News

In a surprising and unexpected discovery, scientists have found that a single type of gene acts as a master organizer of motor neurons in the spinal cord. The finding could help scientists develop new treatments for diseases such as Lou Gehrig's disease or spinal cord injury.

Addictive drugs are known to induce changes in the brain's reward circuits that may underlie drug craving and relapse after long periods of abstinence. Now, new research uncovers a specific neural mechanism that may be linked to persistent drug-seeking behavior and could help to guide strategies for development of new therapies for cocaine addiction.

Simply teaching people the facts about how to protect themselves from HIV may not be enough to prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa, a new study suggests. Researchers found that villagers in Ghana who had higher levels of cognitive and decision-making abilities -- not just the most knowledge -- were the ones who were most likely to take steps to protect themselves from HIV infection.

Having a sibling, especially a twin, impacts your life. Your twin may be your best friend or your biggest rival, but throughout life you influence each other. However, a recent study shows that having an opposite-sex twin may impact you even before you are born: females with a male co-twin score higher on mental rotation task than females with a female co-twin.

People who sleep less than six hours a night may be three times more likely to develop a condition which leads to diabetes and heart disease, according to researchers.

Using ultrasound and a minimally invasive procedure, radiologists can identify and treat patients who engage in a disturbing self-injury behavior known as self-embedding, according to a new study.

In an early step toward letting severely paralyzed people speak with their thoughts, researchers translated brain signals into words using two grids of 16 microelectrodes implanted beneath the skull but atop the brain.

Insufficient amounts of nighttime sleep among infants and preschool-aged children may be a significant risk factor for developing childhood obesity, according to a new article. Additionally, napping does not appear to be an adequate substitute for nighttime sleep in terms of preventing obesity.

In the wake of the Gulf coast oil spill, Dr. Farris Tuma, Chief of the NIMH Traumatic Stress Research Program, addresses mental health challenges facing residents and health care providers. Dr. Tuma talks about warning signs and action steps individuals should consider if they are concerned about the well being of their families.

Teens who slept less than eight hours on weeknights consumed 2.2 percent more calories from fats and 3 percent fewer calories from carbs than teens who slept eight hours or more, according to new research. In secondary analyses stratified by sex, the results were significant among girls but not boys. Also, for each one-hour increase in sleep duration, the odds of consuming a high amount of calories from snacks decreased by an average of 21 percent.

Using eye-tracking methods, researchers have shown that toddlers with autism spend significantly more time visually examining dynamic geometric patterns than they do looking at social images -- a viewing pattern not found in either typical or developmentally delayed toddlers.

In the first human study of its kind to be published in more than 35 years, researchers found psilocybin, an hallucinogen which occurs naturally in "magic mushrooms," can safely improve the moods of patients with advanced-stage cancer and anxiety.

A new study shows that mild cognitive impairment may affect more men than women.

Giving iron supplements to children with marginally low birth weights (2000-2500 grams) dramatically reduces the risk of developing iron deficiency and anemia.

The association between psychotic disorders and living in urban areas appears to be a reflection of increased social fragmentation present within cities, according to a new article.

One of the most severe complications of brain surgery is a pulmonary embolism. But a new study suggests that screening methods used to access the risk of pulmonary embolisms may fall short.

Too much testosterone can be a deal breaker, according to researchers. A new article shows that young CEOs with more of the steroidal hormone in their system are more likely to initiate, scrap or resist mergers and acquisitions.

Scientists have identified a way that amyloid beta, the protein that accumulates in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease, interferes with the ability of cells to get rid of debris and have also identified a way that amyloid itself may be discarded, a new study has found.

Acamprosate reduces the number of patients being treated for alcoholism who return to drinking, according to a new review. The drug showed moderate benefits in trials when used in addition to non-drug treatments.

Schoolyard taunts of any type can potentially damage a child's sense of self-confidence. But a new study suggests that a particular kind of teasing -- about weight -- can have distinctive and significant effects on how pre-teens perceive their own bodies.