Barry Reid was at Universal with his family when he collapsed and was rushed to a nearby emergency room. (SWNS) A dad-of-two has spoken of his holiday horror after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor during a dream family trip to Florida. Barry Reid, his wife Gillian and their two young daughters, Chloe and […]
Brain iron on MRI linked to disability in multiple sclerosis
(HealthDay)—Brain iron at quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is associated with disability in multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study recently published in Radiology. Robert Zivadinov, M.D., Ph.D., from the University at Buffalo in New York, and colleagues conducted a prospective study between March 2009 and November 2013 involving 600 participants with MS (452 with […]
Why Doesn't Your Vision 'Go Dark' When You Blink?
There's a saying that goes, "Blink and you'll miss it." But generally, we don't miss a thing when we blink; in fact, we don't even notice when we're doing it. Indeed, even though adults blink about 15 times per minute, on average, our vision appears seamless and uninterrupted. But how does that work, exactly? Experts […]
Study of protein ‘trafficker’ provides insight into autism and other brain disorders
In the brain, as in business, connections are everything. To maintain cellular associates, the outer surface of a neuron, its membrane, must express particular proteins—proverbial hands that reach out and greet nearby cells. And, like a creepily long handshake, surface molecules can overstay their welcome: A protein that lingers too long on the membrane may […]
Low levels of carbon monoxide poisoning can be very difficult to spot – and can cause brain damage
Carbon monoxide (CO), like many gases, cannot be detected by our human senses. We cannot see it, smell it or taste it. But unlike many gases, small amounts are extremely harmful to us. In 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available), 53 people in the UK died from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning. […]
Immune cells destroy healthy brain connections, diminish cognitive function in obese mice
Obesity leads to cognitive impairment by activating microglial cells, which consume otherwise functional synapses in the hippocampus, according to a study of male mice published in JNeurosci. The research suggests that microglia may be a potential therapeutic target for one of the lesser known effects of this global health epidemic on the brain. Nearly two […]
Brain function impacts how experiences contribute to depression
A study in adolescent girls reports that recent life events impact depressive symptoms differently, depending on how the brain responds to winning and losing. A strong brain response to winning boosted the beneficial impact of positive experiences on symptoms, whereas a strong response to losing enhanced the detrimental impact of negative experiences on symptoms. The […]
Vascular risk factors for brain calcification in seniors identified
(HealthDay)—Diabetes and smoking are vascular risk factors associated with hippocampal calcification in older patients with memory issues, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. In an effort to identify risk factors for hippocampal calcifications and investigate the association between hippocampal calcifications and cognitive function, Esther J.M. de Brouwer, M.D., from the […]
How tiny metal beads could make chemotherapy more effective for brain tumours
Treatments for brain tumours aren’t good enough. Only around 1 in 7 people will survive their disease for a decade or longer. And those in this small but fortunate fraction may also be left with lifelong reminders of their cancer in the form of side effects from their treatment. But coming up with better ways […]
Brain Implant Puts the Brakes on Epileptic Seizures in Mice
THURSDAY, Aug. 30, 2018 — Experiments in mice have shown that an implanted electronic device in the brain can detect — and deliver drugs to stop — impending epileptic seizures. Potentially, a similar device might help people with epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and brain tumors who have failed standard treatment. So far, the technology is in […]