A brain-machine interface combining brain stimulation and robotic control increases neural signal strength, potentially benefiting stroke patients with hand paralysis. This technique harnesses additional neurons to enhance motor function.
A study published in eNeuro found that amphetamine exposure during adolescence impairs the development of the mouse prefrontal cortex. This region is critical for decision-making and other complex functions. The researchers observed reduced synapses and axon growth, suggesting a lasting impact on brain structure.
The male rat brain changes how it stores information based on the safety and danger of its environment, according to new research. Emotionally charged information, such as danger, is processed by the amygdala, while harmless information is consolidated in other regions like the perirhinal cortex.
Researchers discovered that zebrafish exhibit significant spatial memory impairment after a blow to the head, with slower reaction times to familiar environments. Genetic analysis identified key genes involved in brain cell proliferation and migration, offering new insights into potential human recovery strategies.
Researchers discovered that the stress gene NR4A1 adjusts energy output and synapse number of prefrontal cortex neurons in response to stress. Chronic stress may interfere with normal brain circuit function through this gene's impact on cellular connectivity, but altering its expression protects PFC cells from synaptic loss.
Researchers found that restricting food availability to a set schedule improved motor activity and sleep quality in mice with Huntington's disease. These findings suggest that eating on a strict schedule could improve quality of life for patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
Research published in eNeuro reveals that fragile X syndrome affects the development of sound-processing neurons in the brainstem. The study found reduced cell sizes in mice with FXS, indicating a role for FMRP in auditory system development.
A new study reveals that teenagers are slower to learn about their peers' preferences due to underdeveloped brain regions. The fusiform cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, responsible for understanding mental states, show ongoing development during adolescence, which may explain these differences.
A recent study published in JNeurosci found that premature babies undergoing painful procedures exhibit abnormal thalamic development and cognitive/motor impairments. Minimizing painful procedures could help promote brain health and improve outcomes in this vulnerable population.
Researchers found that overexpressing FKBP1b restored gene expression in hippocampal neurons, improving water maze performance and reversing age-related memory impairments in rats. The study suggests addressing FKBP1b deficiency may be a new avenue for countering age-related memory loss.
A genetic variation linked to autism spectrum disorders stunts the growth of dendrites in rat cells and a mouse model of autism. This excessive pruning may contribute to differences in neuronal connectivity underlying social and communication deficits observed in autism.
Neural recordings of wild bats reveal a layered structure in the superior colliculus facilitating rapid tracking and capturing of prey through echolocation. The study contributes to understanding of SC function during naturalistic behaviors, finding both sensory and motor neurons throughout the midbrain region.
A new rat model of drug addiction, requiring daily puzzle-solving for cocaine reward, still produced substance use disorder symptoms. In contrast to traditional models, the rats relied on flexible problem-solving to maintain their addiction, contradicting the widely-held view that habit is necessary.
A new web-based application called NeuroExpresso provides a comprehensive catalogue of brain cell type data, helping to better define their functions and properties. The tool uses marker genes to estimate cellular composition of mouse and human tissue.
New brain stimulation techniques offer safer, targeted means to study brain function, improve memory, and treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. These advancements have the potential to reach areas deeper in the brain, deliver customized stimulation, and study diseases in new ways.
New techniques harness neural circuitry to control prosthetic limbs and eyes, restoring function and improving motor skills. Brain-machine interfaces enable individuals to adapt and learn from technical challenges.
Studies show that head impacts can cause lasting damage even without concussions, affecting brain connections and memory. Better helmet rules and concussion education are needed to ensure athlete safety.
Research on opioid addiction has made significant progress in understanding its impact on brain development, fear, anxiety, and memory. Studies have found that opioids can influence these processes, potentially contributing to substance use disorders and dependence.
New research reveals stress's negative effects on brain function, including gene expression alterations, anxiety responses, and mental illness symptoms. Potential paths for relief include astrocyte signaling control, microbiome regulation, and newborn neuron development.
Recent advances have shed light on neural circuits and mechanisms driving social behaviors, revealing a complex interplay of brain areas involved in cooperation and aggression. These findings suggest that shared neuronal activity between social partners plays a key role in cooperative behavior and learning.
Studies show that gut-derived metabolites may prevent neurodegeneration, while probiotic treatment corrects memory problems in an Alzheimer's mouse model. The research suggests targeting the gut could be a promising angle to tackle brain disorders across the lifespan.
Research explores military-related brain disorders and potential treatments, including improved visual responses and neural stem cell therapy. Disruptions in brain networks may underlie symptoms of Gulf War Illness, such as changes in vision, language function, pain perception, and mood regulation.
New studies shed light on sleep's extensive effects on the brain, including impaired memory and judgment, increased risk of stroke, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Sleep consolidation also plays a crucial role in memory formation.
Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to pinpoint epigenetic signals driving cocaine addiction and shed light on rare genetic disorders. They also developed a cellular disease model to probe the neurobiological causes of schizophrenia and identified changes in neural stem cells caused by Zika virus.
Neuroeconomic research investigates the neural underpinnings of the decoy effect, a marketing strategy that influences decision-making. The study reveals greater value-related activity in the left ventral striatum when the chosen option is superior to the decoy, indicating its impact on choice.
A study of two related fruit fly species reveals a single gene regulates behavior for attracting a mate, leading to distinct wooing techniques. The research suggests that the same neurons in both species evolved to generate different behaviors due to acquired gene expression.
A study on chicken embryos reveals that thyroid hormone transporter MCT8 plays a vital role in brain development. The research found that MCT8-deficient cells failed to migrate and proliferate, leading to disrupted brain formation. This suggests that brain lesions associated with a rare neurological disorder may originate before birth.
A study by Itamar Lerner and colleagues found that higher quality sleep patterns are associated with reduced activity in brain regions involved in fear learning. The researchers suggest that baseline sleep quality may be a useful predictor of susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A study published in JNeurosci found that chronic exposure to THC may alter inhibitory function in GABA neurons, increasing dopamine levels and promoting addictive qualities. This discovery could lead to a new target for treating cannabis use disorder.
A genetic variant associated with multiple psychiatric disorders is linked to changes in a brain network that may increase an individual's risk of developing bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. The variant affects the expression of the SNAP25 protein, impacting information processing between brain regions involved in regulating emotions.
A neuroimaging study reveals that blind individuals perform better on a touch discrimination task when their hands are crossed due to stronger frontal-parietal connectivity. In contrast, sighted individuals show greater activity in parietal and premotor areas with uncrossed hands.
Mice exposed to scents before and shortly after birth show increased responses in specific neurons to various odors. The study demonstrates how early experience shapes the brain's processing of smell, with mice exposed to scented diets displaying heightened mitral cell responses to all presented odors.
A study published in JNeurosci found that sleep-deprived rats exhibited rapid transitions between wake- and sleep-like states, disrupting neural activity. The researchers suggest that one function of sleep is to reset the activity of neural networks for optimal information processing while awake.
Research suggests that higher reward-related ventral striatum activity may protect against depressive symptoms associated with poor sleep quality. The study found that students with higher VS activity were less likely to report symptoms of depression when experiencing poor sleep quality.
Researchers have identified a motor pathway in the sea lamprey that regulates swimming speed, which could be relevant to understanding movement disorders. The study suggests that dysfunction of this pathway may contribute to symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Researchers have observed unusual neural activity in some genetically modified lab mice widely used in neuroscience research. This abnormal activity may be linked to the expression of a genetically-encoded calcium sensor during development.
A new study in mice found that transplantation of donor stem cells from human brain tissue can help repair an injured spinal cord. However, the effectiveness of these stem cells is hindered by the body's immune response to injury. Immune cell depletion can improve the recovery outcome for animals receiving transplanted stem cells.
A study of healthy young men found that brain reward system activation dips at 2 p.m., contrary to previous research showing peak mood during this time. This timing may impact the treatment of disorders like depression, substance abuse, and sleep disturbances.
Research reveals that testosterone plays a crucial role in regulating canary birdsong by targeting specific brain regions involved in singing. The nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) regulates song unit production, while HVC influences syntactical features such as syllable repetition and trill duration.
A study in eNeuro found that when remembering a sequence of events, the brain focuses on the event paid the least attention. The image that generated the weakest response in the brain during encoding was most strongly replayed during the delay period.
A study published in eNeuro found that young rats with access to a running wheel showed improved memory later in life. The results suggest that early life interventions that increase physical activity may help build up cognitive reserve, potentially delaying the onset of neurodegenerative disorders.
New experiments support distinct roles for ventral and dorsal brain pathways in processing information about objects. The dorsal pathway sees objects according to what they are and what is done with them, while the ventral pathway sees objects as they always are, clarifying their roles in visual processing.
A mouse model of autism shows that social environment influences behaviors characteristic of ASD. Housing genetically modified mice with unmodified littermates alters their behavior, highlighting the impact of social hierarchy on ASD-like traits.
A study found that mice exhibit hyperalgesia when housed with withdrawal mice, and inhibiting a specific brain region reverses this effect. The findings suggest a neural overlap between physically-induced and socially-transferred hyperalgesia.
A study found that underdevelopment of brain networks underlying inhibition in adults over 30 is linked to self-reported psychological problems such as anxiety and depression. The researchers identified patterns of connectivity associated with inhibition that differ between early and middle adulthood.
Researchers Joe Kable and Caryn Lerman found that a 10-week Lumosity training session had no effect on cognitive function or brain activity among young adults. Meanwhile, playing non-adaptive video games showed similar improvements in standard cognitive assessments as the control group.
Researchers found that avoiding social threats leads to decreased mentalizing network activity and increased amygdala activity, indicating heightened threat detection. The study used a Lord of the Rings-themed experiment to investigate neural correlates of social threat perception.
A new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that adolescent mice fed a poor diet lacking omega-3 fatty acids showed increased anxiety-like behavior and poorer memory performance as adults. The study suggests that adequate nutrition during adolescence is crucial for brain refinement and function.
A daily low dose of valnoctamide reduces CMV infection in newborn mice and suppresses replication in the brain, normalizing neurological development. The treatment also attenuates neurobehavioral dysfunctions and brain abnormalities associated with CMV infection.
A high-fat diet from childhood may increase sensitivity to dopamine later in adulthood, leading to increased reward-seeking behavior. The study found that male rats exhibited increased locomotor activity and dopamine cell activity after a high-fat diet exposure.