Brain And Consciousness Research - November 2007 Archives

Investigational Medication to be Studied in Children with Autism (11/30/2007)

Children with autism spectrum disorder between the ages of five and 17 years are needed to participate in a research study looking at how a medicine called fluoxetine works to relieve the repetitive behavior and other symptoms associated with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) ...> Full Article

Is The Beauty Of A Sculpture In The Brain Of The Beholder? (11/30/2007)

Is there an objective biological basis for the experience of beauty in art? Or is aesthetic experience entirely subjective? This question has been addressed in a new article by Cinzia Di Dio, Emiliano Macaluso and Giacomo Rizzolatti. The researchers used fMRI scans to study the neural activity in subjects with no knowledge of art criticism, who were shown images of Classical and Renaissance sculptures. ...> Full Article

Children's Bad Behavior Gives Insights to Academic Achievement and Later Career Success (11/29/2007)

Early behavior problems don't impede children's school achievement, but persistent problems may impede educational and occupational outcomes. ...> Full Article

Simple Test Improves Accuracy of Polygraph Results (11/29/2007)

In order to prevent false positive results in polygraph examinations, testing is set to err on the side of caution. This protects the innocent, but increases the chances that a guilty suspect will go unidentified. A new study published in Psychophysiology finds that the use of a written test, known as Symptom Validity Testing (SVT), in conjunction with polygraph testing may improve the accuracy of results. ...> Full Article

Fear is stronger motivator to get fit than hope for those worrying about their bodies (11/28/2007)

Fear of looking unattractive can be a stronger motivation for keeping people going to the gym than the hope of looking good, a study says. ...> Full Article

Researchers Discover Personal Trainer For Your Memory (11/28/2007)

Researchers have discovered the brain protein kalirin is critical for helping you learn and remember what you learned. ...> Full Article

Neuroscientists Uncover Brain Region Involved in Voluntary Behavior (11/27/2007)

Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have deciphered the activity of an area of the brain that could one day prove vital in the development of neural prostheses--within-the-brain implants that would translate thought into movement in paralyzed patients. ...> Full Article

Doctors to investigate potential limitations of genetic testing in development of Alzheimer's (11/27/2007)

Now recruiting participants to help study the impact of knowing whether they have genetic predisposition ...> Full Article

New discoveries about nitric oxide can provide drugs for schizophrenia (11/26/2007)

Problems with memory and social function in patients with schizophrenia may result from an imbalance in the brain's nitric oxide system. A dissertation from the Sahlgrenska Academy shows that rats with characteristics of schizophrenia regain normal brain function if they receive drugs that reduce the production of nitric oxide in the brain. ...> Full Article

Even Very Low Levels Of Lead Cause Brain Damage In Children (11/26/2007)

Even very small amounts of lead in children's blood -- amounts well below the current federal standard -- are associated with reduced IQ scores, finds a new, six-year Cornell study. ...> Full Article

New Guideline for How to Treat a Person's First Unprovoked Seizure (11/25/2007)

A guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology recommends a routine electroencephalogram (EEG) and brain scans be considered when diagnosing and treating adults who experience their first unprovoked seizure. Evidence shows such tools often detect brain abnormalities that caused the seizure and predict seizure recurrence. The guideline is published in the November 20, 2007, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ...> Full Article

Researchers Use Brain Imaging to Demonstrate How Men and Women Cope Differently Under Stress (11/25/2007)

Findings have implications for identifying gender differences in mood disorders ...> Full Article

Strong drugs without the addiction (11/24/2007)

Two University of Adelaide pharmacologists working with one the world's leading neuroscientists have helped pave the way for the development of new pain-killing drugs that are not addictive. ...> Full Article

Stress response in the brain relies on a blood-thinning protein (11/24/2007)

A stressed-out mouse tends to be a bit timid, tentative, even fearful. For that matter, so does a stressed-out human. Our ability to learn from frightening situations is part of what helps us avoid them in the future. When that learning process goes awry, it can lead to depression and a decreased ability to recognize dangerous situations. Now, research by Rockefeller scientists has pinned down a protein in the hippocampus - a part of the brain that controls memory, learning and fear - that's essential for maintaining this stress response. ...> Full Article

Neuroscientists Show Naturally Occurring Chemical in Brain Enhances Visual Processing (11/22/2007)

Neuroscientists have found that a naturally occurring chemical in the brain can enhance visual processing and suggest that this chemical may represent part of the biological basis of visual attention ...> Full Article

Selective memory helpful short-term but harmful long-term (11/22/2007)

People who block out unpleasant memories or issues may enjoy short-term gains but emotionally detaching themselves causes long-term consequences. ...> Full Article

Team IDs proteins key to brain function (11/22/2007)

Research could lead to new treatments for brain injuries ...> Full Article

Neuroscientist Proposes New Theory of Brain Flexibility (11/21/2007)

Neuroscientists have put forward a new computational theory of brain function that provides answers to one of the central questions of modern science: How does the human brain organize itself to give rise to complex cognitive tasks such as reading, problem solving and spatial reasoning? ...> Full Article

The Hormone of Darkness: Melatonin Could Hurt Memory Formation at Night (11/21/2007)

Team discover nighttime 'malfunction' of biological clock ...> Full Article

Scientists uncover how the brain controls what the eyes see (11/21/2007)

Expectations affect how we see things and experience life ...> Full Article

2.2 Million NIH Grant to Develop Drugs to Suppress Cocaine Cravings (11/21/2007)

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy has received a $2.2 million federal grant to develop therapeutics to suppress the cravings of cocaine addicts. ...> Full Article

Researchers find memory can be manipulated by photos (11/20/2007)

Viewing doctored photos leads to inaccurate conclusions about past events ...> Full Article

Brain differences found in people with migraine (11/20/2007)

People with migraines have differences in an area of the brain that helps process sensory information, including pain. ...> Full Article

What's in a Name? Initials Linked to Success, Study Shows (11/19/2007)

Scientists studying phenomenon called 'name-letter effect' and suggest that it may be influential enough to encourage the pursuit of name-resembling life outcomes and partners. ...> Full Article

Scientists zero in on the cellular machinery that enables neurons to fire (11/19/2007)

Researchers show that a part of ion channels called the paddle is uniquely transplantable between different channels. ...> Full Article

Connection Between Startled Response And Schizophrenia (11/18/2007)

Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric illness. Its cause is currently poorly understood, and there is no known cure. In a new study Akiko Watanabe and colleagues report the identification of a gene linked to the condition. ...> Full Article

Enzymes Key To Brainpower Identified (11/18/2007)

Bolstering disintegratingneural connections may help boost brainpower in Alzheimer's disease patients, MIT researchers and colleagues will report in the Nov. 8 issue of Neuron. ...> Full Article

Neurological Team Finds that New Treatment Holds Promise for Patients with Tourette Syndrome (11/17/2007)

Research out of the Neurological Institute at University Hospitals Case Medical Center finds that Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) helps patients who suffer from Tourette Syndrome (TS). This first-of-its-kind study of five adults with TS determined that DBS can reduce tic frequency and severity in some people who have exhausted other medical treatments. ...> Full Article

Brain Matures a Few Years Late in ADHD, But Follows Normal Pattern (11/17/2007)

In youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the brain matures in a normal pattern but is delayed three years in some regions, on average, compared to youth without the disorder, an imaging study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has revealed. The delay in ADHD was most prominent in regions at the front of the brain's outer mantle (cortex), important for the ability to control thinking, attention and planning. Otherwise, both groups showed a similar back-to-front wave of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times (see movie below). ...> Full Article

Research shows the brain's processing speed is significantly faster than real time (11/17/2007)

Scientists at The University of Arizona have added another piece of the puzzle of how the brain processes memory. ...> Full Article

Researchers Recognize Sense of Fairness in Nonhuman Primates (11/16/2007)

Nonhuman primates respond negatively when their fellow animals receive better rewards, but the reaction is based on fairness and not on awareness that better rewards are available. ...> Full Article

Eating Fish, Omega-3 Oils, Fruits and Veggies Lowers Risk of Memory Problems (11/16/2007)

A diet rich in fish, omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, whereas consuming omega-6 rich oils could increase chances of developing memory problems. ...> Full Article

Early Teen Sex May Not Be a Path to Delinquency, Study Shows (11/15/2007)

A new study by University of Virginia clinical psychologists has found that teens who have sex at an early age may be less inclined to exhibit delinquent behavior in early adulthood than their peers who waited until they were older to have sex. The study also suggests that early sex may play a role in helping these teens develop better social relationships in early adulthood. ...> Full Article

Children and Monkeys Rationalize Their Decisions After A Tough Choice (11/15/2007)

Like adults, children and monkeys rationalize their decisions following a tough choice, Yale University researchers report in Psychological Science. ...> Full Article

Effects of Social Isolation Traced to Brain Hormone (11/15/2007)

The anxiety and aggression that result from social isolation have been traced to altered levels of an enzyme that controls production of a brain hormone. ...> Full Article

Obesity research boosted by watching hunger in the brain (11/14/2007)

Scientists can now measure how full or hungry a mouse feels, thanks to a new technique which uses imaging to reveal how neurons behave in the part of the brain which regulates appetite. ...> Full Article

Researchers ID enzymes key to brainpower (11/14/2007)

Research could inform treatments for Alzheimer's patients ...> Full Article

Fears Can Be Treated Successfully With Combination of Drugs and Behavior Therapy (11/14/2007)

Medication combined with behavioral therapy can be effective in helping individuals fight their fears ...> Full Article

Research team finds link between asthma and depressive and anxiety disorders (11/13/2007)

Young people with asthma are about twice as likely to suffer from depressive and anxiety disorders than are children without asthma, according to a study by a research team in Seattle. Previous research had suggested a possible link in young people between asthma and some mental health problems, such as panic disorder, but this study is the first showing such a strong connection between the respiratory condition and depressive and anxiety disorders. The findings appear in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. ...> Full Article

How The Brain Sends Eyeballs Bouncing (11/13/2007)

All vision, including reading this sentence, depends on a constant series of infinitesimal jumps by the eyeball that centers the retina on target objects--words or phrases in the case of reading. Such jumps, or saccades, are critical to vision because only the small central region of the retina, called the fovea, produces the clear image necessary for perception. Such saccades take place several times a second and are generated within a brain region known as the frontal eye field (FEF). ...> Full Article

Genes, Brain Chemistry May Dictate Nicotine Cravings (11/13/2007)

Individual brain chemistry and genes could be key to understanding why some people become addicted to nicotine and why the chemical compound's effects appear to diminish at night, University of Colorado at Boulder researchers say. ...> Full Article

Worms Take the Sniff Test to Reveal Sex Differences in Brain (11/12/2007)

Buttery popcorn or fresh green vegetables? Your answer tells a lot about you. ...> Full Article

New invention set to revolutionise learning for babies (11/12/2007)

A ground-breaking new device which could revolutionise the way babies learn has been created by a health psychologist from the University of Wolverhampton. ...> Full Article

Want to influence someone? Pile on the information (11/12/2007)

Politicians and marketers take note: when it comes to persuading people who have ambivalent attitudes, more is more. ...> Full Article

Thought-reading Computers, Sleep, And Molecular Imaging Advance Stroke Research (11/12/2007)

Advanced technologies such as molecular imaging, sensory substitution devices, and programs that translate brain signals to a computer monitor are accelerating the pace of stroke research. And even an old-fashioned technique -- a good night's sleep -- helps patients remember new motor skills, according to new studies. ...> Full Article

Training and Experience Can Affect Brain Organization, Research Shows (11/11/2007)

New research comparing music conductors and non-musicians shows that both the conductors and the non-musicians "tuned out" their visual sense while performing a difficult hearing task. As the task became harder, however, only the non-musicians tuned out more of their visual sense, indicating that the training and experience of the conductors changed how their brains work. ...> Full Article

Unique database mapping 'expression' of genes in the brain could lead to new, targeted treatments (11/11/2007)

New research to establish a database that could help other scientists identify which proteins to target when developing treatments for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's Disease. The database maps all of the genes operating in one section of the brain, and their 'expression' - the process of converting the genetic information encoded in DNA into a final gene product. ...> Full Article

Mirror, Mirror In The Brain: Mirror Neurons, Self-understanding And Autism Research (11/11/2007)

Recent findings are rapidly expanding researchers' understanding of a new class of brain cells -- mirror neurons -- which are active both when people perform an action and when they watch it being performed. ...> Full Article

Research Links Diet to Cognitive Decline and Dementia (11/11/2007)

Research has shown convincing evidence that dietary patterns practiced during adulthood are important contributors to age-related cognitive decline and dementia risk. An article published in Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences highlights information on the benefits of diets high in fruit, vegetables, cereals and fish and low in saturated fats in reducing dementia risk. ...> Full Article

Older Adults Not More Distractible, Research Shows (11/10/2007)

Despite previous research suggesting that older adults are more distractible, new research shows they are no more distractible than younger adults when asked to focus their attention on their sense of sight or sound, or when asked to switch their attention from one sense to the other. ...> Full Article

Which is the most talkative gender? It all depends (11/10/2007)

A Gallup poll recently confirmed that men and women both believe that it is women who are most likely to possess the gift of gab. Some even believe that women are biologically built for conversation. This widespread belief is challenged in research published by SAGE in the November issue of Personality and Social Psychology Review. ...> Full Article

Blood Pressure Drug Curbs Brain Damage From PTSD (11/10/2007)

A drug used to treat high blood pressure and enlargement of the prostate may protect the brain from damage caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, Alzheimer's disease, depression and schizophrenia. ...> Full Article

Epilepsy genes may cancel each other (11/10/2007)

Inheriting two genetic mutations that can individually cause epilepsy might actually be "seizure-protective," said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appears online today in the journal Nature Neuroscience. ...> Full Article

Key to False Memories Uncovered (11/9/2007)

Neuroscientists say the places a memory is processed in the brain may determine how someone can be absolutely certain of a past event that never occurred. ...> Full Article

Adult brain cells are movers and shakers (11/9/2007)

Study reveals a subset of mature neurons that can retain a youthful form of plasticity ...> Full Article

How Does the Brain Recognize a Face? (11/8/2007)

Neuroscientists say they can predict with near-perfect accuracy whether two faces resemble each other enough to fool a human observer. ...> Full Article

Direct gaze makes you more attractive (11/8/2007)

Looking directly at someone makes you more attractive to them according to research. ...> Full Article

Gene governs IQ boost from breastfeeding (11/7/2007)

The known association between breast feeding and slightly higher IQ in children has been shown to relate to a particular gene in the babies, according to a report this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ...> Full Article

Research indicates dogs have some ability to read minds (11/7/2007)

Dog owners who think their beloved pooch can read their mind may be right. ...> Full Article

Marijuana-like brain chemicals work as antidepressant (11/6/2007)

Study on anandamide shows how endocannabinoid system can be targeted for new pharmaceuticals to treat depression ...> Full Article

Children with gene show reduced cognitive function (11/6/2007)

7- to 10-year-olds carrying apoE4 show reduced cognitive function. ...> Full Article

Unhealthy weight perceptions more unhealthy than unhealthy weight (11/5/2007)

Individuals with weight perceptions that deviate from the societal ideal ('overweight' and 'underweight') are at increased risk of psychological distress. ...> Full Article

Holier than thou? Employees who believe they are 'ethical' or 'moral' might not be (11/5/2007)

Bad behavior seems rampant in business, and scholars are divided as to why people act ethically or unethically. Many have argued that ethical behavior is the result of simple judgments between right and wrong. Others suggest that the driving force behind ethical behavior is the individual's moral identity, or whether the individual thinks of him/herself as an ethical person. ...> Full Article

Decision-Makers Seek Internal Balance, Not Balanced Alternatives (11/4/2007)

A brain in balance, rather than the promise of pain or pleasure, may form basis of decision-making for psychiatric patients ...> Full Article

New technology puts guilty verdict to the test (11/4/2007)

An academic at the University of Sheffield has used groundbreaking technology to investigate the potential innocence of a woman convicted of poisoning a child in her care. ...> Full Article

The Economic Power, and Pitfalls, of Optimism (11/3/2007)

People who are extremely optimistic tend to have short planning horizons and act in ways generally not considered wise. ...> Full Article

Memory-sustaining Enzyme May Help Treat PTSD, Cognitive Decline (11/3/2007)

Rat Memory Eraser Study Challenges Prevailing Theories ...> Full Article

Ears ringing? Scientists I.D. The brain's own clarion (11/2/2007)

Brain scientists have discovered how cells in the developing ear make their own noise, long before the ear is able to detect sound around them. The finding, reported in this week's Nature, helps to explain how the developing auditory system generates brain activity in the absence of sound. It also may explain why people sometimes experience tinnitus and hear sounds that seem to come from nowhere. ...> Full Article

Too much self-control can overwhelm brain (11/2/2007)

Study shows that self-control is limited resource ...> Full Article

New Brain Cells Listen Before They Talk (11/1/2007)

Newly created neurons in adults rely on signals from distant brain regions to regulate their maturation and survival before they can communicate with existing neighboring cells—a finding that has important implications for the use of adult neural stem cells to replace brain cells lost by trauma or neurodegeneration. ...> Full Article

One in 7 Americans over age 70 has dementia (11/1/2007)

One in seven Americans over the age of 70 suffers from dementia, according to the first known nationally representative, population-based study to include men and women from all regions of the country. ...> Full Article