SA's epilepsy-related deaths double

Epilepsy South Africa says the number of epilepsy-related deaths has doubled since 2004 and accuses the Department of Health of not taking the condition seriously. 17 May 2013 12:12

Calories draw people to food, like it or not

[Bill Hathaway] People like food because it contains calories they need to survive. However, researchers from The John B Pierce Laboratory and Yale have discovered an interesting twist to the basic biology story: Calories trigger responses in areas of the brain that control eating behavior independently of how much the subject likes the flavor. 7 May 2013 14:53

Video games improve mental agility

WASHINGTON, USA: Playing video games can prevent and even reverse deteriorating brain functions such as memory, reasoning and visual processing, according to a study released on Wednesday (1 May). 2 May 2013 08:40

Autism risk spotted at birth in abnormal placentas

Researchers at the Yale School of Medicine have figured out how to measure an infant's risk of developing autism by looking for abnormalities in his/her placenta at birth, allowing for earlier diagnosis and treatment for the developmental disorder. The findings are reported in the 25 April 2013 online issue of Biological Psychiatry. 26 Apr 2013 15:44

Further potential insight into the complex neuropathology of Down's syndrome

Researchers at the University of Bristol have revealed new insight into the function of a key protein attributed to impaired learning and memory in Down's syndrome. The findings, published online in Nature Cell Biology, offer further molecular insight into how the reduced level of this key protein termed 'sorting nexin-27' [SNX27] may contribute to learning and memory problems associated with Down's syndrome. 10 Apr 2013 16:49

Bizcommunity.com

Bizcommunity April 1 price freeze is no joke

[Issued by Bizcommunity.com] Believe it or not, we've made the decision to freeze most of our rates for 2013! This is not an April Fool's prank but a strategic decision in line with our core objectives to assist businesses to grow and thrive via our portfolio of publishing platforms. 26 Mar 2013 10:37

Bizcommunity.com

If you're content, we're content

[Issued by Bizcommunity.com] "Content" is currently on everybody's lips, with everyone from the existing media to brand owners and individuals being encouraged to become content providers. Bizcommunity has been ahead of the content curve for over a decade. 18 Mar 2013 09:03

Could common blood pressure drug slow Alzheimer's progression?

A ground-breaking trial that hopes to discover if a drug commonly used to treat high blood pressure could slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) will begin shortly. 5 Mar 2013 11:44

Ability of brain to protect itself from damage revealed

The origin of an innate ability the brain has to protect itself from damage that occurs in stroke has been explained for the first time. 28 Feb 2013 12:51

Gene today, gone tomorrow: genes for autism and schizophrenia only active in developing brains

Genes linked to autism and schizophrenia are only switched on during the early stages of brain development, according to a study in mice led by researchers at the University of Oxford. 19 Feb 2013 14:14

Johns Hopkins surgeons implant first brain 'pacemaker' for Alzheimer's disease

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine in November surgically implanted a pacemaker-like device into the brain of a patient in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, the first such operation in the United States. The device, which provides deep brain stimulation and has been used in thousands of people with Parkinson's disease, is seen as a possible means of boosting memory and reversing cognitive decline. 6 Dec 2012 16:32

Research in the news: New explanation for cognitive problems of Parkinson's patients

[Bill Hathaway] The hallmark of Parkinson's Disease is the uncertain gait and movement caused by the destructions of neurons producing the neurotransmitter dopamine. However, Parkinson's patients also display cognitive problems such as difficulty assessing an interval of time - for instance, differentiating between an eight-second span and one of 20 seconds. 3 Dec 2012 15:48

Could poor sleep contribute to symptoms of schizophrenia?

Neuroscientists studying the link between poor sleep and schizophrenia have found that irregular sleep patterns and desynchronised brain activity during sleep could trigger some of the disease's symptoms. The findings, published in the journal Neuron, suggest that these prolonged disturbances might be a cause and not just a consequence of the disorder's debilitating effects. 16 Nov 2012 15:53

Early treatment sparks striking brain changes in autism

When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. 9 Nov 2012 14:19