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, 12 Nov 2009 02:05:01 EST Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:05:01 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/2009/11/091105121052.htm Substances naturally produced by the human body may one day help prevent paralysis following a spinal cord injury, according to researchers. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121052.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111130942.htm If humans are genetically related to chimps, why did our brains develop the innate ability for language and speech while theirs did not? Scientists suspect that part of the answer to the mystery lies in a gene called FOXP2. When mutated, FOXP2 can disrupt speech and language in humans. Now, a new study reveals major differences between how the human and chimp versions of FOXP2 work, perhaps explaining why language is unique to humans. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111130942.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123602.htm A new study reveals that a previously undiscovered mouse gene reduces the two major pathological perturbations commonly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The research finds that the novel gene interacts with a key cellular enzyme previously linked with AD pathology, thereby uncovering a new strategy for treating this devastating disorder. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123602.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123600.htm The vast majority of school-aged children can focus on the voice of a teacher amid the cacophony of the typical classroom thanks to a brain that automatically focuses on relevant, predictable and repeating auditory information, according to new research. But for children with developmental dyslexia, the teacher's voice may get lost in the background noise of banging lockers, whispering children, playground screams and scraping chairs, the researchers say. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111123600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065911.htm Combination therapies to tackle multiple changes in the brain may be needed to combat the growing problem of dementia in aging societies, according to a new study. Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065911.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121251.htm Mobile phones and other cordless telephones have a biological effect on the brain, according to new research from Sweden. It is still too early to say if any health risks are involved, but medical researchers recommend caution in the use of these phones, above all among children and adolescents. Few children who regularly use mobile phones use a headset regularly. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091111121251.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171630.htm Nearly 50 percent of women surveyed indicate they experience pain symptoms 2 to 3 years after breast cancer treatment, with women who were younger or who received supplemental radiation therapy more likely to have pain, according to a new study. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110171630.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105347.htm Researchers have discovered a mechanism that controls the brain's ability to create lasting memories. In experiments on genetically manipulated mice, they were able to switch on and off the animals' ability to form lasting memories by adding a substance to their drinking water. The findings are of potential significance to the future treatment of Alzheimer's and stroke. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110105347.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110141844.htm In a new study, psychologists are able to see in detail for the first time how various regions of the human brain respond when people experience an unexpected or traumatic event. The study could lead to the creation of biological measures that could identify people with post-traumatic stress disorder or identify PTSD sufferers who would benefit from specific treatments. Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110141844.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112403.htm Radiation oncologists are intent on finding ways to avoid damage to the critically important hippocampus and limbic circuit of the brain when cranial radiation is required to treat existing or potential metastatic cancers. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103112403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065909.htm An experimental study examining the perception of pain and the effects of various mental training techniques has found that a relatively short and simple meditation method can have a significant positive effect on pain management. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091110065909.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173714.htm Individuals with weaker muscles appear to have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and declines in cognitive function over time, according to a new report. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173714.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173600.htm Human embryonic stem cells could help people with learning and memory deficits after radiation treatment for brain tumors, suggests a new study. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173600.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173412.htm Researchers have shown that the brain regions that have long been recognized as a center in which spoken or written words are decoded are also important in interpreting wordless gestures. The findings suggest that these brain regions may play a much broader role in the interpretation of symbols than researchers have thought and, for this reason, could be the evolutionary starting point from which language originated. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121345.htm The first human embryonic stem cell treatment approved by the FDA for human testing has been shown to restore limb function in rats with neck spinal cord injuries -- a finding that could expand the clinical trial to include people with cervical damage. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174256.htm Handwriting skills are crucial for success in school, communication, and building children's self-esteem. The first study to examine handwriting quality in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has uncovered a relationship between fine motor control and poor quality of handwriting in children with ASD. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174256.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174345.htm Intermittent access to foods rich in fat and sugar induces changes in the brain which are comparable to those observed in drug dependence, according to new research. The findings may explain how abstinence from these foods contributes to relapse eating among dieters as well as related eating disorders. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109174345.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194747.htm While too much amyloid beta protein in the brain is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease, not enough of the protein in healthy brains can cause learning problems and forgetfulness, scientists have found. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194747.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030105026.htm Inflammatory response of brain cells -- as indicated by a molecular imaging technique -- could tell researchers more about why certain neurologic disorders, such as migraine headaches and psychosis in schizophrenic patients, occur and provide insight into how to best treat them, according to two new studies. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091030105026.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211647.htm Simvastatin, a commonly used, cholesterol-lowering drug, may prevent Parkinson's disease from progressing further. Neurological researchers conducted a study examining the use of the FDA-approved medication in mice with Parkinson's disease and found that the drug successfully reverses the biochemical, cellular and anatomical changes caused by the disease. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029211647.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121213.htm What do you get when you cross a mouse with poor hearing and a mouse with even worse hearing? Ironically, a new strain of mice with "golden ears" -- mice that have outstanding hearing as they age. The new mouse hears much like people with "golden ears" -- people who are able to retain great hearing even as they grow older. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109121213.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002310.htm Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have shown that a highly specific intrabody (an antibody fragment that works against a target inside a cell) is capable of stalling the development of Huntington's disease in a variety of mouse models. "Gene therapy in these models successfully attenuated the symptoms of Huntington's disease and increased life span," notes Paul Patterson, the Anne P. and Benjamin F. Biaggini Professor of Biological Sciences. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091031002310.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131438.htm Researchers have discovered a new approach for repairing damaged nerve fibers in spinal cord injuries using nano-spheres that could be injected into the blood shortly after an accident. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131438.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131440.htm The loss of a gene through deletion of genetic material on chromosome 15 is associated with significant abnormalities in learning and behavior, say researchers in a new study. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091108131440.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151445.htm People who become ill from harmless smells are not being silly, says a researcher. Rather, they perceive these smells differently than other people. The smell is detected more rapidly by the brain and processed more deeply. If you expect to become ill from a smell, then the smell in question might really make you ill. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091029151445.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173724.htm The long-held theory that our brains use different mechanisms for forming long-term and short-term memories has been challenged by new research. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173614.htm After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters' mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a new report. Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109173614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172249.htm New research provides a comprehensive comparative functional anatomy study in human and monkey brains which reveals highly similar brain networks preserved across evolution. Scientists examined patterns of connectivity to show that the precuneus, long thought to be a single structure, is actually divided into four distinct functional regions. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172249.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145304.htm Depression and other emotional symptoms in survivors of torture and other traumatic experiences may be exacerbated by the effects of head injuries, according to a new study. The researchers found structural changes in the brains of former South Vietnamese political detainees who had suffered head injuries and clearly linked those changes to psychiatric symptoms often seen in survivors of torture. Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091106145304.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121046.htm Rush University Medical Center has opened the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Clinic to offer patients suffering from major depression a safe, effective, non-drug treatment. TMS therapy is the first FDA-approved, non-invasive antidepressant device-based treatment clinically proven for treatment of depression. Psychiatrists at Rush University Medical Center were among the first to test the technique and Dr. Philip Janicak, professor of psychiatry and lead investigator at Rush for the clinical trials of TMS, helped to develop this therapy. Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121046.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132448.htm Common experience tells us that particular scents of childhood can leave quite an impression, for better or for worse. Now, researchers reporting the results of a brain imaging study show that first scents really do enjoy a "privileged" status in the brain. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132448.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101551.htm One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell death, leading to the disease's devastating symptoms of memory loss and other mental difficulties. In order to answer that key question and develop new approaches to preventing the damage, scientists must first understand how amyloid-beta forms the telltale clumps. Researchers have now developed new molecular tools that can be used to investigate the process. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104101551.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121217.htm Real-time observation sheds new light on multiple sclerosis. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105121217.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103215835.htm Treating a common brain tumor with multiple sessions of radiation appears to result in less brain swelling than treating the tumor once with a high dose of radiation, say researchers. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103215835.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143706.htm A strategy that combines gene therapy with blood stem cell therapy may be a useful tool for treating a fatal brain disease, French researchers have found. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105143706.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132450.htm A gene associated with longevity in roundworms and humans has been shown to affect the function of stem cells that generate new neurons in the adult brain, according to researchers. The study in mice suggests that the gene may play an important role in maintaining cognitive function during aging. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091105132450.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171217.htm Researchers have improved an enzyme that degrades dense scar tissue that forms when the central nervous system is damaged -- and developed a new system to deliver it, ultimately enabling spinal cord regeneration. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171217.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104152304.htm There are areas in the brain devoted to our arms, legs, and various parts of our bodies. The way these areas are distributed throughout the brain are known as "body maps" and there are some significant differences in these maps between left- and right-handed people. Now there is evidence that these maps may influence how we perceive our physical bodies. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104152304.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091724.htm Literary Arabic is expressed in the brain of an Arabic speaker as a second language and not as a mother tongue, according to a new study. The research offers an explanation for the objective and day-to-day difficulties that confront Arabic-speaking students when attempting to learn to read the non-spoken language. Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091724.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171207.htm New research shows that frontotemporal dementia -- a rare brain disorder that causes early dementia -- is highly hereditary. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171207.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102349.htm One in seven people worldwide will suffer from tinnitus (ringing in the ears) at some point. It is the most common injury arising from the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq and 75 pecent of 18 to 30 year-olds who go to nightclubs and concerts may experience temporary tinnitus. A research review (150 papers over 25 years) suggests that 94 percent of people are told nothing can be done. But help is at hand. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102349.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172441.htm Learning to talk also changes the way speech sounds are heard, according to a new study. The findings could have a major impact on improving speech disorders. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102172441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091726.htm Use of cannabinoids (marijuana) could assist in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder patients, according to a new study. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091104091726.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102252.htm By building a tiny microscope small enough to be carried around on a rat's head, scientists in Germany have found a way to study the complex activity of many brain cells simultaneously while animals are free to move around. With this new technology scientists can actually see how the brain cells operate while the animal is behaving naturally, giving rise to immense new insights into the understanding of perception and attention. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102252.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102359.htm Researchers have found an essential key to possibly cure Parkinson's disease. They have discovered that a novel protein -- known as protein kinase-C -- kills dopamine-producing cells in the brain. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103102359.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171715.htm A new study shows that a long period of estrogen deprivation can lead to loss of sensitivity and protective effects in the brain and weaken areas normally resistant to stroke damage. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103171715.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121634.htm Scientists are beginning a clinical trial of a potential medication designed to correct a central neurochemical defect underlying Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability. There has to date been no medication that could alter the disorder's neurologic abnormalities. The study will evaluate safety, tolerability and optimal dosage in healthy volunteers. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102121634.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171557.htm Researchers have identified a part of the brain that responds to both facial and vocal expressions of emotion. They used the MagnetoEncephaloGraphic (MEG) scanner at the York Neuroimaging Centre to test responses in a region of the brain known as the posterior superior temporal sulcus. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091102171557.htm