Articles tagged with Neurons
Researchers used machine learning to track 400,000 fruit flies' behaviors over 225 days and matched specific behaviors to different groups of neurons. The resulting brain-wide atlas offers insight into fly neural circuitry and could inform understanding of human behavior.
Rice University engineers are building a flat microscope to monitor and stimulate neurons on the surface of the brain. The goal is to provide an alternate path for sight and sound to be delivered directly to the brain, compensating for loss of vision or hearing.
A recent study found that mice who lost their sense of smell gained less weight on a high-fat diet compared to those with normal smell. The researchers used gene therapy to temporarily destroy olfactory neurons, and the smell-deficient mice rapidly burned calories by up-regulating their sympathetic nervous system.
Researchers discovered that pain neurons produce CGRP, a neuropeptide that inhibits osteoclast and cytokine production, to suppress fungal inflammation. The study found that Jdp2 transcription factor is necessary for this immunosuppression and that pain neurons are more potent at producing CGRP in response to β-glucan than LPS.
Researchers pinpointed the brain's dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as responsible for credit assignment, a mechanism that enables learning from success. The study used non-human primates to demonstrate the cortex's role in linking causes and effects.
Researchers at Stanford University developed a new tool to efficiently slice cells in half, enabling faster and more standardized study of single-cell wound repair. The 'cellular guillotine' cuts Stentor cells up to 200 times faster than previous methods with similar survival rates.
Researchers developed an algorithm to capture neural activity within mouse brain tissue, enabling them to track hundreds of individual neurons in a single recording. The technique, combined with light field microscopy, allows for real-time monitoring and alteration of stimuli based on brain activity.
Researchers at Lund University have developed a method to produce diseased, aging brain cells on a large scale in a cell culture dish. This enables experiments that were previously not possible, opening up research areas linked to new drug testing, accurate disease models, and earlier diagnostics.
A new study from the Monell Center has identified novel genes and molecular pathways involved in shaping a taste cell's function, potentially allowing for the treatment of taste disorders or fine-tuning of taste perception. The research also sheds light on how taste stem cells develop into different types of mature taste cells.
Researchers found that artificial viruses can infect brain cells and surrounding tissues beyond the injection site, influencing the immune response. The study's findings could improve the selection of suitable viral 'gene transporters' for custom therapies, offering a glimmer of hope for patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Duke University researchers have identified a potential new mechanism for Parkinson's disease, suggesting that misfolded alpha-synuclein protein spreads from gut endocrine cells to the brain. This finding could lead to earlier diagnosis and development of therapies targeting the protein.
A new UCL and University of Nottingham study found that most neurons in the brain's auditory cortex detect sound location relative to the head, but some track the actual position in the world. The researchers monitored ferrets while they moved around a small arena surrounded by speakers, using electrodes and LEDs to track movement.
Researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center identify a pathway by which neurons driving hunger influence distant areas of the brain involved in decision-making. They found that visual cues associated with food trigger activation of specific neurons in the insular cortex, particularly in hungry mice.
A new study from Newcastle University shows that the exact time of neuron development and its position in the brain are key to forming neural connections. This understanding can lead to better diagnosis and treatment of developmental diseases like schizophrenia, autism, and ADHD.
A study using brain scans found that feelings of empathy involve distinct brain activity patterns, with empathic care overlapping with value and reward systems and empathic distress linked to mirroring systems. The researchers discovered consistent patterns across individuals, predicting emotions based on brain activity.
Neuroscientists propose using nonlinear message-passing and probabilistic models to simulate real-world conditions in the brain. This approach aims to better understand the brain's ability to perform approximate probabilistic inference.
Researchers discovered that a small group of hypothalamus neurons, called POMC, modulate the amount of insulin produced by the pancreas. The study reveals new molecular mechanisms involved in this connection and highlights the importance of mitochondrial dynamics in glucose sensing and insulin release control.
A new mathematical framework developed by Tatyana Sharpee and colleagues provides a theoretical understanding of how different cell types divide work among themselves. This framework could help explain greater efficiency and reliability in cell function, as well as the impact of disease when division of labor is not effective.
Researchers discovered that direction-selective ganglion cells in the retina sense their owner's motion through space by detecting radial optical flow. This allows the brain to integrate information from visual and vestibular systems to sense rotation and maintain image stabilization.
Researchers at Salk Institute developed a new protocol to derive astrocytes from human stem cells, which could provide breakthroughs for treatments of stroke, Alzheimer's and psychiatric disorders. The method allows for faster and more effective production of astrocytes, enabling researchers to model neurological disorders in a dish.
Scientists at the University of Geneva found that a protein called Sara plays a crucial role in guiding endosomes to differentiate between cells, a process essential for fly hair development. Mutant flies without Sara have naked backs, highlighting the significance of this mechanism in cancer tumour formation.
A Georgia State University researcher has received a $7.7 million federal grant to develop three-dimensional human brain models called organoids for studying West Nile and Zika virus infections. The study aims to understand the differences between these two neurotropic viruses, which have distinct disease effects in humans.
Researchers at Caltech have discovered that sour-sensing taste cells play a crucial role in detecting water on the tongue. The study found that these cells are responsible for sensing water through a pathway also used for basic tastes, such as salt and sugar. This finding challenges current understanding of how mammals detect water.
A new study reveals that microglial cells are essential for normal brain function, and impaired TREM2 gene expression can lead to devastating consequences. The researchers found that mutations in the TREM2 gene disrupt microglial function, leading to impaired phagocytosis and catastrophic effects on energy metabolism.
A new study published in Nature Communications identifies specific neurons in the Lateral Prefrontal Cortex that encode perceived and memorized information. The researchers found that these neurons can signal whether a representation is real or imaginary, which may help treat disorders like schizophrenia.
Scientists have discovered a simple code for facial identity in the primate brain, allowing them to reconstruct faces from neural activity. By analyzing electrical signals from specific nerve cells, researchers can create a multidimensional face space and decode additional faces.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new technique that reduces computational overhead for deep learning by up to 95% using hashing, a tried-and-true data-indexing method. The technique blends locality-sensitive hashing and sparse backpropagation to achieve significant savings in energy and time.
MIT researchers create temporally interfering (TI) stimulation, a new technique that stimulates neurons in the brain without implants. This method uses low-frequency electrical signals to target specific areas of the brain, offering new possibilities for brain research and potential treatments for conditions like Parkinson's disease.
Georgia State neuroscientists rewired the brain of one species to have the connections of another, finding distinct neural circuits underlying swimming behavior in two closely related sea slugs. The study's results suggest that behaviors can be conserved while their neural basis shifts over evolution.
Researchers discovered a new GPCR, substance P neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R), that signals from the inside of neurons to sustain excitation and transmit pain. Targeting NK1R internalization alleviated pain in rats using modified compounds, offering prolonged pain relief.
Researchers have discovered a key connection between circadian clocks in the brain and peripheral organs, revealing how they synchronize their rhythms. The study found that a specific neuropeptide pathway enables communication between the central clock in the brain and peripheral clocks in organs like the prothoracic gland.
Researchers have discovered that neural crest cells colonize the spleen during embryogenesis and persist into adulthood, displaying markers indicating a glial lineage. These cells are arranged anatomically adjacent to blood vessels, pericytes, and nerves, suggesting an astrocyte-like phenotype.
A recent study by Dr. John Peever has found a link between REM sleep disorders and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's Disease and Lewy bodies dementia. The research suggests that sleep disorders may be an early warning sign for these conditions, which can appear up to 15 years later.
Researchers have identified a neural circuit in flies that updates its internal compass based on the insect's own movements, allowing it to track turns and navigate in the dark. This mechanism is similar to what has been suggested to exist in larger mammalian brains, including humans.
Researchers at Janelia Research Campus have discovered how fruit flies use a specialized nerve cell system to navigate their environment, involving the activation and suppression of neighboring neurons. The discovery sheds light on the fly's internal picture of the outside world and its cognitive processes.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital discovered how a potential treatment for Huntington disease produces its effects, but found impaired NRF2-mediated activity in neural stem cells from HD patients. This limits the therapeutic potential of NRF2 signaling.
Researchers have discovered how the enteric nervous system, a complex network of nerve cells in the gut, is formed during mouse development. The study reveals that individual progenitor cells produce specific types of cells, which form overlapping columns and exhibit synchronized activity.
Scientists developed an automated approach to track neurons in the brain of freely crawling worms, enabling researchers to correlate neural activity with specific movements and behaviors. The new algorithm, dubbed Neuron Registration Vector Encoding, improves upon previous methods by assigning a unique identity to each neuron it detects.
Researchers found that RIPK3 acts as part of the brain's anti-viral inflammation response, placing an order for chemokines to attract infection-fighting white blood cells. This approach restricts viral pathogenesis without directly stopping virus reproduction within brain cells.
Scientists at the University of Seville have found that adult carotid body mother cells can transform into both blood vessels and neurons. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for pediatric tumors and Parkinson's disease, as these stem cells may contribute to tumor growth.
The Gruber Foundation has awarded $1.5 million to three top scientists for their groundbreaking work in cosmology, genetics and neuroscience. Sandra Faber, Stephen Elledge, and Joshua Sanes have been recognized for their pioneering research on galaxy structure, DNA damage response pathway, and synapse formation.
A study found that male fruit flies have specific neurons called MS1 that release octopamine to keep them awake during courtship, suppressing sleep. The researchers also discovered that these neurons communicate with other brain cells to enhance male sexual behavior.
Researchers developed a lab-based model of the blood-brain barrier defect that causes Allan-Herndon-Dudley Syndrome, a rare congenital disorder. The study may hold promise for treating this syndrome and analyzing other neurological conditions.
A steroid hormone called ecdysone has been identified as a crucial trigger for brain development in fruit flies. The hormone is similar to human thyroid hormone and its activity timing may hold clues to maternal hypothyroidism, a condition that can cause severe neurological defects and fetal brain damage.
The researcher is studying calcium channels in gonadotropes to understand their role in reproductive disease. This knowledge can lead to the development of new treatments for infertility, tumor growth, and other disorders.
A recent study has identified the molecular mechanism behind lithium's effectiveness in treating bipolar disorder, providing a clear path to developing new diagnostic tests and therapies. The research, led by Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, utilized human induced pluripotent stem cells to map lithium's response path...
Research on fruit flies reveals that those lacking the Fragile X protein have less inhibition among their neurons, resulting in impaired information processing and increased anxiety. This finding provides valuable insights into human brain diseases and may lead to new treatments for Fragile X syndrome.
Researchers found that wine-derived human gut metabolites are protective against neuronal death in human cells under stress conditions. The exact composition of these metabolites depends on the individual's gut microbiota, highlighting the importance of personalized nutrition in preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers find Lgl1 controls neural stem cell proliferation, producing neurons and glia cells in the developing cortex. The study reveals two mechanisms of Lgl1 function: one for embryonic development and another for postnatal brain growth.
Scientists at the University of Queensland have identified a new type of lymphatic brain cell in zebrafish that surrounds the brain and clears damaging cellular waste. This discovery provides insight into how the brain forms and functions, potentially leading to new treatments for neurological diseases like stroke and dementia.
Researchers designed UltraTracer to work with existing algorithms, turbo-charging them for faster processing and larger datasets. The software can compare tens of thousands of neuron shapes to better understand cell types.
Researchers at UCI have developed a method to generate human microglia cells from skin stem cells, providing a powerful new approach to study and potentially treat neurological diseases like Alzheimer's. This discovery marks an important step in using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for targeted approaches.
Researchers at MIT discovered a brain circuit that governs how we respond to conflicting environmental cues, shedding light on the neural mechanisms behind rapid decision-making. The study suggests that information flow between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex is critical for coordinating behavior in the face of competing signals.
A study by Hokkaido University researchers found that voltage rhythms are synchronized across the entire suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), maintaining a tissue-wide rhythm. This discovery suggests that inter-cellular interactions within the SCN may be responsible for synchronizing voltage changes, separate from asynchronous calcium rhythms.
Researchers at Japan's National Institute of Genetics discovered a direct neural link connecting the brain's visual system to its feeding center, linking visual perception of food to feeding motivation. This study, using genetically engineered zebrafish, shows that 'eating with the eyes' is deeply rooted in evolution.
A team of scientists has discovered an antibody that can measure tau levels in the blood, which accurately reflects brain damage. This breakthrough could lead to a non-invasive test for tau-based diseases, monitoring disease progression, and measuring treatment effectiveness.
Yuna Ayala's research team discovers how TDP-43 protein causes damaging plaque buildup in neurodegenerative diseases like ALS and frontotemporal dementia. They found that phosphorylation regulates TDP-43's activity, location, and processing, which may be crucial for cellular metabolism.
A recent review explores why animals favor one side of the brain, highlighting perceptual specialization, motor specialization, and parallel processing. The research also sheds light on environmental influences and genetic aspects of asymmetrical development, potentially providing insight into brain conditions in humans.
Researchers discovered a birth-and-death cycle of neurons in the adult mouse gut, with about five percent of nerve cells regenerating daily or a third every week. This finding has profound implications for understanding and treating digestive system disorders and diseases.
New cells in retina found to directly affect biological clock by sending signals to brain region regulating daily rhythms. Disruption of circadian rhythms linked to health issues like gastrointestinal and cardiovascular disorders, depression, and cancer.