Brain | Page 391 | Science Codex

New study: Algae virus can jump to mammalian cells

Lincoln, Neb., Oct. 21, 2015 -- New research led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has provided the first direct evidence that an algae-infecting virus can invade and potentially replicate within some mammalian cells.

Known as Acanthocystis turfacea chlorella virus 1, or ATCV-1, the pathogen is among a class of chloroviruses long believed to take up residence only in green algae. That thinking changed with a 2014 study from Johns Hopkins University and UNL that found gene sequences resembling those of ATCV-1 in throat swabs of human participants.

Marker may predict risk of breast cancer spreading to the brain

MADISON, Wis. - A UW-Madison scientist working with an international team of researchers has developed a new tumor marker test that may help predict whether breast cancer is likely to spread or metastasize to the brain, a deadly complication with survival typically measured only in months after diagnosis.

Study reveals how brain multitasks

Researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center say they have added to evidence that a shell-shaped region in the center of the mammalian brain, known as the thalamic reticular nucleus or TRN, is likely responsible for the ability to routinely and seamlessly multitask.

The process, they suggest, is done by individual TRN neurons that act like a "switchboard," continuously filtering sensory information and shifting more or less attention onto one sense -- like sight -- while relatively blocking out distracting information from other senses, including sound.

Study in mice shows how brain ignores distractions

In a study of mice, scientists discovered that a brain region called the thalamus may be critical for filtering out distractions. The study, published in Nature and partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, paves the way to understanding how defects in the thalamus might underlie symptoms seen in patients with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and schizophrenia.

Gene therapy could aid weight loss without affecting bone loss, new research finds

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Delivering the hormone leptin directly to the brain through gene therapy aids weight loss without the significant side effect of bone loss, according to new collaborative research from Oregon State University and University of Florida.

Rapid or significant weight loss through dieting can trigger bone loss. Loss of bone density, in turn, can lead to increased susceptibility to bone fractures in older adults, which can have a debilitating effect on quality of life.

Gone with the wind

Each year migratory birds travel over thousands of kilometres. In spring and autumn, billions of individuals move from colder and less productive areas across vast distances to warmer and more productive places. To do so, however, it seems that the shortest route does not necessarily grant the fastest journey. Birds can save energy and time if they use wind support. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Radolfzell Germany have calculated optimal routes in respect to wind support globally.

Prevalence of marijuana use disorders rises as marijuana use more than doubles in the US

October 21, 2015 -- Marijuana use in the United States more than doubled over the period from 2001-2002 to 2012-2013, while the increase in disorders associated with marijuana use was almost as large for that period. Deborah Hasin, PhD, professor of clinical epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health and Columbia University Medical Center, and colleagues found that nearly 3 out of 10 marijuana users experienced a marijuana use disorder of abuse or dependence in 2012-13, affecting some 6,846,000 Americans.

Test could predict whether breast cancer will spread to the brain

Women with particularly aggressive forms of breast cancer could be identified by a test that predicts whether the disease is likely to spread to the brain.

An analysis of almost 4,000 patients with breast cancer found that testing for high activity in a particular gene called alpha beta (αB)-crystallin could pick out women who were at greater risk of developing secondary brain tumors compared to women who tested negative.

New technique permits cell-specific examination of proteins in Alzheimer's brain tissue

Using 10-year-old archival brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease, a research team from NYU Langone Medical Center has developed a novel method to examine the structure and function of proteins at the cell level--providing greater means to study protein changes found in Alzheimer's disease.

Specifically, the researchers were able to extract more than 400 proteins from neurons that came from the brain's temporal cortex, far more than have been extracted previously. The study is to be published online October 21 in the journal Scientific Reports (Nature).

A 'fuzzy' method for interpreting fMRI recordings

Do not be misled by the word "fuzzy": Fuzzy Approximate Entropy (fApEn) is a method that offers better sensitivity for understanding the complexity of noisy images produced by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI is a medical imaging technique which, when applied to the brain allows us to non-invasively observe neural activity associated with specific human behaviour .

Does living in the United States promote teenage risk taking?

October 20, 2015 -- Teenagers are known for taking unnecessary risks, from reckless driving to smoking marijuana, but some seek out risky experiences more than others. A new study of sensation-seeking behavior led by a researcher at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health with colleagues from Columbia University's Department of Psychiatry and the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, shows that children growing up in the United States versus Puerto Rico were more likely to seek out new and risky behaviors.

San Diego team combats memory loss by enhancing brain function

LA JOLLA, CA - October 20, 2015 - A new study, led by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System (VA) and University of California (UC) San Diego School of Medicine shows that increasing a crucial cholesterol-binding membrane protein in nerve cells (neurons) within the brain can improve learning and memory in aged mice.

Research study validates neuroreader for accurate and fast measurement of brain volumes

HORSENS, Denmark / MILWAUKEE, Wis., Oct. 19, 2015 - A new neuroimaging software, Neuroreader, was shown to be as accurate as traditional methods for detecting the slightest changes in brain volume, and does so in a fraction of the time, according to a research study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease this month. The research validates the software program that can be used for measuring hippocampal volume, a biomarker for detecting Alzheimer's Disease.

Fly brains reveal the neural pathway by which outside stimuli become behavior

Every day, people act in response to countless external stimuli, activities in the outside world that result in a specific behavior. An oncoming car causes a pedestrian in a bustling city to jump back to the curb. Someone tells a joke that makes you laugh. You call someone's name causing that person to stop and turn around.

Why corporations don't always 'learn' their way to success

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Any business guru will tell you that companies achieve success by learning from their experiences in the marketplace.

But a new study of the aircraft industry suggests that the belief in 'learning by doing' may be overstated. This study provides an alternative explanation for why we may observe a strong relationship between experience and performance, even without actual learning.