News and Features (RSS Feed) - Dana Foundation

Could Neurodoping Enhance Sporting Performance?

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Research suggests that non-invasive techniques such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and transcranial direct current stimulation might enhance sporting performance. This has not been confirmed yet, however, and even if it is, it would probably be considered as unacceptable as taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Artificial Sight: Restoration of Sight through Use of Argus II, a Bioelectronic Retinal Implant

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

More than 1 million Americans are legally blind and another 10% cannot detect light. With increased mean lifespan, the frequency of age-related eye disease will double in the next 30 years. A significant percentage of the non-treatable blindness stems from loss of photoreceptors (the rods and cones). Once photoreceptors are lost, restoring useful vision to blind patients has been impossible.

To Stave off Alzheimer’s, Stay Hungry?

Tue, 07 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers hope that the ‘5:2 diet’ and other eating-restriction techniques can prevent age-related neurodegeneration and extend the working life of the brain

When the Trip Never Ends

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

For some people, trying LSD or Ecstasy (MDMA) can leave a legacy of chronic visual hallucinations.

The Neuroethics of Memory Modification

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers are discovering medicines and methods that could enhance, dampen, or erase memories. At the recent BNA Festival of Neuroscience, ethicists and scientists considered the implications of modifying the mental record during a process called memory reconsolidation.

A New Potential Avenue to Relief for Depression

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

At a recent New York Academy of Sciences meeting, researchers presented data suggesting that targeting glutamate in the brain could help people who don’t respond to current therapies.

Epigenetic Inheritance: Fact or Fiction?

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

There is an age-old adage that nature and nurture combine to control all aspects of an individual’s functioning, including risk for disease. Research over the past decade, in a still relatively new field called epigenetics, has provided a sophisticated understanding of how this occurs.

Learning to Speak Again

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

The brain can regain language abilities even years after a stroke—and training the toughest language tasks, not the easiest, first may be the best recovery strategy.

Roadmapping the Adoption of Brain-Machine Interfaces

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers and device-makers seek to quickly put their discoveries to use in a way that patients will prefer. “You can have the best technology but if the patient doesn’t want to use it or wear it, it all ends there.”

Neuropsychiatric Disorders Share Some Genetic Risk Factors

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

The path to disease in the brain may not be the same for all, or even many, of the people diagnosed with such disorders as schizophrenia or autism. And now researchers have found that the same pathways may underlie very different disorders.

Waking Up from Coma: New Treatments, New Hope

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

The movie Men in Black ends with a sequence where Tommy Lee Jones’ character is reported in the popular press to have awakened miraculously after 20 years in a coma. Although clinicians traditionally have scoffed at such reports, such cases do make the news now and again, and raise the question of whether and how that can happen. Recent advances provide some answers, and suggest some treatments that might promote such an outcome.

Brain Reacts Differently to Internal vs. External Threats

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers find people who can not anticipate fear because of a rare disease can still experience it in real-time. This suggests a more-complex role for the amygdala and other fear-sensing circuits.

Therapygenetics

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers are starting to explore links between genetic variation and a how a person responds to certain psychiatric therapies. Perhaps someday your doctor will say, "There's an X probablility you'll respond to this therapy."

Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Repair the Damaged Brain?

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EDT

High-pressure doses of rich oxygen can improve brain function in injured animals, but early research is mixed in humans. Is it the pressure? The extra oxygen? Or simply a placebo effect?

A Statin for Amyloid Beta?

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

A statin-like pill that moderately reduces amyloid beta production in the brain might be the best way to prevent Alzheimer’s. Researchers are still trying to develop one that works and is safe.

Unlocking the Mystery of Consciousness

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are starting to build theories of what makes us self-aware based on research in unconsciousness, including anesthesia and recovery from coma.

Genetic Risk for Psychiatric Disease Observed Early in Development

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

In early research, scientists find that some brain "changes" thought to be due to progress of disease in cases like gene-specific Alzheimer's in adults are already present in newborns.

Shoplifting and Suicide

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

In a recent study, nearly one-quarter of people convicted of compulsive shoplifting said they had attempted suicide, a rate 6–24 times higher than other groups of people. Little is known, and less is agreed-upon, about the disorder, and treatments are only now emerging.

Even Small Interruptions Can Lead to Mistakes

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are defining the fine line between distraction and interruption—and it's a matter of seconds.

Meditation: No Longer Such a 'Black Box'

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Imaging and other techniques are helping researchers distinguish effects of a range of meditative practices on the brain.

Brain Injuries May Leave Lasting Marks on Children’s Brains

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Contrary to some thinking, kids aren't so resilient when it comes to concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. New research suggests that even when their behavior goes back to normal, the injury may "scar" the brain, much as a burn could scar the skin

Some Clues to the Prevention and Treatment of TBI

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

As the US military works to diagnose traumatic brain injury earlier—in the field, ideally—researchers see some progress in discovering compounds that might stem its symptoms.

A New Look at Brain Inflammation in Alzheimer's

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Modulating the brain’s inflammatory response could be a major new strategy against Alzheimer’s

Brain-machine Interface: A Multi-disciplinary Approach Shows Progress

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Recent news reports have described what sounds like a miracle--restoring the ability of a paralyzed woman “to feed herself chocolate and move everyday items using a robotic arm directly controlled by thought, showing a level of agility and control approaching that of a human limb.”

From Peppers to Peppermints

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have made good progress in teasing out the specifics of our multi-pronged response to sensory stimuli.

Early Life Experience Can Change the Brain, For Good or Ill

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EDT

"The results are consistent with the idea that early experience matters relatively more than later," says one researcher.

Abstinence and Addiction

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Short periods of abstinence from drinking, smoking, or eating junk food may increase the risk of full-blown dependency.

Personality Traits May Predict Susceptibility to Placebo

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EDT

People who score high on tests of resiliency and altruism, among others, appear also to be more responsive to placebo. Should researchers take that into account when running tests on new drugs?

Finding a Cure for Parkinson’s Disease

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s, affecting approximately 5 million persons worldwide. With the population aging, it is anticipated that the number of patients with PD will increase dramatically in the coming decades.

The Neuroethics of Smart Drugs

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 08:00:00 EDT

What does it mean for society that use of smart drugs is increasing among cognitively healthy people?

Ketamine May Help Extinguish Fearful Memories

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EDT

The anesthetic drug appears to improve "unlearning" of fear in animals. Might it help people with post-traumatic stress, as well?

Aim Low: Targeting the Automatic Brain in Public Health

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EDT

As research is showing that much of our decision-making—for good and ill—is unconscious, why not nudge people into making better choices rather than foisting rational arguments on them?

Affiliative Experience Shows Unique Brain Signature

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Your emotional bonds color your reading of events in specific ways.

The Effects of Early Life Adversity on Brain and Behavioral Development

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Our genes supply the basic blueprint for brain development, but experience adjusts the underlying brain circuitry based on the unique environment in which each individual lives.

How the Brain Learns from Mistakes

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers are finally able to prove that what you don't notice can't teach you.

When a Drug Leads to Suspicions of Infidelity

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

In a small number of people, medicines used to treat symptoms of Parkinson's disease seem to trigger Othello syndrome, the delusional belief that one's partner is having sexual relations with someone else.

The Arts of Neuroscientists: Nicolas Bazan

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Nicolas Bazan has enough pursuits outside of the lab to warrant an entire series of “The Arts of Neuroscientists.” Bazan has his hand in music, literature, and culinary endeavors, turning hobbies into successful business ventures. Despite spending almost all of his time leading the neuroscience lab at LSU’s School of Medicine in New Orleans, Bazan somehow found time to write a book, create a wine, and deepen his connection to music.

On the Front Lines of ALS Research

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Amytrophic lateral sclerosis is a tough nut to crack, researchers say. New lab methods and working hypotheses hold promise but for patients and their families, soon isn't soon enough.

Where Will New Drugs Come from to Treat Neuropsychiatric Diseases?

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

A new report from PhRMA (medicines in development for mental illnesses) highlights the statistic that 1 in 4 American adults suffer from some form of mental illness and that this costs the US economy more than $317 billion annually. It also points out that 200 medicines are now in clinical development for mental health indications. Sadly most of these medicines are not new but are variations or re-formulations of medicines we already use and the number of really new approaches to mental illness is very small.

Could Mind-Expanding Drugs Lead to Medical Breakthroughs?

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers have long thought that psychedelic drugs might effectively treat a range of psychiatric and neurological ailments. But, Professor David Nutt and Dr Robin Carhart-Harris of Imperial College London argue, government bans in the late 1960s have prevented researchers from studying these compounds for decades. While recent research has lent credence to early hypotheses about their potential, more research needs to occur before any resulting treatments could come into widespread use, and governments must amend restrictions on the substances, they say.

At Long Last, Medications for Multiple Sclerosis

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a common neurologic condition that usually affects individuals between the ages of 15 and 45. It is an autoimmune disease that attacks the myelin sheaths of nerve fibers of both the brain and spinal cord.

Brain Overactivity May Drive Disease Progress in Alzheimer's

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Before dementia sets in, some brain areas become more active. This may not be compensatory, as once thought, but instead may be speeding the progress of the disease.

Consequences of the Inflamed Brain

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Conditions as varied as surgery, cancer chemotherapy, peripheral nerve damage, and heart attack can lead to poor memory, depression, fatigue, and exaggerated responses to pain.

New Stem Cell Technologies May Help Personalize Alzheimer’s Treatments

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Recent advances—including methods to pull a patient's own cells into a lab dish—also could offer researchers earlier models of the disease to test experimental drugs on.

Plaque-Attacking Antibody Fails to Help Alzheimer’s Patients. What's Next?

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Drugs that target amyloid plaques may have no effect against dementia. But Alzheimer’s clinical research has provided some reasons for optimism.

Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Could It Be Astrocyte Disfunction?

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers at the recent European Federation of Neuroscience meeting in Barcelona described evidence that astrocytes modulate signaling between neurons—and that when the signaling goes awry, seizures occur.

Suicide in Professional Athletes: is it related to the sport?

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

If recent headlines about athletes dying by suicide have made you wonder whether progress in brain research can help shed light on the potential role in these suicides of head hits in sport, then you are right—and not just in the case of the athletes. Research on suicide across its spectrum has told us enough about the brain to greatly help in considering whether and how head trauma may have set the stage when an individual dies by suicide.

The Ethics of Invasive Treatments for Neurological Conditions

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Deep brain stimulation, cell transplantation, and gene therapy offer hope of treatment or cure for a range of diseases but also raise serious ethical questions. Three experts offered their take on the issues during the William Safire lecture on Neuroethics at the recent European Federation of Neuroscience meeting in Barcelona.

How Good is Exercise for Parkinson's?

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Are the benefits of steady movement practice simply a reduction in symptoms of Parkinson's – or could exercise have a preventive effect, as well?

Gene Mutation Strongly Protects Against Alzheimer's

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Icelandic study suggests powerful benefits from reducing amyloid beta production in elderly people.

Aging, Neurodegeneration Reset the Brain’s Internal Clock

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers find suggestions that sleep problems can signal later whole-brain problems. Could better sleep habits solve or prevent disease?

A New Class of Culprit in Neurodegeneration

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Tiny, gene-regulating molecules known as non-coding RNAs may play roles in multiple neurodegenerative diseases.

If Addictions Can Be Treated, Why Aren’t They?

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT

The reward system is an important part of the brain, but it often receives scant attention in medical school. This neurological system is activated when we feel pleasure and it motivates us to work for and to seek out food, sex, water and other rewards.

The Ethics of Unconsciousness

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT

As technology advances to the point where doctors can communicate to some extent with minimally conscious patients, what should they be asking? Simply, "Do you need another pillow?" Or, "Do you want to die?"

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: From Tool to Treatment

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Once just a technique to map brain circuits, the magnetic coil has moved to the clinic. Already approved to treat severe depression, the method may also hold promise for other illnesses.

Memory and Memory Enhancement

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Recent news reports that an electrical brain-stimulation technique improved human memory draws attention to the extraordinary progress that neuroscience has made in understanding the structure and organization of memory.

The Brain’s Metabolic Mysteries

Mon, 21 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

We may need to update the old adage, “you are what you eat” to “you are how you eat.” Researchers find that while overeating can harm the brain, intermittent fasting may protect or improve its connections.

Stroke Researchers Aim to Stem the “Ischemic Cascade”

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Much of the damage caused by stroke results from gradual processes, which might be reversible. Scientists are trying compounds that block receptors and methods of cooling the overtaxed brain.

The Arts of Neuroscientists: Stanley Froehner

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

When Stanley C. Froehner, Ph.D., isn’t in the lab teasing out the finer points of dystrophin, a protein complex implicated in muscular dystrophies, he enjoys taking photographs of everything from jazz performers to Alaskan fjords. His work has been featured on the cover of Journal of Neurophysiology and Seattle Real Change newspaper.

Smoking’s Ties to Schizophrenia

Wed, 02 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Treatment for smoking cessation is not a priority in psychiatric care, forcing many schizophrenics—who often smoke to manage their symptoms or the side-effects of their medication—to quit cold turkey just when they are having trouble managing their illness.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Seems to Stem Excess Connectivity

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Scottish researchers find ECT quiets the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. This and other recent findings might help doctors find an alternate treatment that also relieves depression but without producing memory troubles.

Rett Syndrome Study Implicates Brain’s Immune Cells

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

A bone marrow transplant prevents symptoms in young mice.

The New Technologies—a Brain-Changer?

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

A Q&A with Baroness Susan Greenfield, an Oxford University Professor of Pharmacology and a member of the European Dana Alliance for the Brain, who reflects on the potential of how new digital technologies affect who we are.

Sense of Smell's Links to Brain Diseases

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Learning and experience (i.e., memory) are closely tied to our olfactory sense, researchers have found. Can changes in the sense give us clues to future memory problems?

Probing the Workings of Human Brain Cells

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Itzhak Fried's work with people with epilepsy has uncovered clues to conscious awareness, memory and movement.

Examining the Molecular Mechanism for the Behavioral Effects of Chronic Social Defeat on a Mouse Model

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

After months of deliberation, Dana staff and guest judge Eric Chudler have selected the winning submission to the Dana Foundation’s Design a Brain Experiment Competition. The challenge asked United States high school students to design an original brain-related experiment. Students did not complete their experiments. Instead, the competition encouraged students to use their knowledge of the brain to come up with creative ideas and hypotheses.

The winning experiment, designed by Michaela Ennis, a senior at the Pingry School in New Jersey, proposes an examination of the effects of social defeat on anxious behavior, pinpointing the molecular mechanisms for that behavior. Ennis will be attending MIT next year, and has participated in summer research and scholar programs at Rutgers and Rockefeller University, and according to her teacher, Deirdre O’Mara, is a superstar in science.

Vulnerabilities and Opportunities: New Insights Into the Adolescent Brain

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:00:00 EDT

“We see that explosive growth and the gawkiness on the outside—kids shooting up with long, clumsy arms and legs," says one researcher. "But there’s that same gawkiness in the brain, too. Everything is changing and it’s changing really, really fast.”

Longevity May Provide Clues to Successful Aging

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Long-lived people often share a constellation of genetic traits—as well as healthy habits.

Alzheimer's Disease: Return of the Prion Hypothesis

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have re-embraced an old theory that Alzheimer’s resembles transmissible ‘prion’ diseases. Here’s a quick timeline of how their thinking has changed over the past few decades.

Treating Brain Cancer with Nanomedicine

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers find microparticles can carry treatments across the blood-brain barrier and target only tumor cells.

Do Antidepressants Really Work?

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Do Antidepressants Really Work? By William Z. Potter, M.D., Ph.D., Foundation of the National Institutes of Health and Steven M. Paul, M.D., Weill Cornell Medical College 2012 02 09

Off-the-Shelf Drug Rapidly Clears Alzheimer’s Protein in Mice

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

The drug, bexarotene, might be more useful in preventing dementia than in treating it.

New York City Regional Brain Bee 2012

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Danling Chen, a 16-year-old 11th-grade student at Staten Island Technical High school, won first place at the 2012 New York City Regional Brain Bee.

Beyond the Connectome

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Pressures on the brain as early as fetal development can alter development much later, researchers studying neural connections have found.

The Mystery of 'Good Prions'

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Prion-like protein aggregates aren’t always bad—they may be the key to stabilizing our long-term memories, for example. But how firm is the dividing line between “good prions” and bad ones?

Making Memory May Mean Modeling and Remodeling

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

We build on memory to predict the future, and might remember better if reality surprises us. Researchers offered these and other insights during the recent meeting of the Experimental Psychology Society in London this month.

Decision-Making: Beyond Dopamine

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Research presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in November suggests that norepinephrine and serotonin also play roles in helping us decide.

Playing Video Games May Make Specific Changes to the Brain

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Areas that are linked to reward and self-control appear to change when young people play video games, according to two recent studies.

Wanted: Better Brain-Process Biomarkers for Drug Trials

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers seek faster, cheaper ways to evaluate potential neurodegenerative disease treatments.

The Tangles of Neurodegeneration Not Easy to Unravel

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Targeting different neurotransmitters hasn't offered a breakthrough, said Ann Young during the recent Society for Neuroscience meeting. Perhaps genetics and attention to the misfolded proteins seen in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other diseases can offer a better therapeutic solution.

Delirium: A Preventable Problem

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Delirium in the hospital is a common occurrence for the elderly, but there are ways to lower the risk.

Neuroscience and the Law

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers can describe differences in the brains of psychopaths, addicts, and developing humans (a k a teenagers), compared with normally behaving adults. But no one is ready to predict a person's behavior based on a brain scan, warned panelists during a public symposium at the recent Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.

Finding the Key to Open the Blood-Brain Barrier

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

The tightly knit cellular fence protecting the brain from foreign invaders in the bloodstream also blocks the entry of helpful drugs. Researchers are trying a variety of approaches to temporarily pry open a safe portal.

Do-It-Yourself Neuroscience

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Using off-the-shelf electronics and a little ingenuity, teachers and scientists are helping kids do basic brain science – and even high-tech optogenetics.

For First Time, Researchers Describe Molecular Mechanism for a 'Gateway Drug'—Nicotine

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Epidemiologists have been searching for decades for scientific evidence that tobacco and other substances really are "gateways" to harder drugs. Now neuroscientist Eric Kandel and colleagues, in partnership with his wife, epidemiologist Denise Kandel, have described a molecular mechanism by which nicotine enhances cocaine cravings in mice.

Reactive Temperament in Infancy Linked to Amygdala Activity Later in Life

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

"Even though their personality might have changed and their behaviors might have changed, that neurobiology has not," says researcher Jerome Kagan.

How Do You Get Involved in Neuroethics?

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

During a workshop at the annual meeting of the International Neuroethics Society, panelists advised ethical wannabes to just get started.

Seeking the Neurobiology of Psychiatric Disorders

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are combining brain imaging, genetics, and molecular and cellular biology to find new ways to understand and treat anxiety disorders and schizophrenia.

Possible MS Culprit Virus Steals in Through the Nose

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers find tantalizing clues that a lesser-known virus may play a role in multiple sclerosis, but how and why are still a mystery.

At-Risk Alcoholism Phenotype Shows Measureable Brain Changes

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EDT

People are born more or less sensitive to alcohol; while one may feel intoxicated after one drink, another may not feel anything after three or more. Less-sensitive people show a lower brain response to alcohol, even when their scores on a cognitive task may stay the same. This may contribute to the difficulty some of them have recognizing modest levels of alcohol intoxication—and might help explain why some more easily slide into alcoholism.

Childhood Trauma Leaves Lasting Marks on the Brain

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Results from the longitudinal Adverse Childhood Experiences study suggest that traumatic childhoods can affect heart, liver, and lungs, as well as mood.

Viral Treatment May Offer Hope to Brain Tumor Patients

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers are testing drug delivery via virus or vaccine to stem this pernicious type of cancer.

Genes, Patients, and Psychiatric Disorders

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Huda Zoghbi, awarded the 2011 Gruber Neuroscience Prize for her pioneering work on genetic influences on neuropsychiatric disorders, balances her lab work and clinical practice. "While I would love to be bringing a drug to the clinic today or tomorrow, I need to be able to look at my patients and say, 'I would put my child through this trial.' That is the litmus test for me."

The Arts of Neuroscientists: Rudolph Tanzi

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In the life and work of Dana Alliance member Rudy Tanzi, the practices of music and brain science are entwined. First in a series of conversations with Alliance members about their artistic pursuits.

Football-Related Neurodegenerative Syndrome Creates Anxiety—And Controversy

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Findings of “chronic traumatic encephalopathy” in some former athletes may reflect a hidden epidemic. But some researchers caution that research on this condition is still in its early stages.

New Diagnostic Criteria for Alzheimer’s Disease: What do they really mean?

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In April 2011, new diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were published, revising criteria that had been in place for 27 years. The new criteria are important because they shift the focus in clinical research to detecting the disease as early as possible, optimally prior to the onset of dementia.

New Army Risk and Resilience Project Searches for Signs of Potential Suicide

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Using the Framingham Heart Study as a model, the U.S. Army and the National Insitute of Mental Health have begun a wide-ranging project aiming to find biomarkers for higher risk of suicide and interventions that better prevent it.

Is the Neuroscientific Study of Pain Lagging?

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In the past few years, the idea that the study and treatment of pain, particularly chronic or neuropathic pain, is somehow behind where it should be keeps coming to the surface. Where are we in our ability to identify and treat this common but complex ailment?

Autism: The Pervasive Developmental Disorder

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

The field of autism research has matured dramatically over the past decade with increasingly sophisticated scientists entering the quest for information with increasingly sophisticated tools.

Brain Poetry

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In February 2011, we announced a brain poetry contest. In April, National Poetry Month, we revealed the five winners, chosen by Michele Kotler, executive director of theCommunity-Word Project. These poems convey thoughts on the brain in a range of ways—from verse inspired by injury and recovery to explorations of the senses and functions of the three-pound organ.

Why Working Memory May Fade

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

A little slippage in the switches between brain networks may lead to older adults’ problems with multitasking, suggests new research.

You Only Have One Brain—Be Kind to It

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

There has been increasing attention to the relationship between football head injuries (concussions) and later life dementia. Advances in Alzheimer's disease research have implications for the treatment of repeated head injuries.

Blogging from the Next Frontier of the Brain Forum

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Last month I attended an ambitious, inspiring conference in Boston called "Next Frontier of the Brain: Imagining the Next Decade of Neuroscience Research & Development." Over three days, we heard more than 20 hours of lectures, advocacy, and discussion about how the science—and the technology supporting it—have reached a point of great promise. Now what's needed is a massive push to find good therapies for people.

Neural Network Mimics Schizophrenia-like Dopamine Release in the Brain

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Using a new computer model that mimics behaviors of brain cells and their signaling, researchers can test theory that "hyper-learning" might lead to the disorder.

Carving the Neural Stem Cell ‘Niche’

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Stem cells and their progenitors don’t act in a vacuum. Researchers are discovering details in the environment, or “niche,” that control these cells’ activity.

Seeking Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Smell tests, breathalyzers, and EKG are among the possibilities as researchers look for signs that signal a person is on track to develop the motor disease.

Why Does apoE4 Make Alzheimer's More Likely?

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

The fat-carrying molecule apoE4 seems to play several roles in Alzheimer's disease. The question now is what kind of therapy would work best to reverse its effects.

The Stages of Migraines

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

An estimated 36 million people in the United States suffer migraine headaches, which often progress through four stages.

Alzheimer's Immunotherapies: Reasons for Hope

Mon, 20 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Vaccines against amyloid beta have been a disappointment so far. But a new approach could yield positive results in clinical trials as early as 2012.

The Neuroscience of Improvisation

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Discussions at the symposium “Music and the Spark of Spontaneity” ranged widely over the subject: the origins of music itself, its relationship to language, how musical proficiency is learned. But always returned, like panelist Pat Metheny’s extended riff, to a central theme: How does the brain do that?

'Brain-listening' Method May Lead to Better Machine Interfaces

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers find short-term sensors used to pinpoint seizures can also spell out the stages in reading and producing single words.

Depression: Not Just for Adults

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Depressed pre-schoolers do not just show similar symptoms to adult depression, they also show similar patterns of brain activity when scanned using a functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Alzheimer's Prevention Trials Set to Start in 2012

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Families with genetic forms of Alzheimer’s will be subjects in relatively quick studies, starting in 2012.

Seeking the Earliest Signs of Autism

Thu, 19 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers try EEG in search for biomarkers that can signal when brain development starts to go awry.

Would a Trip to Mars Damage Your Brain?

Fri, 06 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

NASA-funded researchers are looking for ways to protect astronauts’ brains from the effects of space radiation during a three-year voyage to Mars

Wearable Brain-Scanner for Rodents Offers Chance to Better Study Behavior

Wed, 04 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

A miniaturized PET scanner works on awake, moving rats.

New Directions for Alzheimer’s Disease

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Now is the time to try new approaches to Alzheimer's disease, says columnist Guy McKhann, M.D.

Improving Memory to Improve Academic Performance

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

“The whole function of education is to alter the brain," Nobelist Eric Kandel said at a conference for educators and scientists on learning and the brain in New York City. He and other researchers described what we know about how the brain learns.

Experimental Radiation Treatment for OCD Hits a Snag

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

While gamma ray therapy shows great benefits for some people with serious obsessive-compulsive disorder, one research team calls a halt after finding a serious side effect from recent surgeries.

Spinal Cord Injury: Study Offers New Way to Predict Who Will Walk Again

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

A new four-point checklist may offer doctors a speedier way to answer one of the first questions patients ask after injury.

Gene Variant May Help Children Cope with 'Problem Parents'

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Variation in a specific gene that makes brains extra-sensitive to opiate drugs appears to be important for the relationship between children and their parents.

Tinnitus Not Just In Your Ears

Mon, 04 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

The persistent "ringing in the ears" may start as a hearing disorder, but its pressure appears to retrain the brain to maintain the maddening sound.

Targeting Brain Cancer, From Within and Without

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Two new potential therapies for glioblastoma take opposing approaches: One sends electromagnetic waves through the scalp; the other carries molecular change-agents via the bloodstream. The outer approach has shown early success in humans; the inner approach shows success in mice.

Treating Tourette Syndrome with Deep Brain Surgery

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT

The results of "brain-pacemaker" style treatment for some people with Tourette's have been outstanding, but many questions remain before the experimental treatment could gain wider use.

Visualizing How We Read

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Brain imaging helps researchers decipher the intricate networks that form as people learn to read, and what may be happening when the learning goes awry.

Brain Science and the Law

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience findings offer tantalizing clues to our behavior, but in most cases they aren't specific or individual enough to introduce into court. Lawyers, judges, and scientists discussed the present and looked to the future at a recent Law & the Brain forum in New York.

Meditation—Still Many Unknowns

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Despite widespread popular media accounts of meditation’s effects on the brain, research in this field is still largely preliminary.

Sleeping to Remember—And Forget

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers find that giving people a cue when they are deeply asleep can deepen memories or overwrite them.

Psychedelic Drugs Show Promise as Therapy

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers find use for hallucinogens to treat mental ills such as addiction, anxiety, depression, obessive-compulsive disorder.

Imaging For Clues to Nicotine Addiction, Treatment

Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers hope patterns on brain scans can help predict success of anti-smoking messages and interventions.

Brain's Use of 'Alternative Energy' May Be Related to Alzheimer's

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Regions that use a less-efficient method of producing fuel to power neurons seem to be the first affected by the harmful clumps of protein that signal dementia.

Beyond Cuddling: Oxytocin and the Brain

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Not only does this hormone appear to influence bonding and togetherness, but also conditions and emotional states like autism, anxiety, and susceptibility to advertising, report researchers at the recent Society for Neuroscience annual meeting.

Immunologists and Neuroscientists Find Common—and Fertile—Ground

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

The immune system is much more influential on brain processes than previously supposed, and vice versa. Researchers in both fields presented overlapping work during a fall symposium at the New York Academy of Sciences

A Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have taken a big step towards identifying Alzheimer's in its early stages.

The Brain Signature of Love

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Do our brains fire in a special way when we're deeply, passionately in love? Separate groups of researchers find consistent results in brain imaging that suggest they do.

Autism: Progress and Prospects

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Research into genetic influences of autism spectrum disorders is proving fruitful.

Could an Electric 'Thinking Cap' Prod You to Think Out of the Box?

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Twenty research volunteers who received electrical stimulation of the anterior temporal lobes were three times as likely to reach the fresh insight necessary to solve a difficult, unfamiliar problem as were those in a control group, according to a new study.

Boosting Natural Waste-Recycling Systems in Cells Could Ward Off Neurodegenerative Diseases

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

The cellular "garbage haulers" that recycle unwanted harmful proteins in neurons and other cells seem to slow down as we grow older, which may contribute to or even cause diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Researchers are looking for ways to keep these engines revving high.

In Search of the Origins of Neurodegenerative Disease

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Impaired neuronal defense mechanisms appear to be a key factor in Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Cross-Cultural Neuroethics: Look Both Ways

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists who do research on groups outside their culture shouldn't assume their subjects share the same beliefs or worldview, said a panelist during the Neuroethics Society's annual meeting

The Past, Present, and Future of Animal Research

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Research on animals has been critical to medical progress and will continue to provide insights in the future, writes columnist Guy McKhann, M.D.

Drug for Chronic Pain Shows Promise in Preclinical Tests

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

In trials in mice, a new drug reduced chronic pain signs without affecting acute pain sensitivity or memory. Current chronic pain drugs have drawbacks, so if this drug realizes its promise in further tests, it could ease the suffering of millions.

Misshapen Enzyme Links Both Rare and Common Forms of ALS

Thu, 06 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

An enzyme, SOD1, that is known to take an abnormal, toxic shape in rare, inherited cases of the fatal disorder has now been found in an apparently similar abnormal and toxic form in common, non-inherited cases. The finding could lead to tests of drugs that target deformed SOD1 in all ALS patients.

In Parkinson’s Disease, Neurons Shut Down Their Energy Supply

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Using a wide-ranging meta-analysis, a coalition of researchers finds that a group of genes directing the energy-producing mitochondria in brain cells orders them to slow or stop in people with Parkinson's. A lack of fuel can devastate neurons, which consume roughly 20 percent of the body's energy despite making up only 2 percent of body weight.

Model Predicts Neural Inhibition’s Effects on Anxiety

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Too many choices can make it hard to decide. Researchers at the University of Colorado found that people whose neurons could better block the actions of their neighbors could decide more easily.

Alzheimer’s Disease a New Target for Deep Brain Stimulation

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In a Phase I (safety) trial, three of the six people with Alzheimer's who were fitted with deep brain stimulators also showed steady improvement in memory tests.

One Man's Continuing Contribution to the Science of Memory

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

The experiences of amnesic Henry Molaison, known as H.M., gave researchers deep insight into the structure and processes of memory for more than half a century. Now his brain, donated after his death, is likely to offer more, report researchers at the recent Society for Neuroscience meeting.

More Evidence that Clusters of Proteins May Drive Disease

Mon, 06 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

At the recent Society for Neuroscience meeting, researchers presented more evidence that protein clusters known as oligomers are driving Alzheimer’s and other diseases—which might all be susceptible to a single preventive vaccine.

Controlling Your Mind with the Help of fMRI

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In a proof-of-principle experiment, researchers show that imaging can be used as a form of biofeedback, easily learned by both healthy volunteers and cocaine addicts.

Vitamin D Found to Influence more than 200 Genes

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Deficiency in Vitamin D has been linked to multiple sclerosis, other autoimmune diseases, and cancers. “It seems improbable at first glance," says one researcher, "but surprisingly, many of these diseases are somehow connected.”

Doing Away with Malaria

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers seek to stave off malarial infections, including cerebral malaria, at their molecular source.

NY Museum Turns the Brain Inside-Out

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

The American Museum of Natural History offers a grand tour and celebration of our favorite body part at "Brain: The Inside Story," opening Nov. 20, 2010, and closing Aug. 14, 2011.

Biomarkers Gaining Entry to Doctors’ Offices

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

With the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer’s Association including them in their new proposed criteria for diagnosing dementias, biomarkers—measurable patterns visible on brain scans and through cerebrospinal fluid analysis—are moving from research labs to local clinics.

Brain Size Linked to Longevity

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In a study of 500 species of mammals, researchers find a bigger brain is linked to a longer life. Which causes which is still a mystery.

Alzheimer's Drug Candidates Target Form of Amyloid Beta

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Immunotherapies that target small clumps of amyloid beta, known as oligomers, are on the way to clinical trials

Conforming Opinions Activate the Brain’s Reward Center

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 09:00:00 EDT

We may change our opinions unconsciously to match those others, according to researchers who asked people to rate pop songs.

The Neuroscience of Aesthetics

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

How does the brain process, respond to, and create art? Scientists and artists recently spent two days in Baltimore talking about how to start answering such questions.

Alzheimer's Protein Shows Prion-like Infectiousness

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Clusters of amyloid beta protein, injected into the bodies of mice, spread to their brains and proliferated into “amyloidosis” within seven months.

At Molecular Level, Stress May Show a Gender Bias

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A stress hormone receptor works differently in female rats, according to new research that might help explain why stress-related disorders are twice as common in women.

Gene Variant Keeps Smokers Hooked by Weakening Key Brain Circuit

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A variation in their genetic code appears to make people vulnerable to nicotine addiction by reducing the connection between two important brain regions.

Autism: A Lifelong Challenge

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Commentary on a detailed account of the first recorded autism patient, including how autism and Alzheimer's are similar, and the progress that's been made over the years.

Effects of Genomic Imprinting are Dynamic Throughout Life

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Harvard researchers have shown that maternally-inherited genes are favored in the developing brain but then shift preferentially to paternally-inherited genes later in life, at least in mice brains.

Stress and the Brain: What Makes Some of Us More Vulnerable Than Others?

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers point to variations in genes and in environment to try to explain our differing reactions to stress. A report from the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies biannual meeting.

The I.Q. of the Crowd

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

People who work on tasks together have a measurable “collective intelligence,” which may not be that closely related to the average intelligence of the group’s members.

Discovering a Palette for Tracing the Brain

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Chester Mathis, a professor of radiology at the University of Pittsburgh, co-invented Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB), the first radioactively-labelled tracer compound that allows doctors to image amyloid plaques in the brains of living patients, using a positron-emission tomography (PET) scan. Mathis spoke to Jim Schnabel about the origin of PIB and the possibility of developing new PET tracers for Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Where You Know That You Know

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Metacognition, the ability to monitor one’s own perceptions—an ability closely related to consciousness—appears to be related to structures at the front of the brain.

How Does the Brain Recover?

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

I have always preached to medical students and residents that lack of blood supply to the brain, a stroke, occurs suddenly, usually with no warning. Guess what? That’s exactly what happened to me.

Your Brain on Courage

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A brain-imaging study involving a pretty big snake highlights a part of the cortex that seems to help people overcome fear and act courageously.

Treatment for Adult-onset Pompe Disease Tried in First U.S. Patient

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A surprise diagnosis led to a Florida woman's being the first patient in the United States to receive a new drug meant to stem the progressive muscle weakness of Pompe disease.

Functional MRI May Be Useful for Monitoring Cognitive Decline in the Elderly

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A recent study suggests that functional MRI, now used mainly for research and to guide surgery, could also serve as a clinical tool for monitoring the early progress of Alzheimer’s disease.

Talkin’ Brains

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Discoveries about the brain can affect our daily lives, and neuroscientists and the institutions they work for have the obligation to explain how and why, says Judy Illes, a co-founder of the Neuroethics Society and member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives.

Who is Resilient?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Even under severe stress, most people don’t break down. Some researchers are turning their attention to the resilient majority for clues on how to help those who aren’t so sturdy.

Chronic Binge-drinking Kills Neural Stem Cells

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A study in monkeys confirms that the adolescent brain has a special vulnerability to the effects of chronic alcohol abuse.

Study Supports Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Treat Depression

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

In a carefully controlled, multi-site study, a series of magnetic pulses to the scalp led to improvement in symptoms in 15 percent of patients with intractable depression.

Blakemore: Plasticity Made Us Human

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

During a special lecture at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies biannual meeting, esteemed neuroscientist Colin Blakemore argued his theory of human evolution: A single mutation some 200,000 years ago that produced a 30 percent increase in brain size. Blakemore also is vice chairman of the European Dana Alliance for the Brain.

Does Parkinson’s Disease Start Outside the Brain?

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Several recent studies add weight to the idea that Parkinson’s disease begins within nerve cells in the intestines.

Dopamine Connections May Link Creativity, Psychiatric Disorders

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A new study suggests that the density of a certain type of dopamine receptor on the thalamus, a brain area linked passing sensory information to the cerebral cortex, may play a role in both creativity and in such disorders as schizophrenia.

Can Down Syndrome Be Treated?

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Recent research in animals hints that some of the mental deficits of Down syndrome might someday be treatable.

Amyloid-Beta ‘Oligomers’ May Be Link to Alzheimer’s Dementia

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

ALevels of soluble, small clusters of amyloid-beta, known as oligomers, appear to correspond closely to the progress of Alzheimer’s, researchers report. The finding could lead to better tests for Alzheimer’s and, ultimately, better treatments.

Teasing out Depression’s Genetic Pathways

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Many people with depression need to try one or more drugs before they find one that works for them because doctors can’t be sure who will do better with which type of drug. Researchers in the young field of pharmacogenetics hope to identify genetic variations among people that can help doctors choose the correct treatments first.

Exercise Offers Direct Benefits to the Brain

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Aerobic activity spurs the growth of new neurons as well as improving activity inside brain cells. And, according to new research, its benefits continue over the next few days.

Should Psychiatrists Prescribe Exercise for Depression?

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

As studies pile up showing the benefits of working out on mood, some researchers are campaigning for doctors to add it to their prescriptions—and spelling out how.

Current Brain Imaging May Identify Memory, but Not Truth

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Studies using fMRI imaging to identify when a person recognizes a face are “only as good as a person’s memory,” reports one researcher. “All we could identify was a person’s belief that he or she had seen a particular face before,” but this belief could be strong even for faces the person had never seen.

Optogenetics Is Opening New Doors

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Until recently, the two basic approaches to the brain—the cellular approach and the systems approach—were quite distinct. The new field of optogentics offers an interesting example of how to fuse them, writes columnist Guy McKhann, M.D.

Virus that Attacks Brain Cancer Headed for Clinical Trials

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Near death from advanced brain cancer, lab rats swiftly recovered after receiving an experimental “oncolytic” virus. Clinical trials of the therapy start later this year.

Altering Conscience?

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

By studying people with brain damage—and healthy people whose moral judgments changed as they were exposed to a magnetic field—researchers are trying to trace out the neural basis for discriminating right from wrong.

Treatment to Limit Spinal Injury Damage Shows Promise

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers appear to have found a way to eliminate much of the secondary damage that occurs after spinal cord injuries, and they expect the same method to limit damage in brain injuries.

Simplifying the Search for Genetic Risk in Alcohol Dependence

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers hoping to find the genes that trigger alcohol dependence (AD) require data on large numbers of people, but few people in these sort of surveys have been through the long assessment procedure required to diagnose it. But two recent reviews suggest that asking a few questions may predict AD risk just as well as does the longer assessment, opening up some larger databases for study.

Teasing Out the Effects of Environment on the Brain

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers in the emerging field of neuroepigenetics are learning how the brain’s response to factors such as drugs, aging, and experience can alter our chromosomes—and how alternate experiences can potentially change it back.

Spelling Out the Link between Brain Networks and School Performance

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Though understanding of the brain changes underlying ADHD and other attention disorders is still in its infancy, researchers and educators at a recent Learning & the Brain conference suggested how it could be used now to help diagnose and treat children.

Maternal Flu Infection May Lead to Increased Risk of Schizophrenia in Child

Thu, 27 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

An aggravated immune response may help pregnant mothers, but harm the developing brain inside, suggest studies in animals.

Alzheimer’s Protein May Be a Natural Immune Protein

Wed, 19 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Amyloid beta, a suspected contributor to Alzheimer’s disease, may have evolved to fight brain infections.

Transplanted Neurons Awaken Brain’s Re-wiring Ability

Fri, 14 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Implanted cells can alter networks in the visual systems of mice, suggesting that the “window of opportunity”in the development of vision might not have to be a one-time-only event.

Busting Some of the Myths of Attention

Fri, 07 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Multitasking, ADHD, and optimal study times were among the topics as scientists and educators shared their expertise during the “Attention and Engagement in Learning” summit this week in Baltimore.

Does the Brain Use the Scientific Method?

Tue, 04 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

We may be constantly predicting what will happen, then judging the effects of our predictions, suggests one group of researchers. And the prize for good prediction skill may be good mood, suggests another.

Studying Synapses for Markers of Disease

Mon, 03 May 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Q&A with Pierre J. Magistretti, who leads a consortium of several scientists and clinicians from Lausanne, Geneva, and Basel, which has recently been awarded a National Center for Competence in Research grant for collaborative studies on the synaptic bases of mental diseases.

Seeking Earliest Signs of Alzheimer’s

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

By the time memory loss and other Alzheimer’s symptoms appear, it may be too late to stop the disease. Researchers now aim to detect and treat the process of the disease before symptoms appear.

Chronic Sleep Loss Takes its own Toll on Alertness

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Getting insufficient sleep over many nights causes brain changes that may take a long time to overcome, researchers report.

Breaches in Blood-brain Barrier Might Lead to Later Psychiatric Illness

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Growing knowledge of how the barrier between the brain and the circulatory system has led researchers to hypothesize that insults to the barrier, such as by traumatic brain injury or infections, might lead later to disorders such as epilepsy, Alzheimer’s and psychiatric illnesses.

Dream On!

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

What exactly is the purpose of dreaming? A Brain in the News column by Dr. Guy McKhann.

Even When a Memory Fades, the Emotions it Evokes May Linger

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

People with amnesia forgot they saw a sad film clip but remained sad for another half-hour, researchers report.

Advances in Neuroimaging Help Refine Search for Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s Disease

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

To look for the biological underpinnings of memory deficits that begin far earlier than their symptoms appear, researchers are pushing the limits of their tech-tools. Improvements in magnetic resonance imaging, especially, are helping scientists see more of the disease’s “inside story.”

Earlier Bedtimes May Protect Teens from Depression

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Sending teens to bed earlier helps them get more sleep—and reduces their risk of mood disorders, according to a new study.

Some With Depression May Lack 'Happiness Stamina'

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

One symptom of depression is anhedonia, an inability to feel pleasure. New studies suggest that some people with this symptom actually can feel happy, but only temporarily.

Memory Neurons Follow the Beat

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Study in humans confirms that brain cells seem to store memories in sync with a key neural background rhythm.

'Biosensors' May Aid in Drug Development for Brain Diseases

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A new type of monitoring cell can detect the specific effects of chemicals on neurons, making studies of new drugs in live animals significantly easier.

Memory as a Life’s Work

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Neuropsychologist Brenda Milner, best known for her decades-long study of memory patient H.M., has watched her field move from a sidelight in the philosophy department to a flourishing industry. And she can’t wait to find out more.

Critical Health Information Can Be Misleading or Simply Ignored

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A widely-cited study was recently retracted, while an ongoing health issue has been ignored for years, further proving that all results must be carefully examined and others must be taken more seriously.

Temperament: The Starting Block of Personality

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

In his new Dana Press book, The Temperamental Thread, developmental psychologist Jerome Kagan draws on decades of research to describe the nature of temperament—the in-born traits that underlie our responses to experience. In this interview with Dana Press journalist Aalok Mehta, he explains how temperament affects personality, whether it can predict your future, and how it might influence a doctor deciding which medical treatment may work best for you.

Failure of Dimebon Raises Questions about Alzheimer’s Trials

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT

After the drug that showed strong positive results in small trial shows none in larger-scale study, researchers consider if method was flawed—or timing.

Carbon Dioxide 'Alarm System' Might Help Explain Anxiety Disorders

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Increases in blood acidity, such as those caused by being in an enclosed space, might activate ion channels that cause fear responses and fear memories, scientists have found.

New Clues to Causes of Epileptic ‘Sudden Death’ Syndrome

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT

New research, including findings in a colony of epilepsy-prone baboons, suggest that unexplained deaths in epileptic patients may be initiated by breathing problems.

Building a Vision of the Networks of the Brain

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Bolstered by $30 million in funding, research to describe the “connectome,” a map of the circuits of the brain, is starting to show promising insights.

Neuroscience Stars During DC Regional Brain Bee

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Students from Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia tested their knowledge of the brain and its behavior this week.

Alzheimer’s Drug May Also Treat Huntington’s

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Memantine’s ability to block certain brain receptors may help harness protective pathways that could help stay the devastating effects of Huntington’s disease, suggests new research.

Tracing Permanent Memories

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

At a recent symposium, famed researcher Brenda Milner and others described how decades of research and new technologies have changed our understanding of long-term memory.

Two Queens Students Tie for First at NYC Regional Brain Bee

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

A record 41 students from 23 high schools competed in the 2010 New York City Regional Brain Bee. For the first time in the Bee’s nine-year history, two students from the same high school tied for first place and will advance to the National Brain Bee during Brain Awareness Week in March.

Seized by Ecstasy

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

An occasional side effect of epilepsy—a surge of euphoria—might have a different and more interesting origin than researchers once thought.

Renowned journal retracts controversial autism/vaccine paper

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

After 12 years of controversy, the Lancet retracts the 1998 paper that first suggested a link between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine and autism.

Ramped-up Inflammation Clears Protein Plaques in Alzheimer’s Mice

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

An unexpected result obtained by introducing an immune-boosting chemical may help researchers better understand how Alzheimer’s affects the brain.

Dana’s Chairman Looks to the Future

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Edward Rover was elected by the Dana Foundation's Board of Directors as chairman. The following is a brief interview with the new chairman about Dana’s direction.

For Teaching Artists, Children with Disabilities Offer Challenges and Great Reward

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Teaching the arts to children with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities requires perseverance and extensive preparation—but may reach them in ways no other subject can. A panel of educators in Austin describe methods artists can use to teach in today’s mixed classrooms.

Your Brain On ... line

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Research into video games, brain-training programs and Internet searching suggests how our digital technology alters brain networks.

Mapping the Neural Pathways of Feelings

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

The sense of interoception includes a range of bodily feelings, from thirst and pain to sensual pleasure and the need to breathe. Though it is one of the least understood of the senses, neuroscientists are beginning to think that interoception may be the most important.

Sounds by Night Can Strengthen Memory by Day

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Memory consolidation during sleep is highly specific and can be cued by sound as well as scent, a recent study suggests.

Column: Essential Tremor: A Common Problem, Inadequately Studied

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Essential tremor—not to be confused with the tremor of Parkinson's disease—is now considered a neurodegenerative disorder, which has led to new research approaches.

Gene Therapy for Parkinson’s Shows Promise

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

A potential gene therapy for Parkinson's disease can correct motor problems in monkeys without causing the jerky, involuntary movements that often accompany long-term treatments. Preliminary testing in human patients has shown promising signs.

Harnessing the Restorative Power of Music

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Advances in brain imaging and research are helping scientist understand why some music therapies work—and, perhaps, how they can be improved.

Cocaine Vaccine May Offer Alternative Therapy to Addicts

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EDT

An experimental vaccine created enough of an immune response in some subjects that they cut their drug use, researchers report.

Engineering the Sense of Touch

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are making progress toward creating a lasting interface between prosthetic devices and people’s nerves.

Probing the Mysteries of Neuron Growth and Rebirth

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists find molecular clues to how neurons differentiate, how they lose the ability to regenerate and how they form into the networks that drive the brain.

Lights, Opsins, Action!

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Growing numbers of researchers are using light-sensitive proteins to manipulate neurons and learn how they form the networks that serve memory and addiction.

Erasing Fear Memories Without Drugs

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

New treatments for anxiety and other disorders might result from the discovery that activating someone’s “fear memory” opens a brief window during which the memory can easily be weakened or erased.

A Fascinating Brain, in Death as in Life

Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Guy McKhann commentary: Henry Molaison, or H.M., was unable to transfer short-term memories to long-term ones following epilepsy surgery in the 1950s. Although H.M. died in 2008, extensive study of his brain will continue, thanks to the Brain Observatory program at the University of California, San Diego.

Gene Therapy Offers Hope for Rare Retinal Condition

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Twelve people with a rare degenerative eye disease have showed remarkable and lasting improvement after an experimental treatment. Researchers say their strategy shows promise for treating several other eye disorders.

Alzheimer’s An Inevitable Side Effect of Aging, New Theory Suggests

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The gradual loss of the insulating wrap that allows nerve cells to communicate implies that everyone will develop Alzheimer’s if they live long enough, suggest some researchers.

Placebo Effect Reaches Down Spine to Calm Pain Neurons

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

It's not all in the mind—the placebo effect is real, quieting pain neurons in the spine, scientists say.

Remembering Bill Safire and the Fine Art of Pot-stirring

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

William Safire expanded the Dana Foundation’s reach into arts education, championing his love of creative thinking in both the arts and sciences.

A Prefrontal ‘Mind’s Eye’

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

In the so-called frontal eye field of the brain, we appear to keep a map of “important locations”—even those our eyes can’t reach.

Home Is Where the Arts Are, Too

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The reduction and loss of arts programs in the schools puts more responsibility on families and the community to provide quality arts experiences, writes Susan Magsamen, co-director of the Neuro-Education Initiative at Johns Hopkins University School of Education. Families need to be strong educational partners with schools on behalf of their children.

Seeking the Origins of Abstract Knowledge

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Research with infants has convinced psychologist and Dana grantee Elizabeth Spelke that everyone is born with some skill in arithmetic and geometry.

Fatigue Syndrome News Is Promising—but Preliminary

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

A potential link between a virus and chronic fatigue syndrome has been discovered, but the finding is just a first step.

Prefrontal Connection May be Key in Controlling Anxiety

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

New research bolsters the theory that excessive anxiety is caused by disrupted connections between our “modern” prefrontal cortex and the “primitive” amgydala.

Could Sleep Disorders Contribute to Alzheimer’s?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Sleep deprivation appears to increase levels of beta-amyloid plaques—the sticky clumps of protein characteristic of Alzheimer’s—according to a new study.

New Twist on ‘Reward Response’ Model in Brain

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Neurons that classify reward in the brain, contrary to widespread belief, may not all function in the same way.

Scientists Identify Brain Region That May Give Rise to Schizophrenia

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Activity in a specific part of the hippocampus seems to predict who will develop schizophrenia and reflect the severity of symptoms, according to a new study that may pave the way for novel tests and treatments.

Neurons Are ‘Green,’ Sending Signals Ultra Efficiently

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Brain cells spend far less energy sending electrical signals than previously thought, according to a new study that may change the way we look at brain scans.

Training a Skeptical Eye on Neuroscience

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

At a neuroethics conference in Nova Scotia, panelists advised taking claims about neurotherapy and brain imaging with a grain of salt.

Major Cause of ‘Tone Deafness’ Found

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The condition known as congenital amusia may be caused when a specific connection between the temporal and frontal lobes of the brain is missing or degraded, according to new research.

Music Training Linked to Better Understanding of Speech

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Having musical skills can also help people pull out spoken words buried in a thicket of other chatter, a recent study suggests.

Heart Disease, Not Bypass Surgery, to Blame for Cognitive Declines

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Memory problems occur in most people with heart disease, contradicting the conventional wisdom that heart-lung pumps are the cause, according to recent research.

Brain Activity May Help Forecast Most Effective Antidepressant Medication

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Recording fine-grained electrical activity seems to predict a person’s responsiveness to one common drug, in an early trial.

Reports from SfN 2009

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A collection of blogs about the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting in October 2009.

Nerve Growth Methods Offer Hope for Spinal Injuries

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Two studies outline ambitious methods to coax growth from nerve fibers after spinal cord injury, but also highlight the difficulty of getting around the body’s roadblocks to new nerve formation.

The Veteran Neurologist: Q&A with Walter Bradley

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Walter G. Bradley explains why he thinks everyone should read his new book, why finding the right doctor is essential and how the Internet is changing the doctor-patient relationship.

Discoveries Flow from Newest Stem Cells

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Two years after the first human iPS stem-cell lines were created by reprogramming skin cells, researchers have developed lines covering more than 20 human diseases. These lines are helping scientists watch how disease changes cells in real time as well as investigate drugs to combat disease.

Brain Scans May Allow Early Diagnosis—and Treatment—of Alzheimer’s

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Doctors may soon be using a variety of brain scans to diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s long before major symptoms appear. Several new studies add to evidence that scanning technology is powerful enough to detect minor brain changes that appear early in the course of the disease.

Pleasure, Not Fullness, May Be Key to 'Satiety Hormone'

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists are finding that leptin, the hormone that helps amplify feelings of fullness, may also alter pleasure pathways, in a finding that may pave the way for new obesity treatments.

Neural Tissue Transplants Failed in Huntington’s Patients

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Huntington’s disease appears to have destroyed, within a decade, grafts of neural tissue given to patients, a finding that adds to evidence that neurodegenerative diseases are less amenable to transplantation treatments than was once thought.

WILLIAM SAFIRE, 1929-2009

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

WILLIAM SAFIRE, 1929 2009 In memorium 2009 09 27 New York Times William Safire, Political Columnist and Oracle of Language, Dies at 79 With sadness the

First Successful Test for AIDS Vaccine

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

An experimental vaccine protected a modest percentage of people from HIV infection, the first-ever successful results from a vaccine against the virus that causes AIDS.

Column: A Clue in the Multiple Sclerosis Mystery

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Recent research may lead to scientists developing new treatments for multiple sclerosis, writes columnist Ralph Steinman of Rockefeller University.

Marijuana Craving Affects Brain like Alcohol, Addictive Behaviors

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Habitual users abstaining from the drug show brain activity similar those addicted to alcohol and opiates, researchers find.

Just Gotta Know?

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Dopamine neurons in the brain’s reward system motivate us to seek knowledge for its own sake, according to a new study

Alzheimer’s Drugs May Help Treat Brain Injuries

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A class of Alzheimer’s drugs still in development may also reduce harmful beta-amyloid deposits that often appear in people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Both Boosting, Dampening Immune System Show Potential Against Alzheimer’s

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Strengthening the immune system’s ability to destroy harmful proteins and reducing harmful inflammation once damage does occur both offer promising approaches against Alzheimer’s, according to several recent studies.

Column: We Need New Ideas for Brain Tumor Treatment

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Beyond the conventional approaches of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, this field desperately needs new ideas and applications. And if there is one area where participation in clinical trials is crucial, this is it, columnist Guy McKhann, M.D., writes.

Depressed People Really Do See the World Differently

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

People with severe depression see motion better but are worse at perceiving fine details, according to a new study that provides rare insights into how depression directly alters brain function.

Brain Can Adapt to Vision Impairment in Seconds, Even in Adulthood

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Visual cortex neurons that have been deprived of input quickly start to “see” what neighboring neurons see, according to a new study.

Teaching Artists Are Getting Web-connected

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In June, the first webposium for teaching artists—“Artists in the Classroom: What is the Role of the Teaching Artist?”—provided national and international reach: It drew almost 600 online participants, plus nearly 100 who attended in person.

Caffeine Blocks, Reverses Alzheimer’s Symptoms in Mice

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Daily caffeine intake not only blocks the onset of dementia in mice, it can reduce symptoms after the fact—but only if consumed in substantial amounts, according to a pair of new studies.

Direct Site of Alcohol Action Found in the Brain

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

An ion channel in brain cells opens when exposed to alcohol, according to a new study that offers potential new treatment options for addiction and epilepsy.

Obama Education Secretary Affirms Arts as 'Core Academic Subject'

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s Aug. 13 letter emphasizing the importance of arts education and outlining available federal funding may help preserve programs despite budget crises, arts supporters say.

New Insight into Neural Mechanisms of Hypnosis

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A brain-imaging study by Swiss researchers highlights the apparent switching of control over the motor cortex during hypnotic “paralysis.”

New Drug Target Reduces Seizures in Mice

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Blocking an ion channel on the membrane of neurons can prevent or reduce induced seizures in mice prone to them, researchers find. The results suggest another pathway to creating drugs that could work for the many people with epilepsy who don’t find relief from current medications.

Driving with Your Brain

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Older drivers can compensate for the natural declining of their brain's response times by exercising extra caution on the road—and by not multitasking.

Immunotherapy Improves Cure Rate for Children with Neuroblastoma

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In a Phase III clinical study, an antibody and two hormones that boost the immune system added to standard neuroblastoma treatment improved the chances that children would be cancer-free two years later.

Research Offers a Clue to Huntington’s

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A rare protein, when paired with the “mutant” huntingtin protein, leads to neuronal havoc in only and exactly the areas affected by Huntington’s disease, according to recent research.

Amygdala and Striatum Sync Up During Learning

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The amygdala and striatum begin to fire together during learning that involves an emotional component, researchers have found, offering a partial explanation for why we remember some things easily and forget others.

Researchers Eye Role of ‘Infectious’ Proteins in Neurodegenerative Disease

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Aggregates of tau, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, may be able to spread in the brain like an infection—and researchers think that a similar mechanism might drive other common neurodegenerative diseases.

Stem Cell Treatment for Brain Disorder Appears Safe, But Efficacy Still Unknown

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Preliminary results from the first clinical trial of stem cell therapy in the United States—for the treatment of a rare, fatal childhood neurological disorder—show the therapy is safe, but it’s too early to tell if it works.

Immune Gene Evolution May Be Driven By Parasites

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A lack of parasitic worms in developed nations may contribute to autoimmune diseases such as Type 1 diabetes, a new genetics survey suggests.

For Mirror Neurons, Picture Grows Cloudier

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A new study finds no evidence of mirror neurons in humans—a controversial claim that other experts are challenging both on interpretation and on experimental grounds.

Sleeping Brains May Have a ‘Snooze Button’

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

After sleepers hear a mild noise or feel a light touch, their brain sends an electrical “stay asleep” signal, researchers report. How the sleeper figures out that the interruption is not a dangerous one is still a mystery.

Researchers Puzzle Out How the Brain Learns Odors

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

New research shows how the brain learns smells. For the first time, the process that underlies this learning has been found in the olfactory bulb—but not in the way researchers expected.

From Monkey Calls to Human Speech

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Studies in primates over the past decade are illuminating some of the mysteries of our own speech.

Teaching Artists Survey to Examine Background, Roles, Opportunities

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A new research project aims to identify challenges, opportunities and information about a particularly elusive brand of educator: actors, professional musicians, working dancers and other artists who also juggle K-12 teaching gigs.

Sleep Disorder May Have Autoimmune Link

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A large genetic study of people with narcolepsy suggests that mutations affecting immune function could lead to the sleep disorder.

Is ‘Internet Addiction’ a Psychiatric Disorder?

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Some psychiatrists argue that compulsive computer use should be added to the next Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), scheduled for publication in 2012.

Neuroscience, Performance Art Begin to Play Off Each Other

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience is increasingly pursuing questions about artistic expression even as artists commandeer scientific findings for their performances, panelists said during a recent roundtable.

Controlling Neurons With Light

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Using pulses of light to control the activity of specific types of neurons, researchers can now show precisely how these neurons function in networks in the brain. These optogenetics methods, which use light-sensitive proteins to select and influence a neuron, are driving a wave of discoveries about long-misunderstood neural phenomena.

In Autism, Movements May Not Quickly Become Habit

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Children who have autism continue to use one of the brain’s “new learning” networks during a repetitive finger-tapping exercise when other children have switched mental control to their “automatic” networks, suggests recent research.

Learning, Arts, and the Brain

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A summit this week aims to address one of the key sticking points in the budding neuroeducation field: how to bridge the large gap between brain scientists and educational researchers. - excerpts from the Dana Press Blog covering neuroeducation.

Why ‘Early Birds’ Are Less Alert at the End of the Day

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Belgian researchers have discovered some of the key neural differences between early risers and night owls.

Depression Risk May Be Linked to a Thinner Cortex

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A brain-imaging study of people in 58 families has found a pattern of thinning along the brain’s cortex that seems to be linked to the risk of depression.

Column: Studying the Brains of the ‘Super Old’

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Several recent news stories have emphasized the fact that baby boomers are reaching their 60s—an age at which dementia starts to appear in increasing numbers of people. Much less attention has been directed toward another age-related phenomenon: More and more people are living longer, into their 90s and beyond.

Teaching Artists Are Still Learning Their Roles

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Teaching artists have an ambiguous but important role to play in modern education, panelists told about 600 people during a Web symposium on Friday.

‘Bilingual’ Babies Show Cognitive Gains

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A recent study shows that being exposed to two languages directly from birth enhances executive function in infants before they begin to talk.

Ignoring ‘Biological Motion’ Could Be an Early Warning Sign for Autism

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers find that toddlers diagnosed with autism show an unusual preference for synchrony—movements that match sounds—over movements made by living things. Testing how toddlers at risk for the disability react to movement could help doctors diagnose and treat autism earlier.

Arts Education Opportunities, Achievement Gaps Remain, Survey Finds

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Opportunities to learn music and the visual arts remain similar to 1997 levels, a nationwide arts assessment indicates. But the survey was conducted in early 2008, before the economic crisis reached full swing.

How Stress Affects the Brain May Depend on Age

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

How our brains react to stress in adulthood may be influenced by if and when we were stressed as children, suggests recent review of research in the area.

Spinal Cord Stimulation Stalls Parkinson’s

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

By electrically stimulating the spinal cord, researchers alleviated the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in rats in a method less invasive than deep brain stimulation.

Column: Translating Cancer Research in Mice to Patients

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The research community lacks a means to translate results from the hundreds of mouse cancer studies that are ready for human application.

New Take on HIV Vaccine: Use a Shotgun Approach

Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

People who fight off HIV more effectively have many different kinds of antibodies against the virus, a finding that suggests that current single-target vaccine attempts may be off-base.

Scientists Measure ‘Unexpected Reward’ Response in Humans

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Using implanted electrodes, researchers for the first time have made real-time measurements of human brain cells’ responses to a fundamental learning signal.

Anesthesia in Young Children May Be Linked to Later Learning Disabilities

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Children who have had anesthesia two or more times by age 3 may be at a higher risk of developing learning disabilities later, new research suggests. This is the first human study to show such an association; it is not clear if anesthesia is the culprit or if other factors are at play.

Gene Mutation Appears to Protect Against Alzheimer’s

Fri, 29 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Italian researchers have described a genetic mutation that seems to prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease unless it is inherited from both parents.

Arts Educators Should Be Asking One Key Question

Tue, 26 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers and educators must collaborate to identify how arts training will contribute to the cognitive future of children in the 21st century.

Decision-making Brain Regions Organized in Sequence

Fri, 22 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Like a series of Christmas lights, the brain’s decision-making regions work in series, with damage hindering only things further up the line, according to a new study.

Childhood Abuse May Rewire Brain’s Reaction to Stress

Thu, 21 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In an autopsy study of 36 people, researchers found that those who died by suicide and were abused or neglected as children had fewer stress-dampening brain receptors than non-abused people who died by suicide or people who died by accident.

Group of Neurons May Be Shutoff Switch for Itch

Wed, 20 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

An experiment using sleeping monkeys and an artificial paw suggests that scratching an itch slows down some neurons in the spinal cord—but only if there really is an itch.

Column: Findings Should Help Scientists and Educators Join Forces

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The field of neuroeducation is in its infancy. In the past, many in neuroscience stayed away—the studies didn’t seem feasible. They are still hard to perform, but they can be done. What’s needed is a new type of transition person who can bridge the education and cognitive neuroscience fields.

Brain Scientists Identify Close Links between Arts, Learning

Thu, 14 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Arts education influences learning and other areas of cognition and may deserve a more prominent place in schools, according to a wave of recent neuroscience research.

The Arts Will Help School Accountability

Tue, 12 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Commentary by Mariale Hardiman: The influence of the arts on cognition, thinking, and learning must be part of our research agenda and become a central focus in educational policy-making.

Attention May Link Arts and Intelligence

Mon, 11 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Arts education causes “profound changes” in the brain and may improve cognition by enhancing the ability to focus attention, experts said at a recent neuroeducation conference.

Music Training Changes Brain Networks

Mon, 11 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists speculate that arts learning may improve everything from math skills to attention and intelligence. The current research shows modest but promising links.

Jerome Kagan on Why the Arts Matter

Mon, 11 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Jerome Kagan, Ph.D., of Harvard University, spoke about the importance of arts education in elementary schools during the Learning, Arts, and the Brain conference at Baltimore’s American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore on May 6, 2009. These are his prepared remarks.

New Cell ‘Reprogramming’ Techniques Could Hold Promise for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Thu, 07 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Two groups of researchers have developed methods to create pluripotent stem cells, one using a virus, the other a snip of DNA.

Neuroscience Travels from the Lab to the Classroom

Tue, 05 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Across the country, the economic crisis has ravaged state budgets, putting school arts curricula under even greater pressure than before. But educators at Johns Hopkins University hope that a meeting of prominent scientists and teachers can reaffirm the importance of the subjects—and lead to innovative new programs and teaching methods not just for the arts but for other subjects as well.

Brain Actively Alters What We See

Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

We don’t just see through colored glasses, we tweak the color of those spectacles to suit our expectations, suggests a new study of the visual system.

Editing Out the ‘Fear’ in Fearful Memories

Fri, 01 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Giving people a dose of the blood-pressure drug propranolol appears to reduce their unconscious response to a learned fear of spiders, according to a new study.

Flu Outbreak Shows How Hard They Are to Predict

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

As immunologists work to identify the potential virulence of the new swine flu strain and prepare a viable vaccine, outbreaks like these show how much guesswork is involved in producing our annual flu shot.

Listeners Predict What’s Coming Next

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The brain draws on more than words, grammar and syntax when trying to decipher speech and writing; it actively anticipates and assumes meaning, according to experts.

Is Alzheimer’s Disease a Natural Brain-Cell-Removal Process Gone Awry?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A neuronal pruning process, designed to reduce clutter in the fast-growing brain in the early months of life, may be reactivated during aging to cause the brain-cell destruction seen in Alzheimer’s disease, propose Genentech researchers.

Brain Stimulation Pioneer Sets Sights on Other Diseases

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Moving from the laboratory bench to the operating room, Mahlon DeLong helped pioneer deep brain stimulation for treating movement disorders. Now he believes the technique has potential for many other diseases—and for solving some brain mysteries. Second of two parts.

A Brain Region, Redefined

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

On the eve of a symposium in his honor, Mahlon DeLong and colleagues explain how his work helped redefine what we know about the brain’s organization and function and led to startling new treatments for Parkinson’s. First of two parts.

Autism Researchers Explore Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Autism spectrum disorders may be rooted in a mix of genetic influences and environmental risk factors from early in prenatal development.

Physical Fitness Linked to Larger Hippocampus in Elderly

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The memory-related brain region is larger in older people who are more aerobically fit, according to a new study. Now researchers are trying to determine if fitness levels cause the increase in volume.

Memory Training May Readjust Neurotransmitter Systems

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Practice on working-memory games alters the concentration of dopamine receptors in the brain, suggests new research on healthy young men.

Researchers Describe ‘Volume Control’ Pathway for Hearing

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Mutated mice offer clues to the ear’s feedback system for dampening sounds.

Consuming Fewer Calories May Improve Memory

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Cutting calories by 30 percent for three months led to a significant improvement in memory in a group of elderly people, according to recent research.

Seizures, Epilepsy Linked to Immune Reaction

Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Inflammation associated with seizures may make the brain more “leaky,” exacerbating the progression of epilepsy, scientists have discovered.

Researchers Find More Cause to Condemn Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Mother rats pass their experience with alcohol to their offspring, who later in life perk up more than usual at the smell, studies suggest.

That Look on Your Face May Affect Your Speech Perception

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

An experiment in which subjects had their facial muscles moved by a computer highlights a non-auditory pathway for perceiving speech.

Deep Brain Stimulation More Effective for Parkinson’s, Study Confirms

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

DBS offers substantial advantages over medication for controlling Parkinson’s symptoms but presents a substantial risk of dangerous surgical complications, suggests a study that may also shed light on the best site for surgery.

Oxytocin May Foster Familiar Faces

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A whiff of the hormone appears to help humans recognize faces of people they have seen, according to new research.

Complementary Techniques Help Probe Brain Networks

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, researchers can trace the influence of attention on visual processing. In a recent study, scientists could see this influence shift between visual processing regions as people shifted their attention from one aspect of an image to another.

Newborns Have Rhythm

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A new study shows that babies can sense when the beat is off, suggesting that rhythm may be innate—or one of the very first things we learn.

‘Brain Death’ Still Valid, Bioethics Group Says

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

New insights into the death process do not invalidate the commonly used neurological standard, according to a new white paper being discussed March 12 and 13 at a meeting of the President’s Council on Bioethics. But not everyone agrees with the paper’s conclusions.

A Decade of Research Shows No Link between Vaccines and Autism

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A recent investigation accuses an infamous and since-retracted research paper on autism and vaccines of containing falsified data. Scientists agree that vaccines are safe and necessary. Commentary by Guy McKhann, M.D.

New Studies Shed Light on Dopamine and Personality

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Combining genetic research with brain imaging, some researchers find links between levels of a neurotransmitter and measures of impulsivity and novelty seeking.

Research Suggests Strong Immune Role for Vitamin D

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The vitamin we link with strong bones and teeth also seems to perform yeoman work for the immune system. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, some cancers, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

Researchers Take Another Jab at Jet Lag

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EDT

A new drug that seems to mimic the effects of melatonin helped reset the sleep pattern of hundreds of study subjects. Whether it works better than melatonin itself is as yet unknown.

Another Study Links Autism to Epilepsy Drug

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Sodium valproate taken during pregnancy may increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders in children, preliminary research suggests.

The Faces of a New Field: Q&A with Jamie Talan

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The author of Deep Brain Stimulation chats about the promises of the technology, its ethical implications and the colorful cast of patients and doctors she met while researching the book.

Arts Educators Show Resilience Against Economic Challenges

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The nation's arts educators have exhibited creativity and optimism during the largest economic downturn in recent history, helping to buffer arts programs against budget cuts.

Search Widens for Causes of Psychiatric Disorder

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Some researchers seeking genetic clues to psychiatric diseases are looking to the new field of epigenetics, the study of changes in gene expression, not the underlying DNA sequence.

Genetic Hijacking May Lead to New Tests for Brain Cancer

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists have found that simple blood tests can detect the contents of microvesicles—RNA-filled membrane sacs—shed by glioblastoma tumors. These RNAs can co-opt the molecular machinery of nearby cells to help the tumors grow.

Top D.C. Region Students Battle at Brain Bee

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Julia Chartove, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Md., won the 6th annual D.C. brain bee—the second win as many years from that school.

Attention: Anti-sleep Pill Offers Insight Into Concentration Area of Brain

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The stimulant drug modafinil increases concentration by altering activity in part of the brain stem, a new study reveals.

Strategy Video Game Improves Brain Function in Elderly

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

A civilization-building game benefits many of the cognitive functions that naturally decline during aging, reveals one of the first studies looking at video games’ effects in older adults.

Stem Cell Therapy Reaches Human Patients

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The FDA has approved the first stem cell study in humans, to treat spinal cord injury.

Chronic Stress Disrupts the Brain’s Ability to Shift Attention

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Medical students under four weeks of stress before an exam had attention-shifting deficits and related signs of structural changes to their brains. Four low-stress weeks after the exam, they were back to normal.

Deeper Understanding of the Blood-Brain Barrier May Lead to Targeted Treatments

Mon, 09 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Recent studies offer a method for stunting the growth of brain tumors and potential new ways to sneak helpful drugs through this protective shield.

Common “Upstream” Cause Proposed for Proteins in Alzheimer’s Disease

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are now studying whether a single, early molecular mechanism triggers the two characteristic signs of Alzheimer’s in the brain.

First Case of Inborn Phonagnosia, or ‘Voice Blindness,’ Emerges

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The case of a woman with otherwise normal hearing who cannot recognize voices—including familiar ones such as her daughter’s—may shed light on the brain’s speech-processing centers.

Stem Cells Offer Insights, Screening Tool for ALS

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The ability to grow human motor neurons from stem cells has revealed the importance of neuron-supporting astrocytes in ALS as well as potential new drug targets.

Language Changes How the Brain Recognizes Colors

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Babies categorize colors in the right hemisphere of their brains, while adults use their left hemispheres—a switch that may occur just from learning the words for colors, a new study suggests.

Musical Training in Childhood Enhances Verbal Abilities and Nonverbal Reasoning, Study Suggests

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

A new study is just the latest in a series suggesting that learning to play a musical instrument can improve a child’s skills in nonmusical cognitive areas.

Magnetic-Stimulation Trial Reveals Difficulty of Studying Brain-damage Treatments

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

An unresponsive car accident victim showed dramatic improvement after six weeks of treatment with transcranial magnetic stimulation. Was it the treatment or coincidence?

The ‘Super-aged’ Proffer a Template

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Studying people who stay sharp deep into their later years offers researchers a new angle on the process of diseases of memory and aging.

Canine Model of ALS Emerges

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have found that dogs with a neurodegenerative disorder share a gene mutation similar to that for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in humans. Such dogs could be a good model for testing potential ALS therapies.

The Color of Consciousness

Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Studies of a person with “blindsight” illuminate the processes involved in the conscious perception of color.

Researchers Find New Point of Entry for HIV in Brain Cells

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

One out of three people living with HIV may have associated neurological disease, from tremors to dementia. Researchers have now identified a route through which the virus wreaks havoc on brain cells.

Dopamine Linked to ‘Anxious’ Amygdalas

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers use two forms of brain imaging to describe how dopamine in the amygdala influences anxiety.

Astrocytes May ‘Fine Tune’ Synaptic Messages

Tue, 30 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Two new studies suggest that astrocytes—star-shaped glial cells—may directly participate with synapses to aid processes linked to learning and memory.

Eric Kandel on the Year in Neuroscience

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Nobel Prize winner Eric Kandel sees promise in a new strain of genetics and psychotherapy, if not new drugs, for psychiatric illnesses.

Insomnia Tied to Lack of Brain Chemical

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Troubled not just at night, insomniacs may be in a “state of hyperarousal” because they don’t have an adequate supply of a certain inhibitory neurotransmitter, according to new research.

Electrical Brain Stimulation May Boost Dexterity

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A little of jolt of electricity to the scalp behind the ears appears to improve dexterity, according to a new study. The technique might hold promise for stroke victims and others needing to learn or relearn motor skills.

Magnetic Stimulation Device Cleared for Treating Depression

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

People with depression may have a new reason to cheer: In October, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the first transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) device for treating severe cases of the disorder.

Psychiatry’s Next Civil War?

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Recovered memory syndrome may be largely discredited now, but the bad science that allowed that “false disease” to blossom to ruinous effect has infected other areas of psychiatry, including overdiagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, prominent scientists warned recently.

Animal Model Provides Clues into Multiple Sclerosis’s Heterogeneity

Tue, 16 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A form of interferon may play a deciding role in whether—and where—immune cells attack and injure the central nervous system. This might help explain the range of symptoms different people with multiple sclerosis experience.

How the Brain Keeps Memories Alive

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Along with sleep, the 24-hour “circadian” sleep/wake cycle may also be needed to keep memories from fading away, according to a new study.

Neurobiology Affects Love and Attraction

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

New research presented at the Society for Neuroscience meeting reveals aspects of what happens in the brain of someone feeling intense love, as well as the sensory and molecular processes involved in love and mating. Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

Itch Leaves Neuroscientists Scratching Their Heads

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

For most people, an itch is nothing more than a temporary inconvenience. For others, however, it’s a source of persistent, sometimes crippling irritation for which there is no good treatment. New research, announced in Washington, D.C., in November at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, is providing basic insights into what causes the distinct varieties of itch, how those sensations are transmitted to the brain and how itch and pain differ, bringing the possibility of true relief one step closer.Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

Column: Research Offers Hope for Headache Sufferers

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Research Offers Hope for Headache Sufferers 2008 12 10 false Many

Researchers Begin to Decode Decision-making Processes

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A decision follows what may feel like conscious deliberation, but research suggests that our choices take shape below the threshold of consciousness, with the brain rapidly integrating sensory input, memory and the probability of reward. Moreover, this decision-making machinery is easily disrupted by drugs, sleep deprivation and damage to brain regions essential to the process. Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

A Slew of Studies Provides Addiction Insight

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Probably the best known effect of addiction on the brain is its subversion of the “mesolimbic” reward-and-motivation circuitry—a mesh of connections that include midbrain neurons that send and receive dopamine and the region known as the striatum. At this year’s Society for Neuroscience meeting, researchers acknowledged that the mesolimbic reward circuit is only one area influenced by addiction; also affected are the insular cortex, or insula, and the prefrontal cortex, which normally mediate self-awareness and help to restrain impulsive behavior.Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

New Techniques Link Brain with Machine

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Recent advances in “brain-computer interfaces” include a technique that can distinguish individual finger movements. Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

Drugs that Block Cannabinoid Receptors Seem Problematic

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

One of marijuana’s best known side effects is hunger, and the discovery of the brain-cell receptor that mediates this effect has led to the development of nearly a dozen drugs meant to block it and thereby treat obesity. However, it is now clear that CB1, the cannabinoid receptor targeted by these therapies, is responsible for much more than “the munchies,” and tweaking it can do harm as well as good.

New Evidence Supports the Cognitive Reserve Hypothesis of Alzheimer’s Disease

Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A brain-imaging study supports the growing body of evidence that education levels and some form of intellectual activity can delay the onset and decrease the impact of Alzheimer's disease.

Column: Arts Chairman Leaves a Proud Legacy in His Wake

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Arts Chairman Leaves a Proud Legacy in His Wake: I hope the coming changes in Washington will advance and strengthen all of the positive accomplishments at the NEA. The next appointed chairperson after Gioia steps down in January (as described in the Washington Post article “Arts Agency Chairman Is Moving On”) will inherit a revitalized agency. Hopefully, they will recognize Gioia’s legacy as the wind at their back and continue to champion his important vision.

Attention Affects Visual Information Through a Newly Discovered Pathway

Fri, 28 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

What we see with our eyes is retouched by attention even before it reaches our visual cortex, suggests a new study.

Statin Appears to Lower the Risk of Stroke

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Results of a major trial released this month show that the use of the statin rosuvastatin (trade name Crestor) reduced the incidence of fatal and nonfatal stroke by 48 percent, compared with use of a placebo, and lowered the incidence of heart attack. Rosuvastatin lowers the level of general inflammation in the body as well as lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol, the study showed.

Researchers Describe Potential New Painkiller

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have discovered that an enzyme once used to label spinal neurons in laboratory tests also appears to function as a potent and long-lasting treatment for chronic pain, at least in animal tests. Although it is too early to tell whether the same strategy will work in humans, the finding could open up a new approach to pain therapy.

Column: Once More into the Scanner

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

November column by Guy McKhann: Brain imaging studies, usually with fMRI because it is cheaper, more readily available and faster than PET, are increasingly used in studies of brain behavior.

Brain-Imaging Study Solves the Auction ‘Overbidding’ Mystery

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Economists have observed for decades that participants in auctions tend to bid more than is predicted by traditional theories of rational economic behavior. A recent "neuroeconomics" study in Science, combining modern brain-imaging technology with behavioral experiments, blames this seemingly irrational behavior on an auction’s social context.

The Brain in Motion

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

The Mark Morris Dance Group presented their ongoing dance program for Parkinson’s patients Nov. 15 before a workshop audience of scientists and guests at the 2008 Society for Neuroscience meeting in Washington, D.C. The group, headed by renowned dancer and choreographer Mark Morris, has been teaching “Dance for PD” classes for six years at its location in Brooklyn, N.Y., in conjunction with the Brooklyn Parkinson’s Society.Reporting from the 2008 Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting

Preliminary Nature, Public Misconceptions of DBS Raise Ethical Challenges

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Neurologists exploring deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment face serious ethical challenges because of the technique’s preliminary nature and widespread public misconceptions, experts said at a Nov. 13 public forum on the technique.

Key Protein Keeps New Neurons Headed in the Right Direction

Sun, 16 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

The birth of new neurons throughout life in many brain areas has raised hopes for treating brain diseases by transplanting young, healthy cells into injured or diseased parts of the brain. But it shouldn’t be taken for granted that the replacement neurons will form the right connections, a new study has found.

Blogging from the Neuroethics Society Annual Meeting 2008

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Blog reports from the 2008 Neuroethics Society annual meeting, Nov. 13-14 in Washington, D.C.

Study Links Arteries to Unique Immune Functions

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Oxygen-carrying blood vessels may also serve as sensors for the immune system, and what they sense may differ depending on where they are in the body, recent research suggests.

Study Deepens Understanding of Auditory Attention

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Most people take for granted their ability to listen to a single voice in a space crowded with other voices. But this “cocktail party effect,” a form of selective auditory attention, is far beyond the capability of machine-based auditory systems, and scientists have spent decades trying to understand how the brain accomplishes the feat.

Do No Harm: Q&A with Paul McHugh

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Paul McHugh outlines his leading role in fighting—and eventually winning against—this recovered memory movement in the Dana Press book Try to Remember: Psychiatry’s Clash Over Meaning, Memory, and Mind. But as he points out in this Q&A with Dana journalist Aalok Mehta, psychiatry is beginning to repeat its mistakes, and both the public and the medical community should take heed of why things went so badly awry 15 years ago.

Long-Term Psychoanalysis Works, Study Finds

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

One form of extended psychotherapy produces better results than shorter-term therapies, an analysis of 23 studies suggests.

Location May Make a Difference in Flu Vaccinations

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Delivering an influenza (flu) vaccine deep into the lung may not only increase the body’s immune response to the vaccine but may do so at a far lower dosage, suggests a study by scientists at the University of Melbourne, published in the Sept. 24 issue of Mucosal Immunology.

Immature Region of the Brain Could Underlie Some Brain Disorders

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A new study suggests that immature neurons in the dentate gyrus could contribute to—and help provide new treatments for—mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Eric Kandel on the Importance of Charlie Rose

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

On Wednesday, October 29, 2008, the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute presented Emmy Award–winning journalist and interviewer Charlie Rose with the 2008 David Mahoney Prize. The presentation followed a symposium on memory and mental disorders featuring Harvard University provost and neuroscientist Steven Hyman and Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel, moderated by Rose. At the symposium, Kandel introduced the award recipient. The following is his written transcript.

Experts Explore Memory as Key Target in Mental Disorders

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Memory nourishes human existence and informs every aspect of cognition, but its key role in a wide range of mental disorders—such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, addiction and schizophrenia, in addition to Alzheimer’s disease—often goes unreported. Eminent neuroscientists Steven E. Hyman and Eric R. Kandel explored the mysteries and dysfunctions of memory at a symposium Oct. 29 at the Pierre Hotel in New York, organized by the Harvard Mahoney Neuroscience Institute and moderated by Emmy Award–winning journalist Charlie Rose.

Human Brain is Capable of Subliminal Conditioning, Study Shows

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers use a poker game to describe the subliminal instrumental conditioning they have demonstrated for the first time in the human brain.

Mind over Medicine: A New Look at The Placebo Effect

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Mind over Medicine A New Look at The Placebo Effect -- Studies of the effects of suggestion help researchers map basic brain pathways affecting pain, endurance and response to disease

Reading Comprehension Process Differs in Children with Dyslexia

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

In dyslexia, it’s not the words that stump you. It’s the sense, the meaning of the whole sentence. The neurological basis for that disconnect is one of the findings reported in a recent study published in Cerebral Cortex.

Research into Childhood Brain Disorders Still in Its Infancy

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists are just beginning to get a handle on how to study, diagnose and treat childhood brain disorders such as autism, bipolar disorder and learning disabilities, two prominent researchers in the field said at a panel discussion Oct. 22.

What Makes Great Basketball Players Great?

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Elite basketball players possess superior strength, stamina and coordination. They also appear to have highly developed mirror neurons that enable them to anticipate the actions of other players, according to Italian researchers.

Profit Motive: The Business of Neurotech

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Profit Motive The Business of Neurotech Neuroethics Q&A With Martha Farah — Here she explains how some companies are rushing to cash in on recent neuroscience developments and why that might not be so good for consumers.

Bisphenol-A Study Adds to Worries over Its Effects on Humans

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The controversial industrial chemical known as Bisphenol A (BPA), to which most people are routinely exposed, blocks a normal process of synapse formation in the brains of monkeys, even at a dose currently labeled as “safe” by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), report Yale researchers.

Sex Differences Offer New Insight into Psychiatric Disorders

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

“There are sex differences in the frequencies of a variety of psychiatric and neurologic disorders, which we believe, in part, reflect sex differences in the brain,” says Jill Goldstein. “One also sees sex differences across a number of tissues in the body that we believe are associated with sex differences in the risk for other disorders, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”

Overeating May Blunt Brain-Reward Circuitry

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Obesity is associated with a reduced ability to feel “rewarded” by food, especially in people whose reduced sense of reward stems from a particular gene variant, according to a study published Oct. 17 in the journal Science.

Hope and Caution on Russian Antihistamine Drug for Alzheimer’s

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

An old Russian antihistamine drug known as Dimebon has arrested the cognitive and behavioral decline of people with Alzheimer’s as measured on standard tests, according to the results of a medium-sized clinical trial in Russia. A larger clinical trial outside Russia is now under way, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated its willingness to accept minimal data from that trial to begin the review and approval process for marketing Dimebon in the United States to people with Alzheimer’s.

Incidental Findings: When Science Stumbles into Medicine

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Incidental Findings When Science Stumbles into Medicine Neuroethics Q&A with Judy Illes. Illes is an expert on how to deal with unintentional discoveries of medical conditions when such discoveries crop up during neuroscience research.

Get Involved in Brain Research

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

In democracy or brain science, if you’re not participating, don’t complain about what occurs! Commentary by Dr. Guy McKhann.

Stem Cells May Offer Stroke-Damaged Brain Protection Against Itself

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Stem cells can drastically reduce the amount of damage following a stroke by limiting the body’s natural “overreaction” to the trauma, a new animal study has found.

Tumors More Complicated, Harder to Treat Than Expected, Gene Studies Show

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Exhaustive genetic analyses of two of the deadliest types of cancer—including the most common kind of brain tumor—suggest that the disease is far more complicated and varied than previously believed.

What is Neuroethics?

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Q&A interview with Steven Hyman: At the inaugural meeting of the Neuroethics Society in November, Steven Hyman provost of Harvard University and a neurobiologist at Harvard Medical School, will speak on how to treat mental illness in children.

Targeting Amyloid in Alzheimer’s Disease: No Longer Enough?

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A postmortem study of Alzheimer’s patients given an amyloid vaccine eight years ago shows that the vaccine cleared amyloid plaques from their brains but failed to reduce the progress of their dementia.

Injuries of War

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Long-running studies of Vietnam veterans have shed some light on how people respond to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and revealed some of the links between the two conditions, according to three high-profile researchers. But much of the underlying biology remains unknown—especially for blast-related injuries not often seen in Vietnam—limiting treatment options for those injured in the current wars.

The Ethics of Forensic Neuroscience

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroethics Q&A: Hank Greely Delves Into Forensic Neuroscience, including controversial new lie-detection technologies and how neuroscience may change the treatment of criminal behavior.

Researchers Identify a Class of Receptors That Help Brain Cells Stand at Attention

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Visual attention in monkeys is regulated in part by a set of brain-cell receptors known as muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, researchers in the United Kingdom report. The unexpected result represents a significant advance in the study of attentional processes that is likely to energize the young field, scientists say.

Lifestyle, Diet May Help Stave Off Alzheimer’s

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Several Alzheimer’s drugs may be approved in a few years, but research suggests some simple lifestyle changes now may also help ward off the disease, suggest several studies reported at the Alzheimer’s Association’s recent International Conference.

Hypothermia May Protect the Brain, Researchers Report

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Hypothermia—a sometimes dramatic lowering of body temperature that can be deadly—has become something of a boon for scientists seeking better ways to curb brain damage after cardiac arrest and brain injury.

Neurons Caught in the Act of Remembering

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

For the first time, researchers have recorded the spontaneous activation of neurons specific for certain memories in human subjects as they are about to experience those memories.

Treadmill Exercise Improves Walking, Rewires Brains of Stroke Survivors—Even Years Later

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Treadmill exercise not only improves the mobility and health of people who have had strokes but also seems to “rewire” the brain—even years after the damage—according to a new study.

The "Search" for God

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Sophisticated neuroimaging techniques allow scientists to delve into how the brain makes mystical experience possible and what happens to the brain during a religious episode.

Gene Linked to Childhood Nerve Cancer

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A mutation in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene can cause a rare inherited form of the childhood nerve cancer neuroblastoma, according to a new study. Abnormal ALK also seems to play a significant role in the more common form of the disease, paving the way for new screening methods and treatments, report researchers in an article in the August 24 edition of Nature.

Statins and Reduced Dementia: A Doubtful Connection

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A new observational study has drawn wide media coverage for its suggestion that the taking of cholesterol-lowering statins may help to prevent Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related conditions. Previous observational studies also have associated statin use with an apparent reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Transgenic ‘Huntington’s Monkeys’ Offer New Venue for Neurodegenerative Disease Research

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists at the Yerkes National Primate Center in Atlanta have reported the development of genetically engineered monkeys that carry the mutant gene for Huntington’s disease. The work represents a major development in preclinical research, especially as applied to neurodegenerative diseases—for which transgenic monkeys should make much more accurate models than transgenic mice.

Flipping the Addiction Switch

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The long-term use of psychostimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine leaves deep marks on the brain, with associated chronic symptoms that can range from anxiety and impaired memory to intense drug cravings. Some researchers have described this addiction process as the flipping of a neurochemical “switch,” in which repeated drug use forces key synapses in the brain to undergo a more or less permanent change from one state to another.

The Yin and Yang of Pain and Pleasure

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers in the emerging scientific field of hedonics are finding that the neural pathways for both pain and pleasure have much in common.

Reading the Visual Mind

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Determining how the brain takes raw input from the optic nerves and generates the experience of seeing things amounts to the reverse-engineering of a mechanism that has evolved over hundreds of millions of years.

Neuroscience and Music Conference Explores Benefits, History of the Art

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Music training improves cognitive functions such as spatial perception and memory and may be useful in rehabilitating people suffering from neurological damage, new research reveals.

Alzheimer’s Conference Offers Cautious Hope for New Treatments

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Despite some high-profile setbacks, promising results from preliminary clinical trials have left Alzheimer’s researchers optimistic about new treatments down the road.

Computational Models Reveal New Insights in Neuroscience

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

To help sort through vast amounts of data and broach disciplinary boundaries, neurologists are increasingly turning to simulated neural networks, which have already helped to map the inner wiring of the brain and unravel how it processes language.

ALS Researchers Focus on Mystery Protein TDP-43

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The race is on to create mice with mutant genes for TDP-43, a protein some researchers suspect abnormally clumps in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a fashion similar to amyloid clusters in Alzheimer’s.

New PET-Scan Probe Could Enable Better Monitoring of Immune Responses

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A modified chemotherapy drug is allowing scientists to focus their positron emission tomography scans more precisely on immune cells - a potential boon to understanding certain cancers and autoimmune disorders.

Risk, Uncertainty and Ambiguity in the Brain

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Pavlov’s dogs, hearing a bell just before mealtime, learned to associate it with food so strongly that the mere sound of it would make them salivate. But what if the food had followed the bell only half of the time? Outcomes in the real world often involve such risks and ambiguities, and in the past few years neuroscientists have begun to find out how the brain tracks them.

Dana Press Blog

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Dana Press Blog Many voices, one message 2008 07 22 I felt a flurry of warm fuzzies at the sight of all the Dana Press and Dana

Recently Discovered Brain-Cell Receptor Begins To Yield Its Mysteries

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Abnormalities among a trio of receptors on chromosome 7 affect brain size and behavior—and appear to be associated with a higher risk of schizophrenia, according to new research.

Dana Press Blog

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Dana Press Blog Working to rewire broken spines 2008 07 16 Though he works now in research and basic science, former clinician James Fawcett can’t stop thinking

Where You Fit In

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Separate groups of researchers report using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to map the parts of the brain involved in processing social rewards such as increases in reputation or status. Their results suggest that the human brain is highly sensitive to cues about social hierarchies and treats social rewards in a manner similar to monetary rewards.

Dana Press Blog

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Dana Press Blog Switching fear off—and on again The common term “extinction” may be the wrong word for what happens when we overcome our learned fears,

Dana Press Blog

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Dana Press Blog Artful neuroscience 2008 07 14 Here at FENS 2008, the Forum of European Neuroscience meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, this week, we’ve been treated to the

Study Suggests Serotonin Plays a Role in SIDS

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A new report that dysfunctional neurons in the serotonin system of mice causes most of them to die has created a stir among researchers into sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. The team of researchers who conducted the study reports that defective serotonin neurons periodically depressed the heart rate and temperature in the mice in a way reminiscent of findings in babies who died of SIDS. In many of those infants, doctors have found problems with neurons that produce serotonin, a neurotransmitter vital to respiration, heart rate, temperature regulation and other autonomic (normally unconscious) functions.

Dysfunctional Brain-Cell Protein Could Underlie Multiple Psychiatric Disorders

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers have proposed that abnormalities in a nervous-system protein known as DISC1 might be a cause of many cases of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.

Genetic Study Gives New Insight into Schizophrenia

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A recent study by researchers at the University of Washington and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories suggests that random errors in the genome, many of them targeting glutamate pathways, may contribute to schizophrenia. The results have potential implications for how scientists should study the neurobiological effects behind the disorder as well as how they approach the design of new drug and other interventions.

Another Alzheimer’s Drug Fails in Large-Scale Trials

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Flurizan, a drug that reduced the production of apparently harmful amyloid in laboratory and animal experiments, has failed to show a significant benefit in a large-scale, “Phase III” trial in about 1,700 people with Alzheimer’s disease. Its maker, Myriad Pharmaceuticals of Salt Lake City, indicated that it would discontinue development of the drug.

The Fledgling Science of Consciousness

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Interview: Christof Koch is the Troendle Professor of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology at the California Institute of Technology, where he manages a large neurobiology and engineering laboratory known as the “klab.” A leading proponent of the idea that consciousness—subjective experience—is a neuroscientific problem, not merely a metaphysical one, Koch has been conducting research in this area for two decades.

Advil for Alzheimer’s?

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Recent observational studies have kept alive the hypothesis that the long-term use of ibuprofen and related anti-inflammatory drugs could delay or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. But it is unlikely that they will ever be formally sanctioned as Alzheimer’s preventives, and despite two decades of research no one really knows how—or even if—they work against the disease.

Early Results of Alzheimer’s Passive Vaccine Trial Mixed

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The drug companies Elan and Wyeth, in a news release June 17, provided a summary of results from an early, “Phase 2” clinical trial of their jointly developed passive vaccine, composed of a monoclonal antibody known as bapineuzumab.

In Cancer Battles, New Drugs Bulk Up Immune System

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

James P. Allison has spent much of his career making a case for moving immunologists into the mainstream of cancer therapy. Now drugs that goose the immune system to build defenses against cancers are in promising human trials.

Calmed by Cannabinoids

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Marijuana’s side-effects, from memory-impairment to apparent addiction, have kept it on the wrong side of the law for decades. But drugs that lack those side-effects, while mimicking marijuana’s favorable effects on the brain, have attracted the attention of major pharmaceutical companies and are now nearing clinical trials.

Pesticides Linked to Parkinson’s in New Study

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Another large study has confirmed that people with Parkinson’s disease are significantly more likely to report a history of pesticide exposure than are people who do not have the disease.

D.C.-Area Brain Bee Winner Triumphs at International Competition

Fri, 30 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Elena Perry, a sophomore at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Md., began displaying her neuroscience knowhow at the Washington, D.C.-area Brain Bee in February, where she bested 19 students and won $250 and a trip to the National Brain Bee. On May 26, she won the international prize.

Dana Alliance Neuroscientists Awarded Inaugural Kavli Prize

Thu, 29 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Three Dana Alliance members have been awarded the first Kavli Prize in Neuroscience. Thomas M. Jessell of Columbia University and Pasko Rakic of Yale University, both members of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, and European Dana Alliance for the Brain member Sten Grillner of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden were cited for their pioneering work in the areas of nanoscience, neuroscience and astrophysics.

Gliomas: The Latest Research

Thu, 29 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Although the prognosis of patients with malignant glioma and other brain cancers has improved during the past decade, therapies currently under development are likely to improve the treatment of this devastating disease. The pre-clinical and clinical studies outlined here are highly promising.

“Go/NoGo” Task Reveals Brain Anomalies in Children with ADHD

Tue, 27 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore have found that children with ADHD show different patterns of brain activity when they try to inhibit their movements than do typically developing children.

Natural Neuroprotection

Fri, 23 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Differences in diet and behavior that are good for us in other ways also turn out to be associated with big changes in risk for developing serious brain diseases.

Learning, Arts, and the Brain

Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Learning, Arts, and the Brain: A conversation with Michael S. Gazzaniga on the release of a series of 3-year studies he spearheaded on art's effects on cognistion

Senator’s Brain Tumor May Be Difficult to Treat

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Senator’s Brain Tumor May Be Difficult to Treat 2008-05-21 Related Links: The DANA Guide to Brain Health: Brain Tumors Sen. Ted Kennedy has a malignant brain tumor known as glioma, according to a diagnosis made Tuesday by doctors at Massachusett

Mouse Models: Handle with Care

Mon, 19 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

For more than a decade, one of the most important tools for researching amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been the so-called SOD1 mouse. But after follow-on research did not confirm earlier findings, faith in the SOD1 mouse has been seriously weakened.

Therapeutic Cloning Approach Not Ready for Parkinson’s

Wed, 14 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

For a number of reasons, therapeutic cloning techniques are unlikely to be very useful in treating Parkinson’s disease.

Experimental Scanning Technique Produces Higher-resolution Images

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Two groups of researchers have reported proof-of-principle demonstrations of a new, high-resolution imaging technology that uses infrared lasers to harmlessly penetrate the skin and illuminate special nanoparticle “beacons” inside the body. Scanning

Neurons in the Outfield

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EDT

There’s a lot going on in the brains of focused players, said the two scientists on a panel with famed ballplayer Bobby Thomson on April 24, 2008.

The Physiology of Sleep

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EDT

But some recent studies examining its neurobiological mechanisms have led to new hypotheses about sleep.

Testosterone–The Next Blockbuster Anti-depressant?

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Testosterone:Researchers suggests hormone replacement might help raise mood in some men.

The Extended Reach: How the Brain Codes for Tool Use

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EDT

From tying shoelaces to turning screwdrivers to clacking away at laptops, we humans would be lost without our tools. What is it about our brains that gives us this facility?

Where in the Brain is Intelligence?

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Where in the brain is intelligence?From autopsies of famous Russians to a new model based on imaging studies, scientists keep looking.

Neuromarketers: The New Influence-peddlers?

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The Nielsen Company, an advertising services conglomerate that provides the famous “Nielsen ratings,” recently announced that it is getting into the controversial new field of “neuromarketing.”

DNA, Drugs and Depression

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The goal of “pharmacogenomics,” or the science of using genetic information to predict drug response—is not so far-fetched. A series of recent discoveries has nudged researchers closer to that goal, including a new report identifying a genetic variation that predicts response to many antidepressants.

This is Your Brain on Drugs 2008

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

“Addiction is a brain disease expressed as compulsive behavior,” said psychologist Alan Leshner during a lecture on the science of addiction on March 4 at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Mismodeling the Social Self in Autism

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

According to a recent brain-imaging study at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, the social troubles seen in autism might be caused, at least in part, by a person’s failure to make a proper mental model of the self in a social environment.

NBC coverage of Arts and Cognition report draws comment

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Teachers and parents are logging in to discuss NBC News correspondent Robert Bazell’s video report on the connection between the arts and other forms of learning. The news report, based on the findings of the Dana Arts and Cognition Consortium, focused on the work of one of its seven research leaders, Harvard psychologist Elizabeth Spelke.

New Vaccine Against Alzheimer’s Shows Promise in Monkeys

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A vaccine developed by a Harvard researcher appears to have partly reversed Alzheimer’s-like signs, including cognitive impairments, in aged vervet monkeys in a nine-month trial.

Research Consortium Finds New Evidence Linking Arts and Learning

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Research Consortium Finds New Evidence Linking Arts and Learning 2008-03-04 Washington, D.C. Learning, Arts and the Brain online version of full report Learning, Arts and the Brain full PDF (2 MB) Webcast of panel discussing the results of the report

What's Sleep Good For, Anyway?

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A recent trial in monkeys suggests that at least one major side effect of sleep loss can be reversed with a drug based on a naturally occurring hormone in the brain.

Gene Therapies for Chronic Pain Near Clinical Trials

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Gene therapies are slowly making their way towards the clinic, and one of the first major applications of the technique could be the treatment of chronic pain.

Teens Go Head to Head at New York City Regional Brain Bee

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Teens Go Head to Head at New York City Regional Brain Bee 2008 02 13 Tension was high at The Rockefeller University. Four competitors remained in

Rethinking Dopamine's Role in Parkinson's Disease

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

It is widely agreed that the disorder, which kills certain dopamine-producing cells, can result from an imbalance between toxic and protective mechanisms within those cells. Some researchers continue to focus on dopamine itself as a possible factor in triggering this fatal imbalance.

A Meeting of the Mind

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Twenty students from 12 high schools in Maryland and the District of Columbia participated in the local Brain Bee. The bee heralds the coming of Brain Awareness Week, an international campaign to increase public awareness about the progress and benefits of brain research.

Rare Epilepsy Shines New Light on Glucose and the Brain

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers in Spain studying a rare form of epilepsy have discovered that the metabolic mechanisms that could give neurons energy may also play a role in neurodegenerative diseases.

End of the Line for Statins and Alzheimer's?

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A drumbeat of bad news hurts prospects for cholesterol lowering drugs to show promise against Alzheimer's disease.

Autism Linked to New Kind of Genetic Defect

Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EDT

New research suggests errors in processing, not mutations on parent's genes, may offer more clues to what causes autism.

Therapy Restores Field of Vision

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists suggest that the brain’s neuroplasticity, or ability to rewire itself after injury to compensate for functional losses, is behind visual-restoration therapy's success.

Deep Brain Stimulation Causes Curious Side Effect

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

While some people with Parkinson's disease have obtained great relief by using deep brain stimulation (DBS), a few also grow more impulsive, as though they have lost the ability to stop and consider their options before making a decision. Researchers at the University of Arizona have devised an experiment that may shed some light on how DBS interferes with what they call the brain’s “hold-your-horses” signal.

Rethinking AIDS Prevention

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

The recent failure of what had been seen as the most promising HIV vaccine in clinical development has forced experts and other leaders to rethink AIDS prevention efforts at a time when the HIV epidemic continues to rage in the United States and worldwide.

The Golden Rule: Q&A with Donald Pfaff

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Donald Pfaff, Ph.D., is head of the Laboratory of Neurobiology and Behavior at Rockefeller University and the author of many scientific articles and books. But his new book, The Neuroscience of Fair Play: Why We (Usually) Follow the Golden Rule, is written for the general reader.

Autism and Motor Skills: A Matter of White Matter?

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Children with autism have difficulty with motor tasks, such as tying their shoes, riding a bike, or playing baseball. New research suggests that differences in the white matter of the brain may explain why.

Potholes in road to vaccine against HIV

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Despite two decades of trying, the development of a vaccine against HIV remains an elusive goal.

Symposium challenges Americans to reappraise their value of art

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Education in the arts may or may not lead to higher math scores, but the skills it does foster are just as necessary, say symposium panelists.

Experts, Dalai Lama Discuss Meditation for Depression

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Depression was the focus of the latest in a series of conversations between Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, and neuroscientists. During a daylong conference on Oct. 20, 2007, at Emory University in Atlanta, researchers described depression's effect on the body and its persistence throughout life. They also presented findings that suggest that some forms of meditation may offer protection from or treatment of the illness.

Scientists Point to Brain Region of 'Free Won't'

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

The capacity for free will is said to reside in the brain’s frontal lobes, which enable us to decide what actions we will take. Now researchers have discovered a spot in the frontal lobes that could be called the home of our “free won’t.”

Researchers find measure of 'radiation brain'

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Radiation is sometimes the only viable therapy for people diagnosed with cancers of the brain and nervous system. In some cancer treatment centers, stereotactic radiosurgery using highly focused radiation beams has replaced surgery as the standard form of treatment. But even when radiation does as intended and removes the cancer, it sometimes introduces new problems.

Brain Science Enters the Courtroom

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Michael Gazzaniga, a neuroscientist known for bringing hard science into the realm of law and ethics, posed sweeping philosophical questions in a lecture titled “Brains, Minds and Social Process.” Gazzaniga gave the lecture at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C.

Study Offers Images of Pain’s Effect on the Brain

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

A team of researchers in Germany have identified which regions of the brain allow pain to affect cognitive thought, work that furthers the understanding of the interactions that take place in the brain.

Sen. Pete Domenici to Step Down

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici, a longtime advocate for brain research and mental health, planned to announce on Thursday that he would retire from the U.S. Senate after 35 years, citing health issues including early dementia.

Brain May Play Part in Obesity and Diabetes

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Recent research has revealed that certain neurons in the brain become "excited" by glucose, but it has been unclear how or why the action of those glucose-sensing neurons is significant. New evidence from an international team of researchers shows that a gene active in those neurons interacts with fat and glucose in ways that suggest a brain link in disorders such as diabetes and obesity.

Seeking Answers to Face Blindness

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Visual processing demonstrates the brain’s ability to integrate data from various regions into conscious perceptions. A stroke, a tumor or other form of brain damage can disrupt this integration and produce all sorts of deficits, including an inability to recognize faces.

Sturdier Brain Networks May Help Children Resist Peer Pressure

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Children who have a greater ability to resist peer pressure also have stronger connections among regions in their frontal lobes and other brain areas, according to a study conducted by Tomáš Paus at the University of Nottingham in England.

Immunologist Awarded Lasker Prize

Sun, 16 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Immunologist Awarded Lasker Prize Ralph Steinman teased out cells that direct immune system's performance 2007-09-16 More Information Description of dendritic cells (with video of cells at bottom of page) Ralph Steinman, The Rockefeller University Vide

NFL Player’s Case Highlights Advancements in Neurologic Repair

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett talks with the press after the team's initial minicamp for the 2005 season at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park, New York on April 29. (Photo by Mark Konezny/NFL/Getty Images) More information: The Miami Project to Cure Par

Discovering the “Face” of Memory

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

For more than a century, great minds in psychology, medicine and philosophy have searched for the stuff of which memories are made. Earlier this year, an interdisciplinary research team led by Gary Lynch, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the University of California, Irvine, may have discovered physical evidence of the neurobiological basis of a memory.

Mapping the danger of Parkinson's

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By expanding their search from single genes to clusters of interacting genes, researchers at the Mayo Clinic have created a model that appears to give highly accurate predictions of who will develop Parkinson’s disease and at what age. Their method may translate to the study of other complex diseases as well.

Depression: A Failure to Regulate?

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

When coping with negative images, people with clinical depression show different—and sometimes opposite—activity in some brain circuits that regulate emotion than people without the illness, according to a new study. And the harder they consciously try to quell their negative emotional responses, the less successful they appear to be.

Setting Up the Conversation

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

University of Calgary philosophy professor Walter Glannon has collected and shaped many of the seminal papers in the growing field of neuroethics into a logical, readable primer for the public and policymakers. This is a question-and-answer with the editor.

His Illness Has Become His Cause

Mon, 13 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Biotech entrepreneur Avi Kremer, who has ALS, wins accolades for the work of his nonprofit research organization seeking a cure for the progressive disease.

Ovarian Cancer Vaccine Test Shows Promise and Limitations of Immunotherapy

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Results of an early clinical trial for an investigational ovarian cancer vaccine illustrate both the promise and the limitations of immunotherapy approaches to treating cancer.

Man in Coma Improves Following Brain Stimulation

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Six years after being kicked in the head repeatedly during a mugging that left him unable to walk, talk, feed himself or respond to people, a 38-year-old man has improved with the help of electrodes implanted deep in his brain.

Seizures Such as Roberts’ Can Have Many Causes

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Often, the cause of a seizure is visible on a magnetic resonance imaging scan, but sometimes, as in the case of Chief Justice John G. Roberts, the source of the irritation remains unknown. Because this is his second seizure, doctors are likely to look more aggressively for its cause.

Vaccine Research Represents Shift in Battle Against TB

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

While scientists and drug-makers work to bring new antibacterial treatments to the market in response to the emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis, some researchers are trying another approach: a vaccine.

Researchers reveal new drug possibilities in the battle against tuberculosis

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Using x-ray crystallography, researchers in Switzerland have defined the atomic structure of an important connection in the development of tuberculosis infection for the first time. With such an atomic blueprint, drug makers may have a new target for one of the world's deadliest diseases.

New Treatments for Alzheimer's Showing Promise

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers reported progress on several potential drug therapies for people with Alzheimer's disease during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Prevention of Dementia in Washington, D.C., this week.

To Keep Your Smarts, Exercise More than Just Your Brain

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

To Keep Your Smarts, Exercise More than Just Your Brain 2007 06 05 Why do some people, as they age, “keep their smarts”—that is, they maintain

Culture May Make an Impression

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

A lifetime of paying attention to the background may have trained some senior citizens to tamp down part of their brain’s ability to see the foreground, suggest researchers in Illinois and Singapore.

Lesson for Educators: Practice What You Teach

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Nicky Pentilla story on transforming arts teaching for the June 2007 issue of Arts Education in the News.

Transforming Arts Teaching

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Sidebar to accompany Nicky Pentilla story, "Lesson for Educators: Practice What You Teach" in the June 2007 issue of Arts Education in the News.

Waldmann Receives Human Immunology Research Award

Wed, 30 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Thomas Waldmann, a clinical immunologist at the National Cancer Institute, is the 2007 recipient of the American Association of Immunologists-Dana Foundation Award in Human Immunology Research. The award recognizes excellence in 'translational' research.

‘Digital Natives’ Risk Missing Out on Human Connections

Wed, 23 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

With the seduction all of that technology offers, what can invite and inspire today’s youth to live in the real world?

Babies are Forgetful

Mon, 14 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

The fact that we remember nearly nothing from our infancy and early childhood does not mean we created no memories then. It’s just that we forgot.

Imaging Provides Insight, Leaves Room for More

Fri, 11 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Imaging Provides Insight, Leaves Room for More 2007 05 11 “B uild a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door.”

Seeking the cause of deadly inflammation

Thu, 03 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

For neurosurgeon and immunologist Kevin Tracey, now director and chief executive of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the case of baby Janice, scalded by hot water just before her first birthday, was one of the ones a doctor never forgets. In his book Fatal Sequence: The Killer Within, he recounts her medical story to explain the spiral of sepsis, an immune system over-response to infection, and how a body getting the best of care—and recovering—can suddenly and fatally veer off track.

Web Welcome

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Web Welcome A Message from Foundation Chairman William Safire 2007 04 23 Here is the new online home of the Dana Foundation, a philanthropy active in advancing

Andreasen on Vonnegut: A Model of Creative Genius

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscientist Nancy C. Andreasen discusses the genius of her longtime friend, the late Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

Researchers Explore Possible Immune Role in Autism

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EDT

"Is an immune abnormality causing autism, is autism causing immune abnormalities, or is something else causing both?" was the question of the day at a recent workshop at the California Institute of Technology.

Working Well Into the Sunset

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Old dogs can indeed learn new tricks, so don’t be so quick to write off your older workers, say a panel of workplace and neuroscience experts.

For the Arts, a ‘Lost Generation’

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Media coverage isn’t the only answer to revitalizing arts in the schools, but it offers potent means to help ensure that the generation in school today will become, for the arts, “the found generation.”

Quantity Can Turn Immune System From Friend To Enemy

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Dr. Ralph Steinman commentary from the March 2007 issue of Immunology in the News. Ralph Steinman, M.D., is professor and senior physician at The Rockefeller Institute in New York City. He serves as scientific consultant for the Dana Foundation and scientific advisor for Immunology in the News.

Brain Health Editors Aim for Accessibility

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Brain Health editors aim for accessibility Paperback, CD ROM of Dana Guide a reference for the rest of us 2007 01 22 Does aging always mean

Youth in Danger: Art Appeals to Life

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

In recent years, while arts organizations have asked how the arts can increase the well-being of young people in distressed circumstances, a growing number of health organizations have come at the question from the other direction.

Cranial Calisthenics?

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Cranial Calisthenics? Specialized brain workouts raise skepticism among scientists 2007 01 11 The common desire to stay mentally sharp, particularly in life’s later years, is giving rise

Senator’s Emergency Surgery Highlights Rare Brain Affliction

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EDT

The brain emergency that recently felled U.S. Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., was due to a congenital arteriovenous malformation (AVM). AVM is “a tangle of blood vessels in your brain,” said Dr. E. Sander Connolly, one of two vascular surgeons at Columbia University Medical Center who specialize in surgery involving AVMs.

At Ease With One’s ‘Living Zoo’

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

At Ease With One’s ‘Living Zoo’ Q& A with 'Resistance' author Norbert Gualde 2006 11 14 French immunologist Norbert Gualde, M.D., is most interested in the how

Ready or Not

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 09:00:00 EDT

In his latest book, “Mind Wars: Brain Research and National Defense,” bioethicist Jonathan Moreno describes the range of brain-related research U.S. military agencies such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are paying for.

Teaching the body to fight cancer

Fri, 29 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Immunology is emerging as the "fourth weapon" in the medical fight against cancer, joining surgery, radiation and chemotherapy in the physician's arsenal, leading experts say.

New Goalpost for Awareness?

Fri, 08 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Recent news that a United Kingdom woman considered to be in a vegetative state showed specific, apparently responsive, brain activity adds to the debate over when awareness ends.

A Remarkable Patient’s Recovery

Mon, 03 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Luckily, Terry Wallis eventually became more than an amazing story for our research group: he became our study patient, and he has educated us along the way.