Summaries | Headlines

Circadian Rhythms Dominate All Life Functions, According To Study (June 18, 2007) -- New research shows that the function of all genes in mammals is based on circadian -- or daily -- rhythms. The study refutes the current theory that only 10 percent to 15 percent of all genes were ... > full story

There May Be Other Causes For Childhood Brain Aneurysms (June 18, 2007) -- A new University of Cincinnati study questions the commonly held scientific belief that childhood brain aneurysms are caused by trauma, infection or underlying vascular malformations. In a ... > full story

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Okay For Test-tube Babies, Study Finds (June 18, 2007) -- Children born after embryo biopsy for preimplantation genetic diagnosis do not show any more major malformations than those born after artificial reproduction technologies without ... > full story

Hot On The TRAIL Of Controlling Inflammation In Bacterial Meningitis (June 18, 2007) -- Researchers report that the molecule known as TRAIL can limit excessive immune responses in bacterial meningitis, and as such may be of use to control inflammation of the spinal cord and brain, which ... > full story

Alzheimer's-associated Enzyme Can Disrupt Neural Activity In The Brain (June 18, 2007) -- An enzyme involved in the formation of the amyloid-beta protein associated with Alzheimer's disease can also alter the mechanism by which signals are transmitted between brain cells, the disruption ... > full story

Discriminating Fact From Fiction In Recovered Memories Of Childhood Sexual Abuse (June 18, 2007) -- How accurate are recovered memories of childhood sexual abuse? Researchers have found that spontaneously recovered memories were corroborated about as often as continuous ... > full story

Banding Together: RAS Signaling Of Circadian Output (June 18, 2007) -- Scientists have finally cloned the band gene, and have found that it is an allele of ras-1. This finding posits RAS signaling as a key mediator of circadian ... > full story

Attention Training May Help Older Adults Improve Concentration (June 17, 2007) -- Can a fitness program for your brain improve thinking and concentration the way lifting weights can increase muscle strength? Early results from a new study suggest that attention training can change ... > full story

Researchers Use 'Genomic Pathway' To Predict Parkinson's (June 17, 2007) -- A new study provides strong evidence that the joint effects of common DNA variations in several genes that encode proteins within a well-defined biological pathway largely explain why some persons ... > full story

Science Student Gender Gap: A Continuing Challenge (June 17, 2007) -- Interactive classes don't necessarily solve the performance imbalance between the genders in physics classes, according to a new study that stands in stark contrast to previous physics education ... > full story

Doctor Advises Caution Over Flu Drug (June 16, 2007) -- A senior doctor advises caution over the use of the antiviral drug oseltamivir. His concern follows advice by the Japanese authorities in March 2007 against prescribing oseltamivir to adolescents ... > full story

Diet Pills: Pills Seen As Effective May Increase Users' Unhealthy Behaviors (June 16, 2007) -- Glaxo Smith Kline's Alli, the first FDA-approved over-the-counter weight loss pill, is now hitting the shelves nationwide. A new study provides applicable new insight into consumer thinking about ... > full story

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Communication -- Communication is the process of exchanging information, usually via a common protocol. "Communication studies" is the academic discipline focused on communication forms, processes and meanings, ... > full article

Brain -- In animals, the brain, or encephalon, is the control center of the central nervous system. In most animals, the brain is located in the head, protected by the skull and close to the primary sensory ... > full article

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder -- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (sometimes referred to as ADD for those without hyperactivity) is thought to be a neurological disorder, always present from childhood, which manifests ... > full article

Encephalopathy -- Encephalopathy is a nonspecific term describing a syndrome affecting the brain. Generally, it refers to involvement of large parts of the brain (or the whole organ), instead of identifiable changes ... > full article

Limbic system -- The limbic system is the collective name for structures in the human brain involved in emotion, motivation, and emotional association with memory. It affects motivation and is more active in ... > full article

Human brain -- The human brain is the center of the central nervous system in humans as well as the primary control center for the peripheral nervous system. The brain controls "lower" or involuntary activities ... > full article

Amygdala -- The amygdala (Latin, corpus amygdaloideum) is an almond-shape set of neurons located deep in the brain's medial temporal lobe. Shown to play a key role in the processsing of emotions, the amygdala ... > full article

Hypothalamus -- In mammals, the hypothalamus is a region of the brain located below the thalamus, forming the major portion of the ventral region of the diencephalon and functioning to regulate certain metabolic ... > full article

Central nervous system -- The central nervous system (CNS) represents the largest part of the nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord. Together with the peripheral nervous system, it has a fundamental role in ... > full article

Spinal cord -- The spinal cord is a part of the vertebrate nervous system that is enclosed in and protected by the vertebral column (it passes through the spinal canal). It consists of nerve cells. The cord conveys ... > full article

Sensory neuron -- Sensory neurons are nerve cells within the nervous system responsible for converting external stimuli from the organism's environment into internal electrical impulses. For example, some sensory ... > full article

Pheromone -- A pheromone is any chemical produced by a living organism that transmits a message to other members of the same species. There are alarm pheromones, food trail pheromones, sex pheromones, and many ... > full article

Virtual reality -- Virtual reality (VR) is a technology which allows a user to interact with a computer-simulated environment, be it a real or imagined one. Most current virtual reality environments are primarily ... > full article

Lead poisoning -- Lead poisoning is a condition, also known as plumbism or painter's colic, caused by increased blood serum lead levels. The symptoms of lead poisoning include neurological problems, such as reduced ... > full article

Intelligence quotient -- An intelligence quotient or IQ is a score derived from a set of standardized tests developed to measure a person's cognitive abilities ("intelligence") in relation to their age group. An IQ test does ... > full article

Cognition -- The term cognition is used in several loosely related ways to refer to a faculty for the human-like processing of information, applying knowledge and changing preferences. Cognition or cognitive ... > full article

Aptitude -- An aptitude is an innate inborn ability to do a certain kind of work. Aptitudes may be physical or mental. Aptitude and intelligence quotient are related, and in some ways opposite, views of human ... > full article

Memory -- Memory is the ability of the brain to store, retain, and subsequently recall information. Although traditional studies of memory began in the realms of philosophy, the late nineteenth and early ... > full article

Mnemonic -- A mnemonic is a memory aid. Mnemonics are often verbal, something such as a very short poem or a special word used to help a person remember something. Mnemonics rely not only on repetition to ... > full article

Dementia -- Dementia is progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, ... > full article