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This article provides information regarding the diagnosis of brain tumors. The first step in diagnosing brain tumors is a neurological exam. This type of exam is used to check vision, hearing, strength, sensation, and other cognitive skills. If deemed necessary other exams can be performed to determine characteristics of the tumors. The first is an angiogram, which is a type of x-ray for the head which examines arteries and veins. The second type is a brain scan, which shows abnormalities using a contrast dye. Another type of scan is the CT scan which creates a 3 dimensional image of the brain which can be useful in diagnosing brain tumors especially near bones. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a type of scan which measures the flow of water through white matter of the brain. This method provides a snapshot of brains structure and can be very useful during surgical procedures allowing physicians a guide to the rest of the brain. An fMRI is used to determine specific locations related to specific functions. This type of diagnostic tool helps create a guide to specific functions of the brain which is used to better prepare for surgery. The common MRI uses a magnetic field and radio waves to create pictures of the brain. A similar MRS measures the function of the brain rather than its structure. Additionally, PET scans detect changes in the cells using an injection of radioactive glucose. Finally, the most effective way to diagnose a patient is by using a biopsy. A biopsy is a surgical procedure which a profile of tissue is collected and examined under a microscope. Most biopsy's are done using surgery, although there are a couple of different types of needle biopsy's.

The relationship between music and neuroscience involved many research teams, one coming from the Rotman Research Institute in Canada. For this project, the team arranged a group of 19 volunteers, each given short song excerpts (all familiar with the style). While the participants listened, the brains, being scanned by MRI, highlighted one region: the nucleus accumbens, responsible for the sensation of pleasant surprise. However, this only works when the style is recognized.

Type 2 diabetes is typically likened to obesity. This article showed how exercise (without a change in diet) may prove to be a big help to people with type 2 diabetes. In order to test this idea researchers took 12 adults with type 2 diabetes and gave them MRI body scans. Those scans revealed that all 12 subjects had substantial amounts of fat buildup around organs such as the heart, liver, etc. The next step researchers took was to have all 12 subjects exercise for 3.5-6 hours a week for 6 months as well as take a hiking trip which was then followed by another MRI. The results showed that there was a 37% reduction in fat levels around the heart, and fat around the liver had decreased too. These results lead to the conclusion that exercise can have a significant impact on people with type 2 diabetes.

Using a computer program, Neuroscientist Kamitani led an experiment to compare the brain's activity during sleep and during wake. This study involved 3 adult males, who were hooked up to a fMRI (used to measure brain activity). Being told to describe the things they saw in their dreams, the 3 adults were also asked to look at those objects in real life. Kamitani's study revealed that the brain responded similarly to objects dreamt about or seen awake.

There are two types of strokes. One is caused by a hemorrhage, and the other is caused by a clot. When someone has a stroke it is crucial to get immediate medical attention, but doctors lose a lot of time waiting for the results of MRIs or CAT scans in order to conclude if a stroke was caused by a hemorrhage or clot. So, researchers in Sweden have developed a super helmet of sorts that can judge whether a stroke was caused by a clot or hemorrhage. The helmet works by sending low-intensity frequencies through the head; then, the helmet senses how the waves scatter. If there is a hemorrhage the helmet will pick up how the waves reflect off of the pooling blood and display it on an attached computer. This innovative helmet will help EMTs determine what kind of stroke a patient is having which will increase the efficiency in which a stroke victim is treated. Helmet trials are scheduled to begin this fall.