaches are associated with more than twofold higher chances of the most common kind of stroke: those occurring when blood supply to the brain is suddenly cut off by the buildup of plaque or a blood clot. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116094455.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091114080610.htm NFL players and other athletes who suffer serious or multiple concussions may benefit from ground-breaking new research. Scientists are developing a surgical technique that involves hypothermia in specific regions of the brain. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091114080610.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091114080648.htm Whether rallying the crowd at a sporting event or participating in competition, cheerleading can be both fun and physically demanding. Although integral to cheerleading routines, performing stunts can lead to injury. Stunt-related injuries accounted for more than half (60 percent) of US cheerleading injuries from June 2006 through June 2007, according to a new study. Nearly all of the reported concussions occurred when the cheerleader was performing a stunt. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091114080648.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091115134134.htm Normal synaptic activity in nerve cells protects the brain from the misfolded proteins associated with Huntington's disease, researchers have discovered. They also found that the drug Memantine, which is approved to treat Alzheimer's disease, successfully treated Huntington's disease in a mouse model by preserving normal synaptic electrical activity and suppressing excessive extrasynaptic electrical activity. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091115134134.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116114534.htm The incidence of stroke or mini-stroke related to a coronary angioplasty remained steady over a 15-year period, according to a new study. Researchers say this is good news because physicians now are performing the artery-opening procedure on older patients who are sicker and need more complicated treatment. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116114534.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112191752.htm A gene in the brain that was not previously linked to mood disorders could have a role in biopolar, depression, and schizophrenic conditions. Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112191752.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112095034.htm Scientists report success in solving the molecular structure of a key portion of a cellular receptor implicated in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other serious illnesses. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091112095034.htm