March 7, 2014 - This Week's Consolidation of Advocacy News
News
White House: Modest 2015 R&D Budget Proposal, but With a Twist
March 6, 2014 | AAAS
U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed fiscal year 2015 R&D budget, calls for a modest $135.4 billion in total federal research and development funding. It also calls for a "fully-paid-for" $56 billion that includes $5.3 billion for R&D related to "Opportunity, Growth, and Security."
- Learn more about the President's budget at SfN.org.
New Study Ranks Alzheimer's as Third-Leading Cause of Death, After Heart Disease and Cancer
March 5, 2014 | The Washington Post
A new report, published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, suggests that the current system of relying on death certificates for causes misses the complexity of dying for many older people and underestimates the impact of Alzheimer's.
- Find more information for the public with an interest in the science behind Alzheimer’s disease at BrainFacts.org.
Slow Recovery for Embattled Spanish Research Agency
Feb. 28, 2014 | Science Insider
The Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) has released a new report revealing plans to combat years of eroded research activity and a dwindling workforce. Part of those plans include a recruitment program for young researchers in 2016.
- Find out more about global advocacy efforts at SfN.org/advocacy.
Policy
FY2015 Federal Research and Development Budget Briefing
March 4, 2014 | Office of Science and Technology
Officials from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and other federal departments and agencies with core science missions discussed President Obama's FY2015 Budget for Research and Development.
Articles of Interest
How Fat May Hurt the Brain, and How Exercise May Help
March 5, 2014 | The New York Times
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that the brain is impacted by the secretion of a molecule that causes inflammation, called interleukin-1, by fat cells. SfN member Alexis Stranahan and colleagues report that excess interleukin-1 caused cognitive deficits in mice. Removal of fat cells through surgery or as a result of exercise improved performance on the tests.
- Engage the public with more information about how exercise beefs up the brain from BrainFacts.org.
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