Research on nerve cells and the circuits they form. Covers neural mapping, brain development, the striatum, and single-neuron recording.
Researchers have discovered a secreted protein signature of aging cells, which is enriched with biomarkers found in human plasma. This breakthrough could lead to the development of therapeutic approaches to treat age-related diseases by targeting senescent cells.
A new microscopy technique, cryo-SR/EM, combines images from electron microscopes and super-resolution light microscopes to reveal the intricate 3D structure of cells. This allows researchers to study the relationships between cellular structures and their surroundings with unprecedented clarity.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center discovered that the insular cortex plays a crucial role in assessing and predicting physiological states. The study's findings provide potential new avenues for addressing diseases such as eating disorders, obesity, and drug addiction by targeting the brain's reward system.
A new study has identified the population of brain cells responsible for fear extinction training, discovering that these neurons are also activated by feelings of reward. The study suggests that fear extinction is equivalent to receiving a reward, providing potential therapeutic targets for treating anxiety disorders like PTSD.
Dr. Fred H. Gage has made groundbreaking discoveries in stem cell biology, neuroscience, and human evolution. His work has broad implications for treating diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and mental health disorders.
Researchers discovered that Cdkn1c loss leads to cell death and smaller brains when targeted at the single-cell level. In contrast, whole animal studies revealed no effect on brain size, suggesting a new growth-promoting role of Cdkn1c.
Researchers study how gut infections damage the nervous system, leading to chronic inflammation and conditions like IBS. They find that specific genes contribute to cell death and propose potential treatments by boosting polyamine production or restoring gut microbial communities.
A Pitt engineer has received a $1.6M NIH award to develop a wireless neural device for precise and long-term stimulation of specific neurons. The proposed technology uses photostimulation to activate neurons with great precision, minimizing tissue damage and improving spatial selectivity.
Researchers found that adult female mice exhibit abnormal neuron activity when learning to respond to young pups' distress cries. The findings suggest potential therapeutic strategies for Rett syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder affecting brain rewiring in adults.
Dresden scientists discovered two types of newly formed neurons in zebrafish brains, which have the same cell types as humans. These findings could lead to new therapies for stroke, craniocerebral trauma, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
The study reveals that different classes of neurons control positive and negative motivation, sending opposing signals along a shared brain circuit. This balance determines whether an individual seeks pleasurable experiences or avoids negative ones.
Researchers created a molecular 3D-map of nerve cells targeted by opioids in striatum, dividing it into subregions with spatiomolecular code. This knowledge may contribute to an increased understanding of normal reward processes and the effects of addictive substances on decision-making.
Bern researchers have identified the neurons responsible for rapid eye movements (REM) during sleep, a characteristic of paradoxical sleep with high dream activity. The discovery was made by a team of scientists who found that activation of these neurons causes rapid eye movement and can be used to study the function of this phenomenon.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report no link between increased levels of herpes virus and Alzheimer's disease, contrary to a previous study. The team also provides a new statistical and computational framework for analyzing large-scale sequencing data.
Associate Professor Menglin Chen's team has created a light-controlled neural stimulating scaffold inside the body using nanofibers coated with photovoltaic nanomaterials. This non-genetic method can locally stimulate cells electrically and has shown regenerative effects on neural model cells.
Researchers have found that suppressing MSUT2, a gene involved in tau regulation, may protect against Alzheimer's disease. The study also highlights the importance of preserving PABPN1 activity to prevent brain degeneration.
A high-fat meal can disrupt communication between the intestine and the rest of the body through enteroendocrine cells, which produce hormones to signal digestion and nutrient absorption. The study found that these cells become overstimulated and exhausted after a high-fat meal, leading to silencing of their signals.
A new study reveals that spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) originates from metabolic dysregulation leading to altered calcium homeostasis in neurons. The research also identifies Sirtuin 1 as a key player in promoting calcium regulation and reducing neurodegeneration.
A new study analyzing nearly 60,000 neurons in the mouse visual system reveals that less than 10% of neurons behave as expected to perceive the outside world. The researchers found that most neurons showed more specialized responses, while a third didn't light up reliably to any stimuli.
Researchers found that the sympathetic nervous system can limit the generation of effector responses by inhibiting the action of cells attacking an antigen. This discovery opens up opportunities for novel therapies in autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Researchers have developed new methods to track brain activity in living mice, using a molecule that responds directly to voltage changes in neurons. The techniques enable the study of fine details of brain activity, including how neurons process signals and decide when to spike.
Researchers at UNC School of Medicine found that specific neurons in the CeA contribute to reward-like behaviors and alcohol drinking. By selectively lesioning or ablating these neurons, animals drank less alcohol without affecting anxiety-like behavior.
A research team has developed biotransistors that can record small beats of live cells and micro-tissues, paving the way for drug development and screening. The transistors, made of organic material on a flexible substrate, are biocompatible and offer intrinsic signal amplification, reducing the need for external amplifiers.
Researchers created living biohybrid nerve tissue using stem cells to develop 3D models of neural networks, enabling better understanding of brain function and disease development. The 3D models can be controlled with optogenetics and used for drug testing and studying complex behaviors.
Ruth-Universität Bochum researcher receives ERC grant to study grid cell patterns in human brain, potential link to Alzheimer's disease. The research aims to better understand the role of grid cells in spatial navigation and identify early markers for Alzheimer's.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University created a lens-free, ultra-miniaturized endoscope that produces higher quality images while minimizing brain tissue damage. The microendoscope achieves this by using coded apertures and computational reconstruction to create a clearer image from a 'messy' projection.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine developed a nanosize container made of biodegradable polymer to deliver protein-based medicines and gene therapies, including CRISPR, into specifically selected target cells. The invention could offer a way to efficiently ferry larger medical compounds into cells with fewer side effects.
A recent Johns Hopkins Medicine study found that a protein signal stimulates the generation of vital nerve cells throughout injured areas, crucial for bone repair. Without this signaling pathway, bone formation is hampered, leading to significant reductions in blood vessel formation and mineralization of new bone.
New research shows that nerve cells in the gut regulate gut immunity, maintain homeostasis, and provide active protection against infection. Gut neurons activate pain-sensing neurons to release neurochemicals slowing M cell differentiation and boosting SFB microbes, which guard against Salmonella invasion.
A team of researchers identified a cell surface receptor, CXCR2, essential for hormone-resistant prostate cancer cells. They showed that targeting this receptor can halt tumor growth using a drug originally intended for lung diseases.
Researchers found that epigenetic mechanisms, specifically DNA methylation, play a key role in determining an individual's innate drive to exercise. The study revealed that mice with disrupted DNA methylation in hypothalamic neurons exhibited decreased voluntary physical exercise behavior.
A Freiburg research team has cracked the code on how embryonic stem cells determine which cell types to develop into. They found that genes controlling cell differentiation are selectively used and that transcription factors like Eomes and Brachyury play a key role in this process.
A study published in Neuropsychopharmacology found that targeting cell populations in the nucleus accumbens can prevent addiction relapse. Researchers used chemogenetic receptors to control activity in this brain region, successfully reducing relapse behavior in high-risk rats.
Researchers at Tohoku University have developed a molecule called AUTAC that can target specific intracellular components for degradation via autophagy. This process has been impaired in some cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Down syndrome, making AUTAC a promising innovation for disease treatment.
Researchers at NUS used machine learning tools to discover that stable information can be found within the changing neural population code in the frontal lobe. This finding has broader implications for understanding cognitive flexibility and multiple brain regions interacting with each other.
A new National Institutes of Health study reveals that uncommitted neural stems cells generally survive La Crosse virus (LACV) infection, while neurons are more susceptible. Interferon therapy successfully protects neurons from LACV-induced death in a cerebral organoid model.
A Monash University study has made key discoveries into the role of gene expression in individual cell types of the brain, contributing to Alzheimer's disease. The research highlights the importance of understanding non-neuronal cells in treating this devastating condition.
Research in mice found that environmental enrichment can partially correct mis-mapped neurons in the visual pathway, leading to vision issues in adulthood. Mice raised in enriched environments showed less mapping errors than those in standard cages.
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley have found evidence that light-sensitive cells in the developing retina are networked and play a more significant role in brain development than previously thought. The discovery suggests that these cells may enhance the influence of light on behavior and brain development.
A study found that selecting embryos based on traits like height or IQ using current knowledge of gene variants may not be effective in increasing the desired traits. The simulations used real-world data to confirm predictions about traits were not always accurate, and limitations such as variability and ethnicity make it challenging.
Researchers have successfully transplanted human neurons into a mouse brain, allowing them to study human neural circuit formation and potential diseases. The transplanted cells followed a months-long period of maturation typical for human neurons and were able to function in the mouse neural circuits.
Researchers found that fruit flies can build and update mental maps of their surroundings by linking visual features to compass neurons, allowing them to adapt to changing environments. This flexible mapping ability has implications for how other animals navigate in the wild and may even influence human navigation.
Researchers found that inflammatory processes triggered by the NLRP3 inflammasome play a key role in emerging tau pathology, a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's. The study suggests that modulating the immune response could be a promising approach for treating these conditions.
The Phase 2 randomized clinical trial confirmed the safety and well-tolerability of a single transplantation of autologous bone-marrow derived MSC-NTF cells (NurOwn) in participants with ALS. Key efficacy findings included stabilization of ALS disease progression, improvement in ALSFRS-R slope, and changes in CSF neurotrophic factors a...
Researchers studied six adults with childhood hemispherectomy and found that the remaining half of the brain formed unusually strong connections between different functional brain networks. This compensation potentially helps the body function as if the brain were intact.
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Salk Institute will explore how spinal networks control movement, developing new treatments for neurological diseases and spinal cord injuries. They aim to create a high-resolution atlas of mouse brain movements and develop testable models of neural interactions.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that the Zika virus protein NS4A disrupts brain growth by hijacking a pathway that regulates the generation of new neurons. The study found that overexpression of Zika protein NS4A causes microcephaly in flies by inhibiting the function of ANKLE2, a cell cycle regulator.
Researchers identified genetic variations in non-coding enhancer regions of specific brain cell types, such as microglia, which may play a role in disease risk. The study provides new insights into how genes are regulated in individual cell types and has significant implications for understanding neurological conditions.
Researchers discover BRN4 overexpression drives neuroendocrine prostate cancer cell conversion in patients with recurrent cancer. Exosome inhibitors under study as potential treatment.
Researchers at Cornell University describe how cells initiate and perform endocytosis, a process crucial for everyday cell functioning. They found that NECAP acts like a chip clip to clamp shut the AP2 protein complex, preventing endocytosis.
Research on newborn rats suggests that fetal nicotine exposure may impair the function of neurons controlling the tongue, leading to difficulty breathing. This impairment could be a factor in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in humans.
A Rutgers-led team has developed a graphene and gold-based platform that detects genetic material in stem cells, enabling monitoring of their fate. This technology may help resolve key barriers to stem cell therapy for regenerative treatment of neurological disorders.
Researchers at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center have developed a novel drug combination using fenretinide and venetoclax to treat high-risk neuroblastoma. The study found that the combination of these two drugs showed significant activity against neuroblastoma cells, with multiple complete responses achieved in patients.
Scientists at the University of Dundee have created a method to permanently attach a small sugar molecule called O-GlcNAc to proteins in human cells. This allows them to investigate its role in neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, which are thought to be linked to O-GlcNAc disruption.
Researchers found that early exposure to sounds can restore molecular, cellular, and functional properties in the auditory cortex of mice with Fragile X Syndrome. This discovery suggests that facilitating exposure to sounds during early development could be a novel approach to treat hypersensitivity associated with FXS.
Researchers developed a novel computational approach using deep artificial neural networks to predict neural responses to images. The study found that certain stimuli, such as checkerboards or sharp corners, elicit strong responses from neurons, contradicting current dogma in the field.
Computational modeling suggests delayed neural communication underlies anticipatory behaviors, such as tapping along with a metronome or coordinating rowing. The study found that non-musicians exhibit a larger anticipatory tendency than musicians due to pruned attention towards external stimuli.
A new study reveals that human brains process faces in a similar way to artificial intelligence systems, with unique activation patterns playing a key role in recognition. The researchers found parallels between the human visual system and deep neural networks, which can improve face recognition capabilities.
Researchers at Pitt and CMU are developing an all-in-one implantable device that can record neural activity, identify cell type, and determine cell function through chemical stimulation. This innovation aims to provide more information on brain function and reduce invasive methods.
Researchers have made significant progress in understanding brain function by studying the role of lactate in memory formation and learning. The study, published in Progress in Neurobiology, used a novel technique to produce three-dimensional models of astrocytes, revealing their complex structure and metabolic coupling with neurons.