Brain and mind news and Brain Teasers

High Dopamine Transporter Levels Not Correlated With ADHD - Results from a brain-imaging study conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory in collaboration with Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York indicate that levels of a brain protein proposed as a diagnostic marker for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ... January 1, 2007

New Imaging Technique Identifies People At Risk For Alzheimer's Disease - UCLA researchers used innovative brain scan technology to show that the abnormal brain protein deposits that define Alzheimer's disease can be detected in mild cognitive impairment ... December 31, 2006

New Neurons Could Act To Alleviate Epilepsy - The new neurons generated as a result of neural damage due to epilepsy show a reduced excitability that could alleviate the disorder, researchers have found. December 30, 2006

Complexity Constrains Evolution Of Human Brain Genes - Despite the explosive growth in size and complexity of the human brain, the pace of evolutionary change among the thousands of genes expressed in brain tissue has actually slowed since the split, millions of years ago, between human and chimpanzee. December 29, 2006

Structure Essential For Brain Remodeling Identified - During learning and memory formation, the brain builds or remodels tiny structures on the surface of its nerve cells to store the new information. December 28, 2006

Study Offers Window Into Human Behavior, Brain Disease - UCSF scientists have identified a cell population that is a primary target of the degenerative brain disease known as frontotemporal dementia, which is as common as Alzheimer's disease in patients who develop dementia before age 65. December 27, 2006

When We Taste Something We Like What's Going On In The Brain? - We all have tastes we love, and tastes we hate. And yet, our "taste" for certain flavors and foods can change over time, as we get older or we get tired of eating the same old thing. December 23, 2006

Testosterone Therapy May Prevent Alzheimer's Disease - Researchers at the University of Southern California have discovered a direct link between loss of testosterone and the development of an Alzheimer's-like disease in mice. December 22, 2006

Reading Shakespeare Has Dramatic Effect On Human Brain - Research at the University of Liverpool has found that Shakespearean language excites positive brain activity, adding further drama to the bard's plays and poetry. December 21, 2006

Memory Experts Show Sleeping Rats May Have Visual Dreams - Matthew A. Wilson, professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, and postdoctoral associate Daoyun Ji looked at what happens in rats' brains when they dream about the mazes they ran while they were awake. December 20, 2006

Trying To Control Pain Can Be A Double-edged Sword - Scientists have shown for the first time why a feeling of control helps us reduce pain. December 19, 2006

Changes In Brain Density Can Help Predict Schizophrenia - Changes in brain density could be used to predict whether an individual who is at risk for schizophrenia is likely to develop the condition or not. December 18, 2006

Receptor Knockout Yields An Adventurous Mouse - Mice altered to lack a particular type of receptor in the brain's executive hub are more prone to go where normal mice fear to tread, NIMH funded scientists have discovered. December 17, 2006

Neural Stem Cells Lend The Brain A Surprising Capacity For Self-repair - The brain contains stem cells with a surprising capacity for repair, researchers report in the December 15 issue of the journal Cell, published by Cell Press. December 16, 2006

Snail's Brain Provides Insights Into Human Learning - Scientists at the University of Leicester are to gain a greater insight into the workings of the human mind - through the study of a snail's brain. December 15, 2006

Obesity Linked with Mood And Anxiety Disorders - Results of an NIMH-funded study show that nearly one out of four cases of obesity is associated with a mood or anxiety disorder, but the causal relationship and complex interplay between the two is still unclear. December 14, 2006

Transplanted Brain Cells Hold Promise For Parkinson's Disease - Transplanted neural stem cells hold promise for reducing the destruction of dopaminergic cells that occurs in Parkinson’s disease and for replacing cells lost to the disease, scientists say. December 13, 2006

Invasive Brain Cells Killed By New Cancer-Fighting Virus - Researchers funded by The Terry Fox Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society have found that a cancer-fighting virus called VSV kills the most malignant form of brain cancer in mice. December 12, 2006

Why People 'Never Forget A Face' - Are you one of those people who never forgets a face? New research from Vanderbilt University suggests that we can remember more faces than other objects and that faces "stick" the best in our short-term memory. December 11, 2006

Brain Wave Changes In Adolescence Signal Reorganization Of The Brain - Brain wave changes in adolescence are related to age, not sexual maturation, and may be associated with one of the brain's major reorganization projects: synaptic pruning, a new study finds. December 10, 2006

Cats Can Succumb To Feline Alzheimer's Disease, Study Shows - Aging cats can develop a feline form of Alzheimer's disease, a new study reveals. December 9, 2006

First-time Mothers At Increased Risk For Postpartum Mental Disorders - New mothers are at an increased risk for mental disorders such as schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder in the 3 months following the birth of their first child. December 8, 2006

Learning During Sleep? - If I can’t remember this morning where I put my car keys last night, it’s due to my memory failing me again. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, Germany, have been investigating how memories might be consolidated. December 7, 2006

Link Between Huntington's And Abnormal Cholesterol Levels Discovered In Brain - Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a protein interaction that may explain how the deadly Huntington's disease affects the brain. December 6, 2006

Depression Symptoms Less Likely In Kids With Accurate Self-perceptions - Children who can accurately assess how their classmates feel about them - even if those feelings are negative - are less likely to show symptoms of depression, according to Florida State University researchers. December 5, 2006

New Depression Model Advances Disease Frontiers - A new study released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Heath (CAMH) provides a thorough explanation of how the “chemical imbalance”occurs in major depression, a disease that impacts approximately 5% of people globally. December 4, 2006

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Linked To Brain Abnormality - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) could be caused by abnormalities of nerve cells in the medulla oblongata, the lowest part of the brainstem, say scientists from the Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, USA. December 3, 2006

Chemotherapy Temporarily Affects The Structures Of The Human Brain - Researchers have linked chemotherapy with short-term structural changes in cognitive areas of the brain, according to a new study. December 2, 2006

Proteins Anchor Memories In Our Brain - A University of Utah study suggests that memories are held in our brains because certain proteins serve as anchors, holding other proteins in place to strengthen synapses, which are connections between nerve cells. December 1, 2006

Higher Level Of Certain Fatty Acid Associated With Lower Dementia Risk - Individuals who have higher levels of a fatty acid known as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in their blood may have a significantly lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. November 30, 2006

Parkinson's Mutation Stunts Neurons - Mutations in a key brain protein known to underlie a form of Parkinson's disease (PD) wreaks its damage by stunting the normal growth and branching of neurons, researchers have found. November 29, 2006

Blame Myelin For Many Neuropsychiatric Disorders - What makes the human brain unique? Of the many explanations that can be offered, one that doesn't come readily to mind is - myelin. November 28, 2006

New Depression Model Advances Disease Frontiers - For over 30 years, scientists believed that monoamines - chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine - are low in the brain during major depressive episodes. However, no one had ever found a convincing explanation for monoamine loss. November 27, 2006

UWM Brain Research Supports Drug Development From Jellyfish Protein - With the research support from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, a Wisconsin biotech company has found that a compound from a protein found in jellyfish is neuro-protective and may be effective in treating neurodegenerative diseases. November 26, 2006

New Treatment Strategy For The Prevention Of Recurrent Depression - Some patients who experience recurrent depression may benefit from long-term maintenance treatment with anti-depressant medication, according to a new study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University researcher. November 25, 2006

Electronic Chip, Interacting With The Brain, Modifies Pathways For Controlling Movement - Researchers are working on an implantable electronic chip that may help establish new nerve connections in the part of the brain that controls movement. November 24, 2006

Touch Tracking Bypasses Mind Control - For people unable to simultaneously rub their stomach while patting their head, a new twist may be at hand. November 23, 2006

Newly Identified Biomarker Detects And Regulates Spread Of Brain Tumors - Researchers at Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute have identified a novel biomarker for brain tumors and have uncovered a potential role the marker may play when the tumor spreads or comes back after treatment. November 22, 2006

New Findings May Lead To Treatment For Anxiety In Rett Syndrome - The classic form of Rett Syndrome (RTT) shows us a child who is the picture of anxiety: she wrings her hands, hyperventilates, trembles. November 21, 2006

Identification Of A Key Gene Required For Brain Neural Circuit Formation - An international team of scientists, lead by Dr. Frederic Charron at the IRCM, and Drs Ami Okada, Sue McConnell, and Marc Tessier-Lavigne in the USA, have made a discovery which could help treat spinal cord injuries and neurodegenerative diseases. November 20, 2006

Research Challenges Theory Of Memory Storage - Daily events are minted into memories in the hippocampus, one of the oldest parts of the brain. November 19, 2006

Brain, Behavior May Have Changed As Social Insect Colonies Evolved - A new study suggests that brain and behavior relationships may have changed in a profound way as larger, more complex insect societies evolved from smaller, simpler ones. November 18, 2006

Erotic Images Prove Useful In Coaxing Out Unconscious Brain Activity - When your eyes are presented with erotic images in a way that keeps you from becoming aware of them, your brain can still detect and respond to the images according to your gender and sexual orientation. November 17, 2006

New Brain-chemistry Differences Found In Depressed Women - A new brain study finds major differences between women with serious depression and healthy women in a brain-chemical system that's crucial to stress and emotions. November 16, 2006

Computer With Brain Connections Changing Quality Of Life Of Paralyzed - Fundamental theories regarding consciousness, emotion and quality of life in sufferers of paralysis from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are being challenged based on new research on brain-computer interaction. November 15, 2006

Anxiety Sensitivity Linked To Future Psychological Disorders - People who get scared when they experience a pounding heart, sweaty palms or dizziness - even if the cause is something as mundane as stress, exercise or caffeine - are more likely to develop a clinical case of anxiety or panic disorder. November 14, 2006

Mysterious 'Neural Noise' Actually Primes Brain For Peak Performance - Researchers at the University of Rochester may have answered one of neuroscience's most vexing questions - how can it be that our neurons, which are responsible for our crystal-clear thoughts, seem to fire in utterly random ways? November 13, 2006

Elevated Testosterone Kills Brain Cells - A Yale School of Medicine study shows for the first time that a high level of testosterone, such as that caused by the use of steroids to increase muscle mass or for replacement therapy, can lead to a catastrophic loss of brain cells. November 12, 2006

New Brain-chemistry Differences Found In Depressed Women - A new brain study finds major differences between women with serious depression and healthy women in a brain-chemical system that's crucial to stress and emotions. November 11, 2006

Women With Mental Disorders Less Likely To Have Mammograms - Women with mental disorders are less likely to have screening mammograms than women without mental illness, although the nature of the mental illness does play a role. November 10, 2006

Leptin Has Powerful Effect On Reward Center In The Brain - Leptin, a hormone critical for normal food intake and metabolism, exerts a strong effect on appetite by acting in the mid-brain region as well as in the hypothalamus. November 9, 2006

Alcoholism May Cause Decreased Density Of Neurons In The Brain - Previous research has shown that alcoholism can cause damage to certain brain regions, including reduced metabolism, blood flow and tissue volume, as well as a reduced density of neurons and glial cells. November 8, 2006

Brain Cell Injury Linked With Amateur Boxing - A study of 14 Swedish amateur boxers suggests that they have higher levels of certain chemicals in their cerebrospinal fluid in the days following a bout, indicating injuries to neurons and other cells important to brain function. November 7, 2006

Dopamine Used To Prompt Nerve Tissue To Regrow - When Yadong Wang, a chemist by training, first ventured into nerve regeneration two years ago, he didn’t know that his peers would have considered him crazy. November 6, 2006

Emotional Control Circuit Of Brain's Fear Response Discovered - Colombia University Medical Center researchers have identified an emotional control circuit in the human brain which keeps emotionally intense stimuli from interfering with mental functioning. November 5, 2006

SIDS Infants Show Abnormalities In Brain Area Controlling Breathing, Heart Rate - Infants who die of sudden infant death syndrome have abnormalities in the brainstem, a part of the brain that helps control heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, temperature and arousal ... November 4, 2006

Dementia On The Rise In Aging Populations - Life expectancy continues to rise in most countries around the world, and in industrialized nations it is not uncommon for people to live well into their 90s. November 3, 2006

Women With Mental Disorders Less Likely To Have Mammograms - Women with mental disorders are less likely to have screening mammograms than women without mental illness, although the nature of the mental illness does play a role, according to a large study ... November 2, 2006

Remember This: Receptors Govern How Brain Cells Communicate - An hour from now, will you remember reading this? It all depends on proteins in your brain called NMDA receptors, which allow your neurons to communicate with each other. November 1, 2006

Heavy, Chronic Drinking Can Cause Significant Hippocampal Tissue Loss - The hippocampus is a brain structure vital to learning and memory. It also appears vulnerable to damage from chronic, heavy alcohol consumption. October 31, 2006

Moderate Drinking May Boost Memory, Study Suggests - In the long run, a drink or two a day may be good for the brain. October 30, 2006

Good Information? It's Not All About The Brain - An Indiana University neuroscientist and University of Tokyo roboticist have figured out a way to model the popularly accepted idea that it takes all types of sensory information to help us make sense of our environments. October 29, 2006

Study Links Emotions In Play And Memories - Having a child with bottled up emotions isn't a good thing. Psychologists from Case Western Reserve University have found that the range of emotions that children use in play can be used as an indicator of how ... October 28, 2006

New Imaging Technique Discovers Differences In Brains Of People With Autism - Using a new form of brain imaging known as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), researchers have discovered that the so-called white matter in the brains of people with autism has lower structural integrity than in the brains of normal individuals. October 27, 2006

Researchers Find 'Zip Code' Spurs Cargo Transport In Neurons - For the first time, researchers have identified a peptide that can spur cargo transport in nerve cells, a discovery that could help scientists better understand nerve cell function and test possible therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. October 26, 2006

Central Nervous System Viral Infection Can Lead To Memory Deficits - In one of the first known laboratory studies that explores memory deficits associated with a viral infection of the central nervous system, Mayo Clinic researchers have evidence that this infection can lead to memory loss late in life. October 25, 2006

How Brain Injury Leads To Seizures, Memory Problems - In a finding that may provide a scientific basis for eventual treatment, neurology researchers have shown that traumatic brain injury reduces the level of a protein that helps keep brain activity in balance. October 24, 2006

Ban The Sweets, Stop The Shakes - Scientists have found a way to suppress epileptic seizures in rats by inhibiting the animals' ability to break down sugars. October 23, 2006

Research Team Identifies Human 'Memory Gene' - Researchers at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have discovered a gene that plays a significant role in memory performance in humans. October 22, 2006

How Rett Syndrome Mutation Targets The Brain - Researchers have pinpointed why mutations that cause Rett Syndrome (RTT) - among the leading causes of mental retardation in females - specifically target the brain rather than other body tissues. October 21, 2006

Researchers Find A Neural Signature Of Bilingualism - Dartmouth researchers have found areas in the brain that indicate bilingualism. The finding sheds new light on decades of debate about how the human brain's language centers may ... October 20, 2006

Asleep At The Memory Wheel - Going a night without sleep may cause your hippocampus to go on strike. A new study has caught this crucial memory-encoding brain region slacking off in college students the day after they've pulled an all-nighter. October 19, 2006

Overweight Lowers Your Intelligence, Scientists Report - Obese is linked to a decline in a person's cognitive function, French scientists report. In other words they say being overweight lowers your intelligence. October 18, 2006

Brain Regions Do Not Communicate Efficiently In Adults With Autism - A novel look at the brains of adults with autism has provided new evidence that various brain regions of people with the developmental disorder may not communicate with each other as efficiently as they do in other people. October 17, 2006

Train Your Brain To Hear Your Friends At A Party - A major science prize was today awarded to a researcher who is looking for the region of the brain that helps us to hear someone in a noisy place, such as a party or bar, and is responsible for "training" the brain to hear better in these situations. October 16, 2006

Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease Reduced By Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine - A new study directed by Mount Sinai School of Medicine has found that moderate red wine consumption in a form of Cabernet Sauvignon may help reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). October 15, 2006

Strong Mental Link Between Actions And Words - Neuroscience is tackling a problem that obsessed Hamlet: What is the difference in our minds between talk and action? October 14, 2006

Internet Of Long-term Benefit For Depression - Mental health researchers at The Australian National University have found that brief Internet-based interventions for depression are not only immediately effective, but have a significant positive long-term benefit that may be as effective as active psychotherapies. October 13, 2006

Teenager Moves Video Icons Just By Imagination - Now, a St. Louis-area teenage boy and a computer game have gone hands-off, thanks to a unique experiment conducted by a team of neurosurgeons, neurologists, and engineers at Washington University in St. Louis. October 12, 2006

Human Brain Region Functions Like Digital Computer - A region of the human brain that scientists believe is critical to human intellectual abilities surprisingly functions much like a digital computer, according to psychology Professor Randall O'Reilly of the University of Colorado at Boulder. October 11, 2006

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