Nervous System News and Research

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Researchers discover unique mechanism that drives spread of deadly infection

Scientists at the University of Birmingham have discovered a unique mechanism that drives the spread of a deadly infection.

26 Apr 2018

Nonsurgical technique enables people with spinal cord injuries to regain use of hands

The ability to perform simple daily tasks can make a big difference in people's lives, especially for those with spinal cord injuries.

26 Apr 2018

Drinking kefir may have positive effect on blood pressure by promoting brain-gut communication

Drinking kefir may have a positive effect on blood pressure by promoting communication between the gut and brain. Kefir is a fermented probiotic milk beverage known to help maintain the balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.

26 Apr 2018

Study shows link between restless legs syndrome symptoms and brain structure

People with restless legs syndrome may have changes in a portion of the brain that processes sensory information, according to a study published in the April 25, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

26 Apr 2018

Exploiting rabies virus machinery to usher Parkinson's disease drug directly to the brain

The rabies virus wreaks havoc on the brain, triggering psychosis and death. To get where it needs to go, the virus must first trick the nervous system and cross the blood brain barrier -- a process that makes it of interest in drug design.

25 Apr 2018

Key signaling protein in Huntington's disease found to have deleterious effects on heart function, shows study

Researchers investigating a key signaling protein in Huntington's disease describe deleterious effects on heart function, going beyond the disease's devastating neurological impact.

25 Apr 2018

Visually guided walking paves way for better treatment for mobility impairments

Using new technologies to track how vision guides foot placement, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin come one step closer in determining what is going on in the brain while we walk, paving the way for better treatment for mobility impairments -- strokes, aging and Parkinson's -- and technology development -- prosthetics and robots.

24 Apr 2018

Drugs prescribed for newborns vary widely between NICUs, study finds

Little is known concerning how extensively drugs are prescribed to newborns in different neonatal intensive care units. A new British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology study of nearly 1,500 newborns admitted during 12 months to four different NICUs in The Netherlands found that drug use varies widely.

23 Apr 2018

Studies offer leads for new approaches to treat neurological problems

Technological advances have ushered in a new era of discovery in neuroscience. The Experimental Biology 2018 meeting will feature an array of research findings on the brain and nervous system.

23 Apr 2018

Concussion recovery and symptom severity found to vary between men and women

A new study comparing male and female athletes examined whether there are clear sex-related differences in post-concussion symptom severity and length of recovery. In addition to a finding of significant differences between the male and female college varsity athletes, differences among the women depending on hormonal contraceptive use were reported in the study published in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

20 Apr 2018

New non-invasive nerve stimulation may offer relief for people with hand tremor

People with tremors in their hands from a condition called essential tremor may find some relief from a new, non-invasive type of nerve stimulation, according to a preliminary scientific abstract released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

20 Apr 2018

Long-term exposure to cold temperatures reduces diabetes and obesity, shows study

A new study in fat cells has revealed a molecular mechanism that controls how lifestyle choices and the external environment affect gene expression.

19 Apr 2018

Investigational drug may help increase protein levels in babies with spinal muscular atrophy

A preliminary study suggests that an investigational drug may help increase protein levels in babies with spinal muscular atrophy. The open-label study is released today and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 70th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, April 21 to 27, 2018.

19 Apr 2018

People diagnosed with traumatic brain injury may have increased risk of Parkinson's disease, shows study

People who have been diagnosed with a mild concussion, or mild traumatic brain injury, may have a 56 percent increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to a study published in the April 18, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Apr 2018

Researchers use optogenetics to treat chronic pain

The finger prick from a thorn generates an immediate sensory response. In that instant, neurons at the injury site fire an electrical signal along a nerve fiber to the central nervous system. Our brain notes to avoid further encounters with thorns and the painful insult subsides.

18 Apr 2018

Direct electrical current can be delivered to nerves for blocking pain signals

Using computer models and laboratory rats, Johns Hopkins researchers have demonstrated that "direct electrical current" can be delivered to nerves preferentially, blocking pain signals while leaving other sensations undisturbed.

18 Apr 2018

Researchers identify new Listeria species in Costa Rica

Listeria costaricensis is the official name given to the new bacterial species described by investigators from the Costa Rican Institute of Technology (TEC) and the WHO-collaborating center on Listeria at Institut Pasteur.

17 Apr 2018

Listening to music enhances effect of anti-hypertensive drugs

In addition to remembering to take the medication prescribed by their cardiologists at the right times and going to the trouble of making healthy lifestyle changes, patients with high blood pressure (hypertension) can include a pleasing beneficial activity in routine treatment of the disease thanks to the discovery that listening to music significantly enhances the effect of anti-hypertensive drugs.

16 Apr 2018

Post-surgical opioids can prolong pain for more than three weeks, study shows

Giving opioids to animals to quell pain after surgery prolongs pain for more than three weeks and primes specialized immune cells in the spinal cord to be more reactive to pain, according to a new study by the University of Colorado Boulder.

16 Apr 2018

Study explores relationship between age at menopause and memory

Entering menopause at a later age may be associated with a small benefit to your memory years later, according to a study published in the April 11, 2018, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

12 Apr 2018