Tag Archives: brain
The master puppeteer? – Impact of microbes on brain and behaviour
For the longest time microbiology & neuroscience used to be studied independently and with limited overlap. Recently, however, research on the microbiome and its interaction with our organs, including the brain, is increasingly gaining momentum. With more
Transplanted cells reveal potential for functional neural regeneration
Patients suffering from spinal cord injury and from neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease) and multiple sclerosis have high hopes for cell transplantation therapy. Successful transplantation depends on the donor cells
The management of elderly patients with severe traumatic brain injury
The elderly population is defined by the World Health Organization as those aged over 65 years. Life expectancy has gradually increased but as the population of the elderly has progressively increased so has the incidence of traumatic
Reducing blood loss in brain surgery with extracranial early devascularization techniques
The anatomical region located under the frontal lobes of the brain, just above the eyes and the nose is called “anterior skull base”. The most common tumors involving this region arise from the soft tissue layers that
Glutathione: a molecular whistleblower for Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease: Neurons in select pockets of the brain begin to die off, slowly and incrementally erasing an individual’s memory and eroding their individuality. It is a devastating disease, one that affects more than 36 million individuals
Promoting resilience to cognitive impairment associated with sleep deprivation
Chronic sleep loss is a common problem in our society; an estimated 50-70 million adults in the United States have sleep or wakefulness disorder (Institute of Medicine, 2006). Insufficient sleep is co-morbid with chronic problems such as
Does neuropathic pain restrict the cortical plasticity after spinal cord injury?
Many studies in animals and humans have shown that the brain reacts with some reorganization (called neuro-adaptive processes) to the amputation of limbs and following a spinal cord injury that leaves the patients with severe motor and
Antiepileptic property of vitamin B12 in one animal model
Epilepsy –a serious neurological disorder that affects millions of people worldwide– is usually associated with a disturbance of normal activity of the brain, and in most typical form, is accompanied by seizures. Various antiepileptic drugs with different
Immediate antidepressant effects on functional brain connectivity
Neurotransmitters are the brain’s chemical messengers that allow for communication between neurons. They ‘jump’ from one neuron to the next causing excitation or inhibition of cell firing. Since healthy brain functioning relies on adequate neural communication, neurotransmitter
The fossil viruses from within that shape evolution
Our genome contains a colossal amount of virus-related sequences. Over 4 million fragments of our DNA derive from mobile genetic elements, some of which once were viruses that infected the germ line (egg or sperm cells) of
Selectively killing T-cells in multiple sclerosis: A brainy approach
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system that often afflicts young people. The nerve fibres in the brain, which transmit the electrical impulses that control many of the common functions of the
Selectivity in acquired prosopagnosia
Face recognition is a special skill at which most humans are adept. Whether this also means that it involves special resources in the human brain has been debated for many years. A lot of the evidence in
Importance of selenium for brain function
Trace element selenium is known to be essential for the human beings. Generally accepted daily intake of selenium is in the range of 20-70 μg. ‘Effective’ part of the ingested selenium is consumed for producing of special
Does habitual Internet use affect our brain? Are both genders in danger?
The Internet has not only become our external memory and essential media source for social life and entertainment, it also has full potential to become addictive. Even though it is still a matter of discussion whether Internet
Insomnia after traumatic brain injury
Work is central to a person’s life, impacting the physical, mental, financial and social health of individuals and communities. It is a powerful determinant of health. For survivors of traumatic brain injury (TBI), however, the process of
