MRI scan sensitive to metabolic changes reveals brain differences in bipolar disorderSometimes, a new way of looking at something can bring to light an entirely new perspective.Using a different type of MRI imaging, researchers at the University of Iowa have discovered previously unrecognized differences in the brains of patients with bipolar disorder. In particular, the study, published Jan. 6 in...

A study involving the University of Iowa finds crows join humans, apes, and monkeys in exhibiting advanced relational thinkingBy: Sara Agnew | 2014.12.18 | 10:55 am Crows have long been heralded for their high intelligence—they can remember faces, use tools, and communicate in sophisticated ways.But a newly published study finds crows also have the brain power to solve higher-order, relational...

UI's Strack nets NIH grant, GSK Discovery Fast Track award for brain researchBy: Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development | 2014.12.01 | 10:25 am. Stefan Strack, University of Iowa professor of pharmacology and pathology, recently received a $275,000 grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) and today (Monday, Dec. 1) was named a...

UI study offers good news for caregivers, health care workers By: John Riehl | 2014.09.24 | 10:31 AM A new University of Iowa study further supports an inescapable message: caregivers have a profound influence—good or bad—on the emotional state of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. Patients may not remember a recent visit by a loved one or having been neglected by staff at a nursing home, but...

UI study finds twitches during sleep activate the brain in a unique way By: Sara Agnew | 2014.09.29 | 11:23 AM A UI study finds twitches during REM sleep activate the brain in a unique way, providing further evidence that sleep twitches teach newborns about their bodies. ©istockphoto.com/eaniton A University of Iowa study has found twitches made during sleep activate the brains of mammals...

New compound prevents neurodegeneration caused by blast injury and protects brain function By: Jennifer Brown | 2014.09.11 | 11:00 AM A new class of compounds has now been shown to protect brain cells from the type of damage caused by blast-mediated traumatic brain injury (TBI). Mice that were treated with these compounds 24-36 hours after experiencing TBI from a blast injury were protected from...

New epilepsy pathway was previously shown to be involved in Alzheimer’s By: John Riehl | 2014.07.22 | 11:10 AM A recent scientific discovery showed that mutations in prickle genes cause epilepsy, which in humans is a brain disorder characterized by repeated seizures over time. However, the mechanism responsible for generating prickle-associated seizures was unknown. A new University of Iowa study...

Aerobic exercise improves physical and mental symptoms of Parkinson's disease By: UI Health Care Marketing and Communications | 2014.07.02 | 03:00 PM A new study led by University of Iowa researchers suggests that brisk walking may improve the physical and mental symptoms of patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. The study found that regular walking improved motor function, mood...

New form of brain signaling affects addiction-related behaviorBy: Jennifer Brown | 2014.06.25 | 02:18 PMUniversity of Iowa researchers have discovered a new form of neurotransmission that influences the long-lasting memory created by addictive drugs, like cocaine and opioids, and the subsequent craving for these drugs of abuse. Loss of this type of neurotransmission creates changes in brains cells...

Professor is only the second faculty member in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to ever receive this award By: Nic Arp | 2014.06.23 | 10:34 AM Mark Blumberg, F. Wendell Miller Distinguished Professor in the University of Iowa Department of Psychology, has been honored with a MERIT Award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) for his research on the...