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Childhood brain tumors linked to newly discovered mutations
Medical News Today
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A recent study published in the online edition of the scientific journal Nature Genetics of rare, lethal childhood tumors of the brain stem has revealed that almost 80 percent of tumors contain gene mutations that have previously not been associated with cancer. According to early evidence, gene alterations also implicate other aggressive pediatric brain tumors. The results provide a significant insight into a poorly understood tumor that has a mortality rate of over 90 percent in patients within two years.
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Skin transformed into brain cells
BBC News
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Skin cells have been converted directly into cells which develop into the main components of the brain, by researchers studying mice in California. The experiment, reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, skipped the middle "stem cell" stage in the process. The researchers said they were "thrilled" at the potential medical uses.
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A pioneer in both advanced nurse-leadership training and online education, celebrate 33 years of advanced nursing education with Loyola University New Orleans and enter to win one of five $4,500 scholarships to Loyola’s online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with specialization in Health Care Systems Management. more
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Laser targeting could help fight Parkinson's
KGO-TV
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 Innovative research at San Francisco's Gladstone Institutes could lead to a new treatment for fighting Parkinson's disease. Research using lasers is pointing the way to a new target for drugs.
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Infections might raise stroke risk in children
HealthDay News via U.S. News & World Report
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Many children who suffer a stroke had some sort of an infection in the days leading up to the stroke, a new study says. However, childhood stroke is rare and parents shouldn't be unduly alarmed by these findings, the researchers noted.
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Brain stimulation and ethics
Science 2.0
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Transcranial direct current stimulation is a type of non-invasive brain stimulation in which weak electrical currents are applied to the head via electrodes for a short time (about 20 minutes). The effects of this brain stimulation can last up to 12 months and can elicit changes in neurotransmitter concentrations. Most research has focused on using this type of stimulation as a means to improve the cognitive capacities of people with certain psychological or cognitive disabilities. Studies have shown that several aspects of cognition may be improved, such as motor skills, vision, decision making, mathematical cognition, language and memory. This has spurred researchers from Oxford University to write a brief essay, published in Current Biology, in which they address some of the ethical issues arising from this realization.
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Breaking Dawn for epilepsy
Health News Digest
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Epilepsy recently received an unexpected burst of national media attention, when reports arose of epileptic seizures triggered during a pivotal scene in the blockbuster movie The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1. The resulting interest focused on a rare form of epilepsy — photosensitive epilepsy, which involves seizures triggered by visual stimuli that form patterns in time or space, such as flashing lights, bold regular patterns, or regular moving patterns — but it underscores the need for greater public awareness of the disorder and especially what to do if someone suffers a seizure.
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A new target in fighting brain disease: Metals
The Wall Street Journal
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Research into how iron, copper, zinc and other metals work in the brain may help unlock some of the secrets of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Iron and copper appear to accumulate beyond normal levels in the brains of people with these diseases, and a new, Australian study published Sunday shows reducing excess iron in the brain can alleviate Alzheimer's-like symptoms — at least in mice.
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Hope for spinal cord injuries
Times Union
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Researchers in the Capital Region have created microscopic beads that may help heal spinal cord injuries when injected into wounds. "For spinal cord-injured patients, there is nothing out there yet in terms of regenerative therapy," said biologist Sally Temple, who is hopeful this new treatment will work in humans.
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Sleep apnea linked with silent strokes
MyHealthNewsDaily
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People who suffer from severe sleep apnea have an increased risk of silent strokes, a small new study suggests. Sleep apnea is a common disorder characterized by shallow breaths or pauses in breathing during sleep. The pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes, and they usually disrupt sleep.
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Study finds early signs of autism in baby brains
Reuters via Fox News
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Children who develop autism already show signs of different brain responses in their first year of life, scientists said in a study that may in the future help doctors diagnose the disorder earlier. The findings of the study suggest direct brain measures might help predict the future risk of autism in babies as young as 6 months old.
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