Dr. Yan Dong receives the $25,000 award for his contributions to understanding how drugs of abuse alter brain communication and mediate relapse behavior. He has identified key brain regions and mechanisms involved in motivation and reward.
The Society for Neuroscience has announced winners of its achievement awards, recognizing individuals who have promoted women's advancement in neuroscience and demonstrated excellence in mentoring and research. The award recipients include Julio Ramirez, Allison J. Doupe, Debra Bangasser, Mingshan Xue, Janice Naegele, and Paul Greengard.
Ed Boyden and Nachum Ulanovsky are recognized for their groundbreaking work in neuroscience, including pioneering discoveries in optogenetics and neural activity recording. Their research is advancing our understanding of brain function and has the potential to lead to new treatments for neurological disorders.
The Society for Neuroscience awards recognize two neuroscientists, Adam Gazzaley and E. Paul Zehr, for their contributions to promoting public education and awareness about neuroscience. Diasynou Fioravante and Nicole Baganz are also honored for their outreach efforts and commitment to making science accessible to the public.
Keren Haroush and Jerry Chen receive $25,000 each for their pioneering work on neural mechanisms of cooperative social interaction and learning, respectively. Their studies have significantly advanced understanding of brain function and behavior.
Matthew Lovett-Barron received the $2,500 prize for his innovative approach combining pharmacogenetics, neural recordings, and optogenetics to study fear learning and its neural mechanisms. His work has significant implications for understanding panic and anxiety disorders.
Pietro De Camilli is awarded the Julius Axelrod Prize for his outstanding achievements in neuropharmacology and commitment to mentoring young scientists. His work has shed light on neurotransmitter release and membrane trafficking, with implications for understanding diseases of the nervous system.
Dr. Story Landis has been awarded the Ralph W. Gerard Prize in Neuroscience for her significant contributions to neuroscience research and public service. She is recognized for her groundbreaking work on synapse formation and neurotrophins, as well as her leadership in transforming NINDS into a training and mentorship hub.
Terrence Sejnowski receives the Swartz Prize for his significant cumulative contribution to theoretical models and computational methods in neuroscience. He has made major research discoveries, including learning models for birdsong and neuroeconomics.
William B. Kristan is recognized for his outstanding contributions to neuroscience education and training. He has established the Neurobiology Boot Camp course at UCSD, which provides students with a comprehensive understanding of neuroscience.
Joshua Levitz, PhD, received the Nemko Prize for his innovative approach to studying G protein-coupled receptors. His method will impact brain circuitry research and our understanding of receptor signaling.
The Society for Neuroscience has announced the winners of its fifth annual Brain Awareness Video Contest, featuring nine winning videos that explain complex neuroscience concepts in an engaging way. The contest winners, including Matthew Sugrim and Guillaume Riesen, have received awards and recognition for their innovative videos.
A study found that heavy drinking in adolescence can lead to structural changes in the brain and memory deficits that persist into adulthood. Rats given daily access to alcohol during adolescence had reduced myelin levels and performed worse on a memory test later in life.
An animal study found that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect brain changes in young rats hours after a fever-induced seizure, indicating those at risk for developing epilepsy later in life. The MRI signal was not visible in rats that remained epilepsy-free.
A new study found that elevated stress hormones are associated with structural brain changes and short-term memory deficits in aged rats. The research suggests that stress may accelerate age-related cognitive decline by altering brain connections and function in the prefrontal cortex.
Research finds brain differences in young adults who smoke marijuana at least once a week, including altered reward processing regions and shape/density changes. Casual marijuana use may lead to previously unidentified brain changes, highlighting the importance of studying long-term effects.
Research reveals that introducing new information during sleep weakens memory accuracy, making it harder to distinguish between familiar and novel odors. The study highlights the brain's repair mechanisms during sleep, which can impact memory strength and accuracy.
A new gene therapy has shown promising results in improving hind limb function in rats with spinal cord injuries. The treatment involves delivering a scar-busting gene that promotes the survival of nerve cells and reduces inflammation, leading to improved mobility and tissue repair.
An animal study suggests that activating acid-sensing ion channels called ASIC1a in the brain's emotional control center can reduce anxiety-like behavior. The findings highlight a potential new mechanism for controlling fear and anxiety, paving the way for novel therapies.
Researchers found that moderate aerobic exercise preserved photoreceptors and retinal cell function in mice with retinal degeneration. Exercise also increased levels of BDNF, a growth- and health-promoting protein.
A study found that assessing brain structure and function can predict future working memory performance in healthy children and adolescents, suggesting a possible early warning system for developmental challenges.
Researchers tested a drug that acts like growth-promoting protein BDNF and found it reduces degeneration and motor deficits in two mouse models of Huntington's disease. The findings suggest drugs that enhance BDNF action could be effective therapeutics for treating the disorder.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Research reveals that a genetic variation in the ADRA2B gene affects how well antidepressants like reboxetine weaken negative memory recall in healthy men. The study found that individuals with the variant gene form recalled more negative memories, regardless of treatment.
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.
An animal study shows that sleep increases the reproduction of oligodendrocytes, which form myelin in the brain and spinal cord, doubling their numbers during rapid eye movement sleep. This could lead to new insights into the role of sleep in brain repair and growth.
Researchers developed a technique to promote nerve regeneration after spinal cord injury, restoring bladder function in paralyzed adult rats. The findings suggest similar strategies may be useful for human patients and offer great hope for the future of treating bladder dysfunction.
Activating Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) enzyme delays nerve cell loss and preserves cognitive function in mice. Reducing caloric intake also produces similar effects.
Researchers used DBS to stimulate the nucleus accumbens, a region involved in reward, and found significant reduction in binge-eating behavior in mice. The study suggests that activity in the brain's reward centers drives overeating despite known negative health consequences.
A study found that sexually naïve male mice respond to pup pheromones with aggression, whereas fatherly males do not. Removing the vomeronasal organ in males suppressed aggressive behavior and induced parental instincts.
A study found that male rat pups have more of a specific brain protein associated with language development than females. The researchers also discovered sex differences in the brain protein in children, with girls having higher levels of the Foxp2 protein in the cortex.
A study published in The Journal of Neuroscience found that lifelong bilinguals perform a cognitive flexibility task faster and with less energy than monolingual peers. This suggests that lifelong bilingualism may exert its strongest benefits on the functioning of frontal brain regions in aging.
A study found that brain changes in children who suffered a concussion persisted for over three months, despite the disappearance of symptoms. The researchers used advanced imaging techniques to monitor recovery and suggested that using these methods could help diagnose and treat concussions in children.
New research reveals early childhood trauma shapes the brain, leading to changes that can last a lifetime, including increased risk of mental disorders and heart disease. The studies found specific changes in targeted brain regions and emphasize the importance of preventing early life abuse and neglect.
Studies reveal that diet influences brain mechanisms linked to obesity, diabetes, binge eating, and high-calorie meal cravings. Researchers aim to develop new treatments and raise awareness about the mental health implications of dietary choices.
Researchers have identified distinct brain regions involved in social decisions and reactions, shedding light on the neural basis of basic social behaviors. These findings may help address conditions such as autism, psychopathology, and schizophrenia, which involve social dysfunctions.