Two NYU faculty members, Roozbeh Kiani and Nicholas Stavropoulos, have been awarded Sloan Foundation fellowships for their innovative research in neuroscience and sleep. Their work has the potential to lead to new medical interventions for mental and cognitive disorders and improve understanding of human sleep and its regulation.
Dr. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang has been honored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) with the Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science, recognizing her contributions to public engagement activities and research in neuroscience of social emotion and education.
A recent meta-analysis of 20 years of neuroscience research reveals significant sex differences in brain structure, with males on average having larger total brain volumes and higher tissue densities in certain regions. Females, on the other hand, have higher density in the left frontal pole and larger volumes in other areas.
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that monkeys fed a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids had brains with highly connected and well-organized neural networks. This similarity is remarkable, especially when compared to human brains using the same imaging techniques.
Researchers found that two-thirds of chimpanzees are missing a genetic element linked to social bonding, leading to improved joint attention. The study suggests that this element may also play a role in autism spectrum disorders, potentially informing new diagnosis and treatment strategies.
A study published in Nature Neuroscience suggests that abnormal gene expression resulting from DNA relaxation can be detected in the brain and blood of Alzheimer's patients. The researchers propose that drugs modifying DNA structure may be beneficial for treating Alzheimer's disease, paving the way for epigenetic-based therapies.
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has discovered a new player in regulating food intake and body weight, providing potential avenues for treating obesity. The research reveals that alpha2/delta-1 facilitates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) function, which plays a critical role in appetite suppression.
A new study from Uppsala University reveals that one night of sleep deprivation can increase morning blood concentrations of NSE and S-100B in healthy young men. These molecules are typically found in the brain and may indicate a loss of brain tissue. The findings suggest that good sleep is crucial for maintaining brain health.
Researchers identified a gene called Cyfip2 involved in the response to cocaine by comparing closely related mouse strains. The study suggests a potential link between this gene and human cocaine addiction, although further research is needed.
Researchers found that silencing synapses in the nucleus accumbens can prevent intensification of cocaine craving. They discovered a chemical receptor known as CP-AMPAR essential for maturation of silent synapses, which revert to silence when removed.
Researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center are using optogenetics to study the neurochemical basis of addiction. The technology allows them to control specific populations of brain cells using light, providing new direction on patterns of dopamine cell activation that may be most effective to target alcohol drinking.
Researchers compared optogenetics and electrical stimulation in nonhuman primates, finding that both techniques increased accuracy in visual decision-making. Optogenetics showed advantages in precision and simultaneous recording of neural activity.
Researchers analyzed minute movements to diagnose autism and determine its severity in children and young adults. The study found that fluctuations in hand movements can indicate the degree of autism spectrum disorder, allowing for subtyping and improved diagnosis. This breakthrough may lead to more tailored treatments.
A potential science bubble has formed in cognitive neuroscience due to massive investments and promises of game-changing explanations. The value of these investments may not be supported by actual scientific results, highlighting the need for re-evaluating research funding structures.
A study by Aron Barbey and colleagues identified a network of brain areas in the frontal and parietal cortex essential for discourse comprehension. The researchers used voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping to create a collective map of the cerebral cortex, revealing that executive control is critical for integrating language with prior k...
The Human Cognition Project is a large-scale research platform that supports both experimental and observational research. Key findings include improved executive function in breast cancer patients and enhanced math skills in individuals with Turner's syndrome after training with Lumosity.
Novel therapies for nicotine and heroin addiction show promise, while research reveals underlying brain mechanisms driving compulsive disorders like addiction and pathological gambling. Understanding these processes may lead to non-pharmaceutical interventions and new treatment approaches.
New studies uncover the connection between social status and specific brain structures and activity, particularly in the context of social stress. The findings suggest that adult rats living in disrupted environments produce fewer new brain cells, while people with larger social networks have bigger and better-connected brain regions.
A growing body of evidence shows that diet affects brain function and identifies patterns associated with eating disorders like binge eating. Targeted magnetic stimulation reduces severe eating disorder symptoms, while rats' impulsivity is linked to calorie consumption on binges.
Studies suggest novel therapies for nicotine and heroin addiction are effective, with magnetic stimulation helping smokers quit and reducing rats' motivation to take heroin. Chronic pain also increases the risk of overdose among people with addiction, according to research findings presented at Neuroscience 2013.
Extensive musical training affects brain structure and function, particularly when started before age 7. Research suggests that musical improvisation can rewire the brain, fostering plasticity and enhancing creativity, cognition, and learning.
Researchers have pinpointed specific brain regions and molecules associated with depression and anxiety, offering potential new avenues for understanding and treating these debilitating mental health conditions. The study suggests that targeting certain brain areas and chemical signals may lead to more effective treatments.
A Penn Medicine study finds that sons of cocaine-using fathers are less likely to want the drug and resistant to its effects. The research suggests that epigenetic changes caused by cocaine use can be passed down to the next generation, potentially making them less susceptible to addiction.
A study of 1,300 students found that those who trained with Lumosity showed significant improvements in a battery of cognitive assessments. The effects were dose-dependent, with longer training sessions leading to greater gains.
Researchers discovered that changes in vaginal bacteria and placental levels of lactobacillus can alter the newborn's gut microbiome and affect brain development. The study also found a potential link between placental OGT protein levels and offspring neurodevelopment.
Experiences can modify genes involved in memory formation and drug use, leading to long-term brain changes. This epigenetic phenomenon affects normal development and abnormal processes like depression and psychiatric disease.
Studies on armadillos, fruit flies, nematodes, and monkeys reveal insights into progressive blindness, brain structure, and decision-making. The findings also highlight the importance of animal models in understanding human brain function and developing medical diagnostic devices.
Studies show that absence of serotonin receptors during early development leads to highly aggressive behavior in mice, while adolescents exhibit increased impulsivity to danger. The findings have potential applications for treating disorders related to impulsivity and aggression.
Scientists have gained a deeper understanding of multiple sclerosis, revealing warning signs and potential treatments. Researchers found that antibodies can break past the brain's protective barrier to attack the optic nerves and spinal cord, causing MS symptoms.
Research reveals new roles for sex hormones like estrogen in the cognitive function of females, including memory and interpreting social cues. Estrogen replacement therapy may help prevent stress-related memory loss in post-menopausal women.
New studies reveal exercise and diet play crucial roles in treating depression, aging, and learning in teenagers. Lifestyle changes, such as yoga, meditation, and regular exercise, show promise for preserving movement function, improving memory, and boosting mood.
A recent animal study from Georgetown University Medical Center suggests that 'cold turkey' withdrawal from morphine can trigger a decline in mental health. Researchers found that treating addicted animals with morphine both increased protective CCL5 protein and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting a beneficial effect.
Nicolas G. Bazan, MD, PhD, receives the Polish Academy of Sciences' Professor Miroslaw M. Mossakowski Medal for his groundbreaking work on neurodegenerative diseases. Bazan's contributions to research on Alzheimer's, stroke, and other conditions have led to the development of multiple patented therapies.
Movshon's groundbreaking work discovered neurons in the brain that enable global motion perception, revolutionizing our understanding of how we process complex visual scenes. His research has had a lasting impact on the field of visual neuroscience.
A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found that older adults who took music lessons as children have a faster brain response to a speech sound than those who never played an instrument. The study suggests that early musical training has a lasting, positive effect on how the brain processes sound.
Researchers have identified specific molecules called microRNAs that regulate both good and bad protein levels in the brain. Targeting these molecules may help preserve brain function and detect Alzheimer's disease at an earlier age.
Researchers found that excess protein EZH2 contributes to neuromuscular problems in A-T disease. By reducing EZH2, mice with A-T disease exhibited improved muscle control and coordination.
A new model of institutionalizing interdisciplinary research has been developed by a team of social and life scientists at the University of Pennsylvania. The collaboration aims to bring together researchers from diverse disciplines to understand how neural processes inform large-scale effects on populations.
The New York Stem Cell Foundation has awarded $10.5 million to seven researchers to advance their studies in stem cell biology and neuroscience. The new NYSCF – Robertson Investigators will receive funding over five years to expand their laboratories and train other scientists.
Research at UC Davis Center for Neuroscience found that maternal viral infection alters brain cell communication and increases risk of autism spectrum disorder. The study discovered a novel biological signaling pathway linking maternal immune activation to disease-linked behaviors.
The Sociogenomics Initiative RCN will bring together researchers from prominent US and Canadian universities to study the genomic mechanisms underlying social behavior. The network aims to establish a comprehensive understanding of social behavior in molecular terms through large-scale collaboration and multidisciplinary approaches.
The Society for Neuroscience has created a Latin American Neuroscience Training Program to serve hundreds of promising young scientists. The five-year initiative will provide in-person and remote learning opportunities, covering topics such as manuscript publishing, animal research ethics, and Brain Awareness Week activities.
The Society for Neuroscience announced the winners of its third annual Brain Awareness Video Contest, featuring videos on a little-known brain disorder, memory, and mind reading. The top ten videos will compete for a People's Choice Award and will join over 1,000 resources on BrainFacts.org.
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience suggests that people who can move to a beat show more consistent brain responses to speech than those with less rhythm. The findings imply that musical training could improve the brain's response to language.
Rice University has been awarded a $2.8 million National Science Foundation grant to establish a multidisciplinary training program in neuroengineering for graduate students. The program, led by bioengineer Robert Raphael, will focus on problem-based learning and the development of online educational resources.
The new center aims to better explain the brain and generate ideas for addressing disorders like autism. Brown University will establish a COBRE Center for Central Nervous System Function to study key questions in neuroscience of attention and related behaviors.
A study published in Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience demonstrates that intracerebral injection of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells reduces cognitive deficits produced by temporary occlusion of cerebral blood vessels in a rat model of stroke.
Researchers at the University of Adelaide have discovered a novel visual circuit in dragonflies' brains that combines opposite pathways for processing simple dark objects. This finding has implications for improving vision systems in robots and developing neural prosthetics.
The Yerkes National Primate Research Center will explore how oxytocin affects brain communication and mental processing of social experiences in humans with autism and schizophrenia. The team aims to develop novel treatment strategies for improving social cognition in these disorders.
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that hamsters exposed to red light had significantly less evidence of depressive-like symptoms compared to those exposed to blue or white light. The researchers believe this may have important implications for humans, particularly those working night shifts.
Dr. David Foster, an assistant professor of neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, has been awarded the 2013 Freedman Prize Honorable Mention for his exceptional basic research on the neural basis of memory. His work combines advanced electrophysiological, computational, and behavioral approaches to investigate th...
A study by Duke University researchers has discovered that the brain's ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a small area between the eyes, calculates both emotional and economic values. The vmPFC plays a key role in value tradeoffs, such as determining whether to part with hard-earned money for a product.
Researchers found that sleep deprivation triggers excessive anticipatory anxiety by activating the amygdala and insular cortex. Innate worriers are more vulnerable to this impact, suggesting that sleep therapy could be a potential treatment for anxiety disorders.
A team of neuroscientists mapped brain-cell activity in fruit flies to understand smell recognition. They found that a small number of neurons are required to distinguish between different odors, suggesting the importance of sparseness in signal transmission.
Eve Marder's groundbreaking discoveries have fundamentally changed our understanding of how neural circuits operate and produce behavior. Her research on the stomatogastric ganglion has broad implications for studying neurological diseases like schizophrenia, depression, and chronic pain.
Eve Marder's pioneering work in understanding the nervous system has helped redefine how we think about neurons and their capabilities. Her research using crustaceans has also shed light on conditions like depression, showing that imbalances in neuromodulation are key factors.
The Esther B. O'Keeffe Charitable Foundation has donated $250,000 to The Scripps Research Institute to fund neuroscience training programs and public outreach initiatives. This gift will support the training of next-generation neuroscientists and raise community awareness of brain diseases.
A new imaging technique developed by Jean Gotman and his colleagues combines electroencephalogram (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to more precisely localize the areas generating epileptic seizures. This allows neurosurgeons to better understand the optimal ways of intervention for patients with epilepsy.
Dr. Peter Williamson's research reveals distinct neural networks affected by different psychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. The study uses advanced imaging techniques to uncover differences between patients and healthy individuals.
Researchers suggest that food addiction could explain the current global obesity epidemic, with high-fructose corn syrup causing behavioural reactions similar to those produced by cocaine. Dr. Leri's study found shared vulnerability to develop preferences for sweet foods and cocaine in laboratory animals.