http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/neuroscience/ Neuroscience research. Learn how the brain's physical, chemical and electrical structure can affect everything from motivation and sensory perception to disease recovery. en-us Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:05:02 EST 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/neuroscience/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215190018.htm Brain scans of two strains of mice imbibing significant quantities of alcohol reveal serious shrinkage in some brain regions -- but only in mice lacking a particular type of receptor for dopamine, the brain's "reward" chemical. The study provides new evidence that these dopamine receptors may play a protective role against alcohol-induced brain damage. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215190018.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215185850.htm Simple tests such as walking speed and hand grip strength may help doctors determine how likely it is a middle-aged person will develop dementia or stroke. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:58:58 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215185850.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143120.htm Scientists have provided the first evidence of a link between a traumatic brain injury and increased susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215509.htm In the absence of the protein biglycan, synapses at neuromuscular junctions in mice began to break up about five weeks after birth, according to a new study. Reintroducing byglycan helped fix the loss of synaptic stability in cell culture. The research may be relevant to efforts to treat motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gherig's Disease) and spinal muscular atrophy. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:55:55 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215509.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215342.htm Cognitive stimulation therapies have beneficial effects on memory and thinking in people with dementia, according to a systematic review. Despite concerns that cognitive improvements may not be matched by improvements in quality of life, the review also found positive effects for well-being. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214215342.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214171121.htm We like to think of ourselves as rational creatures, absorbing information, weighing it carefully, and making thoughtful decisions. But, as it turns out, we're kidding ourselves. Over the past few decades, scientists have shown there are many different internal and external factors influencing how we think, feel, communicate, and make decisions at any given moment. One particularly powerful influence may be our own bodies, according to new research. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214171121.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214171036.htm The amount and quality of sleep you get at night may affect your memory later in life, according to new research. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:10:10 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214171036.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214170906.htm Though researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the long-term effects of head injury, few studies have looked at the prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in all age groups, including males and females, taking into account both mild and serious events. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214170906.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134938.htm A new study is revealing new information about a key protein's role in the development of epilepsy, autism and other neurological disorders. This work could one day lead to new treatments for the conditions. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:49:49 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214134938.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214122031.htm Scientists have identified a new group of compounds that may protect brain cells from inflammation linked to seizures and neurodegenerative diseases. The compounds block signals from EP2, one of the four receptors for prostaglandin E2, which is a hormone involved in processes such as fever, childbirth, digestion and blood pressure regulation. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214122031.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121734.htm Members of the modern workforce might be surprised to learn that if they use the word “weekend” in a workplace email, chances are they’re sending the message up the org chart. The same is true for the words “voicemail,” “driving,” “okay”—- and even a choice four-letter word that rhymes with “hit.” However a new study shows that certain words and phrases indeed are reliable indicators of whether workplace emails are sent to someone higher or lower in the corporate hierarchy. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:17:17 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214121734.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214100554.htm Curcumin, a substance extracted from turmeric, prolongs life and enhances activity of fruit flies with a nervous disorder similar to Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. The study indicates that it is the initial stages of fibril formation and fragments of the amyloid fibrils that are most toxic to neurons. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:05:05 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120214100554.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185129.htm Only by employing complex machine-learning techniques to decipher repeated advanced brain scans were researchers able to provide evidence that a patient with a severe brain injury could, in her way, communicate accurately. Their study demonstrates how difficult it is to determine whether a patient can communicate using only measured brain activity, even if it is possible for them to generate reliable patterns of brain activation in response to instructed commands. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185129.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185123.htm Scientists have used a brain imaging tool that effectively tracked and predicted cognitive decline over a two-year period. The team had previously developed this tool that can assess the neurological changes associated with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185123.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185121.htm A large, prospective study indicates that chronic exposure to particulate air pollution may accelerate cognitive decline in older adults. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:51:51 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213185121.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154141.htm Researchers have found the key to understanding how memories of pain are stored in the brain. More importantly, the researchers are also able to suggest how these memories can be erased, making it possible to ease chronic pain. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154141.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154100.htm Medical researchers have discovered a promising new therapy for Huntington disease that restores lost motor skills and may delay or stop the progression of the disease based on lab model tests, says the lead researcher. Because the new therapy uses a molecule already being used in clinical trials for other diseases, it could be used in a clinical trial for Huntington disease within the next one to two years. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213154100.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134137.htm Everyone has moments when they feel more in control of their lives than at other times. New research shows that this sense of control fluctuates more often, and more quickly, than previously thought – and that this sense of control may actively affect cognitive abilities. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:41:41 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213134137.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213084208.htm Aerobic fitness has a favorable effect on cognitive functions. For example, physically active elderly people are less prone to aging-related cognitive decline than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. An increase in physical activity raises both aerobic capacity and learning ability in both humans and animals. However, it is not known whether it is the aerobic capacity or the pleasure and enrichment of physical activity that promotes cognitive functions. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:42:42 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120213084208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095353.htm Researchers have discovered a startling feature of early brain development that helps to explain how complex neuron wiring patterns are programmed using just a handful of critical genes. The findings may help scientists develop new therapies for neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and provide insight into certain cancers. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095353.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm Not surprisingly, victims of a natural disaster can experience stress and anxiety, but a new study indicates that it might also cause them to make more errors - some serious - in their daily lives. Researchers have explored how cognitive performance can decline after earthquakes and other natural disasters. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:53:53 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120211095351.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133400.htm A distinctive pattern of brain activity associated with conditions including deep anesthesia, coma and congenital brain disorders appears to represent the brain's shift into a protective, low-activity state in response to reduced metabolic energy. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133400.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm A new study reproduced the same morphological and functional patterns of neuronal connections in a transgenic mouse as seen in people with Down’s syndrome. Regulating the activity of this protein produced very similar neuronal growth to that in a healthy mouse. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:32:32 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210133245.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111254.htm Drivers who consume cannabis within three hours of driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a vehicle collision as those who are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to a new review. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:12:12 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120210111254.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm A neuropeptide called Substance P is the cause of seizures in patients with brains infected by the pork tapeworm. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:28 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm Brain surgery is getting much easier for many patients. Neurosurgeons are using catheters rather than open surgery to repair aneurysms and other defects. Patients recover in a few days, with less chance of cognitive deficits. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209172627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144013.htm Whether you are an athlete, a musician or a stroke patient learning to walk again, practice can make perfect, but more practice may make you more efficient, according to a surprising new study. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144013.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm Neuroscientists have made a dramatic breakthrough in their efforts to find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. The use of a drug appears to quickly reverse the pathological, cognitive and memory deficits caused by the onset of Alzheimer's in mice. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:40:40 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209144005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140208.htm Our bodies are full of tiny superheroes -- antibodies that fight foreign invaders, cells that regenerate, and structures that ensure our systems run smoothly. One such structure is myelin, a material that forms a protective cape around the axons of our nerve cells so that they can send signals quickly and efficiently. But myelin becomes damaged in demyelinating diseases like multiple sclerosis, leaving neurons without their sheaths. Researchers now believe they have found a way to help the brain replace damaged myelin. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:02 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209140208.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm Researchers have found new evidence for the role of the brain in obesity. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209131452.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102007.htm When you see a picture of a hand, how do you know whether it's a right or left hand? This "hand laterality" problem may seem obscure, but it reveals a lot about how the brain sorts out confusing perceptions. Now, a new study challenges the long-held consensus about how we solve this problem. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209102007.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm UC Riverside biomedical scientists have identified a new link between a protein (beta-arrestin) and short-term memory that could open new doors for the therapeutic treatment of neurological disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease. They show that if beta-arrestin is removed from neurons, short-term memory loss is prevented. But beta-arrestin is also required for normal learning/memory. The researchers argue that a fine balance needs to be established, one that could be achieved by pharmaceutical drugs in the future. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209101839.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm Ever gone to the movies and forgotten where you parked the car? New research may one day help you improve your memory. Neuroscientists have demonstrated that they can strengthen memory in human patients by stimulating a critical junction in the brain. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208180057.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm Gene therapy for congenital blindness took another step forward, as researchers further improved vision in three adult patients previously treated in one eye. The patients were better able to see in dim light, with no adverse effects. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208152252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm Scientists have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to "see" and even describe objects. SSDs are non-invasive sensory aids that provide visual information to the blind via their existing senses. For example, using a visual-to-auditory SSD in a clinical or everyday setting, users wear a miniature video camera connected to a small computer (or smart phone) and stereo headphones. The images are converted into "soundscapes," using a predictable algorithm, allowing the user to listen to and then interpret the visual information coming from the camera. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 14:59:59 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208145955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132721.htm By harnessing quantum dots, researchers have developed a new and vastly more targeted way to stimulate neurons in the brain. Being able to switch neurons on and off and monitor how they communicate with one another is crucial for understanding -- and, ultimately, treating -- a host of brain disorders. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:27:27 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132721.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132547.htm Mark Twain said, "Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times." Many smokers would agree that it's difficult to stay away from cigarettes. A new study now suggests that low dopamine levels that occur as a result of withdrawal from smoking actually promote the relapse to smoking. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132259.htm As they try to find the best reward among options, some people explore based on how uncertain they are about the outcome of the options. Those who employ that thought process, unlike people who use other strategies, uniquely harness the computational power of the rostrolateral prefrontal cortex, a new study finds. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132259.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm A new study identifies specific cell-stress signaling pathways that link injury of the optic nerve with irreversible vision loss. The research may lead to new strategies that will help to protect vulnerable neurons in the retina after optic nerve damage and diseases. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132257.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132253.htm Synaptic plasticity -- the ability of the synaptic connections between the brain's neurons to change and modify over time -- has been shown to be a key to memory formation and the acquisition of new learning behaviors. Now researchers reveal that the neural circuits controlling hunger and eating behaviors are also controlled by plasticity. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:22:22 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120208132253.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202624.htm In low- and middle-income countries, mild cognitive impairment -- an intermediate state between normal signs of cognitive aging, such as becoming increasingly forgetful, and dementia, which may or may not progress -- is consistently associated with higher disability and with neuropsychiatric symptoms but not with most socio-demographic factors, according to a large study. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202624.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202306.htm Researchers have identified how a specific gene protects dopamine-producing neurons from dying in both animal models and in cultures of human neurons. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:23:23 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207202306.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121812.htm Parkinson’s disease researchers have discovered how mutations in the parkin gene cause the disease, which afflicts at least 500,000 Americans and for which there is no cure. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:18:18 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207121812.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100004.htm Each part of the body has its own nerve cell area in the brain -- we therefore have a map of our bodies in our heads. The functional significance of these maps is largely unclear. What effects they can have is now shown by neuroscientists through reaction time measurements combined with learning experiments and "computational modeling." They have been able to demonstrate that inhibitory influences of neighboring "finger nerve cells" affect the reaction time of a finger. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120207100004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm Researchers have found a way to study how our brains assess the behavior -- and likely future actions -- of others during competitive social interactions. Their study is the first to use a computational approach to tease out differing patterns of brain activity during these interactions, the researchers report. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:39:39 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143948.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm A new study may explain why people can hold visual information in great detail in their working memory. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:38:38 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206143817.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm Scientists have for the first time made finest details of nerve cells in the brain of a living mouse visible. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206122456.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm A researcher believes studying people's ability to find their way around may help explain why loss of mental capacity occurs with age. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092628.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092547.htm Now that the Super Bowl is over, millions of fans will go through withdrawal symptoms from not being able to watch football. A psychiatrist describes the effects this has on the brain, and offers tips on how to cope. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:25:25 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120206092547.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203182623.htm New brain imaging research reveals that a region of the brain important for sensing texture through touch, the parietal operculum, is also activated when someone listens to a sentence with a textural metaphor. The same region is not activated when a similar sentence expressing the meaning of the metaphor is heard. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203182623.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203180905.htm One of the big mysteries in biology is why cells age. Now scientists report that they have discovered a weakness in a component of brain cells that may explain how the aging process occurs in the brain. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203180905.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141503.htm Placebos reduce pain by creating an expectation of relief. Distraction -- say, doing a puzzle -- relieves it by keeping the brain busy. But do they use the same brain processes? Neuromaging suggests they do. When applying a placebo, scientists see activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. That's the part of the brain that controls high-level cognitive functions like working memory and attention -- which is what you use to do that distracting puzzle. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:15:15 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141503.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141457.htm An innovative approach to genome screening has provided clues about rare mutations that may make people susceptible to brain aneurysms, predisposing them to brain bleeds, according to preliminary research. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:14:14 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203141457.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203113322.htm A new drug that showed promise in animal studies and an early clinical trial didn't improve disability among stroke patients, according to new research. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203113322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203113319.htm The anti-blood clot regimen that adds the drug clopidogrel (Plavix) to aspirin treatment is unlikely to prevent recurrent strokes and may increase the risk of bleeding and death in patients with subcortical stroke, according to new research. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203113319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203101153.htm Understanding the human mind is the key to social robotics, and researchers describe what we can expect from this field in the future. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203101153.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm Scientists believe a new procedure to repair severed nerves could result in patients recovering in days or weeks, rather than months or years. The team used a cellular mechanism similar to that used by many invertebrates to repair damage to nerve axons. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:24:24 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092423.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092031.htm When a patient afflicted with schizophrenia hears inner voices something is taking place inside the brain that prevents the individual from perceiving real voices. A simple electronic application may help the patient learn to shift focus. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:20:20 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120203092031.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164823.htm A two-year study of high school football players suggests that concussions are likely caused by many hits over time and not from a single blow to the head, as commonly believed. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:48:48 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164823.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164531.htm Neurologists report success with a new means of getting rid of potentially lethal blood clots in the brain safely without cutting through easily damaged brain tissue or removing large pieces of skull. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:45:45 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120202164531.htm