Articles tagged with Neurons
Researchers found that certain 'multitasking' neurons in monkeys' brains are best at making correct identifications in both car and animal categories. This ability to 'multitask' allows the brain to re-utilize neurons for different tasks, potentially leading to a better understanding of disorders like autism and schizophrenia.
A mutation in the TRPA1 gene has been identified as the cause of familial episodic pain syndrome (FEPS), a rare inherited pain disorder. The research proposes potential treatment options using pharmacological compounds that inhibit the mutant channel.
A team of researchers has developed a more consistent method for isolating pancreatic islet cells from brain-dead donors using ductal injection, resulting in three type 1-diabetes patients becoming insulin-independent. The study's success rate surpasses the standard 50% with an impressive 80% clinical islet transplantation rate.
Researchers found neural tissue has imbalanced levels of proteins, specifically torsinA and torsinB, which may explain why certain diseases affect specific organs. This discovery could lead to a better understanding of how genetic mutations impact different cell types.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a natural self-repair mechanism that kick-starts after spinal-cord injuries, offering promising new treatments. Serotonin receptors remain active after injury, but are permanently turned on, contributing to muscle spasms; blocking these receptors could help alleviate symptoms.
Researchers found that CDP-choline can reduce cell death and ceramide levels, preventing damage when exposure to alcohol is stopped. The study suggests a potential preventive measure for fetal alcohol syndrome.
Researchers discover mutant strain of gum disease-causing bacteria that can activate autophagy, a cellular process that breaks down waste products and plaques associated with neurodegenerative diseases. This finding could lead to novel therapeutics for treating Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other diseases.
Researchers from the University of the Basque Country have identified a new mechanism for amyloid peptide-induced neuronal death. By blocking specific receptors, neurons can be protected from lethal effects, paving the way for novel therapies to slow Alzheimer's progression.
Researchers at MIT and Hebrew University identified specific classes of neurons in songbirds that match those in mammalian basal ganglia. The study suggests that the same brain circuits underlie learning in both species, with implications for human biology and disorders like Parkinson's disease.
A Stanford-led team has solved the mystery of how functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals are produced, confirming earlier assumptions about their relationship to neural excitation. The breakthrough enables researchers to study brain-wide impact of changes in neural circuitry using blood-flow fMRI combined with optogenetics.
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have discovered a direct link between neural activity in an insect's brain and changes in behavior. The findings suggest that cockroaches can control their speed with their brains, which could inspire the development of more adaptive robots for search and rescue and space exploration.
Researchers at U of T discovered a new view on how living cells use DNA to generate genetic messages, resolving a decade-old gap in understanding. The 'splicing code' helps predict and prevent diseases such as cancers and neurodegenerative disorders.
Researchers found differences in brain patterning as early as 48 hours after fertilization, before neurogenesis begins. They successfully altered the brain of a rock-dwelling fish embryo to resemble a sand-dwelling fish embryo using chemical manipulation.
Researchers found that the brain's frontal cortex plays a key role in processing abstract knowledge, enabling individuals to adapt behaviors based on past learning. The study used fMRI to investigate how the brain achieves flexibility in solving unfamiliar problems.
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois has identified a promising new drug target for Alzheimer's disease: the beta-2 adrenergic receptor. The receptor is activated by amyloid-beta, leading to increased activity in affected neurons and eventual cell death.
New research identifies a brain circuit that enables humans to make choices with high long-term benefits by delaying reward. The study found that vividly imagining the future reduces impulsive choice behavior, suggesting the anterior cingulate cortex plays a key role in dynamic adjustment of preference functions.
Research reveals chronic pain changes brain activity in response to acute pain, predicting worsening of ongoing back pain. The nucleus accumbens plays a key role in this process, with altered activity patterns in patients compared to healthy controls.
Scientists have discovered that residual glioblastoma cells have different properties than those found in the tumor mass, making them more mobile and resistant to treatment. This breakthrough could lead to new therapeutic approaches against this aggressive brain cancer.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center found that leptin and insulin work together in specific neurons to regulate blood sugar levels and female fertility. The study suggests a functional redundancy between the two hormones, implying that one can compensate for the lack of the other.
Scientists at the German Cancer Research Center discovered that brain stem cells in the subventricular zone are characterized by Protein Tlx, which stimulates gene activity. When Tlx is increased, tissue stem cells turn into cancer stem cells, leading to glioblastoma formation.
Johns Hopkins researchers discovered that a tail module in a calcium channel protein controls its sensitivity to calcium, potentially leading to neurodegenerative diseases. This finding has implications for conditions like schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's.
Researchers have created a way to implant an inorganic device into a cell wall without damaging it, allowing for up to a week of observation. The 'stealth' probe mimics natural gateways in the cell membrane and integrates smoothly into membranes, enabling electrical access to the inside of cells.
Research reveals that brain damage to the ventromedial prefrontal cortex impairs judgment of harmful intent, leading to more lenient moral judgments for attempted harms. The study suggests that patients with VMPC damage primarily evaluate actions based on outcomes rather than intentions.
Research suggests that microglia, immune cells in the brain, play a significant role in neuron loss during Alzheimer's disease. Stressed nerve cells secrete chemical messengers that attract microglia, leading to inflammation and elimination of neurons.
A molecule called Rab35 acts as a switch to activate the fast-track recycling pathway, allowing cargo to be rapidly selected and transported. Defects in this trafficking pathway can lead to numerous diseases, including high cholesterol and neuropathies.
A new treatment to restore brain cells damaged by stroke has passed the safety stage of a clinical trial led by UC Irvine neurologist Dr. Steven C. Cramer. Patients showed no ill effects after receiving sequential growth factors that encourage neuron creation in stroke-damaged areas of the brain.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that the loss of Ube3A enzyme disrupts the brain's ability to fine-tune neuronal connections, leading to developmental deficits in Angelman syndrome. This finding also suggests a connection between Ube3A and autism spectrum disorders, paving the way for new therapeutic targets.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine discovered that restricting genetic splicing variants decreases as embryonic stem cells differentiate into specialized cells. This finding provides new insights into the complex process of neural differentiation and potential implications for human development.
Researchers propose that MeCP2 affects the entire genome in neurons, leading to increased histone acetylation and spurious transcription of 'junk DNA'. This discovery challenges the previous view of MeCP2 as a target-specific transcription factor.
A key mechanism that makes certain brain cells become tumorous has been identified by researchers. The tumours occur most often spontaneously but can also be part of inherited disease Neurofibromatosis type 2.
Researchers at CSHL have identified a protein called Rac as the regulator of forgetting in short-term memories. Elevated Rac activity accelerates memory decay, while inhibition slows it down.
Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine have found a protein controlling DNA accessibility responsible for the cells' developmental flexibility, offering insights into CHARGE syndrome and cancer metastasis. The study suggests that increased CHD7 levels may enhance metastasis in certain cancers.
A new study found that glial cells can switch from protecting neurons to killing them when triggered by proNGF. The process can lead to vision loss and blindness. Researchers hope to find ways to block proNGF's effects to prevent this damage.
Neurobiologists at the University of Maryland discovered that the brain's auditory cortex is more complex and chaotic than previously thought, with neighboring neurons creating different outputs. This disorder could indicate that the brain is far more adaptable than previously thought.
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that adjacent neurons in the brain do not synchronize their action potentials, contrary to previous beliefs. This finding provides insight into how the brain processes information efficiently by introducing a 'decorrelated state' that allows for uncorrelated activity.
Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine have identified a novel compound, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone, that mimics the brain's growth factor and protects against neurological disease damage. The flavonoid compound shows potential as a new class of brain-protecting drugs with low chronic toxicity.
A study published in Developmental Cell has identified protease-activated receptors as crucial for neural tube closure, a process disrupted in congenital birth defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida. The research suggests that this PAR signaling system may regulate the integrity of tissue to prevent neural tube defects.
A study from Columbia University Medical Center found that an excess of one type of serotonin receptor in the brain's center may cause antidepressants to fail for half of patients. Researchers created a mouse model with high and low receptor levels, showing that reducing receptors can transform non-responders into responders.
Researchers at MIT have found that cells with higher activity levels are more likely to survive and integrate into the adult brain. This discovery is significant for cell replacement therapies used to treat neurological diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
The discovery of Sox2, a protein that regulates stem cell formation, is crucial for spiral ganglion neuron development. The study's findings may lead to the regeneration of these nerve cells, potentially revolutionizing cochlear implant technology and biological treatments for hearing loss.
Researchers used a special peptide to modify laboratory mice's immune systems, reducing characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease. Anti-inflammatory cells were recruited, dampening the local inflammatory response and boosting plaque-degrading enzyme action.
Neuroscientists at MIT have developed a powerful new class of tools that can reversibly shut down brain activity using different colors of light. These 'super silencers' exert exquisite control over the timing of shutdown, allowing researchers to study neural circuits and potentially treat disorders such as chronic pain, epilepsy, and ...
Researchers discovered four small molecules capable of protecting cells from alpha-synuclein toxicity, a hallmark of Parkinson's disease. The compounds improved protein trafficking and decreased mitochondrial damage in multiple models, suggesting potential therapeutic avenues for the disease.
Researchers identified a key molecular switch that drives the onset of Huntington's disease, an incurable neurodegenerative disorder. A subtle change in two amino acids reduced the pathogenic potential of the mutant protein, potentially leading to new treatment strategies.
Researchers found that a synergistic interaction between ?-syn and LRRK2 exacerbates neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease by disrupting intracellular transport mechanisms. Inhibition of LRRK2 expression may provide a therapeutic strategy to prevent PD-associated neuropathology.
Researchers suggest progesterone as a viable treatment option for traumatic brain injuries due to its ability to protect damaged cells and reduce swelling. The hormone has been shown to improve behavioral outcomes and protect neurons after injury.
Researchers at Tufts University discovered that maternal behavior can stimulate new neuron creation in the brains of adult female rats who have never given birth. The study found increased numbers of new neurons in the subventricular region of the brain in these rats, which exhibited maternal behavior when exposed to foster pups.
Researchers used biosensors to study how anti-psychotic drugs, such as atypical neuroleptics, affect the brain. The study found that these drugs block a particular type of receptor, overriding the increase in acetylcholine they stimulate.
Researchers have found that specific waves in EEG signals can reliably predict neural activity in the brain. By combining EEG and direct neuron recordings, scientists identified a link between 'frequency band coupling' and cell firing rates.
Scientists at Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics develop new method to interpret EEG signals, providing insights into neural activity. By combining EEG and neuron recordings, researchers can accurately predict brain cell activity, shedding light on abnormal EEG waveforms in neurological disorders.
A recent study by Johns Hopkins scientists suggests that repeated ecstasy use significantly raises the risk of developing sleep apnea in otherwise healthy young adults. The researchers found that the more participants had used MDMA in the past, the more severe their apnea was likely to be.
Research by Professor Yasuhiko Minokoshi and Dr. Tetsuya Shiuchi found that meals with sweet taste stimulation activate 'orexin' neurons, reducing blood glucose levels in mice. Pleasant eating habits may prevent hyperglycemia by activating orexin neurons.
Researchers found that naked mole rat brain tissue can survive for over half an hour without oxygen, which could lead to new treatment options for brain injuries caused by heart attacks, strokes, and accidents. This adaptation may also provide insights into how to prevent permanent human brain damage after temporary loss of oxygen.
A new study reveals how our brains fill in gaps to create continuous sound by suppressing slow brain waves during interruptions. This mechanism enhances our understanding of human hearing and may inspire future devices for people with hearing deficits.
Scientists have discovered a direct link between insulin and core body temperature, finding that insulin injection in specific brain areas increases metabolism, brown adipose tissue activity, and core temperature. The study suggests a potential therapeutic area for future drug design and new insights into obesity and diabetes.
Researchers discovered that Srebp2 regulates cholesterol biosynthesis in prion-infected neuronal cells, leading to increased cholesterol levels and potential disease promotion. This finding may lead to new therapy approaches for prion-dependent diseases.
Researchers from NC State University have identified a gene called FoxJ1 that tells embryonic stem cells in the brain when to stop producing nerve cells. This discovery advances understanding of the nervous system and its development, with potential applications for conditions like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's.
Researchers found a dual-brake mechanism controlling chloride transport, which calms hyperactive fetal neurons after birth. This process may benefit people with epilepsy and neuropathic pain by re-establishing natural inhibition.
Scientists at Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics create tiny laser-scanning microscope images brain cells in awake and moving animals, eliminating the need for electrodes. This breakthrough allows researchers to study how the brain generates an internal representation of the outside world.
A new study found that preventative brain radiation therapy for lung cancer patients reduces the risk of developing brain metastases by 10%, but negatively affects short-term and long-term memory. Despite this, the treatment has no significant impact on survival or quality of life.