Researchers observed how the brain learns to repeat patterns of neural activity that elicit a feeling of pleasure in mice, providing new strategies for targeting disorders characterized by abnormal repetitive behaviors. The findings also have implications for treating addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Researchers discovered that a 'puff' of dopamine before movement initiation is essential for normal motor function, not constant dopamine levels. This finding may lead to more effective treatments with fewer side effects for Parkinson's disease.
A new study published in Cell Reports reveals the lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) is crucial for maintaining balance in mice. The LVN triggers a two-step response to keep the animal steady, widening its center of gravity and strengthening limb muscles and joints.
Researchers uncover new insights into how stem cells transform into brain cells controlling leg movements in fruit flies, with implications for understanding comparable systems in humans. The study finds that two critical cell types, born from the same stem cell, facilitate the construction of a mature motor system.
Scientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute are creating an atlas of gene activity for all cells in the human spinal cord. The single-cell atlas will help researchers understand and treat spinal-cord disease and injury, including ALS.
Scientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute found that the brain recalls larger concepts first when recalling information, then reconstructs details, reversing the traditional encoding and decoding process. This study sheds light on phenomena like eyewitness testimony and stereotyping.
Researchers discovered that autophagy, a cellular 'clean-up process', initially slows ALS disease progression but later accelerates its deadly spread through the spinal cord. The study provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of ALS and lays the groundwork for therapies that could eventually prevent its onset.
A new study in mice has found that disruptions to the brain's center for spatial navigation, known as internal GPS, result in severe memory deficits seen in schizophrenia. This discovery offers promising avenues for drug intervention and treatment, targeting a near-universal symptom of the disorder.
Researchers at Columbia University and the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown have discovered a map in the brain's striatum that guides animal movements. The study used miniature mobile microscopes to capture neural activity patterns of up to 300 neurons, revealing complex patterns of organization that reflect similarity in actions.
Researchers identify critical level at which unconscious information becomes conscious, revealing shared underlying mechanisms with simpler decisions. The study offers new hope for understanding the biological foundations of consciousness.
Researchers study brain-movement interaction in mice to understand how cells in the motor cortex communicate with muscles. The findings reveal that neurons pulse similarly to those around them, driving one type of movement over another.
Researchers found that a specific gene enables the even distribution of serotonin in the brain, but its absence leads to tangled neuronal branches and signs of depression. This discovery offers new avenues for studying psychiatric disorders associated with serotonin imbalance.
Researchers identified a genetic signature in nerve cells supplying hands and feet, which is distinct from those in nearby muscles. This signature involves the coordinated activity of multiple genes and suggests that the evolution of extremities may be related to fine motor control, such as grasping.
Researchers traced neural activity patterns in mice, revealing synchronized and symmetric activity coursing around the brain. This discovery connects to enigmatic signals detected in 'resting-state' fMRI, offering new insights into brain-wide neural activity.
Adolescents' brains show enhanced connectivity between hippocampus and striatum, enabling better reinforcement learning and memory formation. This unique feature may be key to their ability to form powerful memories during adolescence.
Columbia scientists have developed a mathematical model that explains how the human brain lays down new memories without wiping out old ones. The model, which describes synapses as systems with multiple dials, increases storage capacity by an enormous factor and provides a framework for future studies of memory.
Scientists track brain-cell activity in mice to gain insight into how the brain creates a map to a destination. The study found that two sublayers of cells in the hippocampus process different types of learning, with one layer creating a stable internal map and the other layer updating it during navigation.
Researchers found that newborn mice brain's neural activity does not trigger a corresponding boost in blood flow, unlike the adult brain. The study reveals how the growing brain feeds itself and sheds new light on brain development.
Scientists have discovered that newly generated brain cells, also known as adult neurogenesis, are required for memory formation and pattern separation. The study found that these cells exhibit unique activity patterns, which help distinguish between different environments.
Scientists have developed a method to systematically identify individual classes of brain cells, or neurons, in the spinal cord. By analyzing genetic characteristics and applying statistical approaches, researchers were able to distinguish 50 distinct types of V1 interneurons.
Researchers have successfully disrupted a genetic chain of events in a mouse model of schizophrenia and reversed memory deficits. The study used a chemical compound to regrow connections between brain cells, restoring memory deficits and showing potential for effective therapies.
Researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute have created a safer strain of rabies virus that can map brain activity in real-time, allowing for a more complete understanding of brain cellular circuits. This innovation has far-reaching applications for brain research and disease treatment.
Researchers discovered a cellular circuit in the mouse brain that enables it to remember safe environments and differentiate them from dangerous ones. The study found that disrupting this circuitry may contribute to conditions like posttraumatic stress and anxiety disorders.
Research reveals a decrease in inhibitory neurons in brain's memory center CA2 region, associated with social memory deficits and psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. The findings suggest a possible link between this brain region and the disorder's symptoms, opening up new avenues for research and potential treatments.
A recent study published in Nature Neuroscience has found that individuals with anorexia nervosa exhibit distinct brain activity patterns when making food choices, including increased activation in the dorsal striatum. These findings have significant implications for developing new treatments and understanding disease mechanisms.