Articles tagged with Neural Mechanisms
Researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre have discovered a new brain circuit that enables mice to override their instincts based on previous experience. The ventral lateral geniculate nucleus (vLGN) inhibits threat reactions when animals feel safe, but activates them when danger is perceived.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine discovered changes in brain activity triggered by LSD, explaining altered behaviors such as reduced running speed and increased resting time. The study suggests that LSD disrupts the normal communication between brain regions, leading to a 'fuzzy' map of the environment.
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University discovered that dogs exhibit attachment behaviors similar to human infants, responding positively to their owner's speech. The study found that the reward center of a dog's brain is more sensitive to its owner's voice compared to a familiar person's praise.
Impaired information flow through the basal ganglia is responsible for Parkinson's disease symptoms. The 'direct pathway' plays a crucial role in initiating voluntary movements, and its disturbance leads to motor symptoms like trembling hands and muscle stiffness.
Researchers at NICT unraveled a neural correlate of Pavlovian conditioning, discovering that alteration in information processing by feeding command neurons governs behavioral change. The experimental system made possible real-time observation of cell-cell connection for memory formation.
Researchers found mammalian-like hippocampal activity in food-caching songbirds like the tufted titmouse, which processes spatial memory using mechanisms similar to those in mammals. This challenges long-held assumptions about the neural basis of spatial memory in non-mammals.
A new study from Umeå University identifies a novel function of preparatory neural activity, highlighting the nervous system's ability to adjust muscle stiffness independently. This mechanism enables more precise movement preparation, facilitating successful interaction with the environment.
A team of researchers from Tokyo Institute of Technology identified key 'water neurons' in the subfornical organ that stimulate water intake when dehydrated. They also found CCK-producing excitatory neurons that activate GABAergic interneurons to suppress thirst under sodium-depleted conditions.
Researchers at Salk Institute discover patterns of neural signals that facilitate perception of faint objects. The brain's ability to recognize targets is directly related to when and where traveling brain waves occur in the visual system.
A study using time-resolved EEG data found that neural representations of moving objects are activated earlier than visual input, suggesting the brain uses predictive neural mechanisms to compensate for lag times. This compensation enables faster processing of real-time events.
A magnetoencephalography study found that acute stress suppresses appetite by altering neural activity in the frontal pole, which is involved in thinking and planning. The findings suggest that expectations of future actions can interfere with appetite regulation, leading to increased sympathetic nerve activity and decreased alpha band...
A study found that dogs process basic numerical quantities in the parietotemporal cortex, similar to humans. This suggests a shared neural mechanism for numerosity that may have evolved at least 80 million years ago.
Research by Dartmouth College and Princeton University researchers finds that creative experts are better at imagining distant experiences due to a unique neural system. They use the dorsal medial system default network, associated with empathy, to think about other people and perspectives.
Researchers found that the brain's premotor cortex uses a 'neural scratch pad' to calculate fine adjustments, eliminating the need for physical change in the brain. This discovery may simplify the development of brain-computer interfaces controlling prosthetic limbs.
A neuroscientist is studying the neural mechanisms behind attachment and bereavement using prairie voles. The findings could help inform treatment for people who have trouble forming emotional connections, such as those with autism or depression.
A University of Pittsburgh bioengineer uses experimental and computational approaches to study the neural mechanisms of eye movements directed to stationary and moving objects. The team records activity in neurons of the superior colliculus to understand how the brain processes visual information during saccadic eye movements.
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.
A three-year AHA grant funds a multi-center study exploring the neural mechanism behind delirium and spatial neglect after right-hemisphere stroke. The research aims to develop novel attentional-behavioral therapies and diagnostic tools to reduce hospital morbidity and loss of independence.
Scientists at NERF have discovered a novel method to measure respiration dynamics, revealing that mice compare the strength of smells obtained through both nostrils for odor source localization. This process involves information transfer between brain hemispheres and has valuable implications for Alzheimer's research.
Researchers monitored neural activity of mated female fruit flies during yeast deprivation, identifying dopamine neurons that regulate protein appetite. Activation/inhibition of these neurons affects yeast preference and consumption, with increased activity linked to advancing hunger.
Researchers at Osaka University discovered that retraction of early thalamocortical connections, driven by cannabinoids, can help form L4-L2/3 connections. This finding may contribute to understanding neuronal circuit mechanisms and prevention of cannabis abuse.
Researchers at Osaka University have discovered that error signals in motor cortices drive adaptation in reaching, a key finding in motor neuroscience. The study used artificial electrical stimulation to induce trial-by-trial improvements in motor control, shedding light on the neural mechanisms underlying motor learning and adaptation.
A Dartmouth study reveals that grid cells in the entorhinal cortex play a crucial role in generating the signal for spatial navigation. The findings contribute to our understanding of how we update our spatial perception as we move through our environment, which is essential for navigating and survival.
Researchers found individuals are more satisfied with truth-telling rewards than deceitful ones. The studies explored two types of deception and discovered a liar's brain responds differently when gaining rewards through truth or lies.
Research suggests that prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome by affecting the production of ceramide, a key signal transduction molecule involved in cellular processes. This study provides insights into the mechanisms underlying fetal alcohol syndrome.
A study published in PLOS ONE shows that English speakers can quickly recognize key structures of American Sign Language (ASL) and distinguish syllables from morphemes. However, participants were unable to learn signs that violated the structure of ASL or other known languages.
Researchers found that anticipating feelings of guilt can motivate cooperation, with increased activity in areas processing negative emotions. The study suggests a neural mechanism underlying guilt-aversion-driven cooperation, challenging the 'warm-glow' hypothesis of altruism.
A new brain-imaging study by Caltech researchers found that the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is linked to how well subjects believe they performed on tasks, regardless of actual performance. This suggests that optimistic and pessimistic brains show different patterns of neural activity when planning movements.
Researcher David Amodio examines unconscious racial associations and their impact on behavior, linking emotional and conceptual forms of bias to neural processes in the brain.
Researchers used functional MRI to scan subjects making decisions about punishments, finding activity in key brain regions tracked punishment magnitude. Activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex played a key role in deciding punishment based on criminal responsibility.
Researchers found that selective attention increases both neural gain and feature selectivity of the human auditory cortex. The study used electroencephalographic event-related potentials to measure task performance in healthy volunteers, revealing a complementary mechanism to existing explanations.
A new study demonstrates classical conditioning of salivation in cockroaches, revealing sophisticated neural control of autonomic functions. The findings provide a useful model system for studying cellular basis of conditioning in insects.
Researchers at Duke University explore the neural mechanisms of interval timing, a fundamental process involved in tasks like walking, speech recognition, and learning. They propose a new model involving the 'coincidence detection' of oscillatory patterns, which integrates information from various brain structures.
Researchers have found that hindbrain neural identities in lampreys are governed by independent mechanisms, contradicting a prevailing model. The findings suggest a convergent process where originally independent mechanisms became linked during gnathostome evolution.
Studies in monkeys reveal a neural mechanism for recognizing and sharing meaning through actions, supporting the idea that human speech evolved from ancient gestural communication. Researchers also found similar brain circuits in humans, linking hand movements to Broca's area.