Articles tagged with Neurons
A promising new approach to treat multiple sclerosis has been discovered by scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. They identified a previously unknown change in the spinal cord related to MS and developed a peptide that disrupts this change, leading to major improvements in neurological functioning.
Researchers discovered that brain's grid cells are anchored to one wall and rotated by a specific angle (7.5 degrees) to minimize symmetry and errors in navigation. The rotation is necessary to ensure accurate mapping of environments, even when landmarks are far apart.
Researchers at Temple University will examine how cocaine and HIV-1 interact to cause brain impairment in patients infected with HIV-1. The study aims to determine where to focus potential treatments to disrupt this damaging pathway.
Researchers found that umbilical cord cells activate the Akt signaling pathway, leading to increased expression of antioxidant genes like Prdx5, which reduces inflammation and promotes neural cell survival. This study suggests that umbilical cord cell therapy could be a promising treatment for stroke and other brain injuries.
Human stem cells have been shown to repair damage caused by radiation therapy for brain cancer in rats, regaining cognitive and motor functions lost after treatment. The study uses human embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells to replace damaged oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.
SuperAgers, aged 80+, have distinct brain signatures with a thicker cortex, fewer tangles linked to Alzheimer's, and a higher supply of neurons related to social intelligence.
Researchers found that activation of cholinergic neurons in brain stem structures induced REM sleep in animal models. The findings provide a better understanding of brain mechanisms controlling different sleep states, essential for treating sleep disorders.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University have discovered a new reset button for the brain's master biological clock, which can be stimulated using light to alter sleep patterns. This finding has the potential to lead to new treatments for conditions like seasonal affective disorder and reduce adverse health effects of night shifts.
A new study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center has made significant progress in understanding the role of human astrocytes in neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS and spinal cord injuries. Astrocytes, a type of glial cell, have been found to play a crucial role in neuronal survival and proper nervous system signaling.
Gene expression in neurons is crucial for memory formation. After fear conditioning, researchers found altered gene expression in the auditory thalamus and cortex regions of the brain.
Researchers have discovered a neural circuit that controls compulsive sugar consumption in mice without affecting normal feeding behavior, providing a potential target for treating compulsive overeating. The study reveals a distinct subset of neurons responsible for mediating food-seeking behavior and responding to reward consumption.
Scientists have visualized protein degradation in intact nerve cells for the first time, shedding light on how proteasomes remove defective proteins. The study reveals that only a minority of proteasomes are actively degrading proteins in quiescent cells.
A recent study by OIST researchers used chemogenetic inhibition to suppress neuronal activity in zebra finches, showing that the arcopallium region controls song composition but not order or timing. This precise technique provides a detailed understanding of how unique neurons coordinate vocalization.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center have identified the brain's on-off switch for thirst, revealing two types of neurons that drive and suppress the sensation. The study uses optogenetics to activate specific neuron populations in the subfornical organ, leading to increased drinking behavior in mice.
Scientists have discovered a novel mechanism that helps cells respond to oxidative stress, a major cause of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. The new mechanism involves a protein modification called ubiquitination, which stabilizes ribosome function and promotes protein synthesis.
A team of scientists has identified a brain circuit in mice that regulates thirst, with two distinct cell types working together to maintain fluid balance. The study found that activating one set of cells triggers drinking behavior, while silencing the other population suppresses thirst.
Researchers have visualized protein degradation in intact nerve cells for the first time, using electron cryo-tomography to distinguish single proteasomes within the cell. The study reveals that only a minority of proteasomes are actively degrading proteins, with most remaining idle.
A study by McGill University scientists found that high salt intake affects brain circuits, preventing the inhibition of neurons that release vasopressin and leading to increased blood pressure. The research suggests that limiting dietary salt may help mitigate hypertension.
Research by UC San Francisco scientists reveals that estrogen-producing neurons play a crucial role in regulating aggression in mice, affecting both male and female behavior. The study found that eliminating these neurons slowed response times to threats and reduced aggression in males, while females showed similar changes in maternal ...
A team of researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has identified a new pathway that controls fear memories and behavior in the mouse brain. The discovery, published in Nature, reveals that the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus plays a critical role in regulating fear learning and memory.
A study published in Current Biology found a causal link between serotonin neuron activation and patient behavior in mice, contradicting the notion that increased serotonin leads to reward. Researchers used optogenetics to activate serotonin neurons, observing longer waiting durations in mice with stronger activation.
Researchers discovered the brain's role in regulating body fat by combining hormones leptin and insulin, which stimulate the conversion of white fat to brown fat through the nervous system. This process normally maintains body weight but goes awry in diet-induced obesity.
Researchers have discovered a link between Sox10 protein defects and post-operative GI dysfunction in Hirschsprung's disease patients. The study found that mutations in the Sox10 gene disrupts the balance of cell types in the intestine, leading to impaired GI motility.
Researchers found lipid droplet accumulation in glial cells before signs of neurodegeneration appeared, leading to impaired support for neurons. Reducing components of the pathway can delay neurodegeneration.
Rats use simple 'linear summation' to process odor inputs from the environment, with individual neurons responding rapidly to specific smells. This process allows for efficient detection and analysis of odors, despite environmental and respiratory variations.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) can cause alterations in brain development leading to hyperactivity in zebrafish. The chemicals were shown to increase the number of neurons born too soon, resulting in problems with neural connections and circuits.
Recent studies using brain imaging show promise in predicting future behaviors such as reading performance, math skills, criminality, and response to treatment. The technology may help identify individuals at high risk of failure, allowing for early interventions and prevention strategies.
A team of scientists developed an automated method to detect neuron activity during specific behaviors in mice. The technology uses c-fos protein to identify active neurons and has been used to study male-male and male-female interactions, revealing novel facts about brain activation patterns.
Scientists at the University of Southampton have created a new technique called multicolour RGB tracking to mark individual brain cells. This approach allows researchers to color-code and distinguish between cells that were previously indistinguishable.
Researchers have discovered microexons, small gene fragments critical for neuron maturation, providing a new understanding of genome regulation. The study found that these tiny exons play a key role in developing neurons and are highly conserved across vertebrates.
Scientists have developed a mathematical theory based on roundworm foraging that predicts how animals decide to switch from localized to very broad searching. The theory could explain animal behavior in a more unified way, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and extraterrestrial behavior.
A new study from Johns Hopkins Medicine found that brain cells fire more rapidly and synchronously when animals focus on touch stimuli, a step toward understanding how brains process external stimuli. The research also showed that synchronization was more important to performance than firing rate.
A new study identifies a neural mechanism for translating unpleasant experiences into fear memories by changing amygdala connections. The findings suggest that Hebbian plasticity is partially correct but requires concurrent activation of noradrenaline to form memories.
Researchers found that Golgi fragmentation accelerates APP trafficking and production of toxic Aβ protein in AD. Rescuing the Golgi by blocking cdk5 or GRASP65 reduces Aβ accumulation, offering a potential therapeutic strategy for slowing Alzheimer's progression.
Researchers have successfully created induced neurons that model Alzheimer's disease by starting with fibroblasts taken from skin biopsies. The differentiated cells express normal neuronal markers and proteins associated with the neurodegenerative disorder, including amyloid beta and tau.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have discovered how tiny channels in neurons translate mechanical force into electrical signals. The TRAAK channel uses a novel mechanism involving potassium ion flow and lipid molecules to balance pain sensations.
Researchers at Hebrew University developed a new light-sensitive film that can stimulate neurons in response to light without using wires or external power sources. This innovative technology has the potential to form the basis of a prosthetic retina for people with retinal damage or degeneration.
Researchers aimed to control harmful signals in strokes by understanding neural excitation pulses. The study found that non-local couplings can produce various spatio-temporal patterns, including acceleration, deceleration, and suppression of pulses.
Researchers are deciphering the 'neural code' of information being sent by neurons to the central nervous system (CNS) to diagnose and treat infections and autoimmune diseases. This could enable timely diagnoses and interventions, reducing mortality rates and complications.
Researchers at Harvard University successfully converted mouse and human skin cells into pain sensing neurons that respond to various stimuli, including acute and inflammatory pain. The 'disease in a dish' model may lead to improved drug development for chronic pain treatment.
Researchers found a commonly prescribed muscle relaxant may be an effective treatment for Wolfram syndrome, a devastating form of type 1 diabetes. Dantrolene blocks the enzyme calpain 2, which causes cell death in insulin-producing cells.
Researchers found a new type of immune T helper cells called TH-GM cells play a crucial role in the immune system and pathogenesis of neuronal inflammation. Blocking IL-7 or STAT5 could provide significant therapeutic benefits for MS.
A rare connexin mutation has been linked to a baby's disordered breathing, with researchers discovering that astrocytes with the mutation cannot bind to carbon dioxide. This breakthrough could lead to the development of an algorithm to pinpoint when a premature infant's breathing pattern goes south.
Researchers developed a sound-based training approach to enhance brain's distractibility, improving focus in aged rats and humans. Training reduced distraction-related errors and improved memory and attention spans.
A study in mice reveals that Sox2 protein can convert NG2 glia, a type of support cell, into neurons in the injured cerebral cortex. This finding supports the notion that cellular reprogramming may become a way to replace degenerated neurons in the adult brain.
The study found that astrocyte hyperactivity is caused by energy carriers like ATP, leading to calcium fluctuations and changes in brain perfusion. The research suggests a novel potential approach for treating Alzheimer's disease by mitigating the hyperactivity of these cells.
A new study suggests that malfunctioning tau, not amyloid-beta plaque, is the key event triggering neuron death in Alzheimer's disease. Researchers found that when tau fails to function, neurons can't clear toxic proteins, leading to cell death.
Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine implicated a new gene in non-syndromic autism, suggesting similar molecular pathways among different types of autism. The study used mouse models, induced pluripotent stem cells and the 'Tooth Fairy' project to identify TRPC6 as a novel predisposing gene for ASD.
Researchers successfully generate neural stem cells that can self-renew and differentiate into neurons, opening the door to transplantation therapies. The breakthrough allows cells to divide repeatedly without ongoing expression of reprogramming factors, making them suitable for therapeutic use.
Research reveals women have on average 43% more cells than men in the olfactory bulb, suggesting a biological basis for their superior olfactory abilities. This finding may have implications for reproductive behaviors and pair bonding.
Scientists have found that ganglioside GD3 is crucial for maintaining neural stem cells in the brain. Removing GD3 from mice resulted in reduced stem cell populations and impaired function, highlighting its importance in brain health.
A study published in Molecular Neurodegeneration finds that tau, not amyloid-beta plaque, causes neuronal death in Alzheimer's disease. The researchers suggest that remaining Abeta inside the neuron destroys cells, while malfunctioning tau prevents cells from clearing toxic proteins.
Researchers have developed CNiFERs cells to track dopamine signaling, providing a real-time readout of neurochemical activity associated with learning, memory and reward. The study reveals that dopamine release is linked to classical conditioning and anticipatory behavior.
Researchers found that reduced levels of SNX27 protein lead to increased beta-amyloid production and brain plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Adding new copies of the SNX27 gene can repair memory deficits in Down syndrome mice.
Researchers discuss the limitations of brain simulations, citing the need to account for individual experience and social context. They also raise concerns about the potential creation of artificial consciousness and the technical challenges of simulating complex biological systems.
Researchers successfully converted adult human skin cells into medium spiny neurons, a subtype of brain cells affected in Huntington's disease. The newly generated cells survived and functioned like native cells in the mouse brain, demonstrating a promising approach for treating the disease.
A team of researchers has successfully recorded sight neurons in a jumping spider's brain for the first time. The study reveals that jumping spiders use different sets of eyes to process acuity and motion, requiring integration of inputs from multiple eyes in the brain.
Scientists have developed a novel probe that uses tarantula venom to visualize electrical activity in neurons and other cells. This breakthrough could help researchers better understand ion channel dysfunctions leading to conditions such as epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias.
Researchers have developed a novel probe that reports on the electrical activity of cells using tarantula toxin, allowing for the observation of voltage-activated ion channels in live cells. This breakthrough has the potential to help scientists understand the function of specific ion channels and identify drug targets for neurological...
Researchers have observed a previously predicted pathway for ion permeation in potassium channels does not occur, revealing a fundamental physical principle that facilitates the channels' operation. The discovery uses advances in technology to show that pairs of potassium ions are stably formed and then passed through the channel.