Master RSS Feed - Dana Foundation

Questions on the Value of ‘Off-the-Shelf’ Drugs for Alzheimer’s (News and Features)

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Bexarotene’s promising results in mice are not fully replicated; IVIG antibodies fail to impress in a phase 3 clinical trial.

Could Neurodoping Enhance Sporting Performance? (News and Features)

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.

For ALS, Clues in Different Directions (BrainWork)

Thu, 16 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Symptoms of the disease follow the deaths of motor neurons, but ALS’s ultimate cause may lie elsewhere.

Artificial Sight: Restoration of Sight through Use of Argus II, a Bioelectronic Retinal Implant (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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

Sound the Alarm: Fraud in Neuroscience (Cerebrum)

Thu, 02 May 2013 09:00:00 EDT

By all accounts, scientific misconduct over the last decade is on the rise, especially in the area of journal retractions. In neuroscience, our author—both a leading academic and an experienced neuroscience journal editor—believes the field is detecting “only the tip of the fraud iceberg.” His story addresses the nature, detection, and incentives for fraud, and suggests reforms.

When the Trip Never Ends (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Psychiatric Drug Development: Diagnosing a Crisis (Cerebrum)

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 09:00:00 EDT

When it comes to funding drug research to treat depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders, the global pharmaceutical industry prefers to invest its research dollars in cancer, metabolism, autoimmunity, and other disease areas. This comes despite the fact that one in five Americans currently take at least one psychiatric drug and that mental disorders are recognized worldwide. The author traces the evolution of psychiatric drug development, the reasons for its retreat, and what needs to change to meet the growing demand.

Brain Reacts Differently to Internal vs. External Threats (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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?

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Cerebrum)

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EDT

Are children from underserved communities doomed to fail? Paul Tough's new book, "How Children Succeed," examines whether character is more important than cognition and what is possible through ideas and innovation.

Epilepsy’s Big Fat Answer (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EDT

John M. Freeman, M.D., one of the nation’s leading advocates of the ketogenic diet, writes about the evolution of the diet and its struggle for acceptance for people suffering from epilepsy.

A Statin for Amyloid Beta? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Hit Parade (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EDT

A postmortem brain study provides new and troubling evidence about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a long-term degenerative and incurable brain disease caused by repeated hits to the head. An author of the study, Chris Nowinski, a former college football player and professional wrestler, writes about how a concussion put him on the path of dedicating his life to making others aware of the dangers of CTE and toward developing a treatment.

Meditation: No Longer Such a 'Black Box' (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Evolution of Risk-Taking (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EDT

Many animal species besides humans show evidence of individuality. Knowing how a risk-taker differs from its stay-at-home counterpart could not only help humans live more easily with our fellow creatures, says Lee Dugatkin of the University of Louisville, but also tell us a few things about ourselves and how we got this way.

Early Life Experience Can Change the Brain, For Good or Ill (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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?

Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis (Cerebrum)

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Physicians first noted the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) more than 160 years ago, yet it took clinicians until 2001 to codify a standard test to measure cognitive function. We now know that cognitive impairment occurs in up to 65 percent of people with MS and usually lessens their ability to remember previously learned information. So far, trials of drugs formulated to treat cognitive impairment have failed, but the authors remain optimistic that new approaches to diagnosis and drug development could lead to effective therapies in the future.

Ketamine May Help Extinguish Fearful Memories (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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?

The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual (Cerebrum)

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Today, more of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual than monolingual. In addition to facilitating cross-cultural communication, this trend also positively affects cognitive abilities. Researchers have shown that the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain, thanks to its developed ability to inhibit one language while using another. In addition, bilingualism has positive effects at both ends of the age spectrum: Bilingual children as young as seven months can better adjust to environmental changes, while bilingual seniors can experience less cognitive decline

Affiliative Experience Shows Unique Brain Signature (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Parasites and Us: Who is in Control? (BrainWork)

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Studies link the presence of Toxoplasma gondii in the brain to higher rates of suicide attempts, schizophrenia, and infection. How might it contribute to the many causes of these diseases?

How the Brain Learns from Mistakes (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Play, Stress, and the Learning Brain (Cerebrum)

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

In this article, adapted from Dr. Sam Wang and Dr. Sandra Aamodt’s book Welcome to Your Child’s Brain: How the Mind Grows from Conception to College (Bloomsbury USA, 2011; OneWorld Publications, 2011), the authors explore how play enhances brain development in children. As Wang and Aamodt describe, play activates the brain’s reward circuitry but not negative stress responses, which can facilitate attention and action. Through play, children practice social interaction and build skills and interests to draw upon in the years to come.

On the Front Lines of ALS Research (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

The Enduring Mystery of REM Sleep (BrainWork)

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Is it a new-memory integrator? A virtual reality training program encoded in our genes? Or merely a warming-up of our neural engines?

Re-opening Windows (Cerebrum)

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 09:00:00 EDT

The brain acquires certain skills—from visual perception to language—during critical windows, specific times in early life when the brain is actively shaped by environmental input. Scientists are now discovering pathways in animal models through which these windows might be re-opened in adults, thus re-awakening a brain’s youth-like plasticity. Such research has implications for brain injury repair, sensory recovery, and neurodevelopmental disorder treatment.

At Long Last, Medications for Multiple Sclerosis (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Are You Responsible for Your Hormones? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

While Dr. Paul J. Zak’s book will appeal to a broad audience, he oversimplifies many arguments, leaving reviewer Loretta M. Flanagan-Cato with a number of concerns.

Repairing the Injured Brain (Cerebrum)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Recovery from a brain injury is a slow process with no obvious end point—a practical dilemma for patients, caregivers, and medical professionals. While research continues to advance the field to determine optimal interventions,front-line providers have found that certain rehabilitation environments and procedures encourage a stronger recovery than others. But even as specialized facilities make strides, many people face barriers to adequate care.

The Neurobiology of Brain Injury (Cerebrum)

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Authors Marcela Pekna and Milos Pekny explain what happens within the brain after injury and how scientists’ growing awareness of the brain's capacity for repair could lead to better treatment options.

Drug-Resistant Epilepsy: Could It Be Astrocyte Disfunction? (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 09:00:00 EDT

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

A Future Without Chronic Pain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Chronic pain affects 1.5 billion people worldwide, an estimated 100 million of whom live in the United States. Yet we currently have no effective treatment options. Fortunately, research advances have determined some of the ways in which chronic pain changes the brain, and several promising research areas could lead to better treatment approaches. Dr. David Borsook recommends steps to facilitate these new treatments, including the establishment of integrated clinical neuroscience centers bridging the gap between bench and bedside.

If Addictions Can Be Treated, Why Aren’t They? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

A Family Tree Filled with Mental Illness (Cerebrum)

Wed, 30 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Dr. Dean F. MacKinnon, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, finds this book “to be a valuable contribution to the general literature about real people, their real experiences with mental illness and psychiatric care, and the knowledge we have accumulated about all of it.”

Biomarkers and the Future of Treatment for Depression (Cerebrum)

Wed, 30 May 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Biomarkers and the Future of Treatment for Depression 2012 05 30 false

The Brain’s Metabolic Mysteries (News and Features)

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” (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Role of Stress in Brain Development (Cerebrum)

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

During gestation, the fetal brain develops dramatically as structures and connections form, providing the foundation for all future development. Exposure to maternal stress can sometimes have deleterious effects on the fetus, depending on the cause, timing, duration, and intensity of stress. Fortunately, postnatal interventions, such as a secure parent-infant bond and an enriched environment, can buffer the potential negative consequences.

Electroconvulsive Therapy Seems to Stem Excess Connectivity (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EDT

A bone marrow transplant prevents symptoms in young mice.

The New Technologies—a Brain-Changer? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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?

A New Approach to Rheumatoid Arthritis (Cerebrum)

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EDT

Doctors currently treat rheumatoid arthritis, a crippling autoimmune disease, with an arsenal of drugs that, while often effective, can have serious side effects. Authors Ulf Andersson and Kevin J. Tracey describe a circuit between the immune system and the nervous system that enabled development of an implanted nerve stimulator to treat the disorder, now being tested by a patient in Bosnia. If further clinical trials show as much promise as this initial case, similar devices may be developed for a broad range of inflammation-related diseases, from diabetes to congestive heart failure.

Probing the Workings of Human Brain Cells (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

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

Musical Creativity and the Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers are now using brain imaging to study the neural underpinnings of spontaneous artistic creativity, from jazz riffs to freestyle rap. So far, they have found that brain areas deactivated during improvisation are also at rest during dreaming and meditation, while activated areas include those controlling language and sensorimotor skills. Even with relatively few completed studies, researchers have concluded that musical creativity clearly cannot be tied to just one brain area or process.

Alzheimer's Disease: Return of the Prion Hypothesis (News and Features)

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 (BrainWork)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EDT

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

Treating Brain Cancer with Nanomedicine (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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?

Suicide and the United States Army: (Cerebrum)

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EDT

The suicide rate of active-duty soldiers doubled between 2003 and 2010. In response, the Department of Defense and the United States Army improved their data collection methods to better understand the causes of military suicides. As retired colonel Dr. Elspeth Cameron Ritchie writes, unit history and the accumulation of stressors—from relationship problems to chronic pain—are significant suicide risk factors among soldiers. But, she argues, Army officials must use this knowledge to design more-effective strategies for suicide reduction, including limiting access to weapons, especially post-deployment, and better connecting soldiers with their communities.

Making Memory May Mean Modeling and Remodeling (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Social Neuroscience (Cerebrum)

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Social neuroscientists boost our knowledge of the biology of animal and human interactions in areas as diverse as drug abuse, pair-bonding, and social isolation. As the field continues to grow, we will better understand the social, biological, and cognitive factors that determine how we relate to others.

Beyond Dopamine (BrainWork)

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EDT

New treatment strategies take aim at the underlying disease process in Parkinson’s.

Delirium: A Preventable Problem (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Optogenetics (Cerebrum)

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EDT

In 2004, scientists, including author Edward S. Boyden, Ph.D., found that the neural expression of a protein, channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), allowed light to activate or silence brain cells. This technology, now known as optogenetics, is helping scientists determine the functions of specific neurons in the brain, and could play a significant role in treating medical issues as diverse as sleep disorders and vision impairment.

Do-It-Yourself Neuroscience (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

More Mysterious Than We Suppose (Cerebrum)

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Jerome Kagan, Ph.D., writes that Making Sense of People "fails to tell readers what they have to do in order to attain the prize they hoped they would command—decoding the personalities of themselves and others—when they began reading the book."

Childhood Trauma Leaves Lasting Marks on the Brain (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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."

Effects of Stress on the Developing Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Early-life stress can lead to long-lasting behavioral, mental, and physical consequences. Fortunately, preventive measures can improve health outcomes, and while interventions for those who have already experienced debilitating early-life stress require considerable effort, they remain possible, thanks to the brain’s plasticity.

From Lab Bench to Court Bench (Cerebrum)

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Juvenile court judges are asked to determine what is in the best interest of the child in every case they hear. Until about a decade ago, court decisions were routinely made without taking into consideration the needs of toddlers and infants. The Miami Child Well-Being Court™ (MCWBC) program, a partnership of clinicians and judges, has brought science into the courtroom, making it integral to the decision-making process and working to ensure that the needs of the child are met.

The Arts of Neuroscientists: Rudolph Tanzi (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Using Brain Imaging to Unravel the Mysteries of Stuttering (Cerebrum)

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EDT

While researchers have made great strides in understanding stuttering in adults, the neural basis of stuttering in children largely remains a mystery. We do not yet know why up to 80 percent of children who stutter recover without intervention, nor do we know how to distinguish those who will recover without intervention from those who will not. However, recent findings support the idea that early intervention can alter or normalize brain function before stuttering-induced changes become hardwired.

Brain Poetry (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Designing a Plan for Drug Discovery in Rare Pediatric Neurodegenerative Disease (Cerebrum)

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EDT

There are currently no cures for neurodegenerative diseases, including Batten disease, a rare and fatal disorder affecting young children. While researchers have made headway in preventing genetic disorders through preconception carrier screenings and have found potential drug targets, the gap between basic research and clinical treatment development remains. To overcome this gap, researchers in academia and the pharmaceutical industry, supported by government agencies and nonprofit institutions, must come together to share expertise and promote translational research.

Carving the Neural Stem Cell ‘Niche’ (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Aging with Meaning (Cerebrum)

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In How We Age, writes Dr. Stanley Slater, Marc E. Agronin presents a balanced view of aging stemming "from his concern for understanding the lives of his patients through listening to what they have to say and his ongoing devotion to bettering their lives."

Promoting Healthy, Meaningful Aging Through Social Involvement (Cerebrum)

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Pathways responsible for higher-order thinking in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), or executive center of the brain, remain vulnerable throughout life—during critical early-life developmental windows, when the PFC fully matures in the early 20s, and finally from declines associated with old age. At all ages, physical activity and PFC-navigated social connections are essential components to maintaining brain health. The Experience Corps, a community-based social-engagement program, partners seniors with local schools to promote purpose-driven involvement. Participating seniors have exhibited immediate short-term gains in brain regions vulnerable to aging, such as the PFC, indicating that people with the most to lose have the most to gain from environmental enrichment.

Stem Cell Technology Enables New ‘Disease (BrainWork)

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

For some brain diseases, the lack of good laboratory models makes it hard for researchers to understand disease-causes and develop therapies. New stem cell technology offers a powerful solution.

Alzheimer's Immunotherapies: Reasons for Hope (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Epigenetics and the Human Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 25 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

While our genetic code determines a great deal of who and what we are, it does not act alone. It depends heavily on the epigenome, an elaborate marking of the DNA that controls the genome’s functions. Because it is sensitive to the environment, the epigenome is a powerful link and relay between our genes and our surroundings. Epigenetic marks drive biological functions and features as diverse as memory, development, and disease susceptibility; thus, the nurture aspect of the nature/nurture interaction makes essential contributions to our body and behaviors. As scientists have learned more about how the epigenome works, they have begun to develop therapies that may lead to new approaches to treating common human conditions.

Oversimplifying Sex Differences in the Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 25 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Oversimplifying Sex Differences in the Brain Review: Man and Woman: An Inside Story 2011-05-25 false Man and Woman: An Inside Story Donald W. Pfaff, Ph.D. 2010-10-01 Oxford University Press 232 pages $27.95 In Man and Woman: An Inside Story, writes Dr. Larry

Seeking the Earliest Signs of Autism (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Wed, 04 May 2011 09:00:00 EDT

A miniaturized PET scanner works on awake, moving rats.

Diagnosing the DSM (Cerebrum)

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

If all goes as planned, the American Psychiatric Association will release a new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in May 2013. But, argues Dr. Steven Hyman, the DSM is a poor mirror of clinical and biological realities; a fundamentally new approach to diagnostic classification is needed as researchers uncover novel ways to study and understand mental illness.

New Directions for Alzheimer’s Disease (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Cross-Cultural Barriers to Mental Health Services in the United States (Cerebrum)

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Getting treatment for a mental illness can be difficult for anyone. But for members of ethnic and racial minority groups, the road to treatment is often blocked by cultural views of mental illness and therapy, lack of insurance and access to appropriate care, and a critical deficiency of studies pertaining to nonwhite populations. Significant changes to the mental health field must be made in order for proper care to be widely available and accepted.

Brain Science and the Law (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Forecasting Aggression (Cerebrum)

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

It takes a series of unfortunate circumstances for an adolescent to turn violent. While early exposure to familial violence can play a role, so too can biological influences such as hormone levels and genetic predispositions. The combination of these factors can be deadly. Although genes and other biological causes are difficult to identify and may be impossible to overcome through known therapeutic methods, medical professionals’ intervention techniques can help minimize aggressive behavior related to environmental factors.

Review: The Mind’s Eye (Cerebrum)

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EDT

In The Mind's Eye, writes Dr. Semir Zeki, Oliver Sacks describes the visual apparatus of the brain and its vulnerability in lucid prose.

Beyond Cuddling: Oxytocin and the Brain (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

How Brains Are Built (Cerebrum)

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

The goal of computational neuroscience is to understand the brain and its mechanisms well enough to artificially simulate their functions. Yet there is still much about the brain that is unknown: How does the brain use language, make complex associations, or organize learned experiences? Once the neural pathways responsible for these and many other functions are fully understood and reconstructed, researchers will have the ability to build systems that can match—and maybe even exceed—the brain’s capabilities.

The Crossroads of Magic and Science (Cerebrum)

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EDT

Rob Teszka, a former magician and current student of cognitive and decision sciences at University College London, reviews Sleights of Mind by Stephen L. Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde with Sandra Blakeslee.

Boosting Natural Waste-Recycling Systems in Cells Could Ward Off Neurodegenerative Diseases (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Commentary on “The Promise and the Reality of Stem-Cell Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases” (Cerebrum)

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Vassilis E. Koliatsos, M.D., and Leyan Xu, M.D., Ph.D., describe the research leading up to Dr. Jonathan Glass' clinical trial, which tests the safety of using stem cells to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The Promise and the Reality of Stem-Cell Therapies for Neurodegenerative Diseases (Cerebrum)

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Jonathan D. Glass, M.D., is leading a clinical trial testing the safety of using adult stem cells to treat patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease that remains untreatable. This trial, along with others like it, is just the beginning of a time-intensive process necessary to determine whether the benefits of stem-cell treatments—if there prove to be any—outweigh the risks.

Alzheimer’s Disease a New Target for Deep Brain Stimulation (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Diagnostic Dilemma (Cerebrum)

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Bipolar disorder diagnosis has been rising dramatically in children for the past decade. In coming years, argues Daniel Dickstein, M.D., recognizing and diagnosing bipolar disorder in children should be based more on biological markers, such as brain structure and the use of neural circuits, than on the inconsistent diagnostic categories laid out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The Great Brain Books, Revisited (Cerebrum)

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In 1999, Cerebrum published a list of books about the brain, guiding readers to “the great books, past and present, that capture the unfolding story of the brain and how brain research is changing our ideas about memory and emotion, life span and language, neurological disorders and psychiatric syndromes.” Eleven years later, we’ve put together an updated edition—with your help.

Brain Size Linked to Longevity (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Long-term Memories (Cerebrum)

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Traumatic memories haunt the lives of people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and other illnesses. Fortunately, recent research into the changeability of long-term memories may someday develop into treatments for such individuals. But before this can happen, researchers must determine just how effectively the fear associated with older memories—especially those involved in PTSD—can be reduced and for how long.

The Neuroscience of Aesthetics (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Default Network (Cerebrum)

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Over the last 20 years, researchers have been interested in what the brain does during periods of supposed inactivity. They discovered that when someone appears to be doing nothing at all, a network of brain regions—named the default network—is hard at work, allowing for the rich inner lives inside our heads. Applying what is known about the default network to diseases like Alzheimer’s allows for new possibilities for diagnosis and evaluation of treatments.

What Is Pleasure? (Cerebrum)

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:00:00 EDT

George Koob, Ph.D., chair of the Committee on the Neurobiology of Addictive Disorders at The Scripps Research Institute, reviews How Pleasure Works by Paul Bloom, Ph.D.

Autism: A Lifelong Challenge (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Seizing an Opportunity (Cerebrum)

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

There is not just one type of epilepsy. While some forms of the disease are characterized by convulsive seizures, others involve seizures that are barely noticeable. Normal variations in hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, can influence brain activity and therefore influence seizures. By considering the powerful interactions between the brain and the endocrine system, this influence of hormones on seizures can be understood and new treatment options can be considered.

Where You Know That You Know (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Fear in Love (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Dr. Regina Sullivan explains how her research with rat pups has led to greater understanding of the infant brain, and how negative early experiences can cause long-term genetic, brain, behavioral, and hormonal changes that can affect not only the abuse victim but also the victim’s descendants.

Who is Resilient? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Promoting Brain-Science Literacy in the K-12 Classroom (Cerebrum)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Michaela Labriole, a science instructor at the New York Hall of Science, provides tangible examples of how teachers can encourage brain-science literacy in students at a time when growing knowledge of the brain is shaping our understanding of how to best foster learning.

The Brain in Science Education (Cerebrum)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Dr. Jo Ellen Roseman and Mary Koppal, from the American Academy for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), discuss how brain science fits into national classroom curricula. While recommendations from several national organizations include brain-related standards, what students actually learn in the classroom varies greatly from state to state.

Study Supports Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Treat Depression (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Enhancing Brains (Cerebrum)

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EDT

In 2008, Henry T. Greely, a professor at Stanford Law School, co-authored a commentary in Nature; it concluded that “safe and effective cognitive enhancers will benefit both the individual and society.” Here, he argues that only some concerns about the use of cognitive enhancements are justified; proper attention is needed to address these issues. He contends that rather than banning cognitive enhancements, as some have suggested, we should determine rules for their use.

Amyloid-Beta ‘Oligomers’ May Be Link to Alzheimer’s Dementia (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Commentary on "Uncovering Awareness: Medical and Ethical Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating the Minimally Conscious State" (Cerebrum)

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

A commentary on Marie-Aurélie Bruno and Steven Laureys' article "Uncovering Awareness: Medical and Ethical Challenges in Diagnosing and Treating the Minimally Conscious State."

Uncovering Awareness (Cerebrum)

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Eight years ago an interdisciplinary group of scientists representing several institutions worked together to codify criteria for the minimally conscious state. Today, technology, such as functional neuroimaging, is beginning to change the way medical professionals diagnose, treat, and communicate with patients once considered to have no or very little conscious awareness.

Simplifying the Search for Genetic Risk in Alcohol Dependence (News and Features)

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.

Placebo Versus Antidepressant (Cerebrum)

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Dr. Floyd Bloom takes apart Dr. Irving Kirch's arguments as to why antidepressants are ineffective, using decades of biomedical literature to explore just how effective antidepressants are for a large number of depression sufferers.

Teasing Out the Effects of Environment on the Brain (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Solving the Puzzle of Autism (Cerebrum)

Mon, 19 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

In order to understand autism, we first need to determine the genetic, neuronal, and behavioral elements at play. Researchers will then need to translate this understanding into treatments, an undertaking that will require a long-term, interdisciplinary approach.

Breaches in Blood-brain Barrier Might Lead to Later Psychiatric Illness (News and Features)

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! (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.”

The Temperamental Thread: How Genes, Culture, Time and Luck Make Us Who We Are (Dana Press Books)

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Jerome Kagan, one of the leading developmental pscyhologists publishes new book, The Temperamental Thread: How Genes, Culture, Time, and Luck Make Us Who We Are. Available March 2009, Dana Press.

Earlier Bedtimes May Protect Teens from Depression (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

How Music Helps to Heal the Injured Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

The use of music in therapy for the brain has evolved rapidly as brain-imaging techniques have revealed the brain's plasticity--its ability to change--and have identified networks that music activates. Research has shown that neurologic music therapy can help patients who have difficulty with language, cognition, or motor control, and the authors suggest that these techniques should become part of rehabilitative care.

'Biosensors' May Aid in Drug Development for Brain Diseases (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

CEREBRUM 2010: Emerging Ideas in Brain Science, Foreword by Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. (Dana Press Books)

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Available in late February 2010: This fourth annual collection brings together the foremost experts in brain science. Jay Giedd, Michael Posner, Mariale Hardiman, David Kupfer and Paul McHugh present their research – and their take – on such cutting-edge topics as the development of the teen brain, how arts education affects intelligence, the limitations of brain imaging, and how to bring more certainty and flexibility to diagnosis in the next edition of the psychiatric bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V).

A Decade after The Decade of the Brain (Cerebrum)

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

The directors of seven brain-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) identify the biggest advances, greatest disappointments, and missed opportunities of brain research in the past decade—the decade after the “Decade of the Brain"—and discuss what looks most promising for the coming decade, the 2010s. Complete file.

It Takes a Village: Large-Scale Studies Prove Vital to Alzheimer’s Disease Research (Cerebrum)

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in the final part, we hear from Richard J. Hodes, M.D., of the National Institute on Aging.

Neuroscience Stars During DC Regional Brain Bee (News and Features)

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.

Advances in Genetics and Devices Are Helping People with Communication Disorders (Cerebrum)

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in part six, we hear from James F. Battey Jr., M.D., Ph.D., of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

Using Breakthroughs in Visual Neuroscience to Treat Diseases (Cerebrum)

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in part five, we hear from Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D., of the National Eye Institute.

Tackling the Mysteries of Alcohol Dependence (Cerebrum)

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in part four, we hear from Kenneth R. Warren, Ph.D., of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

Basic Science and Gene Findings Drive Research (Cerebrum)

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in part three, we hear from Dr. Story Landis of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Understanding Mental Disorders as Circuit Disorders (Cerebrum)

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

In this seven-part series, directors of neuroscience-related institutes at the National Institutes of Health examine how brain research has progressed since 2000—the decade after The Decade of the Brain. Here in part two, we hear from Dr. Thomas R. Insel of the National Institute of Mental Health.

Alzheimer’s Drug May Also Treat Huntington’s (News and Features)

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.

Challenges and Opportunities in Drug Addiction Research (Cerebrum)

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Tracing Permanent Memories (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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! (News and Features)

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.

Brain-Based Suggestions for Teaching Reading (Cerebrum)

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

In this excerpt from Reading in the Brain, author and French neuroscientist Stanislas Dehaene suggests how teachers might draw from scientific advances to help their students learn to read, though he notes that caution is necessary.

Erasing Fear Memories Without Drugs (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Religion and the Brain (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Two scientists suggest that religious experiences arise from brain networks that evolved for other purposes. A psychiatrist counters that the brain may be a medium for religious experience without necessarily generating it.

Alzheimer’s An Inevitable Side Effect of Aging, New Theory Suggests (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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’ (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

The Science of Education (Cerebrum)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Discoveries about how the brain learns are fueling interest in applying neuroscience in the classroom. In the new field of neuroeducation, scientists and educators should join forces to develop goals for learning-related research, the authors argue.

New Twist on ‘Reward Response’ Model in Brain (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Treating the Brain: What the Best Doctors Know by Walter G. Bradley (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Treating the Brain What the Best Doctors Know by Walter G. Bradley Available November 2009 $25.00 Description Even in this information age, those dealing with symptoms

Training a Skeptical Eye on Neuroscience (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Weighing In on 'Conditioned Hypereating' (Cerebrum)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Author and former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David A. Kessler presents a provocative theory of why we overeat, complete with sound (though somewhat limited) science, a pair of addiction researchers write in this review.

Wired for Hunger: The Brain and Obesity (Cerebrum)

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Because food is not always plentiful, humans have evolved to eat whenever it is available. Researchers are starting to tease out the brain circuits that elicit this “eat” message, a network that may contribute to today’s widespread obesity. Effective obesity treatment likely will involve combination of drugs, in addition to psychological approaches and exercise—not just a single pill. An accompanying story addresses what goes wrong in people with anorexia nervosa.

Heart Disease, Not Bypass Surgery, to Blame for Cognitive Declines (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Updating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Cerebrum)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

How the foremost clinical manual for psychiatric disorders guides doctors to diagnoses has long been controversial. Now, during the early stages of the manual’s revision, complementary articles—one by four scientists involved in the process, the other by a psychiatrist looking in from the outside—address how to make psychiatric diagnosis both more certain and more flexible.

The Veteran Neurologist: Q&A with Walter Bradley (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Synesthesia: Another World of Perception (Cerebrum)

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The authors of Wednesday Is Indigo Blue do well to let people with synesthesia tell their own stories, Julian Asher writes. But the book does have flaws.

What Can Dance Teach Us about Learning? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:00:00 EDT

An action such as a dance move activates the same brain circuitry whether we perform it ourselves or watch someone else perform it, research indicates. This “action observation network” is important for learning.

Brain Scans May Allow Early Diagnosis—and Treatment—of Alzheimer’s (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Ability to Catch Dyslexia Early May Help Stem Its Effects (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

New educational approaches and advances in brain-based research are making it possible to detect dyslexia even in children too young to read. Though it is not a cure, stepping in early with targeted intervention could prevent reading problems from derailing a child’s education.

Assessing Risk and Resilience for Bipolar Disorder (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

London researchers have gained insight into changes in brain structure that correspond with bipolar disorder and why some close relatives of patients with the disorder do not develop it.

Depression Insights Increase as Animal Models Improve (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers studying animal models for depression have uncovered new clues to its neurobiological underpinnings, why antidepressants’ effects are delayed and why some people are more resilient to depression even in the face of major stress. These insights, from two recent papers from Eric Nestler’s research laboratory at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City, build on a long-standing but still imperfect science of depression modeling in rodents.

For Injured Nerve Fibers, a Sense of Direction (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

For the first time, researchers have successfully guided axon growth toward target neurons in rats, a step with implications for treating spinal cord injuries.

Gambling among Parkinson’s Patients Raises Questions about Dopamine (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

After starting on medication, some people with Parkinson’s disease undergo a dramatic personality change, becoming impulsive, addiction-prone pleasure-seekers. In particular, a high rate of pathological gambling among these patients has led researchers to rethink how the neurotransmitter dopamine works in both diseased and normal brains.

Obesity May Increase Alzheimer’s Risk (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A study finds that among healthy adults in their 70s, people who were classified as overweight had experienced brain-tissue loss that could represent an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Prefrontal Cortex Underlies Slips of the Tongue (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In order to avoid committing an error—mispronouncing a name or avoiding inadvertent sexual innuendo—we must keep the dreaded error in mind, thereby rehearsing it. By reminding ourselves to avoid a certain mistake, we disrupt the process of the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain which enables us to develop plans, suppress distractions, and resist inappropriate impulses. The greater the demands on the prefrontal cortex, the more difficult suppression becomes.

Restoring Capillary Blood Flow after a Stroke (BrainWork)

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Cells called pericytes keep capillaries constricted after a stroke occurs. Researchers have found that free radicals underlie this constriction, and limiting their production could help brain tissue survive.

Marijuana Craving Affects Brain like Alcohol, Addictive Behaviors (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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

How Arts Training Improves Attention and Cognition (Cerebrum)

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Sustained training in music, dance or other arts strengthens the brain’s attention system, which in turn may improve cognition more generally. Evidence for such cognitive “transfer” is accumulating.

Alzheimer’s Drugs May Help Treat Brain Injuries (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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.

Our Neurotech Future (Cerebrum)

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

In his review of The Neuro Revolution by Zack Lynch, Michael F. Huerta compliments the animated style Lynch uses to describe how our understanding of the brain and newfound ability to affect it via drugs and technology are changing our lives and our societies. Lynch’s predictions for the future are both exciting and within the realm of scientific possibility.

Using Deep Brain Stimulation on the Mind: Handle with Care (Cerebrum)

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The success of deep brain stimulation in treating movement disorders has led to investigations of its use for psychiatric illnesses. While the technique shows early promise in the treatment of depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, Dr. Mahlon DeLong, M.D., a pioneer in the field, cautions both doctors and patients to be aware of the risks in using this yet unproven mind-altering method.

Researchers Narrow Search for Source of Consciousness (BrainWork)

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Does consciousness—our awareness that we are perceiving something—arise from a special region in the brain, or from the coherent workings of multiple regions? Analyzing data from electrodes implanted in the brains of epilepsy patients, French researchers suggest the latter.

New Insight into Neural Mechanisms of Hypnosis (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Decisions Are Not So Simple (Cerebrum)

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The publisher pulled this book from distribution in March 2013. This review was published in 2009.

Why So Many Seniors Get Swindled (Cerebrum)

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:00 EDT

The elderly often fall victim to scams, but is it more than aged neurons causing the problem? One expert argues that such slips result from gene-based abnormalities in the brain’s emotional processing rather than the normal deterioration that goes with aging.

Driving with Your Brain (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Video Games Affect the Brain—for Better and Worse (Cerebrum)

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Headlines about how video games affect the brain range from upbeat to dire. Psychologist Douglas A. Gentile asserts that although violent games in particular can have negative consequences, well-designed games can teach positive skills. He proposes five attributes of video game design that can help explain findings and guide future research.

Immune Gene Evolution May Be Driven By Parasites (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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’ (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Brain Training May Help Stroke Victims Recover Vision (BrainWork)

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A form of visual therapy that employs computer exercises may help restore some vision to patients who lost sight as a result of stroke. Some researchers are skeptical that the patients were truly blind, however.

Neuroscience, Performance Art Begin to Play Off Each Other (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Safer than Marijuana, a Natural Chemical Strengthens Memories (BrainWork)

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A chemical in the amygdala that stimulates the same receptors as marijuana, but more safely, is involved in shoring up highly emotional memories, evidence shows.

Active Brain and Body Help Maintain Cognitive Function (BrainWork)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Remaining active—physically, mentally, and socially—can help maintain cognitive function in older adults.

Animal Model Gives Insight into Antidepressants (BrainWork)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

New research in mice shows that the effects of antidepressants are mediated through both neurogenesis-dependent and -independent mechanisms.

REM Sleep Stimulates Creativity (BrainWork)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

A new study into the effects of napping suggests that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep may help the brain to create associations between unrelated ideas, enhancing creative problem solving.

Synchronized Brain Waves Focus Attention (BrainWork)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Focusing attention on a visual stimulus causes neurons in the visual cortex to fire in unison, which in turn helps tune out distractions and focus our attention.

Imaging Reveals Alzheimer’s Clues both Before and After Disease Develops (BrainWork)

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Imaging Reveals Alzheimer’s Clues both Before and After Disease Develops 2009 06 29 false

In Autism, Movements May Not Quickly Become Habit (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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’ (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

‘Neuroeducation’ Emerges as Insights into Brain Development, Learning Abilities Grow (BrainWork)

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EDT

As scientists learn more about how the brain grows and learns, universities are developing programs to translate those insights into practical classroom strategies.

Arts Education Opportunities, Achievement Gaps Remain, Survey Finds (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Neuroimaging: Separating the Promise from the Pipe Dreams (Cerebrum)

Wed, 27 May 2009 09:00:00 EDT

By Russell A. Poldrack, Ph.D. Neuroimaging can reveal a great deal about the brain, but scientists and the science-savvy must be careful lest we read too much into imaging findings. Russell A. Poldrack, M.D., a leading theorist on how to interpret certain neuroimaging results, explains the limits of this promising technology and the caveats we should keep in mind when we hear of a “breakthrough.”

Arts Educators Should Be Asking One Key Question (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

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

Vitamin D and the Brain: More Good News (Cerebrum)

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

By R. Douglas Shytle, Ph.D., and Paula C. Bickford, Ph.D. Vitamin D, long ago established as important for healthy bones, also appears to be significant in the brain during development and as we age—but more research is necessary to determine the consequences of vitamin D deficiency and how supplements could help.

Consuming Fewer Calories May Improve Memory (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Cerebrum 2009: Emerging Ideas in Brain Science (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Cerebrum 2009 Emerging Ideas in Brain Science Foreword by Thomas R. Insel, M.D. In this third annual volume, leaders in the field of neuroscience discuss cutting edge research on subjects ranging from unidentified traumatic brain injury to the brain and politics. The experts include neuroscientist Guy McKhann, computation neuroscientist Sebastian Seung, developmental psychologist Jerome Kagan, and neurologist Stephen L. Hauser.

Researchers Find More Cause to Condemn Prenatal Exposure to Alcohol (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 response to vision-loss disorder may be swift (BrainWork)

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Brain response to vision-loss disorder may be swift

Break in circadian rhythm may lead to disease (BrainWork)

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Break in circadian rhythm may lead to disease.

Fine-tuning mechanism may hold key to Alzheimer’s disease. (BrainWork)

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Fine-tuning mechanism may hold key to Alzheimer’s disease.

New mechanism for memory consolidation in sleep. (BrainWork)

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: New mechanism for memory consolidation in sleep.

Stock Market Success May Stem from Prenatal Hormone Levels (BrainWork)

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Testosterone levels before birth affect financial traders’ success, perhaps by enhancing risk taking, a recent study suggests. The clue lies in the length of traders’ ring fingers relative to their index fingers—longer ring fingers indicate greater testosterone exposure in the womb, and traders with this characteristic made more money than others, on average.

Controlling Blood Glucose May Fend Off Cognitive Decline (BrainWork)

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Elevated blood glucose levels negatively affect a subregion of the hippocampus responsible for forming memories, according to new research. The finding may help explain memory impairment as we age and in people with diabetes. Other studies are looking at whether medications help absorb glucose and improve memory.

ADHD Studies Target Circuitry, Stimulants’ Effects (BrainWork)

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Past studies of psychostimulant drugs taken for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have shown a slowing of cortical growth, but new imaging research reveals that the drugs may normalize development. Researchers still urge caution, however.

Hormone Therapy's Timing May Shape Outcome (BrainWork)

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EDT

Experts remain divided on the merits of hormone treatment for menopausal women. New evidence lends support to the idea that timing, genetics and the existence of different estrogen receptors in the brain contribute to the effects of estrogen on memory, mood and cognition.

‘Brain Death’ Still Valid, Bioethics Group Says (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Deep Brain Stimulation (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Deep Brain Stimulation: A New Treatment Shows Promise in the Most Difficult Cases, a book by Jamie Talan. Every year, more than 30,000 people worldwide undergo deep brain stimulation, which involves implanting electrodes in the brain that are connected to a device similar to a pacemaker. With compelling profiles of patients and an introduction to doctors and scientists who pursue pioneering research, Talan describes the ways in which deep brain stimulation has produced promising results in the treatment of numerous diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Alzheimer’s disease—as well as the ethical issues that have arisen in the course of their work.

The Faces of a New Field: Q&A with Jamie Talan (News and Features)

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.

The Teen Brain: Primed to Learn, Primed to Take Risks (Cerebrum)

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EDT

By Jay N. Giedd, M.D. The changes the brain undergoes during adolescence pave the way to adulthood, priming the young person for life away from home and for finding unrelated mates. But this plasticity also can open the door to poor decision making and risky behavior, writes Jay N. Giedd, a child psychiatrist at the National Institute of Mental Health.

Arts Educators Show Resilience Against Economic Challenges (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

A Slew of Studies Provides Addiction Insight (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Addiction doesn’t just affect people’s pleasure centers; it may also short-circuit brain areas responsible for self-awareness and for restraining impulsive behavior, suggests new research looking into why the disease is so difficult to treat.

Dancing Begins with a Cognitive Act for Professionals and Parkinson’s Patients (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

The challenges of movement reward the minds of dancers both professional and amateur—and, in eight programs across the nation, of people with Parkinson’s disease.

Environment influences gene expression (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Environment influences gene expression.

New scanning technique diagnoses hard-to-detect brain injuries (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: New scanning technique diagnoses hard-to-detect brain injuries by Ben Mauk.

Receptors, growth factor may keep astrocytes in line (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Receptors, growth factor may keep astrocytes in line by Tom Valeo

Temporary insomnia may lead to learning troubles (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Temporary insomnia may lead to learning troubles by Aalok Mehta

Insights Reveal that Itch Is More Than Skin Deep (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

An extraordinarily itchy tropical plant has provided new insights into what causes various types of itch, how the sensation is transmitted to the brain and how to better treat this common and vexing medical problem.

Lie Detection Services Remain Premature, Neuroethicists Say (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience-based methods of lie detection already may have passed the test of public acceptance, but whether they work is still an open question in the scientific community. The growing disparity between public and scientific understanding of “forensic neuroscience” was one of several pressing issues that brought nearly 200 people to Washington, D.C., for the annual meeting of the Neuroethics Society.

Neurobiology Affects Love and Attraction (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Scientists have found that long-term love appears to leave a distinct signature in the brain and that a specific gene affects courtship behavior—at least in mice.

New Techniques Link Brain with Machine (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Recent advances in “brain-computer interfaces” include a technique that can distinguish individual finger movements.

Researchers Begin to Decode Decision-making Processes (BrainWork)

Fri, 02 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EDT

Dopamine Linked to ‘Anxious’ Amygdalas (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Pediatric Screening and the Public Good (Cerebrum)

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Jennifer Kwon, M.D., M.P.H. and Richard H. Dees, Ph.D. The advantages of screening for diseases and disorders in children seem obvious. Ideally, tests catch problems early and increase opportunities for treatment and recovery. However, Jennifer Kwon and Richard H. Dees note that screening programs can have a number of complications, including ambiguous benefits, the need to educate families and the public, results that land in a gray area between normal and certain disorder, blurred lines between screening and research, and competition for scarce funding. Kwon and Dees urge caution and careful consideration of potential costs alongside potential advantages.

Electrical Brain Stimulation May Boost Dexterity (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Managing Conflicting Interests in Medical Journal Publishing (Cerebrum)

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Adam F. Stewart, S. Claiborne Johnston, M.D., and Ph.D., Stephen L. Hauser, M.D.  The editors of a top neuroscience journal explain the unique challenges they face as they attempt to balance the interests of authors, peer reviewers, the journal itself and its readers.

Psychiatry’s Next Civil War? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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

Memoirs about Memory: Too Much vs. Too Little (Cerebrum)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Suzanne Corkin, Ph.D. Afraid of losing your memory? What if you remembered everything? Suzanne Corkin, a behavioral neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, compares and critiques two recent memoirs by women who relate very differently with memory, adding insight from her own work.

Working Later in Life May Facilitate Neural Health (Cerebrum)

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Denise C. Park, Ph.D. Working Later in Life May Facilitate Neural Health: Evidence indicates that by continuing to perform difficult tasks and engage in new pursuits, the brain remains flexible over time—good not only for the individual but also for society. Denise C. Park theorizes that exercising the brain causes “scaffolding,” which creates new circuits to support pre-existing pathways.

Drugs that Block Cannabinoid Receptors Seem Problematic (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Impact of Modern Neuroscience on Treatment of Parolees (Cerebrum)

Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Richard J. Bonnie, J.D. , Donna T. Chen, M.D., M.P.H., and Charles P. O'Brien, M.D., Ph.D. Neuroscience is offering insights into addiction and providing scientists with pharmacological methods, such as the use of injectable naltrexone, for reducing relapse. Richard J. Bonnie, Donna T. Chen and Charles P. O’Brien consider the ethical and legal implications of different methods for administering naltrexone to convicted drug offenders.

Researchers Describe Potential New Painkiller (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

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

Try to Remember (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Try To Remember: Psychiatry's Clash over Meaning, Memory, and Mind by Paul R. McHugh, M.D. In this firsthand account Dr. Paul McHugh warns of the dangers of fads in psychiatry. He describes his battle agains the "repressed sexual memories" craze of the 1990's and his concerns over the over-diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder today.

Study Links Arteries to Unique Immune Functions (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

The Meaning of Psychological Abnormality (Cerebrum)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Jerome Kagan, Ph.D. As reports of childhood behavioral problems increase, Dr. Jerome Kagan raises concern about the reliability of these diagnoses. The rapid rise may stem from children’s experiences and pressures on parents and physicians, he argues.

Do No Harm: Q&A with Paul McHugh (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Connectomics (Cerebrum)

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Sebastian Seung, Ph.D. With the help of high-tech computers and electron microscopes, scientists are working toward mapping the connections of the human brain. Through descriptions of the where the technology is now and where it could go, Sebastian Seung illustrates how it might later be used to answer some of the most puzzling questions about the brain.

Eric Kandel on the Importance of Charlie Rose (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

'Exercise in a Pill' Has Cognitive Implications (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

With mounting evidence that links cognitive health to exercise and metabolism, a drug that mimcs exercise could mean good news for our brains.

Brain Responds Quickly to Faces (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

With new methods in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, researchers are extending our understanding of just what facial expressions convey and how we interpret them.

Dyslexia Studies Catch Neuroplasticity at Work (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, have detected which parts of the brain become stronger as children with dyslexia develop their ability to read

Being Internet Savvy May Have Cognitive Benefits (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

According to a new study, regularly searching the Internet activates regions of the brain that are known to be involved in decision making and complex reasoning.

Learning to Overcome Fear Acts as Antidepressant in Mice (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

In a new study, mice that were conditioned to feel safe in stressful situations showed the same ability to overcome fear and depression as mice that were treated with an antidepressant.

Nerve Stimulation Therapy May Treat Chronic Headache (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

In a new study, occipital nerve stimulation substantially reduced chronic headache pain in patients unable to tolerate medical therapy.

Pathway to Obesity Found (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Consuming too many calories activates an immune response pathway in the hypothalamus that causes a dysfunction in the brain’s ability to regulate food intake and energy balance.

Intuition, Memory Help Us Keep Track of Numbers (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Stanislas Dehaene, director of the Inserm-CEA Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit in France, says humans are born with a numbers sense, related more to basic calculations and estimates than to recall.

Human Brain is Capable of Subliminal Conditioning, Study Shows (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

A Wound Obscure, Yet Serious (Cerebrum)

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Wayne A. Gordon, Ph.D. Traumatic brain injury affects both soldiers and civilians of all ages, and many cases go unidentified because there is no external damage. Wayne Gordon considers the consequences of these severe injuries and how loved ones, teachers and medical professionals can better respond.

The Brain, from Atom to Soul (Cerebrum)

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Lewis P. Rowland, M.D. Book Review. A Portrait of the Brain, by Adam Zeman. Lewis Rowland, a professor of neurology at Columbia University, writes that neurologist Adam Zeman's book about the brain from atoms to soul presents a succinct yet comprehensive literary tale.

Profit Motive: The Business of Neurotech (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 Political Brain (Cerebrum)

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Geoffrey K. Aguirre, M.D., Ph.D. In a recent study, researchers at UCLA used functional magnetic resonance imaging to reveal the secret emotions of undecided voters. The scientific community responded with alarm to what they saw as fanciful claims. Dr. Aguirre addresses the argument from both sides to determine the validity of the method and show that pollsters aren't out of a job--yet.

The "Search" for God (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

A Road Paved by Reason (Cerebrum)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Elizabeth Norton Lasley. With its emphasis on problem solving, cognitive therapy has helped generations of people with disorders such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder—and other applications may follow.

Interpersonal Therapy (Cerebrum)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Elizabeth Norton Lasley. Interpersonal therapy is based on the premise that depression often occurs along with the onset of a major life event involving relationships. In it, patient and therapist address depression specifically as it manifests in the patient’s life situation and relationships.

‘Feeding’ Hormones Affect More Than Hunger (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Ghrelin, often associated with regulating hunger, has influence in other arenas including depression, learning and memory.

Deep brain stimulation helps lift severe depression (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A new study indicates that deep brain stimulation helps severely depressed patients over time.

Plasticity: more than meets the eye (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers have pinpointed a protein that triggers the rewiring of visual systems according to visual input.

Reactivating memories may fight addiction (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Early testing with rats shows that when an animal is unable to retrieve memories associated with drug use, the chances of relapse are reduced.

Tracing a tumor source (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The childhood brain tumor medulloblastoma does have treatments, but the side effects are devastating. New research on the source of the tumor may lead to a safer solution.

Perchance to Daydream … and Degenerate (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

When we daydream, our brains "run hot" meaning that the hubs in the default network get worn out, leading to degeneration in the brain.

Serotonin Keeps Aggression in Check (BrainWork)

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Recent studies show that serotonin, often considered a "feel good" chemical, also plays an important role in ensuring smooth social interaction by moderating aggression.

New Treatments for Alcoholism Show Promise (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Drugs and growth factors that target the brain’s “reward pathway” are showing promise as treatment possibilities for alcoholism and are providing insight into how the brain becomes addicted.

Transgenic ‘Huntington’s Monkeys’ Offer New Venue for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 Brain and the Human Condition (Cerebrum)

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Excerpt from Human: The Science Behind What Makes Us Unique, by Michael S. Gazzaniga.
In his new book, Michael S. Gazzaniga explores what it means to be human. In this excerpt from Chapter 3, he explores the evolutionary and social reasons for why we deceive one another—and ourselves.

The Quest for Longer Life (Cerebrum)

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Mark P. Mattson, Ph.D. Book Review. Mortal Coil: A Short History of Living Longer, by David Haycock. In his review, Mark Mattson of the National Institute on Aging notes that the brain is mostly missing from David Haycock’s otherwise fascinating exploration of the history of prolonging life.

The Yin and Yang of Pain and Pleasure (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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

Cognitive Enhancement: A Crutch to Cope with Less Sleep? (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The rising use of various medications to boost cognitive performance and the prospect of more “memory drugs” on the horizon raise a slew of ethical questions. But an even more fundamental question is whether such drugs are being used as a substitute for sleep—itself a cognitive enhancer of sorts.

Alzheimer's protein helps HIV infect cells (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A key player in Alzheimer’s disease may hold a clue to how the HIV virus enters immune cells, which could open new avenues for AIDS treatment.

Alzheimer’s drug shows surprising ability (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A class of drugs being tested for Alzheimer’s disease has proved to work in an unexpected and highly specific way, opening up new possibilities for treating Alzheimer’s and many other diseases.

Molecule ‘convinces’ stem cells to become neurons (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

A synthetic small molecule has been shown to nudge stem cells toward becoming neurons—an important step in guiding these precursors to develop into any type of tissue.

Sleep disturbance leads to memory loss (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Obstructive sleep apnea, in which airways in the nose and mouth collapse due to irritation during sleep, leads to repeated sleep disruption and loud snoring. It also causes memory impairment which, some researchers surmise, results not from simple fatigue but from a specific pattern of neural damage.

Gene Variant May Affect Nicotine Receptors in Lung, Brain or Both (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Three groups working separately have scanned the human genome and discovered almost simultaneously that a gene on chromosome 15 increases susceptibility to lung cancer, though they disagree on how: Certain variants of the gene make the lungs more vulnerable to cancer, while other variants appear to make the brain more responsive to the effects of the nicotine.

Newborn Brain May Be Wired for Speech (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The long, enthusiastic debate about whether the brain is hardwired for language gets a boost now and then, most recently from the release several months ago of a book claiming we are hardwired to, among other things, curse. Continuing research suggests that even though newborns cannot speak or understand language, our brains may indeed be built for language from birth or even before.

Senses Cohabit in the Visual Cortex (BrainWork)

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Blind people who partially recover their sight can end up processing both visual and auditory information
in the same region of the visual cortex, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

Study Suggests Serotonin Plays a Role in SIDS (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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

Antidepressant Debate May Miss the Mark (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Some scientists are concerned about use of antidepressants in people with bipolar disorder.

Eye drops explored as alternative to brain biopsy (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Eye drops explored as alternative to brain biopsy: News from the frontier

Insomnia and depression (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Insomnia and depression: News from the frontier

Meth changes the brain over the long term (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

News from the frontier: Meth changes the brain over the long term

Social status affects the brain (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Social Status Affects the Brain: News from the frontier

Pleasure Stems from the Sizzle as well as the Steak (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

You really do get what you pay for. So says a group of “neuroeconomists,” who study the brain pathways involved in consumer behavior.

Research Holds Promise for New Epilepsy Treatments (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Because about one-third of people with epilepsy do not respond to medication, researchers are trying to form a clearer picture of the way seizures develop in the brain.

Use of Deep Brain Stimulation Widens (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Use of Deep Brain Stimulation Widens: No one knows just how DBS makes a difference, but the dramatic effect that the procedure had on the obese man’s memory may provide a clue.

Neurons in the Outfield (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Deep Brain Stimulation Offers Hope in Depression (Cerebrum)

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

By Jamie Talan. There is a new hope for patients who have severe depression: An experimental surgical procedure, deep brain stimulation, is proving to reverse the effects of unrelenting depression by stimulating a precise network of brain cells. Jamie Talan reveals how some of the top scientists are using this procedure.

Cerebrum 2008: Emerging Ideas in Brain Science (Dana Press Books)

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Cerebrum 2008 Emerging Ideas in Brain Science: Prominent scientists and other thinkers explain, applaud, and protest new ideas arising from discoveries about the brain. An annual volume.

Neuromarketers: The New Influence-peddlers? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Findings Hint at Genetic Links in Autism (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Several studies published almost simultaneously in three journals have identified genes linked to autism, underscoring the power of new techniques for scanning the human genome.

Chronic pain harms the brain (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Chronic pain can cause depression, anxiety, sleep disturbances, even difficulty making decisions. Reporting in the Feb. 6 Journal of Neuroscience, a team of Northwestern University scientists explains why. A News from the Frontier item.

Gene therapy treats brain tumors (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers in Los Angeles report a new gene therapy that destroys glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). tumors in animals. A News from the Frontier item.

Microfluid chip aids studies of neuronal growth (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Engineers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a chip that works as a mini-laboratory for studies of neuronal growth. A News from the Frontier item.

Poverty and the brain (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Numerous studies have linked poverty to low IQ scores and poor school performance. New studies offer insights into why.

Parkinson's Research Moves Beyond Dopamine (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

After nearly 50 years of focusing on dopamine, the brain transmitter system that fails in Parkinson’s disease, experts in the field are increasingly convinced of the need to consider other possible culprits to solve the riddle of this disabling neurodegenerative disorder. A protein called alpha-synuclein is at the top of the list.

Theory Behind Migraine Emerges (BrainWork)

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

The connection between the pain of a migraine headache and the aura has long been a mystery. But an emerging theory of migraines tightly links the two.

Your Brain on Cubs (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Your Brain on Cubs: Inside the Heads of Players and Fans, edited by Dan Gordon. Anyone who has ever cheered for a sports team knows the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Why do we feel that we succeed and suffer along with our favorite players? Why do we remain loyal to even the most disappointing teams? What goes on inside the brains of the most sensational athletes? In Your Brain on Cubs: Inside the Heads of Players and Fans top scientists seek to answer these questions and more.

This is Your Brain on Drugs 2008 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Research Consortium Finds New Evidence Linking Arts and Learning (BrainWork)

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 08:00:00 EDT

The findings of the Dana Consortium on Arts and Cognition, announced in March 2008, illuminate the way for further research and begin to shed light on the neural mechanisms that may underlie the connections.

New Vaccine Against Alzheimer’s Shows Promise in Monkeys (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Your Brain and Heart Surgery (Cerebrum)

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By Guy McKhann, M.D. and Brenda Patoine. The relationship between heart bypass surgery and brain health is more complex than many of us realize. Whereas cognitive problems sometimes seem to be caused by surgery, recent findings suggest that they instead stem from problems that were present before surgery.

Gene Therapies for Chronic Pain Near Clinical Trials (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Delicious! Disgusting! So Say Our Brains (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

We all remember occasions when we ate something that just did not taste right: the overripe apple, the rotten meat, the sour milk. Our ability to reject these foods as unpleasant, even dangerous, resides in part in the gustatory cortex, a small region of the insula, deep inside the brain. Recent findings indicate that reduced activity in the gustatory cortex may be connected to anorexia nervosa.

Depression Complicates Alcoholism Recovery (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A new study examines the role of depression among patients in treatment for alcoholism who also were trying to quit smoking. The findings indicate that depression makes it more difficult to stay off alcohol but does not have a clear-cut effect on smoking.

Intact brain regions may contribute to PTSD (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

An ongoing study of Vietnam veterans with head injuries has yielded an important clue about abnormal brain activity in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which causes intrusive memories, flashbacks, and hair-trigger anxiety in some 15 million sufferers worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

New approach shows results for Alzheimer's disease (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

A medication used in treating rheumatoid arthritis has shown dramatic benefits for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, improving memory and cognitive problems within minutes of the start of treatment.

New role for deep brain stimulation (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

In deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat movement disorders, a surgically implanted electrode delivers precise pulses into the brain’s movement centers. DBS is an effective treatment for Parkinson’s and other movement disorders, but exactly how it works is not well understood. Because neurons communicate electrically, most scientists assume the procedure corrects or disrupts abnormal signaling among neurons.

Neural Implant Aims to Restore Speech to the Paralyzed (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

Arguably the most ambitious of today’s brainmachine devices is one that aims specifically to help locked-in patients like Bauby by converting their inner thoughts to real-time synthesized speech. But the effort to develop this electronic “speech prosthesis” shows just how difficult it can be to meld mind with metal.

Screening for Childhood Disorders: Is There a Downside? (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

The recent recommendations by the nation’s top pediatricians association to screen all infants for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has
been largely hailed as a necessary step in ensuring that children with a disorder are identified and treated early. At the same time, it has raised questions, even among proponents of guidelines, about the potential downsides of widespread screening for ASD and other childhood neuropsychiatric disorders.

Video Devices Further Research into Out-of-body Experiences (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:00:00 EDT

In recent years, neuroscientists have examined the phenomenon of out-of-body experiences to better understand how the brain integrates sensory information to form the idea of self and the idea that the self is localized within the body (see Out-of-body but in the Brain, BrainWork, July-August 2006). New research furthers these findings by using special displays to induce the illusion of an out-of-body experience in normal participants.

Rare Epilepsy Shines New Light on Glucose and the Brain (News and Features)

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.

Coming Apart: Trauma and the Fragmentation of the Self (Cerebrum)

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 08:00:00 EDT

By David Spiegel, M.D. In pop culture, “multiple personality disorder” is often portrayed as involving strategic, dramatic, and seductive battles among personalities that are uncomfortably sharing one hapless body. This article is written to set the record straight, to explain what this disorder is and what we understand about its causes, both in early life experience and in the brain.

End of the Line for Statins and Alzheimer's? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

“Go” and “NoGo” (Cerebrum)

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Michael J. Frank, Ph.D.  Many human behaviors are, in essence, reflexes programmed into our brains when we are rewarded or punished for taking a particular action. New research is showing how the basal ganglia, deep inside the brain below the cortex, are important in learning from feedback, in the formation of good and bad habits, and even in brain disorders as diverse as Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, and addiction.

Meal frequency affects neuron formation (BrainWork)

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Diet plays an important role in neuron formation in the adult brain, and adjusting how much and how often one eats affects both this process—called neurogenesis—and learning and memory abilities.

The Golden Rule: Q&A with Donald Pfaff (News and Features)

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.

The Neuroscience of Fair Play (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EDT

The Neuroscience of Fair Play Why We (Usually) Follow the Golden Rule by Donald Pfaff, Ph.D. Humans across cultures and throughout history have had very similar notions of what is right and wrong. While scholars have recently used anthropology, psychology, and evolution to argue that our moral life evolved from nature, neuroscientist Donald Pfaff, Ph.D., takes it a step further - right into the hardwiring of the human brain. Pfaff presents a rock-solid hypothesis of how specific circuits in the brain cause us to consider an action toward another as though it were happening to us - and therefore why we (usually) treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves.

Seeking Insights Into the Human Mind in Art and Science (Cerebrum)

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Steven Rose, Ph.D. Book Review: Proust Was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer. British neuroscientist Steven Rose reviews a new book exploring how artists such as Virginia Woolf, Paul Cezanne, and Igor Stravinsky discovered truths about the human mind that are now being confirmed by brain science.

Astrocyte Problems May Contribute to ALS (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple lines of evidence may suggest that astrocyte dysfunction is a contributing factor in disease progression.

Mirror Neurons May Come in Different Types (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Mirror neurons, an intriguing class of brain cells thought to enable us to mimic others’ movements and perhaps learn to speak, may come in three distinct types, which researchers suggest could help explain the brain’s basis for intent and cooperation.

Stimulation enhances long-term learning (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Stimulating the brain during learning can improve long-term memory, at least for one type of learning, according to research from the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke and presented at the meeting.

Imaging Method Sheds Light on War’s Toll in the Brain (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

A new technology known as diffusion tensor imaging suggests that post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, and traumatic brain injury—two common problems facing veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq—may both produce a type of damage barely recognized until now.

Immune Proteins Limit Brain Wiring (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

At a packed symposium at the Society for Neuroscience meeting, a panel of researchers described how immune-signaling systems are being co-opted by the brain to prune and fine-tune its synapses.

Neuroscientists Examine Human Response to Economic Risk (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Building on economics research that has examined game theory and risk-based decision-making, scientists are applying their observations of brain activity to the new field of “neuroeconomics.”

New Technologies Map the Frontiers of Brain Research (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Understanding how the brain generates the thoughts, feelings and impulses that make up human consciousness will require a reliable brain-wiring diagram of almost unimaginable complexity. Scientists at the Society for Neuroscience meeting discussed emerging technologies that suggest a world of possibility for such brain mapping.

Researchers Uncover More Clues to Causes of Addiction (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Dozens of studies presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting offered new, albeit preliminary, insights into the cause of addiction and possibilities for treatment.

Spinal Cord Research Moves into Clinical Phase (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

A decade of basic science discoveries in spinal cord repair and regeneration are leading to early-stage clinical trials as researchers agree that they will need to employ a broad range of therapies.

Teen Brain’s Ability to Learn Can Have a Flip Side (BrainWork)

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

A series of separate reports at the Society for Neuroscience meeting adds new support to the idea that the remarkable adaptability of the adolescent brain can be a double-edged sword: The dramatic remodeling of the brain during adolescence holds tremendous opportunities for growth and learning but also appears to increase a teen’s vulnerability to the long-term effects of environmental influences such as stress and drug experimentation.

Autism and Motor Skills: A Matter of White Matter? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

My Insula Made Me Do It (Cerebrum)

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Excerpt from The Body Has a Mind of Its Own, by Sandra Blakeslee and Matthew Blakeslee. Our bodies and minds interact through a constantly changing network of “body maps” in our brains. These maps create our ability to navigate our inner world and the social world of our interactions with other people, as well as the physical world. In Chapter 10, excerpted here, the authors discuss how the abilities to interpret sensations within our bodies and to be emotionally aware of other people are linked.

Harnessing the Brain's Power to Adapt After Injury (Cerebrum)

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Michael E. Selzer, M.D., Ph.D. Rehabilitation from a brain or spinal cord focuses on enabling people to make the most of what functions they still have. Physical, occupational, and speech therapy, counseling, and education can go only so far, however. For neurorehabilitation to offer the hope of curing the underlying brain damage, writes an expert in the field, it must look to basic science and better clinical trials to put to work the power of the brain’s plasticity.

Experts, Dalai Lama Discuss Meditation for Depression (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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' (News and Features)

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.

Stress and Immunity (Cerebrum)

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Fabienne Mackay, Ph.D. Scientists in Australia have recently discovered the first clear molecular process that helps to explain how stress suppresses our immune defenses and makes us more vulnerable to getting sick. Has a biological system that worked well for early humans faced with starvation turned against those of us living with the many new stresses of modern society?

Brain Science Enters the Courtroom (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Seeking Free Will in Our Brains: A Debate (Cerebrum)

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Mark Hallett, M.D. and R. Paul McHugh M.D. Two senior scientists, a neurologist and a psychiatrist, debate the meaning of free will and whether brain science can, now or ever, fully explain it.

Sturdier Brain Networks May Help Children Resist Peer Pressure (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Brain activity may hold the key to migraine (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Brain activity may hold the key to migraine

Key pathway helps keep fear memories intact (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Key pathway helps keep fear memories intact.

Stem cells protect neurons in ALS (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Stem cells protect neurons in ALS.

Unsuspected role for axons in information routing (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Unsuspected role for axons in information routing.

Headed to Mars? Pack Bright Lights (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Side bar to accompany Brenda Patoine's story, "Researchers Tap into the Rhythms of Life."

Imaging Sheds Light on Autism (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

"Imaging Sheds Light on Autism" by Faith Hickman Brynie for the September-October issue of BrainWork. Faith Hickman Brynie is a freelance science and medical writer based in Bigfork, Mont. She can be reached at fbrynie@centurytel.net.

Mom’s Diabetes May Affect Child’s Brain (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

The many pregnant women who have diabetes or develop it during pregnancy have another reason control their blood sugar: Abnormal glucose levels could affect their child’s memory, and damage might not be reversible.

Researchers Tap into the Rhythms of Life (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EDT

"Researchers Tap into the Rhythms of Life" by Brenda Patoine for the September-October issue of BrainWork. Brenda Patoine is a freelance science writer who has been covering neuroscience for more than 15 years. She can be reached at bpatoine@aol.com.

When Music Stops Making Sense (Cerebrum)

Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Petr Janata, Ph.D. What does the experience of people whose musical abilities have been affected by brain damage teach us about how the brain binds together what we perceive into a seamless flow?

Cultural Experience Affects Perception (BrainWork)

Thu, 23 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Activity levels in certain parts of the brain are different in Americans than in East Asians when they process visual stimuli, suggesting that culture can determine how people see the world.

Mapping the danger of Parkinson's (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Defining Right and Wrong in Brain Science (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Defining Right and Wrong in Brain Science Essential Readings in Neuroethics, edited by Walter Glannon, Ph.D. University of Calgary philosophy professor Walter Glannon edits this authoritative account of the new ideas that are defining neuroethics. It is essential reading for anyone interested in the ever-evolving debate surrounding brain science and ethics.

Man in Coma Improves Following Brain Stimulation (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

"Cosmetic Neurology" and the Problem of Pain (Cerebrum)

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Anjan Chatterjee, M.D. Is taking a drug to lessen the pain of our common daily struggles a “cosmetic” enhancement of human life, even a danger to character, or is it an ethical choice?

Vaccine Research Represents Shift in Battle Against TB (News and Features)

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.

Best of the Brain from Scientific American (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Top neuroscientist Floyd E. Bloom has selected the most fascinating brain-related articles from Scientific American and Scientific American Mind since 1999 in this collection. Divided into three sections—Mind, Matter, and Tomorrow’s Brain—this compilation takes you to the latest information from the front lines of brain research.

Risks and Rewards of Biologics for the Brain (Cerebrum)

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By E. Ray Dorsey, M.D., Philip Vitticore, M.D., Hamilton Moses III, M.D. Biologics—drugs derived from living organisms—have great potential for treating brain and other diseases, but their risks are significant. How can patients, physicians, industry, and government balance these risks and rewards?

Researchers reveal new drug possibilities in the battle against tuberculosis (News and Features)

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.

Gene therapy may treat Parkinson’s (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: Gene therapy may treat Parkinson’s

Monkeys Capable of Probabilistic Reasoning (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

“News” was written by Kelli Whitlock Burton, a freelance science writer in Columbus, Ohio.

Pure Oxygen Can Harm the Brain (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

One News from the Frontier item from Kelli Whitlock Burton.

Scientists Identify Navigation System (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

One News from the Frontier item by Kelli Whitlock Burton for the July-August 2007 BrainWork.

Ingredients May Affect Brain Health (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Kayt Sukel's article "Ingredients May Affect Brain Health" in the July-August 2007 issue of BrainWork.

Memory Research Helps Tone Down What’s Best Forgotten (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Elizabeth Norton Lasley's article "Memory Research Helps Tone Down What’s Best Forgotten" for the July-August issue of BrainWork.

Simple Creatures Provide Intriguing Findings (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jul 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Faith Hickman Brynie's article, "Simple Creatures Provide Intriguing Findings" for the July-August issue of BrainWork.

White Matter Matters More than Once Thought (BrainWork)

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Brenda Patoine's article, "White Matter Matters More than Once Thought" for the July-August 2007 issue of BrainWork.

New Treatments for Alzheimer's Showing Promise (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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?

Cerebral Malaria, a Wily Foe (Cerebrum)

Mon, 21 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Kayt Sukel. Scientists worldwide are working to understand the devastating effects of malaria on the brain, particularly in young children.

Cerebrum 2007: Emerging Ideas in Brain Science (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 21 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Cerebrum 2007: Emerging Ideas in Brain Science, foreword by Bruce S. McEwen, Ph.D. In the first volume of the annual Cerebrum anthologies, readers will encounter the most provocative ideas in brain science today. More than a dozen articles and book reviews discuss such topics as the biological nature of ethical behavior, the brain basis for belief in the supernatural, and the science of music.

Babies are Forgetful (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.”

Protecting the Brain from a Glutamate Storm (Cerebrum)

Thu, 10 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Vivian Teichberg, Ph.D. and Luba Vikhanski. Head injury or stroke can cause a surge in glutamate, leaving damaged neurons in its wake. But a new method may help keep the chemical messenger in check.

Can Our Minds Change Our Brains? (Cerebrum)

Wed, 09 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Michael J. Friedlander, Ph.D. Book Review. Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves. In Sharon Begley's new book, the interface of Western science and Buddhist philosophy provides the context for considering the implications of lifelong neuroplasticity.

Seeking the cause of deadly inflammation (News and Features)

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.

A Brain at Rest Tends to Stay … in Motion (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

During the past five years, Marcus Raichle and his team at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have looked at that question. While working on other neuroimaging studies, Raichle noticed an interesting trend in brain activation when experimental participants began a cognitive task.

Fewer Sensors, More Pain (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

Side Bar to accompany Tom Valeo's article, "Genetic Intrigue Stimulates Pain Research" for the May-June 2007 BrainWork.

Alcohol Can Harm Women’s Brains (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the May-June issue of BrainWork.

ALS Due to Fallen “Stars”? (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the May-June 2007 BrainWork.

Different Fatty Acids, Different Roles in Depression (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the May-June 2007 BrainWork.

The More You Know, the Sooner You Know It (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the May-June BrainWork.

Genetic Intrigue Stimulates Pain Research (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

In recent years, rigorous research has provided scientists with a detailed understanding of how pain signals travel from the skin and other organs to the brain. Different mutations in a single gene, however, demonstrate how much about pain remains mysterious: one worsens pain, while a second seems to prevent it.

Move Your Feet, Grow New Neurons? (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

A new study led by researchers at Columbia University provides the first evidence in humans that a structured exercise training program increases neurogenesis—the birth and development of new nerve cells—in a memory hub of the brain.

Proximity to an Event Influences ‘Flashbulb Memories’ (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 May 2007 09:00:00 EDT

For the first time, scientists have identified the brain circuitry involved in the creation of “flashbulb memories”—vivid, picturelike recollections of shocking, traumatic events such as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks—and that personal involvement in these events may be crucial in forming these memories.

Web Welcome (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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 (News and Features)

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.

Newborn Neurons Join Up in Memory Networks (BrainWork)

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item. Newborn neurons join up in memory networks.

Working Well Into the Sunset (News and Features)

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.

Prying Into Prions (Cerebrum)

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Scott P. Edwards. Prion diseases such as "mad cow" turn the brains of otherwise healthy people into a spongy mush, inevitably killing them. Now researchers are beginning to understand how mutant prion proteins cause this destruction.

For the Arts, a ‘Lost Generation’ (News and Features)

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.”

Prion Diseases Rare But Deadly (Cerebrum)

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 09:00:00 EDT

By Scott P. Edwards. Mad cow and other prion diseases, although fatal, are also very rare and have caused what some scientists says is irrational fear.

'Stress Hormone' May Be Stress Reducer (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item. Cortisol, a "stress hormone,” may be a stress reducer.

A Surprising Player in Parkinson’s Disease (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item, "A surprising player in Parkinson’s disease."

Afternoon Siesta Protects the Heart (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item. The Mediterranean lifestyle, including red wine and olive oil, may benefit your health due to stress reducing properties.

Imaging Sheds Light on Brain’s Wiring (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which reveals the location of the delicate neural fibers that transmit signals in the brain, is providing insight into how the living brain shares information.

Prolonged Stress, PTSD Symptoms Increase Heart Disease Risk (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that is triggered by memories of a traumatic event. Building on research from the late 1990s, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health have discovered a new aspect of PTSD: it may increase the risk of heart disease.

Rett Syndrome Gene Finding Paves Way for Treatment (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Thanks to the latest in a series of findings dating to 1999, researchers may be closing in on treatments for Rett syndrome, a neurological disorder that primarily affects girls and leaves them physically and mentally disabled.

Suicide Concern Highlights Need for New Antidepressants (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EDT

The recent controversy surrounding antidepressant drugs and suicide risk has raised important questions about the risks and benefits of treating depression, the most common mental disorder and the leading cause of disability worldwide. The debate also has underscored a troubling fact about depression treatment: beyond drugs such as fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), there is a paucity of therapeutic options. And the situation is not likely to change any time soon.

Quantity Can Turn Immune System From Friend To Enemy (News and Features)

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.

Remembering the Past to Imagine the Future (Cerebrum)

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Karl K. Szpunar, Ph.D. and Kathleen B. McDermott, Ph.D. Remembering experiences in our past and imagining ourselves in some future event both involve a kind of mental "time travel" based in our brains.

The Human Experience of Time (Cerebrum)

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Lynn Nadel, Ph.D. Book Review: Beyond 9 to 5: Your Life in Time by Sarah Norgate. How our brains and minds handle time.

Brain Health Editors Aim for Accessibility (News and Features)

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

Building for the Shattered Mind (Cerebrum)

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

By Kayt Sukel and Russell Epstein, Ph.D. What might architects learn from neuroscience that would help in designing better nursing homes and other facilities for the aging, particularly people with Alzheimer's disease?

Basal Ganglia Contribute to Learning, but Also Certain Disorders (BrainWork)

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

The basal ganglia, a group of interconnected brain areas located deep in the cerebral cortex, have proved to be at work in learning, the formation of good and bad habits, and some psychiatric and addictive disorders. Scientists have found that the neurotransmitter dopamine, already linked to the basal ganglia in movement disorders, also is important in learning via reward and punishment, as well as in disorders including schizophrenia and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. This new understanding of how the basal ganglia work has revealed possible avenues for treatment of these and other disorders.

New Neurons in the Adult Brain: What’s the Point? (BrainWork)

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

A torrent of recent research has illuminated not only how these new neurons develop but also what influences their genesis, survival, and integration into the brain.

Researchers Teach Old Drugs New Tricks (BrainWork)

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

Because pharmaceutical companies are loath to invest in a therapy that may never succeed—a particular obstacle in neurology, which includes very rare diseases—many researchers are finding new ways to use drugs already available.

Three Blind Mice: See How They . . . See (BrainWork)

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

In a scientific first, researchers based in London have restored vision in mice by transplanting light-sensitive photoreceptor cells in their eyes. Although human application is not assured, the finding is a significant first step.

Youth in Danger: Art Appeals to Life (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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

Brain Areas Team Up During Sleep (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley.

Do You Smell That Smell? (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasely.

Sensory Nerves May Point to Diabetes Treatment (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasely.

Tumors’ Use of Stem Cells Suggests Treatment (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasely.

Senator’s Emergency Surgery Highlights Rare Brain Affliction (News and Features)

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.

Hardwired for Happiness (Cerebrum)

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EDT

By Silvia Helena Cardoso, Ph.D. Happiness, which is good for both mind and body, is at least in part biological, rooted in the evolution of the brain and nervous system.

The Promise and Perils of "Neural Prostheses" (Cerebrum)

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 08:00:00 EDT

By Edward McKintosh, MRCS. Book Review: Shattered Nerves: How Science is Solving Modern Medicine's Most Perplexing Problem by Victor Chase. Stories of researchers and patients that engage the reader in understanding the development of "neural prostheses," devices that interact directly with the brain or nervous system to enable the deaf to hear, the blind to see, and the paralyzed to move.

Mind Wars (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Mind Wars: Brain Research and National Defense, by Jonathan D. Moreno, Ph.D. In this first-ever overview of brain research and national defense, author Jonathan Moreno probes the fascinating ethical and legal issues that have risen from the federal defense agencies' interest in the growing field of neuroscience. Moreno also calls upon the scientific community to be more aware of the unintended consequences of their work.

Resistance (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Resistance: The Human Struggle Against Infection, by Norbert Gualde, M.D. While modern science has given us such amazing medical treatments as the polio vaccine, we are also faced with the realities of drug resistant bacteria, new diseases, and new agents of infection. Resistance traces the history of some of the world's most dangerous epidemics and their consequences, including the current fight against HIV and the threat of man-made pathogens.

The Long, Sometimes Bumpy Road of Drug Development (Cerebrum)

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

By Paul M. Matthews, M.D. The current arduous process of drug development may be improved through brain imaging.

Transforming Drug Development Through Brain Imaging (Cerebrum)

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

By Paul M. Matthews, M.D. After years of research and enormous expense, perhaps only one in a hundred potential drugs for a brain disorder will receive government approval and make it to the person who needs it. Neuroimaging may change this dramatically.

At Ease With One’s ‘Living Zoo’ (News and Features)

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

The Dana Guide to Brain Health (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 08:00:00 EDT

The Dana Guide to Brain Health: A Practical Family Refrence from Medical Experts, editors Floyd E. Bloom, M.D., M. Flint Beal, M.D., and David J. Kupfer, M.D. This first ever family-friendly medical reference about the brain is a necessity for anyone who wants to be an active participant in their own health care. This comprehensive guide, based on the contributions of more than a hundred top scientists and clinicians, details such essential topics as brain development, brain health, and a variety of brain disorders.

Architecture, Neuroscience Intersect (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscientists and architects have started to work together to try to better understand what makes a human environment rich or beneficial and how such an environment might affect an individual’s neurobiology. Already a formal association, the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA), has formed. In the second annual “Dialogues between Neuroscience and Society” lecture at SfN, world-renowned architect Frank Gehry described what he tries to accomplish with his buildings.

Behavior, Stress Affect Alzheimer’s Disease Risk (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

In some of the more than 500 Alzheimer’s-related presentations at SfN, researchers shed new light on how diet, exercise, red wine consumption, and stress may lower or raise disease risk.

Brain and Blood Achieve Intricate Relationship (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

The similarities between the pathways used by nerves and by blood vessels first struck anatomists hundreds of years ago; they appear clearly, for example, in the detailed drawings of Leonardo da Vinci. At the Society for Neuroscience meeting, researchers presented more than a dozen examples of neurovascular links in health and disease.

For Neuroethics, a Global Reach (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

As the field of neuroethics approaches its 5th birthday—the term was coined at a conference in spring 2002—widening awareness of the responsibilities researchers take on when they tap deeply into volunteers’ brains is giving rise to new questions in places such as Venezuela, Canada, and Japan. Scientists from those countries, as well as the United States, gathered at SfN for a symposium called “The International Frontier of Neuroethics.”

Gene Therapy to Restore Sight (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News From the Frontier item by Sandra Ackerman.

Learning to Survive (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Brenda Patoine.

Neurogenesis in Epilepsy (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Rabiya Tuma.

New Vaccine Approach to Parkinson’s (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Sidebar by Brenda Patoine to accompany Sandra Ackerman story, "Stem Cell Researchers Set Sights on Parkinson's."

Perplexing Estrogen Findings Drive Research (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Perplexing Estrogen Findings Drive Research 2006-11-01 false There is hope for hormone therapy in women, but it won’t be your mother’s regimen. That was one theme that emerged from a series of SfN reports

Stem Cell Researchers Set Sights on Parkinson’s (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

One of the most promising prospects for treatment of a neurodegenerative disorder lies in the use of embryonic stem cells to obtain dopamine for Parkinson’s disease. The goal is ambitious, but scientists are coming closer to reaching it, a panel of researchers from around the world said at the Society for Neuroscience meeting.

The Neurobiology of Personality (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Rabiya Tuma.

Too Much of a Good Thing (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 09:00:00 EDT

The idea that drug addiction is a result of “learning gone wild” was bolstered by several reports at SfN revealing profound, drug-induced changes in the same neural circuitry the brain applies to learn useful behaviors.

Ready or Not (News and Features)

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.

Elephants That Paint, Birds That Make Music (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Gisela Kaplan, Ph.D., and Lesley J. Rogers, D.Phil., D.Sc. Art in its myriad forms has long been seen as a uniquely human gift, evidence of our advanced cognitive abilities and consciousness. In contrast, scientists have understood all animal behavior as having survival value alone. But a magpie singing to itself embellishes its song with trills, overtones, and a unique closing phrase, and animals as diverse as elephants, chimpanzees, and seals appear to enjoy painting. Two Australian scientists—Lesley J. Rogers, D. Phil., D.Sc., professor of neuroscience and founder of the Research Centre for Neuroscience and Animal Behaviour at the University of New England, Australia, and Gisela Kaplan, Ph.D., also a professor at the Research Centre—write that, in the face of growing evidence for animals’ complex cognitive abilities, we should not be too hasty in deciding whether what is art to us might also be art to them.

Teaching the body to fight cancer (News and Features)

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? (News and Features)

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.

Toward a New Treatment for Traumatic Memories (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Jacek Debiec, M.D., Ph.D., and Margaret Altemus, M.D. Whether the result of violence, war, or disaster, the intrusive memories that haunt people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cannot always be healed through psychotherapy or current medications. Now research on the biological basis of memory offers the hope of new drug treatments that may be able to lessen the disabling fear associated with traumatic memories and perhaps even fundamentally alter them. The authors argue that this possibility raises profound ethical and philosophical questions that must be examined even as researchers work to relieve the suffering of PTSD.

A Model of Sleep’s Role in the Brain (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Sidebar on sleep's role in the brain to accompany Rabiya S. Tuma's story, "Sleep Loss Affects More than the Brain" in the September-October 2006 issue of BrainWork.

ADHD Grows Up (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, conjures images of young children jumping up and down, running around in the classroom, and not being able to concentrate on their schoolwork. But ADHD affects adults, too: the majority of children with the disorder never outgrow it.

Immune-Cell Messenger Helps Prevent Inflammation (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the September-October issue of BrainWork.

DNA Region May Be Key To Mental Retardation (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the September-October 2006 BrainWork.

Ultrasound May Throw Neurons Off Course (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasely for the September-October issue of BrainWork.

Venom Targets Tumors (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Elizabeth Norton Lasley for the September-October 2006 issue of BrainWork.

Gene’s Problems Cross Generations (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Fragile X syndrome, the most common form of genetically caused mental retardation after Down syndrome, produces severe intellectual deficits in children, as well as behavioral, emotional, and some physical problems. Recent findings indicate a surprising second effect from the same gene: vulnerability to a neurodegenerative disorder known as fragile-X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, or FXTAS, which usually strikes men older than 50. Older women can develop problems as well.

Medications for Adult ADHD (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Sidebar to accompany Thomas May's story, "ADHD Grows Up" in the September-October 2006 issue of BrainWork.

Sleep Loss Affects More than the Brain (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Researchers have known that too little sleep affects mental performance. Now they are finding that sleep loss affects a whole lot more, including the immune system, cardiovascular health, and even hunger regulation.

The Other Side of Cytokines (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Cytokines, small proteins released by cells throughout the body, are generally known as chemical messengers that play a critical role in controlling inflammatory and immune responses. Growing evidence suggests, however, that cytokines also contribute to neuropathology, including disease effects on brain signaling and neural circuit behavior.

Bringing the Brain of the Child with Autism Back on Track (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Diane C. Chugani, Ph.D., and Kayt Sukel. What if we could identify some common process that goes awry in the developing brain of a child and leads to errors in wiring that cause the devastating symptoms of autism? What if, understanding that malfunction, we could intervene with drugs and behavioral therapies that don’t just mask symptoms but actually bring the child’s brain development back on course? Wayne State University professor of pediatrics and radiology Diane C. Chugani, Ph.D., describes new insights achieved through molecular neuroimaging that may —repeat, may—change how we understand and treat autism.

Exploring How Music Works Its Wonders (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By David Huron, Ph.D. Book Review: This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel J. Levitin

A Remarkable Patient’s Recovery (News and Features)

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.

A Story of Science, a Story of Grief (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Kevin J. Tracey, M.D. Book Review: A Story of Science, a Story of Grief Billy’s Halo: Love, Science and My Father’s Death by Ruth McKernan. This book is McKernan’s chronicle of Billy’s illnesses, dissected into simple, factual prose, not at all unlike what you might ﬁnd scrawled in the margins of Ruth’s laboratory notebook. Unlike a sterile lab notebook, however, Billy’s Halo places the science within the context of Billy’s life and times through anecdotes that bring both Billy and the science to life. The result is a compelling summary of what Ruth came to understand about her father’s life-threatening infection and leukemia.

Neuroethics Society Launched (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Cynthia A. Read. An interdisciplinary group of neuroscientists, scholars, and clinicians has followed the lead of the geneticists and, in May, met at Asilomar to discuss the social, legal, ethical, and policy implications of advances in brain research.

The Intuitive Magician (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Bruce Hood, Ph.D. The brains of even young babies not only organize sensory information but supply what is missing, determine cause and effect, and use the information to generate theories about how the world operates. Such natural intuitive reasoning persists when we become adults, says British cognitive neuroscientist Bruce Hood, Ph.D., and may underlie the tendency of even the most rational of us to believe in supernatural phenomena. At its distorted extreme, such reasoning can cause the paranoid delusions of schizophrenia. But sensing connections where others do not can be a hallmark of creativity and even scientiﬁc discovery.

A Little Help from Friends May Aid Cognition (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

The epidemiological evidence linking social factors and better brain health is strong and growing, convincing many experts that the connection is bona fide. Even so, recent history shows all too clearly that results in population-based studies do not always hold up when subjected to the rigors of controlled clinical trials (the Women’s Health Initiative findings about estrogen are one example).

Faster Changes in Cortex Size Linked to Higher IQ (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscientists have long suggested that intelligence is related to some aspects of brain anatomy, with the size of the cortex (the outer part of the brain) thought to be the most likely feature to correlate positively with intelligence. However, according to a recent study, the way the cortex develops over time is a much better predictor.

Anticipating Actions Begins By Age 1 (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News for the Frontier item by Rabiya S. Tuma for the July-August 2006 issue of BrainWork.

Broken Wiring (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Rabiya S. Tuma for the July-August issue of BrainWork.

Identifying Different Seizures (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Rabiya S. Tuma for the July-August 2006 issue of BrainWork.

Language Control Center (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier item by Rabiya S. Tuma for the July-August 2006 BrainWork.

Hormones Play Surprising Roles (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Hormones Play Surprising Roles 2006-07-01 false true Hunger is such a fundamental urge, and food such a vitally important reward, that the brain has a complex set of chemical messengers and receptors dedicated to appetite, eating, and energy balance. New research is showing that these messenge

Out-of-Body but in the Brain (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jul 2006 09:00:00 EDT

For centuries, the out-of-body experience, in which consciousness seems to float away from the body, has been widely regarded as a spiritual or mystical phenomenon. Some parapsychologists still believe that such experiences are just what they seem to be: a separation of consciousness from the body.

An Argument for Mind (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Jerome Kagan, Ph.D. In his new memoir, An Argument for Mind, Kagan recounts dramatic changes in psychology’s assumptions and methods over the past half century, set in the context of his own career studying child development and temperament. The relation of brain function to behavior holds a central place in contemporary psychology. But in “Celebrating Mind,” the penultimate chapter of An Argument for Mind from which this excerpt is taken, Kagan explains why he believes that neuroscience can never entirely replace psychology and describes some of the challenges and gifts that each ﬁeld brings to the other.

Knowing Sin (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:00:00 EDT

By Henry T. Greely, J.D. Like all tools, scientiﬁc advances may be used for good or for ill. As our knowledge about the human brain increases, we will certainly use that knowledge to relieve human suffering in profound and wonderful ways. But the vast promise of the science should not blind us to the possibilities of its misuse. I believe those involved in human neuroscience need to pay attention to the risks that come with the science and to accept the duty to minimize any harm it could cause.

Hard Science, Hard Choices (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 31 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Hard Science, Hard Choices: Facts, Ethics, and Policies Guiding Brain Science Today, by Sandra J. Ackerman. This book, the fourth in the Dana Foundation Series on Neuroethics, details the meeting of top scholars and neuroscientists at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. in May 2005. Hard Science, Hard Choices provides a narrative of their discussion of neuroscience's most pressing ethical issues including brain imaging, drugs and the brain, and new technology aimed at the brain.

Are We in the Dark About Sleepwalking’s Dangers? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Are We in the Dark About Sleepwalking’s Dangers? 2006-05-01 false When most people sleep, the brain causes both the conscious mind and the body to rest, and, during the dreaming stages of sleep, a loss of muscle tone prevents movement. In sleepwalkers, however, this process goes awry. Sleep

Diabetes and the Brain (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Diabetes and the Brain The Unseen Connection 2006-05-01 false true When citing the dangers of type II diabetes, doctors usually focus on associated, life-threatening conditions such as heart disease and risk of stroke. Research is beginning to show, how-ever, that diabetes can

Expectations Trump Reality in Taste Response (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Expectations Trump Reality in Taste Response Taste Expectation 2006-05-01 false true “Our conduct is influenced not by our experience but by our expectations,” said George Bernard Shaw, the great English dramatist. Now, more than a half-century after the playwright’s death,

Mitigating Radiation Damage (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Mitigating Radiation Damage News From The Frontier 2006-05-01 false true Each year more than 215,000 Americans receive partial or whole brain irradiation for brain cancers. Radiation may cure or slow the cancer, but more than 50 percent of the patients who survive bey

On The Way To Restoring Vision (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

On The Way To Restoring Vision News From The Frontier 2006-05-01 false true One in every 3,000 people worldwide will become blind due to degeneration of the photoreceptor cells in the retina, which convert light into electrical impulses and pass them on to the brain.

Plaques Without Memory Problems (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Plaques Without Memory Problems News From The Frontier 2006-05-01 false true Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by abnormal plaques and tangles in the brains of patients. Now, researchers at the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, Calif., have found that if they b

Targeting Craving Shows Therapeutic Potential (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Targeting Craving Shows Therapeutic Potential 2006-05-01 false true A new weight-loss drug illustrates both the promise and problem with tackling cravings, such as for food or nicotine, via the brain's endogenous cannabinoid system. The promise is fueled by a growing body of evidence from laborator

Terms of Empathy (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

A new study suggests that, at least in men, whether we empathize with another person’s pain depends on how that person had behaved in the past, and, perhaps more important, whether we like or dislike them.

The Benefits Of Social Interaction (BrainWork)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

The Benefits Of Social Interaction News From The Frontier 2006-05-01 false true Scientists know that running induces the production of new neurons in rodent brains. Elizabeth Gould and colleagues at Princeton University report that this benefit is wiped out when anim

A Well-Tempered Mind (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 01 May 2006 09:00:00 EDT

A Well-Tempered Mind: Using Music to Help Children Listen and Learn, by Peter Perret and Janet Fox. When Perret, conductor of the Winston-Salem Symphony for more than 25 years, placed a woodwind quintet in a poorly performing elementary school the result was an eye-brow raising jump in the children’s test scores—and this book. This charming story raises questions about one of the newest areas of brain research: the effect of music on the brain.

Unshackling the Slaves of Obsession and Compulsion (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Unshackling the Slaves of Obsession and Compulsion A Brain Science Success Story 2006-04-01 false For more than a century, scientists sought the explanation of a disorder affecting millions—obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)—in child-rearing practices or personality conﬂicts and prescribed

A Brain Built for Fair Play (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

A Brain Built for Fair Play 2006-03-01 false As scientists and society as a whole are facing the ethical questions inherent in brain science, researchers are beginning to explore the biological nature of ethical behavior. Rockefeller University neuroscientist Donald W. Pfaff, Ph.D., propose

In Search of Memory (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

In Search of Memory The Emergence of a New Science of Mind 2006-03-01 false In Search of Memory Neuroscientist Eric Kandel’s new memoir covers more than six decades, beginning with his experiences as a nine-year-old child in Nazi-occupied Vienna. He considers those powerful memories the touc

Diabetes May Change The Brain (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Diabetes May Change The Brain News From The Frontier 2006-03-01 false true Diabetes is known to damage nerves in the arms and legs, sometimes leading to the painful condition known as diabetic neuropathy or the need to amputate limbs. Research since the 1960s has

Dissecting Dyslexia (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Dissecting Dyslexia 2006-03-01 false true Children who do not learn to read fluently by age 10 or 11 are often thought to be lacking in intelligence or motivation. In most cases, however, they are neither stupid nor lazy. They have dyslexia, a learning disability

Diversions may affect memory (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Diversions may affect memory

Hunger hormone plays role in memory (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Hunger hormone plays role in memory

Immune Cells in Spinal Cord Cause Neuropathic Pain (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Nearly one-fifth of us will experience neuropathic pain during our lifetimes, with exaggerated pain sensations or pain in response to a stimulus that is not normally painful, such as a light touch. Now, researchers report that overly active immune cells in the spinal cord may be to blame.

Man’s Best Friend (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Man’s best friend just got a little closer to his master. In December 2005, a team of scientists announced in the journal Nature that they had sequenced the entire genome of the domesticated dog. Their report has important implications for the understanding of human genetic diseases, as well as gene-related personality and behavioral traits in humans.

New Experiences Throw Neurons Into Reverse (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

The sleeping brain is known to replay the day's events; recordings taken from the brain cells of busy rats show that neurons active in a given behavior-exploring a new maze, for example-fire in the same sequence after the rat goes to sleep.

Stroke Rekindles Researchers’ Attention (BrainWork)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Stroke research is heating up again, fanned by promising results from large-scale clinical trials for a new drug under investigation for acute stroke. The results are generating excitement in a field that has been strangely quiet in recent years, following a long series of disappointments that seemed to scare off pharmaceutical investment and put a damper on the search for therapies that might make a dent in stroke’s devastating toll.

Fatal Sequence (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Fatal Sequence: The Killer Within, by Kevin J. Tracey, M.D. In this griping and tragic account, Dr. Kevin J. Tracey remembers his struggle to save a one year old girl from sepsis brought on by a severe scalding. As he recounts trying to heal this young patient, he desribes how sepsis is the result of the immune system escaping the brain's control and killing normal, healthy cells along with foreign microbes.

Why Not a National Institute on Pain Research? (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Why Not a National Institute on Pain Research? 2006-02-01 false Today, patients who once would have lived in chronic pain or died in agony can be helped because research has debunked many myths about our most potent pain medication: opioids. Even long-term treatment with opioids seldom lead

Improving Stroke Prevention and Treatment Now (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Improving Stroke Prevention and Treatment Now 2006-01-01 false true During the past 25 years, more advances were made than ever before in our understanding of strokes and in our ability to prevent and treat them. Technology is readily available that can quickly

Searching for a New Strategy to Protect the Brain (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Searching for a New Strategy to Protect the Brain 2006-01-01 false true Tasha awoke early, unable to feel the right side of her face: it was numb. At ﬁrst, she thought she was still dreaming, but she heard her husband downstairs in the kitchen, and knew that she w

Anticipating “Smart” Drugs (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Ethicist Thomas Murray of the Hastings Institute asks neuroscientists, who are beginning to think about the coming wave of “smart” drugs, to consider how far humans will go succeed.

Feeling Your Pain (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Feeling Your Pain by Brenda Patoine.

Separation Anxiety (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Separation Anxiety by Brenda Patoine

When Time Stands Still (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: When Time Stands Still by Brenda Patoine.

Meditation May Change the Brain (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

The health benefits of meditation—lowering blood pressure, improving immune function, decreasing stress—are well recognized, but can meditative practice actually change the brain? Growing evidence from neuroscience suggests that it can, providing increasing support for the idea that meditation alters both the function and structure of the brain.

Relatives’ Brains Yield Autism Clues (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

The incidence of autism in the U.S. appears to be increasing—dramatically, by some accounts—leading many people to call it a full-scale epidemic. But even as scientists try to figure out why autism cases are rising, there is a continuing debate about just how real the rise is.

Stem Cell Researchers Inch toward Therapeutic Applications (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Sometimes lost amid the political and ethical controversies surrounding stem cells and cloning for therapeutic purposes are the tough scientific hurdles that must be over-come before stem cell-based therapies are a reality.

Studies Hint at Placebos’ Potential (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

Researchers have often viewed the placebo effect as a con-founding factor in clinical trials, and thus have tried to minimize it. Now some are taking the opposite approach and studying how the placebo effect occurs and could be harnessed to help with treatment.

The Paradoxical Creative Brain (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

To create, a person must have knowledge but forget the knowledge, must see unexpected connections in things but not have a mental disorder, must work hard but spend time doing nothing, must be competitive while afflicted by self doubt.

The Return of Tau (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EDT

News from the Frontier: The Return of Tau by Brenda Patoine.

3-D "Maps" Show Brain Damage From HIV (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: 3-D "Maps" Show Brain Damage From HIV by Elizabeth Norton Lasley.

Cognitive Effects of Pre-Term Birth Linked to Movement Center (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Cognitive Effects of Pre-Term Birth Linked to Movement Center by Elizabeth Norton Lasley.

International Panel Explores Neuroethics (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Like the ocean across which the conversation took place, “The Ethical Brain: The First Trans-Atlantic Discussion on Neuroethics” raised a sea of questions regarding the role of neuroscience research in society.

Mental Concerts (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

It has long been known that Ludwig van Beethoven composed music after he became deaf. Now neuroscience research is revealing how Beethoven was able to “hear” the notes of his symphony, at least in his own head, even though he couldn’t hear the music being played on stage or the applause that followed.

Nicotine Gives the Brain More Bang for the Buck (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Nicotine Gives the Brain More Bang for the Buck by Elizabeth Norton Lasley.

Researchers "Map" Susceptibility Genes For Parkinson's Disease (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

A new study is helping scientists zero in on the genes that may confer susceptibility to Parkinson's disease. In what is called a whole-genome association study, Demetrius Maraganore and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic and Perlegen Sciences Inc. took blood samples from more than 1,500 individuals, including patients with the disease, siblings who did not have the disease, and unrelated, healthy control subjects.

Rethinking the Synapse (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

In terms of brain function, the synapse is where it all happens. It is at these molecular junctions— 100 trillion or more of them, by current estimates—that neurons talk to one another, exchanging biochemical messages that ultimately orchestrate how we feel, think, remember, and behave.

The Protective Effect of Neural Precursor Cells (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) such as multiple sclerosis are characterized by chronic inflammation. This inflammation leads to neurodegenerative features such as the loss of myelin, the protective coating around nerves, and the loss of parts of nerves called axons. An Italian research team has found, however, that transplanting neural stem cells called multipotent precursor cells (NPCs) can protect the brain against inflammation by inducing the death of certain cells that promote such inflammation.

The Creating Brain (Dana Press Books)

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius, by Nancy C. Andreasen, M.D., Ph.D. The concept of creative genius comes with some highly charged questions: Is creativity inherited or can it be taught? What is the definition of "genius" versus intelligence? What is the line between "genius" and insanity? Best selling author Nancy Andreasen explores how the human brain achieves creative breakthroughs and whether that potential lies in all of us.

A Young Mind in a Growing Brain (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

A Young Mind in a Growing Brain Building a Bridge Between Brain Science and Education 2005-10-01 false A Young Mind in a Growing Brain Jerome Kagan and Norbert Herschkowitz 2005-01-01 In his widely quoted 1997 article “Education and Neuroscience: A Bridge Too Far

Challenges of the Scientist Turned Science Writer (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Challenges of the Scientist Turned Science Writer Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals 2005-10-01 false Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals Robert M. Sapolsky 2005-01-01 In the aftermath of severe emotional trauma, it is not uncommo

Cognitive Fitness for the Older and Wiser (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Cognitive Fitness for the Older and Wiser 2005-10-01 false true Scientists have assumed the relationship between the dominant and non-dominant hemispheres of our brain is fixed. Not so, argues Goldberg: Mentally active people continue to develop their dominant hemisphere throughout their l

Cooling It (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Cooling It 2005-10-01 false true Cooling It Occasionally someone drowns in ice-cold water but is rescued and revived, with few permanent ill effects. The person’s brain has achieved this seeming miracle by doing what a hibernating bear’s brain does: slowing down temporarily to almost el

Four Fictional Odysseys Through Life With a Disordered Brain (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Four Fictional Odysseys Through Life With a Disordered Brain 2005-10-01 false A brain-damaged detective, an autistic young man in a future world who wonders if he wants to be “cured,” a nun who experiences God in her epileptic seizures: They are just a few of the protagonists in novels abo

Left Hand, Left Brain: The Plot Thickens (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Left Hand, Left Brain: The Plot Thickens 2005-10-01 false Much provocative research on left-handed people points to links between left-handedness and, for example, talent for music and mathematics, but also with autism and schizophrenia. Underlying these links, scientists have suspected, ma

The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius 2005-10-01 false The Creating Brain: The Neuroscience of Genius 2005-01-01 Michelangelo was a stonecutter’s son, Shakespeare the son of a tradesman. What caused them to soar free of apparently ordinary origins to create works of genius? Psychia

The End of Sex as We Know It (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The End of Sex as We Know It 2005-10-01 false Are male and female brains different in ways that relate not just to sexuality and reproduction, but to intellectual potential, talents, and interests? Recent neuroscience research is showing that, from the earliest stages of development, male

The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education Building a Bridge Between Brain Science and Education 2005-10-01 false The Learning Brain: Lessons for Education Uta Frith and Sarah-Jayne Blakemore 2005-01-01 In his widely quoted 1997 article “Education and Neuroscience:

The Tumultuous Birth of Brain Chemistry (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Oct 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Tumultuous Birth of Brain Chemistry The War of the Soups and the Sparks: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute Over How Nerves Communicate 2005-10-01 false The War of the Soups and the Sparks: The Discovery of Neurotransmitters and the Dispute Over How Nerves Communicate Elliot S. V

Blocking Neuropathic Pain by Targeting Immune System Receptors (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Blocking Neuropathic Pain by Targeting Immune System Receptors Immune Receptors Activate Pain 2005-09-01 false true Gone are the days when scientists believed that the body’s immune and central nervous systems operated independently. Recent studies have shown that

Controlling Insulin Resistance May Lower The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Controlling Insulin Resistance May Lower The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease News From The Frontier 2005-09-01 false true Insulin resistance is associated with diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cancer. More mysterious is how insulin affects the brain. In the Oc

Deep Brain Stimulation (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Deep Brain Stimulation A Technique for Mood, Too? 2005-09-01 false true Deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices have been implanted in at least 30,000 people in the eight years since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved them for the treatment of movement d

Depression Increases Risk after Heart Disease (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Depression Increases Risk after Heart Disease 2005-09-01 false true A growing body of evidence indicates that for people with heart disease, depression can shorten life expectancy and increase the risk of additional cardiac events. Therefore, researchers have sug

A Central Control System For Movement (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: A Central Control System For Movement by Rabiya S. Tuma.

Go Ahead, Blink … You Won’t Notice (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Go Ahead, Blink … You Won’t Notice by Rabiya S. Tuma.

Social Response Is Amiss In Williams Syndrome (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Social Response Is Amiss In Williams Syndrome by Rabiya S. Tuma.

Your Brain on Steroids (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Congressional hearings questioning beefy baseball players about anabolic steroid use, along with the growing use of testosterone replacement therapy, have refocused attention on the good and bad effects of the family of so-called “male” sex hormones known as androgens.

Cutting Edge Psychiatry (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Cutting Edge Psychiatry 2005-07-01 false Madhouse: A Tragic Tale of Megalomania and Modern Medicine Andrew Scull 2005-01-01 Encouraged by bacteriological discoveries, leaders of early-20th-century medicine hoped to reduce the causes of all di

Discovering That Rational Economic Man Has a Heart (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

By Lee Alan Dugatkin, Ph.D. To what extent is our economic behavior a rational weighing of alternatives based on our self- interest? Certainly, economists and public policy makers have relied on the concept of self-interest to interpret and predict how people will behave in the marketplace. But why, then, do areas of our brain associated with emotions become so active when we make economic decisions? The author analyzes what research on cooperation and fairness tells us about our real-life decisions when getting and spending.

Fearful Symmetry (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Fearful Symmetry Probing the Limits of Brain Modeling 2005-07-01 false A scientist who hypothesizes that a certain process may occur in the brain can test the idea by seeing if a working computer model of the process can be made. If so, the scientist can go back to the lab with a better ide

Neuroscience and the Afterlife (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience and the Afterlife 2005-07-01 false Mortal Minds: The Biology of Near-Death Experiences G. M. Woerlee 2005-01-01 In 1922, after a search that began in Egypt in 1891, British archeologist Howard Carter ﬁnally discovered the Tomb of

No Child Left Without a Brain Scan? (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

No Child Left Without a Brain Scan? Toward a Pediatric Neuroethics 2005-07-01 false Will my baby be born with a normal, healthy brain? Are neurological problems getting in the way of my child’s learning? Does my teenager have any special vulnerability to emotional disorders? Many parents a

Reversing Sudden Deafness (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Reversing Sudden Deafness 2005-07-01 false Hearing loss is a growing problem as more people live longer. Unfortunately, scientists know relatively little about the mostly irreversible kind of deafness caused by damage to the nerves that conduct information about sound to the brain. That ma

Searching for a Drug to Extinguish Fear (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Searching for a Drug to Extinguish Fear 2005-07-01 false Anxiety is sometimes diffuse, generalized, but many people struggle with more specific fears in such forms as phobias (for example, fear of heights, public speaking, or crowds), panic attacks, or posttraumatic stress disorder. Resear

The Ethical Brain (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Ethical Brain 2005-07-01 false true The Ethical Brain Michael S. Gazzaniga, Ph.D 2005-01-01 “This is a book about an emerging field,” writes Michael Gazzaniga, a renowned brain scientist who has served on the President’s Council on Bioethics since 2001. “I would define neuroethics as t

An Eye on Shut-Eye (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Functional brain imaging is thought to be one of the most important discoveries in sleep research in the past 100 years. Researchers are using it to look at what happens in the whole brain during sleep, both in healthy individuals and in people who suffer sleep disturbances such as depression, sleep apnea, and insomnia.

Cha-Ching! Neural Processes Underlie Economic Decisions (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Cha-Ching! Neural Processes Underlie Economic Decisions Economic Pathways 2005-07-01 false Since imaging technologies made their debut in the early 1990s, they have gone from providing colored pictures of specific brain areas to yielding valuable information about

Controlling Emotional Feedback Is Key to Depression (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Controlling Emotional Feedback Is Key to Depression News From The Frontier 2005-07-01 false People with anxiety disorders or depression complain not so much about the emotion itself as its unceasing nature, says Daniel W

Blocking Opiate Receptors Interferes With Nicotine Reward (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

News From The Frontier: Blocking Opiate Receptors Interferes With Nicotine Reward by Rabiya S. Tuma.

New Techniques Detect Alzheimer's Before Symptoms Develop (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

New Techniques Detect Alzheimer's Before Symptoms Develop Alzheimer's Detection 2005-07-01 false Being able to detect high blood pressure can help doctors treat the condition before it causes a stroke or other serious illness. Similarly, the ability to measure bloo

Noise Hides the Signal in Dyslexia (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Noise Hides the Signal in Dyslexia News From The Frontier 2005-07-01 false true Children with dyslexia have trouble recognizing the sounds that make up words, but it is not clear why. One hypothesis is that dyslexic readers are less able to perceive visual cues th

Peering into the Brain (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Peering into the Brain New Frontiers in Neural Imaging 2005-07-01 false true New technologies—and the innovative ways in which scientists have harnessed them— have driven advances in neural imaging beyond what any expert predicted 10 years ago. Ever more sophistic

Vaccine Boosts Activity Of Chemotherapy In Brain Cancer (BrainWork)

Fri, 01 Jul 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Vaccine Boosts Activity Of Chemotherapy In Brain Cancer News From The Frontier 2005-07-01 false true Clinical trials show that patients with glioblastoma multiforme, a particularly aggressive brain cancer, survived longer if they were treated with a vaccine follow

Brain Tumor Researchers Let Slip the Immune Cells of War (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Brain Tumor Researchers Let Slip the Immune Cells of War 2005-05-01 false The formation of a tumor in the brain is a special case: advances in treatment for cancer elsewhere in the body have proved ineffectual for the most serious brain tumors. Now, however, resea

Key Brain Area Lets Songbirds Try, Try Again (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Key Brain Area Lets Songbirds Try, Try Again News From The Frontier 2005-05-01 false true Practicing a motor activity, whether it is a piano concerto or a golf swing, involves doing two things at once: experimenting with possibilities and evaluating the results. B

Neurotoxin Threat Impels Research (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Neurotoxin Threat Impels Research With Botulism, Early Detection Is Key The Neurotoxin Threat 2005-05-01 false In an era when new threats to public health and safety seem to spring up frequently, it may come as a surprise to realize that the world’s deadliest neuro

New Clue To Stress-Induced Memories (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

New Clue To Stress-Induced Memories News From The Frontier 2005-05-01 false true Stress hormones help firm up memories of emotional events so that we can avoid or deal with the challenge if it occurs again. For example, cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, ha

Old Drug’s New Trick Offers Hope for ALS (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Old Drug’s New Trick Offers Hope for ALS Old Drug May Treat ALS 2005-05-01 false The discovery of penicillin in 1928 is one of medical science’s most remarkable stories: a laboratory “accident”—mold growing on a petri dish—led to the wonder drug of the 20th century

Stem Cells From Hair Follicles (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Stem Cells From Hair Follicles News From The Frontier 2005-05-01 false true Scientists seeking a readily available supply of stem cells have uncovered an unlikely trove: hair follicles, which produce hair throughout life from cells with “stem-like” characteristics

The Amygdala (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Amygdala The Body’s Alarm Circuit Threat Perception 2005-05-01 false You must make an oral presentation in front of your peers. As you take your place before the group, your heart pounds in your chest, your palms become sweaty, and your knees shake uncontrollabl

Tracing the Brain’s “Trust Pathway” (BrainWork)

Sun, 01 May 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Tracing the Brain’s “Trust Pathway” News From The Frontier 2005-05-01 false true Trust and reputation are so vital to social interaction—especially when money is involved—that they may have dedicated circuitry in the brain. The decision to trust one’s partner in

The Ethical Brain (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 29 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Ethical Brain by Michael S. Gazzaniga. Author Michael S. Gazzaniga, widely considered to be the father of cognitive neuroscience, explores the most controversial topics in neuroethics today. Topics range from when an embryo becomes "one of us" to the science of extending life to the ethics of "neuroenhancement." Gazzaniga also addresses the challenges these issues could raise for the justice system.

A Turbocharged America with a Psychiatric Problem? (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

A Turbocharged America with a Psychiatric Problem? American Mania: When More Is Not Enough 2005-04-01 false American Mania: When More Is Not Enough Peter C. Whybrow 2005-01-01 Peter Whybrow, M.D., professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sci

Bird Brain? It May Be A Compliment! (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Bird Brain? It May Be A Compliment! 2005-04-01 false Chickens, supposedly the ultimate “bird brains,” give a different warning cry when they spot a predator overhead or on the ground—and they only give a cry when other chickens are present. This surprises many scientists, who have long ass

Good Science, Strong Politics, Questionable Combination (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Good Science, Strong Politics, Questionable Combination The Future of the Brain: The Promise and Perils of Tomorrow’s Neuroscience 2005-04-01 false The Future of the Brain: The Promise and Perils of Tomorrow’s Neuroscience Steven Rose 2005-01-01

How Addiction Hijacks Our Reward System (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

How Addiction Hijacks Our Reward System 2005-04-01 false true Can we be addicted to chocolate? Football? Blackjack? Using brain-imaging, scientists have begun to understand that true addiction involves a hijacking of the brain’s circuitry, a reprogramming of its reward system, and lasting

Just How Jolly Good is Exuberance? (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Just How Jolly Good is Exuberance? Exuberance: The Passion for Life 2005-04-01 false Exuberance: The Passion for Life Kay Redfield Jamison 2004-01-01 What do Theodore Roosevelt, young elephants, and a sky full of stars have in common? Accordi

Mental Retardation: Struggle, Stigma, Science (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Mental Retardation: Struggle, Stigma, Science 2005-04-01 false true Some six million Americans meet the criteria for mental retardation, but that broad category necessarily obscures a multitude of separate causes, including a thousand or so different genetic causes. Scientists are investi

Taste, Our Body’s Gustatory Gatekeeper (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

Taste, Our Body’s Gustatory Gatekeeper 2005-04-01 false true Did you ever hear that “90 percent of flavor comes from our sense of smell”? No one can cite any basis for that statistic, but it reflects a common belief that taste is a “minor” sense. In fact, the author argues, taste is so im

The Inner Lives of Disordered Brains (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Inner Lives of Disordered Brains 2005-04-01 false true One popular new novel is narrated by a boy with autism, another by a nun with epilepsy, a third by a man with Tourette syndrome. These are stories very different from the classic neurological case history, but, thanks to the pione

The Wisdom Paradox: (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Apr 2005 09:00:00 EDT

The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older 2005-04-01 false true Although we commonly dwell on the ways our brains decline as we age, in The Wisdom Paradox, neurologist Goldberg proclaims that the wisdom we associate with older people is also biological.

A Critical Link between Chronic Stress and Aging (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

A Critical Link between Chronic Stress and Aging Chronic Stress and Aging 2005-03-01 false You may know that chronic stress is bad for your health, but a widely publicized study now tells us it could take a decade or more off your life. The study found that chroni

Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease News From The Frontier 2005-03-01 false true One of the first examples of nanotechnology being put to use in the service of medicine is a new, extremely sensitive technique for finding minute amounts of certain disease prote

In Search of Therapy (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

In Search of Therapy The Genetics of Deafness The Genetics of Deafness 2005-03-01 false THE ANATOMY OF HEARING Using physiological and anatomical studies, scientists have learned that sound waves are converted into electrical impulses by sensory cells in the inner ear. As

Migraine, Aura, And The Risk Of Stroke: What’s The Connection? (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Migraine, Aura, And The Risk Of Stroke: What’s The Connection? News From The Frontier 2005-03-01 false true People who suffer from migraine headaches tend to show a higher incidence of ischemic stroke (blockage of a blood vessel) than the general population. The c

New Clues Emerge in Hunt for Autism Gene (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

New Clues Emerge in Hunt for Autism Gene Seeking Autism Clues 2005-03-01 false Autism, a spectrum of often heartbreaking behavioral traits, also can be studied as a mystifying collection of genetic variants. Several lines of research are converging to show how oppos

Prions Require High-Tech Hunting (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Prions Require High-Tech Hunting News From The Frontier 2005-03-01 false true When mad cow disease and its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), were traced in 1997 to an infectious particle called a prion, the discovery brought neurologist and biochem

Recalling Freud (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Recalling Freud Researchers Uncover Voluntary Repression of Memories 2005-03-01 false The truth is that we all live by leaving behind … —Jorge Luis Borges, Funes the Memorious The title character of Jorge Luis Borges’s short story Funes the Memorious li

Sad Simians In Neuroscience (BrainWork)

Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Sad Simians In Neuroscience News From The Frontier 2005-03-01 false true A group of female cynomolgus monkeys in Winston-Salem, N.C., are poised to offer valuable new information about depression in humans—particularly in women, who account for nearly 12 million o

An Outsider’s Fresh Model of the Thinking Brain (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

An Outsider’s Fresh Model of the Thinking Brain On Intelligence 2005-01-01 false On Intelligence Jeff Hawkins and Sandra Blakeslee 2004-01-01 On Intelligence is a book about the brain written by the man whose high-tech innovations fueled the succ

Animals in Translation: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior 2005-01-01 false true If its guiding hypothesis is correct, this book may be the closest we are likely to come to a direct report from an animal about how it thinks, feels, and experiences the world. Grandin,

Astronauts Study the Brain in Space (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Astronauts Study the Brain in Space 2005-01-01 false true The Neurolab space shuttle mission carried aloft seven astronaut/scientists, including physician Jay Buckey, who performed dozens of experiments. How does our sense of balance respond to the weightlessness of space? What about bloo

Dawning Hope for “the Other Dementia” (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Dawning Hope for “the Other Dementia” 2005-01-01 false true While Alzheimer’s disease tends to strike people in their sixties and older and to manifest itself as memory loss, another kind of dementia strikes its victims in their fifties and zeroes in on the executive region of the brain,

Paradoxical Profile: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Paradoxical Profile: Alcohol’s Risks and Benefits 2005-01-01 false true New research suggests that the effects of alcohol, and particularly in its interaction with the brain at every stage of life, are more complex than scientists once believed. Tiny amounts of alcohol in the womb can deva

Still Deferring to Descartes? (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Still Deferring to Descartes? Mind: A Brief Introduction 2005-01-01 false Mind: A Brief Introduction John R. Searle 2004-01-01 Philosophy of mind is the effort to understand the nature and constitution of the mind, its relationship to the body, a

The Computer That Started It All (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

The Computer That Started It All Imitation of Life: How Biology is Inspiring Computing 2005-01-01 false Imitation of Life: How Biology is Inspiring Computing Nancy Forbes 2004-01-01 One way to boost our military capabilities is to create faster,

The Deceptive World of Subjective Awareness Part 1 (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

The Deceptive World of Subjective Awareness Part 1 Mind Time: The Temporal Factor in Consciousness 2005-01-01 false Mind Time: The Temporal Factor in Consciousness Benjamin Libet 2004-01-01 Mind Time: The Temporal Factor in Consciousness

Why the White Brain Matters (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Why the White Brain Matters 2005-01-01 false true Perhaps it is harmless, in everyday thinking, to equate the brain with “gray matter.” But if you want to know how brain changes affect behavior, or what causes brain disorders from Alzheimer’s disease to multiple sclerosis, focusing on onl

Fats and Learning (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Fats and Learning News From The Frontier 2005-01-01 false true A series of animal studies helps clarify the effects of high-fat diets and obesity on learning and memory. First up: the “typical” American fast-food diet. M.H. Veerendra Kumar and colleagues at the Na

Imagine That! (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Imagine That! Neural Prosthetics Harness Thoughts to Control Computers and Robotics 2005-01-01 false Brain-machine interfaces. Microelectrodes implanted into the cortex to read neural signals. Robotic arms that respond to mere thoughts. Changing the television cha

Learning What Makes a Good Navigator (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Learning What Makes a Good Navigator News From The Frontier 2005-01-01 false true Some people land in a foreign city and know their way around in one afternoon; others remain lost a week later. Now, Russell Epstein and colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania

Making the Impossible Probable (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Making the Impossible Probable Spinal Cord Researchers Inch Toward Reconnecting Brain to Body 2005-01-01 false THE ROLIPRAM QUANDARY: GOOD ADVICE THAT YOU JUST CAN’T TAKE Ironically, the spinal cord research findings that may hold the greatest hope for rapidly impact

More Than Just Games (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

More Than Just Games News From The Frontier 2005-01-01 false true Whether violent video games induce aggression in devotees has been debated in scientific and political arenas. Now, evidence from a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study shows that when

Neuroethics’ Growth Provokes Thoughtful Examination (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Neuroethics’ Growth Provokes Thoughtful Examination 2005-01-01 false Neuroethics, a subject still in its formative years, gained momentum in 2004 with neuroscience professionals, measured by the attention it drew in San Diego. After emerging at the Society’s 2003

Parenting Matters (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Parenting Matters Your Genes Prove It 2005-01-01 false If you are tempted to blame (or credit) Mom for making you the person you are today, your case may have just gotten stronger. In a scientific tour de force spanning at least two decades, McGill University neuro

Sex, Pain and Memories (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Sex, Pain and Memories News From The Frontier 2005-01-01 false true Why do women and men feel pain differently? How do naturally fluctuating estrogen levels affect the experience of pain? How do they affect memory? Jon-Kar Zubieta of the University of Michigan has

The Neurobiology of Economic Decisions (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

The Neurobiology of Economic Decisions 2005-01-01 false RISK AND REWARD SYSTEMS IN ADOLESCENTS Although adolescents and adults have similar cognitive abilities according to a variety of tests, teenagers are known for making high-risk decisions. “Why do adolescents’ brains

Timing of Separation Predicts Outcome (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Timing of Separation Predicts Outcome 2005-01-01 false Studies show that early stress in monkey or human infants can lead to long-term social and behavioral problems. Now, Judy Cameron of the University of Pittsburgh and the Oregon National Primate Research Center

Tourette Syndrome (BrainWork)

Sat, 01 Jan 2005 08:00:00 EDT

Tourette Syndrome A Neural Circuit Gone Awry 2005-01-01 false Tourette syndrome (TS) affects 1 in 200 children. Though long viewed as a movement disorder characterized by involuntary sounds and movements, clinicians and researchers have come to realize that it is mu

A Fish Story? Brain Maps, Lie Detection, and Personhood (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

A Fish Story? Brain Maps, Lie Detection, and Personhood 2004-10-01 false Wouldn’t it be nice if a machine could tell us when someone is not telling the truth and whether the transgression is just a minor deception or a dangerous lie? Despite progress in technologies such as “brain fingerpr

Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness A Report of the President’s Council on Bioethics 2004-10-01 false In a chapter titled “Ageless Bodies,” the President’s council’s report considered the progress in research aimed at mitigating the normal changes and preventing the

DARPA on Your Mind (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

DARPA on Your Mind 2004-10-01 false Think your brain is being controlled or disrupted by the Pentagon? You risk being called a nut, but the notion is not so far-fetched. Current research at the intersection of neuroscience and national security might one day produce weapons that literally

Ethical Issues in Taking Neuroscience Research from Bench to Bedside (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Ethical Issues in Taking Neuroscience Research from Bench to Bedside 2004-10-01 false true Advances in brain science have been dramatic, but fulfilling their promise of practical health applications will require researchers to be especially sensitive in testing human subjects and interpre

Everyday Neuromorality (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Everyday Neuromorality 2004-10-01 false true Neuroimaged views of our brains, aside from their medical value, could, in principle, pose challenges to our senses of freedom and moral responsibility, and render us easily manipulable. But we are not so frail, either personally or socially. S

Introduction: The Brain’s Special Status (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Introduction: The Brain’s Special Status 2004-10-01 false Building on traditional ethics and the more recent bioethics, a new discipline—“neuroethics”—is now here to help the world deal with advances in brain science. In his introduction to this special issue of Cerebrum, Harvard provost St

Memory: Pandora’s Hippocampus? (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Memory: Pandora’s Hippocampus? 2004-10-01 false true Our ability to intervene—not only to treat the ill but also to build up the healthy—is becoming increasingly likely as neuroscience progresses. Memory in particular could be a prime target for biological intervention. But unless we proc

Models for the Neuroethical Debate in the Community (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Models for the Neuroethical Debate in the Community 2004-10-01 false A “deliberative” citizen-forum model, as opposed to debates, would be a powerful way to help nonscientists discover and consider the ethical issues and policy ramifications of the coming neuroscience revolution. Participa

Neuroethics: A Guide for the Perplexed (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroethics: A Guide for the Perplexed 2004-10-01 false true Neuroethics has made a quick start sizing up many practical—and some unique—questions swirling up from brain science. But as neuroscience increasingly associates mental processes with the physical operations of neural tissue, ne

New Neuroscience, Old Problems: (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

New Neuroscience, Old Problems: Legal Implications of Brain Science 2004-10-01 false Neuroscience discoveries that increase our understanding and control of human behavior are being closely watched by professionals in the justice system. So far, the established notions of personhood and re

Seeking More Goodly Creatures (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Seeking More Goodly Creatures 2004-10-01 false true If you’d like to engineer your unborn child into an Albert Einstein, Placido Domingo, or Sandra Day O’Connor courtesy of molecular biology, be prepared for a long wait before sufficient knowledge is available, if ever. Meanwhile, a minef

Shall We Enhance? A Debate (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Shall We Enhance? A Debate 2004-10-01 false true Your kid’s schoolwork not up to par? Looking for Mr. or Ms. Right? Any other problems caused by a mind’s eye seemingly not quite on the ball? Answers might lie in a brain-enhancing pill. Some argue this is merely better living through chemi

The Idea That Scandalized Brain Science (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

The Idea That Scandalized Brain Science 2004-10-01 false Many neuroscientists say that the most startling about-face in their field has been the abandonment of the idea, once gospel, that the adult central nervous system has a fixed endpoint of development. Since no new nerve cells ever gr

Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Beyond Therapy: Biotechnology and the Pursuit of Happiness: A Report on the President's Council of Bioethics. This report addresses the ethical questions involved in using biotechnology to achieve such things as healthier children, superior intelligence, and ageless bodies. Leading scientists offer differing opinions.

Neuroethics (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 01 Oct 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroethics: Mapping the Field. Neuroethics: Mapping the Field is a record of the proceedings of a landmark conference organized in 2002 by Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco. Some 100 pioneers and opinion leaders in neuroscience, journalism, law, philosophy, and other fields engaged in free-wheeling debate on where the discoveries of brain research could lead individuals and society.

A Good Start in Life (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 09:00:00 EDT

A Good Start in Life: Understanding Your Child's Brain and Behavior from Birth to Age 6, by Norbert Herschkowitz, M.D., and Elinore Chapman Herschkowitz. This comprehensive guide to a child's development, updated from the original hardcover edition, offers tremendous insight for parents and caregivers. This reader-friendly narrative covers a host of key development issues, including the effect of a mother's stress on a fetus, the development of language, impulse control, and appropriate rule-setting.

Neuroscience and the Law (Dana Press Books)

Wed, 15 Sep 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience and the Law: Brain, Mind, and the Scales of Justice, edited by Brent Garland. Based on an invitational meeting of 26 top neuroscientists, legal scholars, attorneys, and state and federal judges, Neuroscience and the Law examines how discoveries in the field of neuroscience are affecting criminal and civil justice and the potential influence on the legal system as a whole. Part One summarizes the meeting while Part Two contains four commissioned papers by experts.

About Faces, in Art and in the Brain (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

About Faces, in Art and in the Brain 2004-07-01 false What’s in a face? For primitive man, expressions that broadcast intentions such as aggression or cooperation may have required quick interpretation to ensure survival. Did the human brain evolve to reflect the life-and-death importance

Asking “How?” Versus Asking “Why?” (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Asking “How?” Versus Asking “Why?” Why Men Won’t Ask for Directions: The Seductions of Sociobiology 2004-07-01 false Why Men Won’t Ask for Directions: The Seductions of Sociobiology Richard C. Francis 2004-01-01 When looking at the extraordinary

Bioethics: Is Enhancement Right? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Bioethics: Is Enhancement Right? Wondergenes: Genetic Enhancement and the Future of Society 2004-07-01 false Wondergenes: Genetic Enhancement and the Future of Society Maxwell J. Mehlman 2003-01-01 By now we all know that the large, red, smooth t

Computer Vision and the Dream of the Cyborg (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Computer Vision and the Dream of the Cyborg 2004-07-01 false Two major information-processing systems exist in the world today: brains and computers. Can we merge them, creating the “cyborg” beloved of science fiction writers? Can we plug a computer into a brain so that computer signals ar

Fine-Tuning the Baby Brain (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Fine-Tuning the Baby Brain 2004-07-01 false When a baby is born, its brain is just beginning to develop. But within two years, that brain will have more connections than it ever will again, and it will be consuming twice as much energy as an adult brain. Scientists are now discovering that

How Truth Molds the Brain (and the Civilized Society) (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

How Truth Molds the Brain (and the Civilized Society) The Physiology of Truth: Neuroscience and Human Knowledge 2004-07-01 false The Physiology of Truth: Neuroscience and Human Knowledge Jean-Pierre Changeux 2004-01-01 The title chosen for this E

Not What, But Where, Is Your “Self”? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Not What, But Where, Is Your “Self”? 2004-07-01 false To us, it seems as natural as breathing, but a cardinal aspect of human consciousness—shared by few, if any, other species—is the sense of self. This sense is not necessary to awareness, as such; so how do we come by this distinctively h

Scientists, Families, and Courts Clash Over the Elusive Causes of Autism (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists, Families, and Courts Clash Over the Elusive Causes of Autism 2004-07-01 false Discovery that a child is autistic changes forever a parent’s hopes and dreams. Thus, when a British medical journal reported that childhood vaccinations might be a cause of autism, a storm of anxiety

The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 09:00:00 EDT

The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach 2004-07-01 false “The major unsolved problem in biology,” wrote the late Francis Crick in the preface to The Quest for Consciousness, is how matter—the brain—gives rise to awareness. Collaborators until Crick’s death in 2004, Koch and

Back from the Brink (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 14 May 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Back from the Brink: How Crises Spur Doctors to New Discoveries about the Brain, by Edward J. Sylvester. Sylvester takes readers into the lives of a new kind of doctor, the neurointensivist, as they fight to save patients with life-threatening brain injuries. Sylverster follows three leading doctors and their fascinating and moving patients, ranging from a Baltimore drug addict with a storm of seizures to a college student who simply came home from school one day and passed out, the sign of a congential defect in the brain.

“Ourselves To Know”: (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

“Ourselves To Know”: Books from Scientists of the Dana Alliance 2004-04-01 false Scientists of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives explain their research to the public in forums ranging from lectures to laboratory tours. From 2000–2003, Alliance members also published 30 books for gene

Architecture with the Brain in Mind (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Architecture with the Brain in Mind 2004-04-01 false Architects have always known that their designs could influence the way we work, relax, learn, or heal. But it required brain research to demonstrate how the design of neonatal care units affect development of a newborn’s vision, or how

Are We Trying to Banish Biological Time? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Are We Trying to Banish Biological Time? 2004-04-01 false Tiny clusters of brain cells called the suprachiasmatic nuclei link the functioning of our bodies to the alternation of day and night. Such a link appears to have existed in animal species for some 700 million years. What happens wh

Do Animals Think? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Do Animals Think? Human and Animal Intelligence: The Gap is A Chasm 2004-04-01 false Do Animals Think? Clive D. L. Wynne 2004-01-01 Perhaps I have read too many popular books about animal intelligence over the past 20 years, but they generally hold few surprises fo

Human and Animal Intelligence: The Gap is A Chasm (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Human and Animal Intelligence: The Gap is A Chasm Animal Talk: Breaking the Codes of Animal Language 2004-04-01 false Animal Talk: Breaking the Codes of Animal Language Tim Friend 2004-01-01 Perhaps I have read too many popular books about animal

Neither Gods nor Demons But Misfiring Brains (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Neither Gods nor Demons But Misﬁring Brains 2004-04-01 false In a simple descriptive phrase, epilepsy is sometimes called a “misfiring of the brain,” but little about epilepsy is simple. One of the longest known disorders, epileptic seizures have been viewed as divine, devilish, or repulsiv

Neuroscience and the Soul: (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroscience and the Soul: The Dualism of John Carew Eccles 2004-04-01 false Understanding the relationship between brain and mind is one of neuroscience’s urgent quests. To John Eccles, awarded a Nobel Prize in 1963 for research on the biology of nerve cells, the basic answer was evident:

The Birth of Modern Brain Science (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

The Birth of Modern Brain Science Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the Brain—and How It Changed the World 2004-04-01 false Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the Brain—and How It Changed the World Carl Zimmer 2004-01-01 No less a luminary than Sir Charles Sherringt

The Mind at Night (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

The Mind at Night 2004-04-01 false 2004-01-01 more about sleep and dreaming. The question, after all, is not so much “What we are doing?” as “For what purpose”? In The Mind at Night, Andrea Rock tells the story of research into critical connections between sleep and memory, learning, creati

To Know Your Mind, Understand Your Brain (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

To Know Your Mind, Understand Your Brain Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life 2004-04-01 false Mind Wide Open: Your Brain and the Neuroscience of Everyday Life Steven Johnson 2004-01-01 How is our ability to peer inside the

The End of Stress as We Know It (Dana Press Books)

Thu, 01 Apr 2004 09:00:00 EDT

The End of Stress as We Know It, by Bruce McEwen, Ph.D. Bruce McEwen, Ph.D., one of the world's authorities on the subject of stress, illuminates how our bodies work under stress and how we can avoid its debilitating effects. The premise of this book is that knowledge is power. By learning how the body reacts to large and small challenges in our lives, by understanding how we put ourselves in situations that cause upheaval in our minds and bodies, we can make the best choices--backed up by the latest scientific knowledge.

A Likely Story: Brains, Minds, and Hyperspaces (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

A Likely Story: Brains, Minds, and Hyperspaces Radiant Cool: A Novel Theory of Consciousness 2004-01-01 false Radiant Cool: A Novel Theory of Consciousness Dan Lloyd 2003-01-01 The brain is a story, something to interpret. Perhaps that is the best sci

A Neuroscientist Thinks About Menopause (If Her Hormones Are Willing) (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

A Neuroscientist Thinks About Menopause (If Her Hormones Are Willing) 2004-01-01 false Deciding whether to have hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is becoming much more complicated for menopausal women as studies reveal new risks. For one neuroscientist

Antidepressants: Progress or Promotion? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

Antidepressants: Progress or Promotion? 2004-01-01 false Some leading drug companies are promising that a new generation of antidepressants is on the way. That would be welcome, comments the author, because today’s medications fail to help a significant percentage of patients, especially t

Fading Minds and Hanging Chads: (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

Fading Minds and Hanging Chads: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Right to Vote 2004-01-01 false Alzheimer’s disease or other causes of dementia afflict as many as 4 million Americans. As they experience gradual but inexorable cognitive failure, many continue to vote—often guided by nursing home

How Memory Works, Plays, and Puzzles Us (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

How Memory Works, Plays, and Puzzles Us 2004-01-01 false In her latest book, An Alchemy of Mind: The Marvel and Mystery of the Brain, poet, naturalist, and science writer Diane Ackerman seeks to capture the limitless, kaleidoscopic reality of the human brain’s potential with science and po

New Insights into Temperament (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

New Insights into Temperament 2004-01-01 false A child’s temperament, discernable at four months of age, persists as the child gets older. A pioneer of the research that has made human temperament one of the most rigorously defined aspects of personality reports that differences in tempera

The Criminal Brain: A View from the Bench (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

The Criminal Brain: A View from the Bench Exploring the Criminal Mind 2004-01-01 false Exploring the Criminal Mind Jens-Jacob Sander 2003-01-01 What goes on in the minds of criminals? This question raises perennial philosophical issues about human beh

The Hormone That Calms and Connects (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

The Hormone That Calms and Connects The Oxytocin Factor: Tapping the Hormone of Calm, Love, and Healing 2004-01-01 false The Oxytocin Factor: Tapping the Hormone of Calm, Love, and Healing Kerstin Uvnäs Moberg 2003-01-01 A recent search on Amazon.com

Challenging Questions: (BrainWork)

Thu, 01 Jan 2004 08:00:00 EDT

Are there ethical questions that ought to be raised about the ends of research? Are there ethical problems with enhancement versus treatment? And can we discover things about our nature, such as whether we have free will? These are three questions Dr. Donald Kennedy, editor in chief of Science magazine, identified as central to the field of neuroethics during his Dana Alliance Lecture on Neuroethics, titled “Neuroethics: An Uncertain Future.”

A Wake-Up Call About Sleeping Sickness (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

A Wake Up Call About Sleeping Sickness 2003 10 01 false When a man in London turned up recently with sleeping sickness, observers made comparisons with

Feeding the Aging Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Feeding the Aging Brain 2003 10 01 false Those tiny hearts on some menus speak to people with cardiovascular health in mind. Now scientists are paving

Feeling Good About Antidepressants (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Feeling Good About Antidepressants Better Than Prozac Creating the Next Generation of Psychiatric Drugs 2003 10 01 false Better Than Prozac Creating the Next Generation of Psychiatric Drugs Samuel

Fire and Flood: The Brain in Crisis (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Fire and Flood The Brain in Crisis Back from the Brink 2003 10 01 false When Gail Beck was brought to Columbia’s New York Presbyterian Neurological

Hope for “Comatose” Patients (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Hope for “Comatose” Patients 2003-10-01 false Headlines proclaimed a miracle when Terry Wallis, unconscious for 19 years, murmured “Mom” and re-entered the world. A few months later, we watched the battle over life-support for Terri Schiavo, diagnosed by neurologists as hopelessly unconsci

Memory Research Finds a Talented Chronicler (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Memory Research Finds a Talented Chronicler Memory and Emotion The Making of Lasting Memories 2003 10 01 false Memory and Emotion The Making of Lasting Memories James L. McGaugh

Piece of His Mind (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Piece of His Mind Into the Silent Land Travels in Neuropsychology 2003 10 01 false Into the Silent Land Travels in Neuropsychology Paul Broks 2003 01 01

Seeking the Right Answers About Right Brain-Left Brain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Seeking the Right Answers About Right Brain Left Brain 2003 10 01 false About 150 years ago, scientists realized that the right and left sides of

The Terry Schiavo Case (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The Terry Schiavo Case 2003-10-01 false The plight of Terry Schiavo, the young woman at the center of the much-publicized legal battle in Florida, illustrates the devastation of the chronic vegetative state following anoxic injury (one that deprives the brain of ox

Three Nobelists Ask: Are We Ready for the Next Frontier? (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Three Nobelists Ask Are We Ready for the Next Frontier? 2003 10 01 false Sydney Brenner, Robert Horvitz, and John Sulston shared a 2002 Nobel

When Technology Becomes Us (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Oct 2003 09:00:00 EDT

When Technology Becomes Us Natural Born Cyborgs Minds, Technologies, and the Future of Human Intelligence 2003 10 01 false Natural Born Cyborgs Minds, Technologies, and the Future of Human Intelligence

A Jangling Journey: (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

A Jangling Journey Life with Tourette Syndrome 2003 07 01 false “It is Tuesday, now, and a very calm morning. I am pretty sure I

A Neurologist Confronts Ultimate Questions (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

A Neurologist Confronts Ultimate Questions Consciousness A User’s Guide 2003 07 01 false Consciousness A User’s Guide Adam Zeman 2002 01 01

Beyond Raging Hormones: (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Beyond Raging Hormones The Tinderbox in the Teenage Brain 2003 07 01 false Puberty brings hormonal changes, intense feelings, and craving for arousal, but, writes

Climb Aboard! Neuroimmunology Is Leaving the Station (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Climb Aboard Neuroimmunology Is Leaving the Station 2003 07 01 false Neuroimmunology took off because two established disciplines began to find surprising connections where only

Deserving the Last Great Gift (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Deserving the Last Great Gift 2003 07 01 false Almost unknown three decades ago, research on the postmortem brain today engages scientists worldwide. Their work depends

Is the “Culture of Impatience” Short-Circuiting Our Brains? (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Is the “Culture of Impatience” Short Circuiting Our Brains? The New Brain How the Modern Age Is Rewiring Your Mind 2003 07 01 false The New Brain How the Modern

The Brain on Night Shift (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The Brain on Night Shift 2003 07 01 false There are people who lash themselves to their beds to guard against violently acting out their dreams.

The Myth of Inevitable Nature and Reversible Nurture (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The Myth of Inevitable Nature and Reversible Nurture Nature Via Nurture Genes, Experience, & What Makes Us Human 2003 07 01 false “I intend to

Understanding Depression (Dana Press Books)

Thu, 22 May 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Understanding Depression: What We Know and What You Can Do About It, by J. Raymond DePaulo, Jr., M.D. One in five Americans will experience depression at sometime in their life. Who gets depression and why? What does depression do to the brain? What treatments work? In this book, DePaulo draws on his experience with more than 8,000 affected people to answer these questions and more. For anyone confronting depression, this book is a must-read.

Striking Back at Stroke (Dana Press Books)

Thu, 01 May 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Striking Back at Stroke: A Doctor-Patient Journal, by Cleo Hutton and Louis R. Caplan, M.D. In the prime of her life Cleo Hutton experienced a devastating stroke which left her unable to speak or walk. Striking Back at Stroke combines Hutton's personal journal from this trying time with medical and scientific commentary by the leading expert in American stroke medicine, Louis R. Caplan, M.D. This inspiring story is also an indispensable guide for anyone enduring the changes that a stroke can bring to a life, a family, and a sense of self.

Determined to be Free (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Determined to be Free Freedom Evolves 2003 04 01 false Freedom Evolves Daniel C. Dennett 2003 01 01

Economics Takes A Run at Brain Science’s Toughest Problems (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Economics Takes A Run at Brain Science’s Toughest Problems Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain The Science of Neuroeconomics 2003 04 01 false Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain The Science of

Extreme Problems with Essential Differences (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Extreme Problems with Essential Differences The Essential Difference The Truth about the Male & Female Brain 2003 04 01 false The Essential Difference The Truth about the Male &

Glimpsing Promise in the Drug We Love to Hate (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

Glimpsing Promise in the Drug We Love to Hate 2003-04-01 false We rarely hear about nicotine outside of its association with cigarette smoking and the 400,000 or more people that smoking kills each year in the United States alone. Nicotine is a powerful substance in its own right, however,

The Dancing Brain (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The Dancing Brain 2003 04 01 false Like many who attend a dance performance, Hagendoorn left the theater thrilled by what he had seen. The difference

The War of Rehabilitation (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The War of Rehabilitation Striking Back at Stroke A Doctor Patient Journal 2003 04 01 false A woman in her early forties awakens in a hospital

What is “Hope” for a Patient with a Deadly Brain Tumor? (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

What is “Hope” for a Patient with a Deadly Brain Tumor? 2003 04 01 false The Brain Tumor Center at Duke University is known for its

The Bard on the Brain (Dana Press Books)

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 09:00:00 EDT

The Bard on the Brain: Understanding The Mind Through the Art of Shakespeare and the Science of Brain Imaging, by Paul M. Matthews, M.D. and Jeffrey McQuain, Ph.D. In this beautifully illustrated full-color book, authors Matthews and McQuain explore the beauty and mystery of the human mind and the workings of the brain, following the paths the Bard pointed out in 35 of the most famous speeches from his plays. What does the joy that The Tempest's Miranda feels at first seeing other people say about how are brain is shaped by development and experience? What does Richard III's admission of his evil intentions tell us about the brain and moral choice?

'Pestilent Malignant Beams' (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

“Pestilent Malignant Beams” Pox Genius, Madness, and the Mystery of Syphilis 2003 01 01 false Pox Genius, Madness, and the Mystery of Syphilis Deborah Hayden 2003 01 01

“The Very First Foundation of Virtue”: Neurobiology and Ethical Behaviors (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

“The Very First Foundation of Virtue” Neurobiology and Ethical Behaviors Looking for Spinoza Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain 2003 01 01 false “The construction

Beyond Poppy Juice: The New Science of Pain (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Beyond Poppy Juice The New Science of Pain 2003 01 01 false The struggle against pain is as old as human society. Indeed, some widely

Capturing the Brain But Losing the Mind (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Capturing the Brain But Losing the Mind Liars, Lovers, and Heroes What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are 2003 01 01 false Liars, Lovers, and

Children Need Natural Languages, Signed or Spoken (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Children Need Natural Languages, Signed or Spoken 2003 01 01 false Sign languages are as different, and as specific to their communities, as spoken languages. They

Homebody Bees and Bullying Chimps (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Homebody Bees and Bullying Chimps 2003 01 01 false As scientists learn how our personalities stem not only from nurture but from nature, including differences in brain

Obesity: Matter Over Mind? (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Obesity Matter Over Mind? 2003 01 01 false Despite the determination that drives millions to buy diet books and enroll in weight reduction programs, our

One Word: “Plasticity” (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

One Word “Plasticity” The Mind and the Brain Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force 2003 01 01 false The Mind and the Brain Neuroplasticity and the Power of

We Found the Gene! Huntington’s Disease After the Cheering (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

We Found the Gene Huntington’s Disease After the Cheering 2003 01 01 false In 1983, optimism swept the world of brain science a marker

Your Self, Your Brain, and Zen (Cerebrum)

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 08:00:00 EDT

Your Self, Your Brain, and Zen 2003 01 01 false Neurologist James Austin was on sabbatical leave in Japan almost three decades ago when he was

A Classic Disorder Meets the Future (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

A Classic Disorder Meets the Future Healing the Brain A Doctor’s Controversial Quest for a Cure for Parkinson’s Disease 2002 10 01 false Healing the Brain A Doctor’s Controversial Quest

Better Teaching Through Brain Biology? (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Better Teaching Through Brain Biology? The Art of Changing the Brain Enriching the Practice of Teaching by Exploring the Biology of Learning 2002 10 01 false The Art of Changing the

Brainsick: A Physician’s Journey to the Brink (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Brainsick A Physician’s Journey to the Brink 2002 10 01 false “I have the typical risk profile for a suicide victim, if one can use

Patients Have Been Too Patient With Basic Research (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Patients Have Been Too Patient With Basic Research 2002 10 01 false Steinman has devoted his long career to pioneering studies of immunology. Basic research of

The Double Helix at Fifty (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Double Helix at Fifty Two Smart Alecks in Cambridge 2002 10 01 false Watson and Crick—the simple conjoining of the two names says it all.

The Telltale Hand: (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Telltale Hand How Writing Reveals the Damaged Brain 2002 10 01 false The handwriting sample appears clear and well formed, but we can see

The World Needs People With Asperger’s Syndrome (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The World Needs People With Asperger’s Syndrome American Normal 2002 10 01 false American Normal Lawrence Osborne 2002 01 01

Worried Sick (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Oct 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Worried Sick The End of Stress as We Know It 2002 10 01 false Brain researcher McEwen explores the complex interaction of brain, endocrine system, and immune

Believing in the Brain (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Believing in the Brain Brain Wise Studies in Neurophilosophy 2002 07 01 false Brain Wise Studies in Neurophilosophy Patricia Churchland 2002 01 01

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life—Or Vice Versa? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Change Your Brain, Change Your Life—Or Vice Versa? Healing the Hardware of the Soul 2002 07 01 false Healing the Hardware of the Soul Daniel G. Amen 2002 01 01

Discerning Idiots May Skip This One (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Discerning Idiots May Skip This One The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding the Brain 2002 07 01 false The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Understanding the Brain Arthur S. Bard and Mitchell

Human Intuition: The Brain Behind the Scenes (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Human Intuition The Brain Behind the Scenes Intuition Its Powers and Perils 2002 07 01 false Today “intuition is hot,” reports Myers, but what exactly

Neuroethics: Mapping the Field (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Neuroethics Mapping the Field 2002 07 01 false “When we examine and manipulate the brain...we change people’s lives in the most personal and powerful way.

Prancing Primates, Turtle with Toys: (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Prancing Primates, Turtle with Toys It’s More Than Just (Animal) Play 2002 07 01 false Human offspring aren’t the only ones who love to play.

The Two Faces of MRI (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Two Faces of MRI 2002-07-01 false Magnetic resonance imaging may be the biggest boon to patients since anesthesia, says Uttal, who gives us a tour of greater imaging wonders to come. Our most advanced, powerful technology for looking at the brain has also spawned a new research industr

Touching Tastes, Seeing Smells—and Shaking Up Brain Science (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jul 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Touching Tastes, Seeing Smells—and Shaking Up Brain Science 2002 07 01 false “With an intense flavor,” said one man, “a feeling sweeps down into my hand,

Brain Books for Budding Scientists—and All Children (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Brain Books for Budding Scientists—and All Children 2002 04 01 false One of Cerebrum’s most popular features was the 1999 survey of “Great Brain Books.”

Culture, Chemistry, and the Concept of Mental Illness (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Culture, Chemistry, and the Concept of Mental Illness The Creation of Psychopharmacology 2002 04 01 false The Creation of Psychopharmacology David Healy 2001 01 01

Shock Waves: (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Shock Waves A Scientist Studies His Stroke 2002 04 01 false With an international reputation in dream research, Hobson met his toughest analytic challenge in

The Animal That Weeps (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Animal That Weeps 2002 04 01 false All animals with mobile eyes shed tears, but only humans do so to express sadness, pain, or grief,

The Perils of Prediction (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Perils of Prediction The Next Fifty Years Science in the First Half of the Twenty First Century 2002 04 01 false The Next Fifty Years Science in the First

The Search for the Memory Switch (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

The Search for the Memory Switch Memories Are Made of This How Memory Works in Humans and Animals 2002 04 01 false Brain researchers have long

What Triggers the “Shaking Palsy”? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

What Triggers the “Shaking Palsy”? 2002 04 01 false A pioneer of research on the disabling brain disorder that afflicts more than 500,000 Americans urges a

When Seeing Is Not Believing (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 09:00:00 EDT

When Seeing Is Not Believing 2002 04 01 false To his surprise, neuro ophthalmologist Lepore found that more than half of his patients with even mild

Keep Your Brain Young (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 29 Mar 2002 09:00:00 EDT

Keep Your Brain Young: The Complete Guide To Physical and Emotional Health and Longevity, by Guy M. McKhann, M.D. and Marilyn Albert, Ph.D. McKhann and Albert, two of the nation's leading experts on aging and the brain, offer readers a practical guide to keeping your brain healthy later in life. They discuss every aspect of aging--memory, nutrition, mood, sleep, and sex, as well as the later problems that creep up in alcohol use, vision, hearing, movement, and balance. Such age related diseases as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are also addressed.

Bridging Science and the Spiritual (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

Bridging Science and the Spiritual The True Path Western Science and the Quest for Yoga 2002 01 01 false The True Path Western Science and the Quest for Yoga

Genes, Evolution, and the Mysterious Power of Mood (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

Genes, Evolution, and the Mysterious Power of Mood 2002 01 01 false Progress in treating depression has been hailed as a triumph of psycho pharmacology, but

How Music Can Reach the Silenced Brain (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

How Music Can Reach the Silenced Brain 2002 01 01 false When stroke or dementia compromise faculties as basic as language and movement, life can spiral

I Sing the Soul Synaptic (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

I Sing the Soul Synaptic Synaptic Self How Our Brains Become Who We Are 2002 01 01 false Synaptic Self How Our Brains Become Who We Are Joseph LeDoux

In Terror’s Grip: (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

In Terror’s Grip Healing the Ravages of Trauma 2002 01 01 false Most of us will live with memories of September 11 and the sadness, anxiety, and

Ponce de León Lives (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

Ponce de León Lives The Dream of Eternal Life Biomedicine, Aging, and Immortality 2002 01 01 false The Dream of Eternal Life Biomedicine, Aging, and Immortality Mark Benecke

Stress: From the Aroused Brain to the Reacting Heart (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

Stress: From the Aroused Brain to the Reacting Heart 2002-01-01 false Rates of heart disease have remained high despite low-fat diets, cardiovascular workouts, and smoking cessation. What is going on? Psychological stress has long been a suspect, but only now are scientists beginning to un

The Brain-Immunology Axis (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

The Brain Immunology Axis 2002 01 01 false They are the two most complex systems in the body and the only two with memory. Now, scientists are

Watching Culture Shape Even Guppy Love (Cerebrum)

Tue, 01 Jan 2002 08:00:00 EDT

Watching Culture Shape Even Guppy Love 2002-01-01 false We have turned to biological evolution to explain animal behavior but to culture only to explain our own behavior, as though humans alone shaped the behavior of new generations by transmitting knowledge. Culture appears to shape behav

In Search of the Lost Cord (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 15 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

In Search of the Lost Cord: Solving the Mystery of Spinal Cord Regeneration, by Luba Vikhanski. Award-winning popular medical writer Luba Vikhanski follows the work of today's most watched scientific teams as they race to defeat the ancient assumption that spinal cord injury is incurable. In an era full of new hope for regeneration, the struggle to heal the spinal cord is by far the most compelling story.

The Secret Life of the Brain (Dana Press Books)

Mon, 15 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Secret Life of the Brain by Richard Restak, M.D. In this companion book to the PBS series, bestselling author and neurologist, Dr. Richard Restak, explores the intricacies of the brain, showing how it grows and develops from infancy through old age. Restak also addresses problems in the brain and how the brain fights back.

A Meeting of Musicking Minds (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

A Meeting of Musicking Minds Beethoven’s Anvil Music in Mind and Culture 2001 10 01 false Beethoven’s Anvil Music in Mind and Culture William Benzon 2001 01 01

A Revolution in Brain Literacy (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

A Revolution in Brain Literacy 2001 10 01 false No doubt about it. By the end of the Decade of the Brain, Americans had new insights, attitudes,

Ah, Sweet Skunk! Why We Like or Dislike What We Smell (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Ah, Sweet Skunk Why We Like or Dislike What We Smell 2001 10 01 false Our sense of smell is ancient in its evolution and powerful

From Gesture to Language to Speech (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

From Gesture to Language to Speech Language in Hand Why Sign Came Before Speech 2001 10 01 false Despite a lingering public stigma borne by people

Hearing Colors, Tasting Shapes (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Hearing Colors, Tasting Shapes Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens How Synesthetes Color Their World 2001 10 01 false Blue Cats and Chartreuse Kittens How Synesthetes Color Their World Patricia

Psychiatry Needs Brain Science To Shine (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Psychiatry Needs Brain Science To Shine The Unbalanced Mind 2001 10 01 false The Unbalanced Mind Julian Leff 2001 01 01

Tantalizing Clues to Preventing Schizophrenia (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Tantalizing Clues to Preventing Schizophrenia 2001 10 01 false Schizophrenia repeatedly surprises us with its variability and complexity. Never cured, but treated with growing success, schizophrenia is

The Ancient Art of Acupuncture Meets Modern Cardiology (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Ancient Art of Acupuncture Meets Modern Cardiology 2001 10 01 false Acupuncture has been evolving within Chinese traditional medicine for 4,000 years, but science is

A Neurologist Looks Ahead to 2025 (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

A Neurologist Looks Ahead to 2025 2001-07-01 false A pioneering neurologist looks at how our understanding of the brain, and the capabilities of neurology, have changed over a quarter of a century. Frankly, little of what has been discovered would have been predicted even by the most presc

A Plague of Pain: (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

A Plague of Pain Migraine’s Long Road to Respect 2001 07 01 false Patients and healers have long sought ways to cope with the pain

Dying to Kill: (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Dying to Kill The Mind of the Terrorist 2001 07 01 false What does it take to transform the human brain into a biological weapon

Hardwired for God? (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Hardwired for God? Why God Won’t Go Away Brain Science and the Biology of Belief 2001 07 01 false Why God Won’t Go Away Brain Science and the Biology of

Is Impulsive Aggression the Critical Ingredient? (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Is Impulsive Aggression the Critical Ingredient? 2001 07 01 false Our understanding of suicide is changing for the better, but this alone may not be enough

Mastering Our Brain’s Electrical Rhythms (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Mastering Our Brain’s Electrical Rhythms 2001 07 01 false Once upon a time the quest to understand the brain focused on its electrical properties. Today the

Suicide in the Young: An Essay (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Suicide in the Young An Essay 2001 07 01 false Few readers may realize how heavy a toll is taken by suicide during the years

The Dark Continent of Sexual Strategies (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Dark Continent of Sexual Strategies The Myth of Monogamy Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People 2001 07 01 false The Myth of Monogamy Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals

The Psychedelic Pharmacy Without—and Within (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Psychedelic Pharmacy Without—and Within The Dream Drugstore 2001 07 01 false The Dream Drugstore J. Allan Hobson 2001 01 01

Thinking the Unthinkable About Spinal Cord Regeneration (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Jul 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Thinking the Unthinkable About Spinal Cord Regeneration In Search of The Lost Cord Solving the Mystery of Spinal Cord Regeneration 2001 07 01 false Nothing in

How Neuroscience Captured the Twenty-First Century’s First Nobel Prize (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

How Neuroscience Captured the Twenty First Century’s First Nobel Prize 2001 04 01 false The banquet honoring the winners of the first Nobel Prizes of the

Imaging: High Tech Cannons, Phantom Targets? (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Imaging High Tech Cannons, Phantom Targets? The New Phrenology The Limits of Localizing Cognitive Processes in the Brain 2001 04 01 false Both the local

Our Dangerous Love Affair with Ecstasy (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Our Dangerous Love Affair with Ecstasy 2001-04-01 false The high that they call “Ecstasy” has been illegal since 1985, banished into Schedule I, the government’s category for criminal drugs. Now, two things are happening. People (mostly young) are risking the penalties and the sometimes fat

Robots: Re-evolving Minds at 107 Times Nature’s Speed (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Robots Re evolving Minds at 107 Times Nature’s Speed 2001 04 01 false Remember robots? What a great idea (and premise for science fiction)—but that

Seeking Insight by Prescription (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

Seeking Insight by Prescription 2001 04 01 false The high that they call “Ecstasy” has been illegal since 1985, banished into Schedule I, the government’s category

The CEO of the Cerebral Promontory (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The CEO of the Cerebral Promontory The Executive Brain Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind 2001 04 01 false The Executive Brain Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind

The Great Brain Supplement Free-for-All (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Great Brain Supplement Free for All 2001 04 01 false Do you assume that the dietary and nutrition supplements (DNS) that jam the shelves of

The Neuroeducation of Nico (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

The Neuroeducation of Nico Half a Brain Is Enough The Story of Nico 2001 04 01 false Half a Brain Is Enough The Story of Nico Antonio M. Battro

To the Brink of Enlightenment (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Apr 2001 09:00:00 EDT

To the Brink of Enlightenment The Quantum Brain 2001 04 01 false The Quantum Brain Jeffrey Satinover 2000 01 01

A Little Avuncular Advice from Sociobiology (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

A Little Avuncular Advice from Sociobiology Mean Genes From Sex to Money to Food—Taming Our Primal Instincts 2001 01 01 false Mean Genes From Sex to Money to Food—Taming Our

Catching Up With Gifted Kids (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Catching Up With Gifted Kids 2001 01 01 false Children who speak at eight months, read books at two years, or follow a Mozart musical score

Cell Phones, Aluminum, Agent Orange: No? Yes? Maybe? (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Cell Phones, Aluminum, Agent Orange No? Yes? Maybe? 2001 01 01 false Since nineteenth century London’s cholera epidemics, the penetrating power of epidemiology has

Confessions of a Young Baptist (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Confessions of a Young Baptist Decoding Darkness The Search for the Genetic Causes of Alzheimer’s Disease 2001 01 01 false Decoding Darkness The Search for the Genetic Causes of Alzheimer’s

Dissecting Genius: Einstein’s Brain and the Search for the Neural Basis of Intellect (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Dissecting Genius Einstein’s Brain and the Search for the Neural Basis of Intellect 2001 01 01 false Albert Einstein became our era’s symbol of genius.

Genome Map + Brain Map = Brave New World (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Genome Map + Brain Map = Brave New World Brave New Brain Conquering Mental Illness in the Era of the Genome 2001 01 01 false Since

No One in My Mirror (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

No One in My Mirror Altered Egos How the Brain Creates the Self 2001 01 01 false Altered Egos How the Brain Creates the Self Todd Feinberg 2000

Shadowboxing with Multiple Sclerosis (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Shadowboxing with Multiple Sclerosis 2001 01 01 false “It is like feeling the shudder of a machine as it slows and gradually skips beats,” writes Cohen.

Sins and Super Power on Memory Lane (Cerebrum)

Mon, 01 Jan 2001 08:00:00 EDT

Sins and Super Power on Memory Lane The Seven Sins of Memory 2001 01 01 false The Seven Sins of Memory Daniel Schacter 2000 01 01

A Scientist Dissents on Sex and Cognition (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

A Scientist Dissents on Sex and Cognition 2000 10 01 false Do the hormones that determine our sex in the womb, then transform our bodies

In Search of the Musical Mind (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

In Search of the Musical Mind 2000 10 01 false When we listen to music, Mozart or Madonna, what is it that we hear, sometimes with

Morality Without God: Is Human Brain Biology Enough? (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Morality Without God Is Human Brain Biology Enough? What Makes Us Think? A Neuroscientist and a Philosopher Argue About Ethics, Human Nature, and the Brain 2000 10 01 false What Makes

Rediscovering Humanism (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Rediscovering Humanism Mind Sculpture Unlocking Your Brain’s Untapped Potential 2000 10 01 false Mind Sculpture Unlocking Your Brain’s Untapped Potential Ian H. Robertson 2000 01 01

The Best Analgesic is Hope (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

The Best Analgesic is Hope Why We Hurt The Natural History of Pain 2000 10 01 false Why We Hurt The Natural History of Pain Frank T. Vertosick, Jr.,

The Frustrating No-Man’s-Land of Borderline Personality Disorder (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

The Frustrating No-Man’s-Land of Borderline Personality Disorder 2000-10-01 false The turbulent emotions and precipitous actions of people with borderline personality disorder may strike families and mental health professionals alike as willful, irritating, and manipulative, but thousands

Virtual Unreality: Will the Web Become Our Collective Mind? (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Virtual Unreality Will the Web Become Our Collective Mind? I of the Vortex 2000 10 01 false In I of the Vortex, to be published by

Wounds That Time Won’t Heal (Cerebrum)

Sun, 01 Oct 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Wounds That Time Won’t Heal The Neurobiology of Child Abuse 2000 10 01 Rebecca Feldman, Sydney Sauber false Neuropsychologist Teicher reveals the alarming connections scientists are

ADHD: Serious Psychiatric Problem or All-American Cop-out? (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

ADHD Serious Psychiatric Problem or All American Cop out? A DEBATE BETWEEN RICHARD J. DEGRANDPRE, PH.D., AND STEPHEN P. HINSHAW, PH.D. 2000 07 01 false

Alzheimer’s: Daring to Play the Apoptosis Card (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Alzheimer’s Daring to Play the Apoptosis Card 2000 07 01 false Brain cells don’t always just die sometimes they “commit suicide” in a natural and

Can Mother Love Grow Synapses? (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Can Mother Love Grow Synapses? The Biology of Love 2000-07-01 false The Biology of Love Arthur Janov 2000-01-01 The human mind, allergic to complexity, yearns for simple ideas to explain nature’s puzzles. Explanations of the dramatic variation i

High Stakes in Human Stem Cell Research (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

High Stakes in Human Stem Cell Research 2000 07 01 false Scarcely two years ago, human stem cells seemed to fall from the sky on unprepared

Madness in Good Company: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Madness in Good Company Great Literary Portrayals of Brain Disorders 2000 07 01 false A baker’s dozen of the most compelling novels and short stories

Pretending that Intelligence Doesn’t Matter (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Pretending that Intelligence Doesn’t Matter 2000 07 01 false What happens when scientific knowledge of the nature and measurement of intelligence seems to clash with our

Seeking Rosetta (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Seeking Rosetta The Private Life of the Brain 2000 07 01 false The Private Life of the Brain Susan Greenfield 2000 01 01

The Far Shores of Neurofeedback (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

The Far Shores of Neurofeedback A Symphony in the Brain The Evolution of the New Brain Wave Biofeedback 2000 07 01 false To many, biofeedback and

The Mind by Moonlight (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jul 2000 09:00:00 EDT

The Mind by Moonlight The Mating Mind 2000 07 01 false The Mating Mind Geoffrey F. Miller 2000 01 01

“The Great Cerebroscope Controversy” (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

“The Great Cerebroscope Controversy” 2000 04 01 false Now that scientists can almost predict human behavior by examining the brain... “Wait ” cries Restak, neurologist and

A Biography of the Brain (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

A Biography of the Brain Minds Behind the Brain A History of Brain Pioneers and Their Discoveries 2000 04 01 false Minds Behind the Brain A History of Brain Pioneers

A Philosopher Unriddles the Puzzle of Consciousness (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

A Philosopher Unriddles the Puzzle of Consciousness 2000 04 01 false One of America’s best known philosophers boldly points to a new direction for research on

Animals with Minds of Their Own (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Animals with Minds of Their Own Wild Minds What Animals Really Think 2000 04 01 false Wild Minds What Animals Really Think Marc Hauser 2000 01 01

Mind Energy (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Mind Energy The Energy of Life The Science of What Makes Our Minds and Bodies Work 2000 04 01 false Whether we call it energy, drive,

Protecting the Vulnerable in Brain Research (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Protecting the Vulnerable in Brain Research 2000 04 01 false For the first time in decades, active proposals are on the table for protecing vulnerable patients

Reaching for the Happiness Throttle (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Reaching for the Happiness Throttle The Science of Happiness Unlocking the Mysteries of Mood 2000 04 01 false The Science of Happiness Unlocking the Mysteries of Mood Steven Braun

Rescuing Aging Memory: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Rescuing Aging Memory Stem Cells and Other Rising Stars 2000 04 01 false When, at some point after 40, your mind reaches for that well

Slow But Sure in an Age of “Make It Quick” (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 09:00:00 EDT

Slow But Sure in an Age of “Make It Quick” 2000 04 01 false As we get older, our ability to hear and remember is challenged

States of Mind (Dana Press Books)

Sun, 02 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

States of Mind: New Discoveries About How Our Brains Make Us Who We Are, edited by Roberta Conlan. At some point, everyone asks, "Who am I?" and "Why do I think, act, and feel like I do?" In these thought provoking essays, eight top brain scientists, including Nobel laureate Eric Kandel, answer these questions and many more. The essays are based on a lecture series co-sponsored by The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives and the Smithsonian Associates.

A Real-Life Arrowsmith Finds His Sinclair Lewis (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

A Real Life Arrowsmith Finds His Sinclair Lewis Time, Love, Memory A Great Biologist and His Quest for the Origins of Behavior 2000 01 01 false Time, Love, Memory A

Are We “Blaming” Brain Chemistry for Mental Illness? (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Are We “Blaming” Brain Chemistry for Mental Illness? 2000 01 01 false A decade ago, if you told your doctor you were depressed, drinking too much,

Beyond Folklore: Stress Can Make You Sick (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Beyond Folklore Stress Can Make You Sick The Balance Within The Science Connecting Health and Emotions 2000 01 01 false When you say, “My resistance

Brains Do It: Lust, Attraction, and Attachment (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Brains Do It Lust, Attraction, and Attachment 2000 01 01 false What creates new love’s sense of uniqueness, intrusive thoughts, intense attention, and raging emotions—our

Is Beauty in the Brain of the Beholder? (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Is Beauty in the Brain of the Beholder? Inner Vision An Exploration of Art and the Brain 2000 01 01 false Inner Vision An Exploration of Art and the Brain

Living, Loving, Holding On (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Living, Loving, Holding On Night Falls Fast Understanding Suicide 2000 01 01 false Night Falls Fast Understanding Suicide Kay Redfield Jamison 1999 01 01

My Mind Is a Web Browser: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

My Mind Is a Web Browser How People With Autism Think 2000 01 01 false Temple Grandin is autistic. She is also a college professor,

The Whiteness of Lies: (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

The Whiteness of Lies Swallowing the Placebo Effect 2000 01 01 false Is the placebo effect a sham, or powerful, or both? We will not

Why Depression Still Mystifies Us (Cerebrum)

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 08:00:00 EDT

Why Depression Still Mystifies Us 2000 01 01 false It isn’t time to declare victory over depression, warns psychiatrist J. Raymond DePaulo, Jr. Despite effective medications,

A Debate on “Multiple Intelligences” (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

A Debate on “Multiple Intelligences” 1999 10 01 false We no longer agree about what constitutes human intelligence. The trait traditionally called “I.Q.” has been attacked

Blazing Away at the Enemies of Philosophical Realism (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Blazing Away at the Enemies of Philosophical Realism Mind, Language and Society: Philosophy in the Real World 1999-10-01 false Mind, Language and Society: Philosophy in the Real World John R. Searle 1998-01-01 This book arrives with impressive cred

From Angels to Neurons: (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

From Angels to Neurons Artists and Scientists Envision Dreaming 1999 10 01 false Since Classical antiquity, Western thinkers have pondered the nature of dreaming. Whether

Hardwired for Math (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Hardwired for Math What Counts How Every Brain Is Hardwired for Math 1999 10 01 false Professor Butterworth, founding editor of the British journal

History Through the Lens of “La Maladie Des Tics” (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

History Through the Lens of “La Maladie Des Tics” A Cursing Brain? The Histories of Tourette Syndrome 1999 10 01 false A Cursing Brain? The Histories of Tourette Syndrome

Inside Modern Memory Research (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Inside Modern Memory Research Memory From Mind to Molecules 1999 10 01 false Memory From Mind to Molecules Larry R. Squire and Eric R. Kandel 1999 01 01

Marijuana: The Myths Are Hazardous to Your Health (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Marijuana The Myths Are Hazardous to Your Health 1999 10 01 false As early as the 1930s, lawmakers began heeding fear about social harm instead

Scientists in Bunkers: (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Scientists in Bunkers How Appeasement of “Animal Rights” Activism Has Failed 1999 10 01 false These neuroscientists warn that propaganda, political pressure, and outright violence

Teaching Albert Honesty: Help from Brain Research (Cerebrum)

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Teaching Albert Honesty Help from Brain Research 1999 10 01 false We all hope to convey to the next generation a sense of the values

A Primer on Neuroscience and Public Policy (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

A Primer on Neuroscience and Public Policy Brain Policy How the New Neuroscience Will Change Our Lives and Our Politics 1999 04 01 false Brain Policy How the New Neuroscience

A Serious Jaunt in Search of Qualia (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

A Serious Jaunt in Search of Qualia Secrets of the Mind A Tale of Discovery and Mistaken Identity 1999 04 01 false Secrets of the Mind A Tale of Discovery

At Last, Help for Afflicted Brains in Afflicted Bodies (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

At Last, Help for Afflicted Brains in Afflicted Bodies 1999 04 01 false Fleeing the worst constraints of managed care, psychiatrists in record numbers are discovering

Looking to the Brain to Save the Heart (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Looking to the Brain to Save the Heart 1999 04 01 false Because depression is the single best predictor of death following a heart attack, it

Murderous Minds: Can We See the Mark of Cain? (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Murderous Minds Can We See the Mark of Cain? 1999 04 01 false If you could look into the brain of a murderer—a Charles Manson

New Brains from Old Genes (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

New Brains from Old Genes Evolving Brains 1999 04 01 false Evolving Brains John Morgan Allman 1999 01 01

The Great Brain Books (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

The Great Brain Books 1999 04 01 false Here is a selection of the great brain books for lay readers. The recommendations of three dozen of

The Interpreter Within: The Glue of Conscious Experience (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

The Interpreter Within The Glue of Conscious Experience 1999 04 01 false A generation of brilliant scientists is racing to understand consciousness. The answer, warns

Translating New Brain Research Into “Brain Fitness” Advice (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Apr 1999 09:00:00 EDT

Translating New Brain Research Into “Brain Fitness” Advice 1999-04-01 false Although bookstore shelves are crammed with popular works about the brain, few of them relate new research ﬁndings to our everyday lives. Two recent books

The Longevity Strategy (Dana Press Books)

Fri, 26 Feb 1999 08:00:00 EDT

The Longevity Strategy: How to Live to 100 Using the Brain-Body Connection, by David Mahoney and Richard Restak, M.D. Today, when people are living into their 80's, 90's, and beyond, the younger generation is often tempted to ask: How do they do it? In this delightful book, a successful CEO and a leading brain expert identify the key traits that link centenarians and how brain science, together with personal action, can give us all long, productive lives.

Animal Fear and Human Guilt (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

Animal Fear and Human Guilt 1998 10 01 false A pioneer of research on temperament looks at recent research on the neural bases of fear. The insights

Brain Death in an Age of Heroic Medicine (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

Brain Death in an Age of Heroic Medicine 1998 10 01 false When the technology of heart transplantation and life support machines overtook the traditionally accepted

Brains and Machines: (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

Brains and Machines Correcting Some “Famous Mistakes” 1998 10 01 false Philosopher Searle looks at one of contemporary philosophy’s (and computer science’s) liveliest controversies

Forbidden Zones: Consciousness in Abnormal States (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

Forbidden Zones: Consciousness in Abnormal States Consciousness 1998-10-01 false Sigmund Freud move over. The search for a new model of consciousness is attracting psychologists and physiologists, artificial intelligence researchers and physicists. Prof. Hobson, an authority on sleep and d

Scientific Research (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

Scientific Research Who Benefits? Who Pays? 1998 10 01 false Nobel Prize winning physicist Cooper warns that our remarkably successful system of supporting scientific research

When an American President “Loses It” (Cerebrum)

Thu, 01 Oct 1998 09:00:00 EDT

When an American President “Loses It” 1998 10 01 false What would happen if the president of the United States became cognitively impaired? The answer is