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The circadian rhythm that quietly pulses inside us all, guiding our daily cycle from sleep to wakefulness and back to sleep again, may be doing much more than just that simple metronomic task, as per Stanford researchers. Working with Siberian hamsters, biologist Norman Ruby has shown that having a functioning circadian system is critical to the hamsters' ability to remember what they have learned. Without it, he said, "They can't remember anything"........

Lumbar spine (lower back) surgery is a common treatment for a herniated or "slipped" disk, and patients need to know whether it is better to sit still or get moving during their recovery period. An updated review from the Netherlands suggests that exercise programs starting four to six weeks after the operation could lead to more rapid pain relief and a quicker recovery from disability without increasing the risk of additional surgery.

Once a toddler has mastered the art of walking, it seems to come naturally for the rest of her life. But walking and running require a high degree of coordination between the left and right sides of the body. Now researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have shown how a class of spinal cord neurons, known as V3 neurons, makes sure that one side of the body doesn't get ahead of the other. The findings, published in the Oct.

New research findings suggest that structural abnormalities in the brains of cocaine addicts are related in part to drug use and in part to a predisposition toward addiction. The research, published by Cell Press in the October 9th issue of the journal Neuron, maps the topography of the addicted brain and provides new insight into the effect of cocaine on neural systems mediating cognition and motivation.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (MedPage Today) -- A powerful painkiller -- eight times as potent as morphine -- has been shown to be feasible in experiments with mice, researchers here said.

NMT Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: NMTI) announced today that the Company has completed patient enrollment in its pivotal patent foramen ovale (PFO) /stroke clinical trial,

BALTIMORE (MedPage Today) -- Regular use of ginko extract -- widely touted for preserving memory -- may help prevent brain damage during a stroke, according to findings from an animal study.