Articles tagged with Neural Mechanisms
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Studies using a rodent model found sustained increase in neural activity in the paraventricular thalamus (PVT) after exposure to a strongly stressful event. This persistent activity is linked to altered behavior, including restlessness and disturbed sleep patterns. The findings suggest a new therapeutic target for stress-related issues.
Researchers used EEG to map brain activity in response to hot and cold temperatures, finding that both invoke similar activity patterns in overlapping brain regions. The study could lead to more objective methods for evaluating thermal comfort and reducing health risks due to ambiguous subjective evaluations.
A breakthrough study reveals a critical pathway linking synaptic activity to gene expression changes necessary for learning and memory. Researchers identified the activation of receptors and ion channels generating calcium signals that rapidly communicate from synapses to the nucleus.
The Advanced Research + Invention Agency has awarded $84.2 million to Rice researchers to explore and unlock new methods for interfacing with the human brain at the circuit level. The project involves developing a distributed network of minimally invasive implants to stimulate neural circuits with cell-type precision.
Researchers discovered that fruit fly Drosophila busckii can detect and thrive on toxic food sources, including dimethyldisulfide, an unpleasantly smelling sulfur compound. The fly's unique adaptations provide a valuable model for studying toxin tolerance and ecological concepts.
Researchers at UTEP aim to understand how drugs impact decision-making processes and drive costly behaviors. The study will use animal models and computational neurobiology to simulate neural activity and test hypotheses about the relationship between drug use, decision-making, and brain activity.
Researchers have constructed a comprehensive map of synaptic connections between clock neurons in Drosophila, identifying novel neurons and connections that influence feeding, mating, and sleep behaviors. The study also reveals the role of light input pathways and neurotransmitters in regulating clock neuron function.
A new study reveals that delta opioid receptor agonist KNT-127 has a rapid and effective antidepressant effect with minimal side effects. The research highlights the molecular mechanisms underlying its action, including mTOR signaling pathways and Akt activation in the medial prefrontal cortex.
Dopamine plays a lesser-known role in learning from punishment, which is less understood than its role in reward systems. Bioengineer Helen Schwerdt aims to investigate this phenomenon using novel neural interfaces and sustained dopamine monitoring.
Researchers explore the role of efferocytosis in reducing inflammation and containing injury spread after an ischemic stroke. Efferocytosis may offer a promising therapeutic strategy to promote neural regeneration and minimize brain damage.
Researchers have identified a novel mechanism controlling circadian gene expression and behavioral rhythms through chemical bonding of monoamine neurotransmitters to histone proteins. This discovery could lead to targeted therapies for conditions involving circadian rhythm disruptions, such as insomnia and depression.
Scientists at Indian Institute of Science have found how diverse neurons across different brain regions work together to control chronic pain in mice. The lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) plays a key role in driving chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, allowing mice to cope with or suppress pain.
A systematic literature search identified high-priority clinical actions for post-acute care, including early education, risk assessment, and mental health screening. Implementing these actions can improve the quality of care for non-hospitalized TBI patients.
A multidisciplinary team of researchers will investigate how animals detect magnetic fields, building on existing knowledge that a blue-light sensing protein called Cryptochrome plays a key role. The study's findings may lead to the development of non-invasive measurement tools and magnetic cell therapies.
Dr. Gail Cornwall is investigating the structure of the brain extracellular matrix, a network of proteins and polysaccharides found in the space between neurons and glia. Her research aims to identify novel structural elements and mechanisms that enable brain plasticity and sex-specific responses.
A new study reveals music therapy can deliver an immediate reduction in agitation and anxiety, as well as improvements in attention, engagement, and mood. Music helps individuals feel safer and more orientated, lowering levels of distress and improving wellbeing.
Researchers investigate how perturbed gene expression contributes to neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's. Alternative polyadenylation, a mechanism regulating protein production, is being studied for its potential role in the disease.
A research team from the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia has identified a key brain mechanism that modulates how animals react to others' emotions. This finding provides new insights into psychiatric conditions such as PTSD, autism, and schizophrenia.
Scientists have uncovered how aggression affects vision in female fruit flies, revealing three distinct mechanisms that regulate visual attention. This breakthrough provides insight into the link between sensory information and social behaviors, with potential implications for understanding and treating neuropsychiatric disorders.
A USC study reveals that forming social ties relies on learning from positive outcomes, such as rewards, and tracking relational value. The findings help explain why we are drawn to certain people and how we navigate relationships, with implications for mental health and social behavior.
Studies have shown that the lateral habenula regulates stress-related respiratory responses via the monoaminergic system, which includes dopaminergic and serotoninergic pathways. Researchers found that electrical stimulation of the LHb mimicked a stress state in rats, significantly increasing respiratory frequency.
Researchers discovered a new pathway to pain management by modulating pain signals with solvent molecules, offering an alternative to traditional pain medications. The study showed that deuterated water suppressed pain signal transmission and achieved effective analgesia.
Researchers identified the critical role of TIMM50 protein in mitochondrial energy production and its link to a severe and rare neurological disease. The study's findings suggest potential targets for future drug treatments and advance research on protein import into mitochondria in brain cells.
A new grant will support a five-year investigation into the role of the brain's reward network in two neurodevelopmental conditions. Researchers will use high-resolution fMRI scans to analyze how the reward network interacts with other parts of the brain in autism, ADHD, and co-occurring autism and ADHD.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo discover that the patterns of spontaneous activity and stimulus-evoked response are similar in lower visual areas of the cerebral cortex but gradually become independent as one moves to higher visual areas. This orthogonal relationship helps explain how sensory perception remains stable despite co...
Researchers discovered a neural mechanism that governs fish embryo hatching through the neurohormone TRH. This finding reveals that embryos are not passive but actively make life-or-death decisions, offering new insights into neurobiology and environmental adaptation.
Researchers have identified structural grey matter differences in the brains of women with a history of peripartum depression compared to those without. The study found that hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and childbirth may be key to understanding this condition.
A groundbreaking study reveals that macrophages within muscle spindles actively participate in motor control through fast neurotransmitter-mediated mechanisms. These immune cells help fine-tune muscle contractions, providing essential feedback to the nervous system and optimizing energy use during physical activity.
Researchers found that female locust's digging valves wear down significantly despite being used only 3-4 times in a lifetime. The study demonstrates the 'good enough' principle in evolution, where extra resources are not invested in organs with specific purposes performed adequately.
A study by ULiège researchers reveals two distinct mechanisms behind neuronal degeneration, which act simultaneously to ensure reliable modulation of neuronal signals. This discovery sheds light on the principles of neuromodulation and has implications for improving artificial systems such as robots and AI devices.
A team of scientists has pinpointed a critical neural circuit for female sexual rejection, revealing how the brain integrates signals to shape behavior. The ventromedial hypothalamus, specifically progesterone-sensitive neurons in the anterior VMH, play a crucial role in determining whether a female accepts or rejects mating attempts.
Researchers at the Salk Institute identified a specific brain circuit responsible for slowing anxious breathing, connecting the frontal cortex to the brainstem. This discovery may offer a scientific explanation for the beneficial effects of practices like yoga and mindfulness on alleviating negative emotions and could lead to the devel...
Researchers at Linköping University pinpointed the exact location of a specific calcium channel fine-tuning pain signals. This knowledge can be used to develop drugs for chronic pain that are more effective and have fewer side effects.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered a variant of TMEM16F protein that enhances the spread of Parkinson's pathology, potentially leading to new treatments. The study found that cells with the mutation secrete more pathological α-synuclein, which can form Lewy bodies and damage brain cells.
Mount Sinai researchers discovered a neural mechanism for memory integration that involves replaying experiences, integrating new information with existing memories, and linking memories across time. This finding has implications for understanding adaptive and maladaptive memory processes, such as PTSD.
The team plans to use a multidisciplinary approach to characterize brain mechanisms that underlie resiliency, aiming to develop better therapies and address public need. Most individuals exposed to high levels of stress and trauma are able to avoid serious mental illness, suggesting that biological resilience is prevalent.
Researchers at Kumamoto University identified G-quadruplexes as a central role in promoting alpha-synuclein aggregation, leading to neurodegenerative diseases. Inhibiting G4 assembly may prevent the onset of synucleopathies and position it as a promising target for early intervention.
Depression alters neural circuits in the amygdala, leading to reduced activity in pleasant stimuli and increased activation in negative stimuli. This negativity bias contributes to depressive symptoms. Researchers found a potential treatment by reactivating neurons involved in positive encoding of environmental stimuli.
The international project will analyze temperature-sensitive proteins in animals adapted to different thermal environments to understand how they perceive temperature changes. The study aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying cold perception in animals, enabling them to initiate physiological responses crucial for survival.
This review identifies 24 traditional medicinal plants used in Sri Lanka to treat mental disorders. These plants exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective properties through compounds such as trigonelline, bacosides, asiaticoside, and quercetin.
Researchers uncover role of SUMOylation in reactivating dormant neural stem cells, allowing brain development and repair. Absence of these proteins hampers neuronal growth and leads to microcephaly-like phenotype.
Researchers at the University of Münster deciphered the structure of α-latrotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that interferes with nervous system transmission. The toxin forms calcium-permeable membrane pores, inducing muscle contractions and spasms.
Researchers discovered two distinct neural mechanisms, 'Walk-OFF' and 'Brake', that control halting behavior in flies. The 'Walk-OFF' mechanism inhibits forward walking by suppressing neurons driving movement, while the 'Brake' mechanism increases leg joint resistance to prevent stepping.
Researchers at University of Pittsburgh discover that deep brain stimulation instantly improves arm and hand strength and function weakened by traumatic brain injury or stroke. The therapy stimulates the motor thalamus, a key relay hub of movement control, and significantly improves activation of muscles and grip force.
Neurobiologists identify shared brain mechanism behind meth and PCP-induced cognitive deficits, finding a reversible switch in neurotransmitters. Reversing this switch restores memory function, offering potential for new treatments.
A new randomized study of 168 people investigated the neurochemical underpinnings of the placebo-effect, finding that dopamine does not play a direct causal role in establishing positive treatment expectations and placebo analgesia. Instead, dopamine may interact with reward processing related to active agency and motivation.
A cohort study found a significant association between maternal influenza infection during pregnancy and an increased risk of childhood seizures. The study suggests that maternal influenza may affect childhood neurological development, particularly for febrile seizures, but not epilepsy.
Researchers used fMRI to observe brain activity in participants exposed to varying levels of pain stimuli, manipulating their expectations about the level of pain. The study found that higher-level networks integrated pain-related signals into the experience of pain by adding preserved expectation and stimulus information together.
A recent study reveals that hippocampal CA1 neurons integrate spatial and temporal information through a shared representation mechanism, facilitating episodic memory formation. This discovery provides essential insights into the neural basis of spatiotemporal context signals in episodic memory.
A UCLA-led research team has identified degeneration-associated molecular markers shared by several forms of dementia. The study also found cell type-specific changes that underlie each condition, highlighting potential new therapeutic targets.
Researchers at Umeå University found that muscles sense mechanical pressure, challenging current understanding of proprioception. The 'triple-eight' technique involves applying low pressure and releasing it to relieve muscle stiffness.
A new study reveals that more than half of strokes causing ataxia are located outside the cerebellum but affect a specific brain network. This discovery changes our understanding of ataxia's neural mechanisms and may lead to safer treatments for patients.
Researchers at UNIL find that observing others cope with trauma increases resilience and prevents pathological states. Serotonin release in the habenula brain structure is identified as the key mechanism, offering new perspectives for understanding depression and treatment.
A new study mapped genes linked to schizophrenia and uncovered a mechanism disrupting synaptic plasticity in affected individuals. The researchers identified three proteins mediating impairments of plasticity, holding promise for new treatments.
Researchers investigate how hypernatremia affects microglial responses and evaluate potential therapies. Microglia's response to hyperosmotic stress is found to be associated with NFAT5 expression and NO production.
Researchers led by Daniela Vallentin successfully rewired zebra finches' brains using optogenetics, expanding their vocal repertoire. The findings have implications for human aging and potential therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and learning impairments.
Researchers have found evidence for place cells in zebrafish brains, allowing them to create internal maps of their environment. The brain region, telencephalon, is also thought to be analogous to the mammalian hippocampus and plays a key role in spatial orientation, social networks, and memory.
Researchers Dr. Marx and Prof. Gilon propose a novel tripartite mechanism of neural memory based on metal-centered complexes within the nECM/PNN, enabling the encoding of emotive states through biochemical interactions. This new understanding underscores the need for a more holistic approach to grasp brain function and mental processes.
A study at Karolinska Institutet reveals that morphine activates a 'morphine ensemble' of neurons in the brain, leading to pain relief. This understanding may help develop new strategies to treat pain without triggering addiction and overdose.
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London have identified a neurohormone responsible for triggering arm detachment in starfish. The team's discovery sheds light on the complex interplay of neurohormones and tissues involved in autotomy, a well-known survival strategy in the animal kingdom.