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Researchers may solve riddle about inner workings of the brain

Stanford researchers may have solved a riddle about the inner workings of the brain, which consists of billions of neurons, organized into many different regions, with each region primarily responsible for different tasks.

3 Feb 2014

New technique helps identify shrinkage of mood-regulating brain structure in women with MS

A multicenter research team led by Cedars-Sinai neurologist Nancy Sicotte, MD, an expert in multiple sclerosis and state-of-the-art imaging techniques, used a new, automated technique to identify shrinkage of a mood-regulating brain structure in a large sample of women with MS who also have a certain type of depression.

31 Jan 2014

Ronald G. Crystal wins Pioneer Award from Human Gene Therapy

In recognition of his seminal work on adenoviral vectors, which accelerated the translation of gene therapy from the research laboratory to the clinic, Ronald G. Crystal, MD (Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York City), has received a Pioneer Award from Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

31 Jan 2014

Treating peanut allergy with oral immunotherapy changes DNA of immune cells

Treating a peanut allergy with oral immunotherapy changes the DNA of the patient's immune cells, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford. The DNA change could serve as the basis for a simple blood test to monitor the long-term effectiveness of the allergy therapy.

31 Jan 2014

Dormant prostate cancer cells in bone tissue can be reawakened, say researchers

Researchers in the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute discovered in pre-clinical models that dormant prostate cancer cells found in bone tissue can be reawakened, causing metastasis to other parts of the body. Understanding this mechanism of action may allow researchers to intervene prior to disease progression.

31 Jan 2014

Comparison of cognitive tests shows SDMT effective in differentiating employment status in MS individuals

Researchers at Kessler Foundation have studied the measurement tools used in multiple sclerosis for their effectiveness in predicting employment status. They compared the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT), and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and found the SDMT effective in differentiating employed from unemployed individuals.

31 Jan 2014

New study reveals way to combat drug-resistant tumors

Cancer drugs that recruit antibodies from the body's own immune system to help kill tumors have shown much promise in treating several types of cancer. However, after initial success, the tumors often return.

31 Jan 2014

Study describes new tack in treatment of lung adenocarcinomas

The most common genetic subtype of lung cancer, which has long defied treatment with targeted therapies, has had its growth halted by a combination of two already-in-use drugs in laboratory and animal studies, setting the stage for clinical trials of the drugs in patients, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and other scientists report in a new study.

31 Jan 2014

Study to examine prevalence of intimate partner violence among women with mental health disability

Women with a severe mental health-related disability are nearly four times more likely to have been a victim of intimate partner violence than those without a disability, according to a new study by Women's College Hospital researcher Janice Du Mont and co-author Tonia Forte.

31 Jan 2014

Drugs that modify DNA structure may be beneficial for treating Alzheimer's disease

In a study published this week in Nature Neuroscience, Bess Frost, PhD, and co-authors, identify abnormal expression of genes, resulting from DNA relaxation, that can be detected in the brain and blood of Alzheimer's patients.

31 Jan 2014

Retrieval practice can improve memory in individuals with severe TBI

Kessler Foundation researchers have shown that retrieval practice can improve memory in individuals with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). "Retrieval Practice Improves Memory in Survivors of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury," was published as a brief report in the current issue of Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Volume 95, Issue 2 (390-396) February 2014.

31 Jan 2014

Sub-optimal sleep may activate depressive genes, increase risk for major depression

A genetic study of adult twins and a community-based study of adolescents both report novel links between sleep duration and depression. The studies are published in the Feb. 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

31 Jan 2014

Boehringer Ingelheim, DCRI partner to uncover insights into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Duke Clinical Research Institute have formed a unique collaborative relationship to uncover insights into idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a progressive and fatal lung disease.

31 Jan 2014

Key role for Fusobacterium adhesin in non-orthodontic periodontal inflammation

Researchers from China have found that patients with gingivitis and periodontitis are more likely to have Fusobacterium nucleatum carrying the novel Fusobacterium adhesin A than periodontally healthy people.

31 Jan 2014

Computerized cognitive training shows early promise in schizophrenia

Home-based computerized cognitive training has shown promise as a treatment for young people with schizophrenia, results of a randomized trial indicate.

31 Jan 2014

Depression severity marks suicide risk in bipolar patients

The likelihood for suicide ideation among patients with bipolar depression increases with the severity of the episode, shows a study in Indian patients.

31 Jan 2014

Mesothelin expression prognostic in lung adenocarcinoma

Mesothelin expression is a significant predictor for tumor aggression in patients with lung adenocarcinoma, suggest study findings published in Clinical Cancer Research.

31 Jan 2014

RNAi-based screening offers MPM treatment hope

Research using RNA interference-based screening has identified several potential targets for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

31 Jan 2014

UC Irvine researchers receive $1.54M for stem cell research

Two UC Irvine research teams will receive $1.54 million to further studies on the fundamental structure and function of stem cells. Their work will aid efforts to treat and cure a range of ailments, from cancer to neurological diseases and injuries.

31 Jan 2014

Researchers pinpoint neural circuitry that promotes stress-induced anxiety

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 18 percent of American adults suffer from anxiety disorders, characterized as excessive worry or tension that often leads to other physical symptoms. Previous studies of anxiety in the brain have focused on the amygdala, an area known to play a role in fear.

31 Jan 2014