Daily non-political popular news in brief.

Changes in brain density can help predict schizophrenia

12-06-2006 · EurekAlert!

Changes in brain density could be used to predict whether an individual who is at risk for schizophrenia is likely to develop the condition or not. A study published today in the open access journal BMC Medicine reveals that monitoring changes in grey matter density over time using brain scans could help early detection of individuals who are likely to develop schizophrenia, when used in combination with other prediction methods.

Keywords: changes, brain, density, predict, schizophrenia, change

« Previous | Next »

Similar news on "Changes in brain density can help predict schizophrenia":

Brain networks strengthened by closing ion channels
04-20-2007 · EurekAlert!
Yale School of Medicine and University of Crete School of Medicine researchers report in Cell April 20 the first evidence of a molecular mechanism that dynamically alters the strength of higher brain network connections involved in working memory. This discovery may help the development of drug therapies for the cognitive deficits of normal aging, and for cognitive changes in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Similar news · Read more »
Possible genetic link to schizophrenia identified
02-08-2007 · EurekAlert!
Several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, are associated with changes in the brain that affect nerves that communicate with each other using dopamine. One protein that is crucial for dopamine-mediated neuronal communication in animals is DARPP-32. Now, researchers have shown that the gene that encodes DARPP-32 in humans exhibits genetic variation and that one particular variant is associated with increased performance in a number of cognitive tests and with an increased risk of schizophrenia.
Similar news · Read more »
Climate change affecting Earth's outermost atmosphere
12-11-2006 · EurekAlert!
Carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels will produce a three percent reduction in the density of Earth's outermost atmosphere by 2017, scientists predict. Recent observations have shown that the thermosphere, which begins about 60 miles above Earth and extends up to 400 miles, is becoming less dense.
Similar news · Read more »
Researchers discover possible markers for mental illness
12-03-2007 · EurekAlert!
Researchers have discovered natural genetic differences that might help predict the most effective antipsychotic drugs for particular patients with mental disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's and drug addiction. They found the differences in the gene for a molecule called the dopamine D2 receptor, a protein present on brain cells that are sensitive to the neurotransmitter dopamine.
Similar news · Read more »
US Climate Change Science Program making good progress in documenting and understanding changes
09-13-2007 · EurekAlert!
Climate change research directed by the federal government has made good progress in documenting and understanding temperature trends and related environmental changes on a global scale, says a new report from the National Research Council. The ability to predict future climate changes also has improved, but efforts to understand the impact of such changes on society and analyze mitigation and adaptation strategies are still relatively immature, added the committee that wrote the report.
Similar news · Read more »
UC Davis researchers discover key to body's ability to detect subtle temperature changes
02-26-2007 · EurekAlert!
Scientists have long known the molecular mechanisms behind most of the body's sensing capabilities. Vision, for example, is made possible in part by rhodopsin, a pigment molecule that is extremely sensitive to light. It is involved in turning photons into electrical signals that can be decoded by the brain into visual information. But how the human body is able to sense a one-degree change in temperature has remained a mystery.
Similar news · Read more »
The human brain: Detective of auditory and visual change
01-18-2008 · EurekAlert!
The human brain is capable of detecting the slightest visual and auditory changes. Several studies have indicated, however, that even a small span of time in between pre- and post-change images can disturb the brain's ability to detect visual discrepancies. In a recent study, psychologists assessed the effect of time gaps on change detection in audition.
Similar news · Read more »
New clues to mechanism for 'colossal resistance' effects
08-17-2007 · EurekAlert!
Experiments at the US Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, shed new light on some materials' ability to dramatically change their electrical resistance in the presence of an external magnetic or electric field. Small changes in resistance underlie many electronic devices, including some computer data storage systems. Understanding and applying dramatic resistance changes, known as colossal magnetoresistance, offers tremendous opportunities for the development of new technologies, including data-storage devices with increased data density and reduced power requirements.
Similar news · Read more »
Circadian gene helps the brain predict mealtime
10-23-2006 · EurekAlert!
By investigating how animals can predict the timing of food availability, researchers have identified the first gene critical for anticipation of mealtime. This gene, called Period 2, is a key component of the circadian time-keeping system.
Similar news · Read more »
Common gene version optimizes thinking -- but with a possible downside
02-08-2007 · EurekAlert!
Most people inherit a version of a gene that optimizes their brain's thinking circuitry, yet also appears to increase risk for schizophrenia, a severe mental illness marked by impaired thinking. The seeming paradox emerged from the first study to explore the effects of variation in the human gene for a brain master switch, DARPP-32. The gene impacts the way two key brain regions exchange information, affecting a range of functions from general intelligence to attention.
Similar news · Read more »