Finally some good news about the Zika virus. Infection during the third trimester of pregnancy appears to not cause serious harm to the developing baby. The Zika virus has previously been shown to attack fetal brain cells, causing severe birth defects. A new report published in the New English Journal of Medicine finds that maternal […] More
After careful review of current evidence, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded that the Zika virus causes microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. As published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the report describes a rigorous weighing of evidence using established scientific criteria. Explains Tom Frieden, M.D., […] More
The Zika virus made news in the United States two weeks ago when the first case of brain damage linked to the virus was reported in Hawaii. The Hawaii State Department of Health reported that a baby born in an Oahu hospital with microcephaly had been infected with the Zika virus. The Centers for Disease […] More
A group of scientists from Columbia University in New York claim to have found the cause of autism in some patients. According to the study, autism often occurs when too many connections, or synapses, exist in the brain. In a brain without autism, a process known as pruning occurs early in life. That pruning removes unneeded synapses, which then […] More
Individuals who are trying to quit smoking often relapse back into the habit. Now a new brain imaging study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry suggests that smokers suffering from nicotine withdrawal may have more trouble shifting from a key brain network known as default mode into a control network known as the executive control […] More
Exposure to common infections may be linked to a decline in brain functions like memory and reasoning, suggests new research presented at the International Stroke Conference 2014 of the American Stroke Association in San Diego, California. Researchers led by Dr. Clinton Wright, scientific director of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at the University of […] More
Individuals suffering from chronic stress have an increased risk of mental health problems such as anxiety and mood disorders. Now a new study from researchers at the University of California, Berkeley as published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry explains why stress increases the risk of mental illness. Perhaps those who are suffering from stress should […] More
