Feature Channels: Neuro

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When it comes to lying, our brains are much more likely to give us away than sweaty palms or spikes in heart rate, new evidence from researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggests.  The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, found that scanning people’s brains with fMRI, or functional magnetic resonance imaging, was significantly more effective at spotting lies than a traditional polygraph test.

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Results of a cellular therapy clinical trial for traumatic brain injury (TBI) using a patient’s own stem cells showed that the therapy appears to dampen the body’s neuroinflammatory response to trauma and preserve brain tissue, according to researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth).

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To celebrate its revolutionary impact on eye care around the world, the Associatio n for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) has independently produced a series of short videos, educational tools and advocacy resources on the discovery and development of optical coherence tomography (OCT).

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Dementia with Lewy bodies is a progressive disease that causes hallucinations, decline in mental abilities, rigid muscles, slow movement and tremors. With symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, a correct diagnosis can be difficult.

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MINNEAPOLIS – A lack of shrinkage in the area of the brain responsible for memory may be a sign that people with thinking and memory problems may go on to develop dementia with Lewy bodies rather than Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in the November 2, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Shrinkage in this hippocampus area of the brain is an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

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While schizophrenia is best known for episodes of psychosis – a break with reality during which an individual may experience delusions and hallucinations – it is also marked by chronic neurocognitive deficits, such as problems with memory and attention. A multi-site cognition study led by psychologists at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that these neurocognitive symptoms are evident prior to the onset of psychosis in a high-risk stage of the disorder called the prodromal phase. The findings suggest that these impairments may serve as early warning signs of schizophrenia, as well as potential targets for intervention that could mitigate the onset of the psychotic disorder and significantly improve cognitive function.

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If you’re trying to lose weight, what are your chances of success? Your brain may hold the key. Scientists at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center believe they may have found a way to predict who will be successful in their weight-loss efforts with a quick, non-invasive brain scan.

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Mary Ann Stepp, Ph.D., professor of anatomy and regenerative biology and of opthalmology at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, received a $2.8 million grant to continue her 27 years of research on corneal wound healing.

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Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin can now map what happens neurologically when new information influences a person to change his or her mind, a finding that offers more insight into the mechanics of learning.

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The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) launched the Machine Intelligence from Cortical Networks (MICrONS) project earlier this year. Sandia National Laboratories is refereeing the work of three university-led teams to map, understand and mathematically re-create visual processing in the brain to close the computer-human gap in object recognition.

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A collaboration of 32 researchers in seven countries, led by scientists at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Florida, has found a genetic mutation they say confers a risk for development of Parkinson’s disease earlier than usual.

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The Image Gently Alliance, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), AANS/CNS Joint Section on Pediatric Neurosurgery and allied medical organizations have launched the “Think A-Head” campaign to help providers appropriately obtain and perform computed tomography (CT) scans in children with minor head injuries.

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Researchers have developed a chemical compound that detects the Alzheimer’s protein amyloid beta better than current FDA-approved agents. The compound potentially could be used in brain scans to identify the signs of Alzheimer’s early, or to monitor response to treatment.

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The 2016 Pardes Humanitarian Prize in Mental Health was presented to Dr. Vikram Patel of India, and Dr. Charles F. Reynolds, III of the United States at the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation International Awards Dinner, on Friday, October 28, at The Pierre in Manhattan.

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Research led by the University of Kent shows stimulation of the brain impacts on endurance exercise performance by decreasing perception of effort.

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Final results from the RESPECT trial found that percutaneously closing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) using the Amplatzer PFO Occluder was superior to medical management in the prevention of recurrent ischemic stroke in patients who previously had a cryptogenic stroke.

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In a study in the journal Development, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers report preclinical findings showing promise for targeting a gene linked to microcephaly in infants as a treatment for medulloblastoma.

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Alan M. Scarrow, MD, JD, president of Mercy Health System for the Springfield Communities in Missouri, has been named president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS).

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To improve access to quality health care for adults with IDD and to support the physician specialty of adult developmental medicine, UofL and the Lee Specialty Clinic are sponsoring the second annual Caring for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Conference Nov. 12 at UofL.

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The brain regulates social behavior differently in males and females, according to a new study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Researchers using a mouse model of Rett Syndrome find that cortical pyramidal neurons have faults in excitatory and inhibitory signaling; and demonstrate why recombinant human Insulin Like Growth Factor 1 has had therapeutic effects for RTT patients in clinical trials.

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The brain’s interpretation of sound is influenced by cues from other senses, explaining more precisely how we interpret what we hear at a particular moment, according to a report published in Nature Neuroscience online Oct. 31.

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The brains of wild cats don’t necessarily respond to the same evolutionary pressures as those of their fellow mammals, humans and primates, indicates a surprising new study led by a Michigan State University neuroscientist.

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During their first year, clinicians at the new Montefiore Einstein Center for the Aging Brain (CAB) saw significant improvements in their ability to identify patients with dementia symptoms and more quickly identify signs of depression and anxiety. This first year data has been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The Center’s model, which follows a three-step evaluation and management plan from clinicians in Geriatrics, Neuropsychology and Neurology, examines referred patients for evaluation of cognitive complaints based on daily activities, demographic information, additional medical conditions, and medication review.

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The distinct structures of toxic protein aggregates that form in degenerating brains determine which type of dementia will occur, which regions of brain will be affected, and how quickly the disease will spread, according to a study from the Peter O’Donnell Jr. Brain Institute.

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For patients with severe, chronic back and leg pain, a new high-frequency spinal cord stimulation (SCS) technique provides superior clinical outcomes, compared to conventional low-frequency SCS, reports a clinical trial in the November issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

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Dr. Mary DiBartolo of Salisbury University’s Nursing Department is helping to educate and prepare others about the crisis facing the nation’s health care system related to the care of older adults.

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Physical therapy—with helmet therapy if needed—is the recommended treatment for most infants with position-related flattening of the skull (plagiocephaly), according to a new set of clinical guidelines in the November issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS). The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

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Scientists have identified for the first time the region in the brain responsible for the “placebo effect” in pain relief, when a fake treatment actually results in substantial reduction of pain, according to new research from Northwestern Medicine and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). Pinpointing the sweet spot of the pain killing placebo effect could result in the design of more personalized medicine for the 100 million Americans with chronic pain.

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Regardless of one’s age or family history, 90 percent of strokes are preventable. In honor of World Stroke Day on October 29, University of the Sciences Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Greg Thielman, PT, MSPT, EdD, is sharing tips for preventing stroke.

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A new kind of bioluminescent sensor causes individual brain cells to imitate fireflies and glow in the dark. The probe, which was developed by a team of Vanderbilt scientists, is a genetically modified form of luciferase, the enzyme that a number of other species including fireflies use to produce light. It is described in a paper published in the journal Nature Communications on Oct.

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A robotic arm and a virtual game were essential tools in a new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine. The study results suggest that while training doesn't change neurological repair in chronic stroke patients, it can indeed help such patients learn new motor skills and achieve more independence in their daily lives.

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The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) announced today the relaunch of CognitiveVitality.org, its brain health and dementia prevention website. The streamlined, easy-to-navigate site separates fact from fiction and empowers people to make smarter choices for their brain health.

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A research team at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre has discovered that the ABHD6 enzyme in certain brain neurons plays a key role in controlling body weight.

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MINNEAPOLIS – Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind tool to help predict a person’s chance of survival after a gunshot wound in the head or other penetrating injury, according to a new study published in the October 26, 2016, online issue of Neurology®, a medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It’s called the SPIN-Score, which stands for Surviving Penetrating Injury to the Brain.

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– Every year, more than 32,000 Americans die from gunshot wounds. A significant proportion of these deaths involve head wounds. Despite this massive public health burden, researchers know little about the variables that determine whether a victim of these injuries will live or die. Now, for the first time ever, researchers have developed a system to help answer this question. The system has created a way to better understand the variables involved in survival from these wounds.

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The National Science Foundation has awarded $900,000 in grant funding to researchers at Binghamton University, State University of New York to continue investigations into the next-generation of brain biometric technology. The project, “Brain Hacking: Assessing Psychological and Computational Vulnerabilities in Brain-based Biometrics,” will investigate security vulnerabilities of brainprint biometrics and particularly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of brain biometrics.

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Scientists at the University of Chicago and Case Western Reserve University have found a way to produce realistic sensations of touch in two human amputees by directly stimulating the nervous system.

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One of the most remarkable features of glioblastoma is the metabolic reprogramming of cancerous cells, resulting in uncontrolled cell proliferation, hypoxic conditions and angiogenesis. Metabolic reprogramming enables tumor cells with a faster way to produce energy and form new membranes. For this and other reasons, glioblastoma is presently incurable and the affected patients have a poor outcome.

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Grasping a cup or brushing hair or cooking a meal requires feedback that has been lost in amputees and individuals with paralysis -- a sense of touch. University of Washington researchers have have used direct stimulation of the human brain surface to provide this basic sensory feedback through artificial electrical signals, enabling a person to control movement while performing a simple task: opening and closing his hand.

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Researchers, led by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, have identified areas in the brains of children with Tourette’s syndrome that appear markedly different from the same areas in the brains of children who don’t have the neuropsychiatric disorder.

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For scientists listening in on the faint whispers of brain neurons, a first-ever robotic technique for cleaning the tiny devices that record the signals could facilitate a new level of automation in neuroscience research. That could accelerate the gathering of information used to map the functions of brain cells and ultimately provide a better understanding what’s going on between our ears.

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Carol White can’t help but worry when she misplaces keys or can’t recall a name ever since relatives have been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s.

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) may be linked to the build up of carbon dioxide and existing inner ear damage according to a new study in the journal Neuroscience. Author Dr. Daniel Rubens, an anesthesiologist and researcher at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, says the finding could help researchers understand the sequence of events and risk factors that lead to SIDS deaths.

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UAB doctors say stroke prevention treatments are not one-size-fits-all, and treatment options can be individualized using this hierarchical ranking.

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The most potent influence currently affecting medicine is the rapidly expanding capability to acquire, store, process, and share data. These factors are at the core of where we are now, which can be called the Information Age. These factors will fundamentally change and improve neurosurgery in clinical practice, education, and research

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Recent research shows brain-to-text device capable of decoding speech from brain signals

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Results from a new clinical study conducted at Uppsala University suggest that curtailing sleep alters the abundance of bacterial gut species that have previously been linked to compromised human metabolic health. The new article is published in the journal Molecular Metabolism.

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Working with dot-counting mice running through a virtual-reality maze, scientists from Harvard Medical School have found that in order to navigate space rodent brains rely on a cascade of neural signals that culminate in a single decision that prompts the animal to choose one direction over another.

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Concerns over the Zika virus have focused on pregnant women due to mounting evidence that it causes brain abnormalities in developing fetuses. However, new research in mice from scientists at The Rockefeller University and La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology suggests that certain adult brain cells may be vulnerable to infection as well.