Research on nerve cells and the circuits they form. Covers neural mapping, brain development, the striatum, and single-neuron recording.
A recent study published in Nature suggests that gut bacteria play a crucial role in regulating movement in fruit flies. The researchers found that specific bacterial strains, such as Lactobacillus brevis, can slow down the speed of germ-free flies by fine-tuning levels of carbohydrates.
The Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group has awarded $13.5 million to 10 researchers studying lymphoma, neuroimmunology, nuclear biophysics, and brain cell function. These studies aim to shed light on Alzheimer's disease and develop new treatments for blood cancers.
Researchers identified the paraventricular thalamus as a key player in tracking important details for animals to learn. The study's findings suggest that the brain can adapt its focus on good and bad outcomes based on context, which could lead to new treatments for drug addiction.
A research team led by Professor Byung-Chang Suh has observed the dynamic combination of alpha 1 and beta subunits in calcium channels, revealing competitive replacement and stability. This breakthrough enables precise control of calcium ion inflow inside cells and opens a new horizon for treating high blood pressure and brain diseases.
A new study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience confirms the potent relaxing effects of lavender and its active compound linalool. The research suggests that the scent of linalool must be smelled, not absorbed, to exert its calming effects.
A study reveals how a single mutation in the GFAP protein, the most common protein in astrocytes, produces devastating effects on brain cells. The mutated protein causes widespread tangles and disturbs cellular processing units, reducing myelin formation.
A new study found 'timing cells' in the brain that turn on when an animal waits, allowing it to measure a time interval. The research could lead to early-detection tests for Alzheimer's disease by asking people to judge how much time has elapsed.
Scientists developed a new method to record limb control neural circuits in fruit flies using two-photon microscopy. The study found different patterns of activity across neurons during movement and behavior, including walking and grooming.
Researchers have developed memristors that mimic the brain's ability to process information efficiently and adapt to changing conditions. The new devices, made from niobium-doped strontium titanate, can 'forget' and retain memories, making them suitable for future electronic brains.
Researchers found a brain region strongly connected to food choice decisions, suggesting its potential use in developing therapies for healthy eating. The ventral pallidum area was activated when rats preferred certain foods, indicating context-dependent decisions.
Researchers have developed a new approach to understand cancer's complex causes, enabling the analysis of multiple gene mutations simultaneously. This will accelerate the development of new treatments and provide insights into strategies for stopping cancer formation and spread.
Researchers at UCL have identified a new mechanism for neural crest cells to move from the back of the head to the front, crucial for forming facial features. This discovery could help understand how facial defects form and pave the way for developing new therapies.
Researchers developed a new way to engineer rhodopsin proteins, enabling the creation of tools with distinct properties. This technique doubles the number of available optogenetics tools, allowing for more precise experiments and advancing neuroscience research.
Researchers at Tufts University have developed 3D human tissue culture models for the central nervous system that mimic brain structure and function. The models allow for the exploration of cell interactions, disease progression, and response to treatment, enabling the study of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Researchers find that the autonomic nervous system directly controls stem cell proliferation in the intestinal lining and potentially other parts of the body. This discovery opens up new avenues for targeting cancer stem cells or inducing desired tissue growth through targeted drug delivery.
Researchers at Osaka University have developed an AI-based system to track individual fluorescently labeled molecules in living cells. The system can analyze hundreds of thousands of molecules in a short period, providing reliable data on molecule status and dynamics.
Researchers found altered patterns of neuron activity in the brain controlling reproductive endocrine systems in mice with epilepsy. The differences in activity in female mice fluctuated across their reproductive cycles, suggesting a dynamic connection between epilepsy and reproductive health.
Researchers transplanted human brain cells into mice brains to study the development and function of these cells in a natural environment. The study found that brain cells from individuals with Down syndrome were less coordinated but more stable than those without the condition.
A recent study from CNRS has cast doubt on the connection between magnetite particles and Alzheimer's disease, as previous research suggested that magnetite could cause oxidative stress and lead to neuron degeneration. The new findings suggest that magnetite is unlikely to be involved in this process.
Researchers are exploring ways to speed up and enhance the recovery of the sense of taste after a significant injury. By understanding how IL-1 signaling works in the body, they hope to develop novel treatments to aid regeneration and recovery. In mice, studies have shown that IL-1 plays a crucial role in repairing the taste system.
Research by Johannes Kohl identified the medial preoptic area (MPOA) neurons bearing Galanin as critical for parental behavior in mice. The study found that individual pools of these neurons control specific components of parenting, such as motor control and natural reward circuitry.
Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Pathology Biomarkers at the University of Extremadura have discovered a new biomarker for Alzheimer's disease of sporadic origin, protein STIM1. A deficiency in this protein has been linked to calcium ion transport abnormalities, which can lead to neurodegeneration and cell death.
Scientists have discovered that a specific region of the brain, known as the ventrolateral preoptic nucleus (VLPO), plays a crucial role in regulating sleep and body temperature. Activating these cells causes a profound drive to sleep, while excessive stimulation can lead to prolonged sleep and a drop in body temperature.
Research reveals that a single dose of cocaine can irreversibly alter brain circuits surrounding neurons associated with addiction. This discovery may lead to the development of medications targeting the extracellular matrix to reverse addiction.
Researchers found that viruses like West Nile and Zika can kill neurons in the gut, disrupting bowel movement and causing intestinal blockages. The study provides clues to sudden onset of digestive woes and potentially points to a new strategy for preventing such conditions.
Researchers discovered that brain-enriched miRNA (miR-124) plays a crucial role in neuronal survival, contrary to previous assumptions. The study identified 98 miR-124 targeted genes that have direct physiological functions, protecting neurons from death.
Researchers used a novel method to analyze individual brain cells in mice, revealing specific genes that may play roles in traumatic brain injury. Treatments targeting these genes, such as thyroid hormone therapy, showed promise in improving learning and memory tasks.
Binghamton University researchers developed 'neuristor' circuits that mimic biological neurons, enabling complex computations using minimal power. The team created niobium dioxide devices without electroforming, making them more efficient and scalable.
Scientists have found spiking neurons in the tiny roundworm C. elegans, which could help understand fundamental principles of brain computation. The discovery overturns decades of dogma and reveals a unique coding mechanism that allows the worm's olfactory neurons to encode information in two ways.
A new study demonstrates how visual cortex neurons learn to recognize familiar faces regardless of their location. Participants who reported stronger familiarity with peers more consistently recognized the other individual in different parts of their visual field.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University developed a new method to generate brain stem cells, paving the way for greater understanding of myelin disease. The findings also provide new insights and therapeutic strategies for Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, a rare genetic disorder affecting male children.
Researchers found that DEET interferes with Caenorhabditis elegans' neural circuitry, jumbling their response to certain odors. This knowledge could help develop more effective DEET alternatives.
A mathematic model developed by researchers at the University of Basel's Biozentrum demonstrates how different variants of genes enable random diversity in neurons. This diversity is achieved by combining isoforms in a way that results in precise and exclusive neuron function.
Researchers used machine learning to detect small DNA changes in single brain cells, revealing thousands of previously unknown variations. The study found that these changes peaked during a key stage of brain development, implying a regulated process.
ASTN2 helps move proteins away from the membrane, supporting neuronal connections; defects lead to neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and intellectual disabilities. The cerebellum's complex roles in cognition and language may be linked to ASTN2 dysfunction.
A new study explores why people keep eating despite feeling full, showing that two tiny clusters of cells battle for control and the opioid system gets involved. Researchers found that stimulating POMC neurons decreases appetite, while AgRP neurons drive eating when both are activated.
Researchers have made the first direct observations of water in lipid bilayers used to model cell membrane fusion. The study provides new insights into diseases associated with disrupted cell fusion and could lead to treatments for degenerative diseases.
Scientists report that senescent cells accumulate in certain brain cells prior to cognitive loss, but eliminating them diminishes tau protein aggregation and memory loss. The study identifies two brain cell types, microglia and astrocytes, as prone to senescence.
Researchers at Scripps Research are advancing compounds that protect neurons in diseases caused by toxic protein accumulation. In an animal model of ALS, the compounds improved strength and movement. The goal is to optimize these compounds into effective treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers used a larval zebrafish model to explore neural mechanisms of general anesthesia. The study revealed that the locus coeruleus (LC) plays a modulatory role in both the induction of and emergence from intravenous general anesthesia via a cooperative mechanism with norepinephrine (NE).
Scientists developed a machine learning technique to predict human cell organization using only black and white images generated by brightfield microscopy. This allows for the exploration of cellular structures in ways that were previously impossible, particularly in live cells.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital created a massive database of gene activity in individual cells during embryonic development and after birth, enabling scientists to trace specific developmental trajectories in the cerebellum. The analysis will aid understanding of brain development and provide a foundation for unde...
Researchers at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified a previously unknown astrocyte subpopulation that plays a key role in driving brain inflammation. The newly discovered 'ieAstrocytes' are activated early in neuroinflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet identified four types of neurons in the peripheral auditory system, three of which are new to science. The study shows that these neurons play a crucial role in decoding sonic intensity and may lead to new therapies for hearing disorders.
The Center for Sub-Cellular Genomics will develop new technologies to measure genomics elements at the scale of sub-cellular structures in single cells. This may enable new insights into neurogenerative and neuropsychiatric conditions, such as autism and Alzheimer's disease.
A protein called Staufen1 accumulates in cells of patients with degenerative ataxia or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), suggesting a potential therapeutic target. Depleting Staufen1 from affected mice improved symptoms, revealing a novel avenue for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
A new AI-powered tool, HEAL, analyzes genome sequences and electronic health records to predict individual risk for developing abdominal aortic aneurysm. The tool may one day help diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases such as AAA, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular conditions.
Researchers from UCI have identified patterns of sugars on the surface of neural stem cells that determine their fate, affecting brain cell formation. This discovery may improve the use of stem cells in transplantation therapies to treat injury and disease.
Researchers from the German Primate Center found that visual attention desynchronizes nerve cell activity, enabling more complex information processing. This insight may provide evidence for mechanisms underlying ADHD and autism, and sheds light on how the brain processes stimuli.
UC San Diego researchers develop rapid and cost-effective method to create human cortical organoids directly from primary cells. The new protocol enables large-scale production of brain organoids, which can be used to better understand human brain function and develop treatments for neurological disorders.
A new 'see-through' EEG device, developed by Boston Children's Hospital researchers, measures individual neurons with fine-grained precision. The transparent microelectrode array enables simultaneous neuroimaging and optogenetics experiments.
Researchers at Kanazawa University discovered a biochemical signaling pathway that cancels out biological noise in the differentiation process of neural stem cells. The JAK/STAT pathway reduces stochastic neuroblast differentiation, contributing to correct organismal development.
Researchers found that fruit flies use a small, bright spot (the simulated sun) as a landmark to fly straight with respect to its position. The study also shows that these flies have compass neurons in their brains associated with this navigational behavior.
Researchers from Far Eastern Federal University have discovered a new group of Kunitz-type peptides in Heteractis magnifica sea anemones, which exhibit neuroprotective properties. The peptides inhibit the development of inflammations and reduce levels of active oxygen forms that cause cell damage.
A team of researchers has identified a neural clock in the brain that organizes the flow of our experiences into an orderly sequence of events. This discovery sheds light on how our brains measure subjective time, which is distinct from external timekeeping mechanisms like clocks and circadian rhythms.
Researchers discovered that cytomegalovirus uses protein IE1 to replicate after PP71 proteins decay, offering potential therapeutic avenues for treatment
Researchers have discovered a key role for O-GlcNAc modifications in enhancing neuronal regeneration after injury. Altering sugar levels on proteins can alter metabolism, leading to improved regeneration outcomes.
A new intelligent machine, Image-Activated Cell Sorting (IACS), sorts cells based on their spatial and morphological properties using an image-driven approach. The platform has been optimized for analyzing individual cells and holds promise for making machine-based discoveries in biological sciences.
A team from NCBS has identified a set of three proteins - PI4KIIIα, Efr3, and TTC7 - crucial for maintaining PIP2 levels on the surface membranes of cells. This helps maintain the signaling system going by rapidly resynthesizing essential molecules.
Researchers discovered that gene regulation is largely digital and stochastic, with genes being on or off for a fraction of time. This finding adds complexity to human diseases, such as neuropsychiatric disorders, and may help better understand dosage-sensitive genes contributing to these conditions.