Articles tagged with Neurons
Researchers at Whitehead Institute have shown that a single gene mutation can cause a transmissible neurodegenerative disease in mice, similar to human fatal familial insomnia. The study demonstrates that mutations associated with prion diseases are sufficient to cause the disease and the spontaneous generation of transmissible prions.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have successfully tracked bone marrow stem cells as they repair damaged brain tissue in a live animal model of Huntington's disease. The innovative use of MRI tracking enables the monitoring of cell viability and migration towards diseased areas, paving the way for potential therapy.
Researchers at Caltech have pinpointed two groups of neurons in fruit fly brains that regulate fat stores, mirroring mammalian brain function. Silencing these neurons led to obese flies, while overactivating them produced lean ones, offering a promising model for studying human obesity and developing new treatments.
Scientists discovered that endocannabinoids in the human body can disable brakes on pain signals, leading to prolonged chronic pain. In contrast, THC from cannabis may worsen toothaches, but could alleviate neuropathic pain.
Researchers found category-specific brain activation in both sighted and blind humans, suggesting innate structure of the human brain. The ventral stream's medial-to-lateral organization reflects preferences for nonliving-to-living stimuli, indicating evolutionary history constraints.
Scientists have demonstrated a direct link between the death of old neurons and their replacement by newly born ones in a living vertebrate. The study found that introducing a chemical inhibitor to slow apoptosis resulted in fewer new neurons being formed, providing insights into age-related diseases.
Scientists have recorded live vesicle fusion on the nano-scale using Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). This breakthrough allows for real-time measurement of vesicle shape and properties, opening up new avenues for understanding neurological and infectious diseases.
Researchers at the Salk Institute found that human brain cells harbor astonishing genomic variability due to mobile DNA elements. This phenomenon may drive evolution and create neural diversity, making each person unique.
Researchers have isolated a unique protein that affects both gene expression and protein transport, which may lead to new medicine treatments. The findings could provide insights into various biological processes, including cell movement and neural networking.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center have isolated stem-like cells from benign pituitary tumors and shown they can generate new tumors in laboratory mice. The study supports the cancer stem cell hypothesis, suggesting similar mechanisms may be involved in malignant and benign tumor formation.
Researchers discovered a drug that blocks transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) receptors can prevent brain changes associated with epilepsy in rats. This treatment halts hyper-excitability and prevents gene expression changes, offering hope for preventing epilepsy in humans after severe brain injury.
A CU-Boulder study found that chemicals released by the brain's immune system can cause chronic seizures in people who have suffered a traumatic head injury. The research suggests that temporarily shutting down the immune response could prevent the development of acquired epilepsy.
A team of researchers at the Salk Institute has discovered a specific site within an ion channel protein where alcohols directly interact, altering brain cell communication. This finding could lead to novel treatments for alcoholism, drug addiction, and epilepsy.
Researchers found a direct link between smoking and brain damage due to NNK, a tobacco compound that provokes white blood cells to attack healthy brain cells. This can lead to neuroinflammation, conditions like Multiple Sclerosis. NNK is present in all forms of tobacco, also affecting second-hand smokers.
A new study has identified a key protein receptor responsible for tumor cells invading the brain and spinal cord in childhood leukemia. The finding may lead to new drugs that block this receptor and reduce the risk of relapse in some leukemia patients.
A new study found that people with stroke impairments experience delays in gripping and releasing objects, but using an arm support device can improve release speed. Active muscle-stretching exercises also showed promise, helping with grip initiation but delaying release.
Researchers found that microglial cell degeneration contributes to loss of neurons and dementia, contradicting the popular neuro-inflammation theory. The study suggests that anti-inflammatory drugs may not be effective in fighting dementia.
Researchers uncover neural mechanism supporting adaptability and decision-making under uncertainty, with the frontal lobe playing a critical role in tracking evidence and switching behavior.
Research by Emory University scientists identifies a mechanism in mother mice's brains that focuses their awareness on the calls of baby mice. The high-frequency sounds of pups inhibit neurons more attuned to lower frequency sounds, enhancing contrast and making them stand out.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered that the AMPA receptor protein moves to its destination with the help of the 4.1N protein, forming long-term memories. The study found that 4.1N is required to maintain strong connections between neurons, making memories stick.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered a tiny protein called Rhes responsible for brain cell damage in Huntington's disease. The findings explain the unique pattern of brain damage and offer a strategy for new therapy.
Scientists discover that restoring leptin sensitivity to a specific area of POMC neurons in the brain's hypothalamus can cure severe diabetes and increase activity levels in mice. The findings suggest a new therapeutic pathway for treating insulin-resistant diabetes, potentially stimulating exercise willpower.
A study conducted by Michigan Medicine scientists found that a deficiency in the p53 gene in the brain leads to glioblastoma, a type of adult brain cancer. The researchers discovered that neural stem cells in the subventricular zone may be the origin of this aggressive cancer, suggesting a new target for treatment and early screening.
Researchers found that a deficiency in tumor suppressor gene p53 leads to glioblastoma, a highly aggressive type of brain cancer. The study suggests that targeting the subventricular zone, where neural stem cells reside, may improve treatment outcomes and enable early detection.
Researchers at MIT found that neurons in the prefrontal cortex fire in unison and send signals to the visual cortex to generate high-frequency waves associated with attention, learning, and consciousness. This neural synchrony enables communication between distant brain regions.
Researchers used fMRI to study participants engaging in a complex risky choice task, revealing different brain regions predicting specific choices and individual strategic biases. The findings indicate that the neural mechanisms of choice reflect more than competition between decision variables.
Researchers at the University of Oregon have developed a new method to isolate RNA from specific cells using a chemically modified gene from Toxoplasma gondii. This approach allows for precise study of gene expression and cellular differences, opening up new avenues for research in development, neurobiology, and disease studies.
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center studied monkeys playing a game similar to
The University of Granada has developed an artificial simulator of the nervous system to analyze functions and test new medicines. The EDLUT simulator allows researchers to study new diseases and improve robots inspired by human bodies.
Researchers found that brain cells in the lateral intraparietal cortex predict direction choice and uncertainty, revealing a link between decision making and certainty. The study suggests a simple mechanism underlying both, bringing certainty under the same rubric as choice and reaction time.
Researchers have identified a protein responsible for regulating branched-chain amino acid catabolism, which may be linked to Maple Syrup Urine Disease. Additionally, immune cells called V-alpha-24-invariant NKT cells can indirectly affect neuroblastoma growth by killing tumor-associated cells that promote its growth.
A new study found that neurons in the visual word form area of the left visual cortex prefer individual real words over pronounceable nonsense words. This discovery supports experience-driven tuning of neurons to real words and provides evidence for neural plasticity beyond lower-level representations.
Researchers found that each whole word is processed by its own set of neurons in the brain's left visual cortex. This discovery may provide insights into reading disorders and inform the development of new treatments.
Researchers Francois Abboud and Ann M. Schreihofer have unraveled how the brain regulates blood pressure and flow through communication with blood vessels. Their work has led to clinical advances, including a pacemaker-like device to lower blood pressure in hypertensive individuals.
Researchers have identified a group of cells as direct targets of deep brain stimulation (DBS) using optogenetics, which reduces disease symptoms by preferentially activating neurons linked to the subthalamic nucleus region. The technique allows precise stimulation and measurement of treatment effects simultaneously in animals with Par...
Researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital have shown that certain immune cells in the blood inhibit inflammation after a stroke. Regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg) play a key role in this protection and may offer a new approach to stroke therapy.
Scientists have identified the two neural centers responsible for regulating sleep patterns, revealing that disruptions to these centers can cause jet lag. The study found that deep sleep is more closely tied to light-dark cycles, while REM sleep follows a separate internal clock, leading to a delay in adaptation to new schedules.
Researchers found that thermosensory neurons in C. elegans help regulate response to increasing heat by changing steroid signaling pathways, which affect longevity. This system allows worms to reduce the effect of warm temperature on aging processes, similar to how warm-blooded animals control their body temperature.
Scientists successfully observed extensive nerve cell death in zebrafish with a severe form of Alzheimer's disease, enabling targeted search for drugs to stop dementia. This breakthrough allows for the testing of drugs on living organisms.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University found that brain cells in a specific region store visual information for up to two seconds, enabling the creation of a stable visual world despite rapid changes. This discovery may have practical implications for understanding and treating disorders such as attention deficit disorder and dyslexia.
Researchers developed a computer program that replicates complex seashell patterns using simple principles from brain function. The 'neural net' model shows how mollusks sense and build their shells based on previous layers, much like the human brain projects memories.
Astrocytes, supportive brain cells, produce inflammatory mediators in response to viral infection. The study provides new insights into the complex mechanisms of inflammation and has significant implications for diagnosis and treatment of brain infections.
Researchers have identified a viral protein, VP16, as the molecular key that prompts herpes simplex virus to exit latency and cause recurrent disease. The study provides a molecular target for designing improved HSV vaccines and treatments, which could also be used in cancer therapy.
Researchers at Salk Institute uncover how the brain uses attention to bring salient details into focus and filter out background clutter. By exploiting the center-surround organization of receptive fields, the brain separates task-relevant information from irrelevant clutter.
A study by MIT researchers found that inhibiting a key brain enzyme in mice reversed schizophrenia-like symptoms, offering potential new drug treatments. The discovery provides insight into the DISC1 gene's role in regulating GSK3B activity and its impact on neural stem cells.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have made a significant discovery in the fight against type 1 diabetes, using adult stem cells to induce liver cells to produce insulin. The study found that a specific gene called neurogenin3 is critical for this process.
A team of researchers has discovered that the enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is crucial for the survival of neural stem cells that produce new brain cells. This finding opens up new avenues for improving brain function and health by modifying AMPK activity.
A new study reveals that reward-induced stimulus pairing can elicit visual learning in adults without conscious awareness of the stimulus presentation or reward contingencies. This suggests that automatic reinforcement mechanisms rather than directed attention drive improvements in sensory skills.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a nanotech coating that can help brain implants operate longer and improve treatment for various diseases. The coating, made of three components, enables electrodes to interface more smoothly with the brain, reducing tissue damage and improving signal transmission.
A new MIT study sheds light on the underlying neural mechanism of macular degeneration, revealing that deprived neurons respond equally to stimuli at both preferred and non-preferred locations. The findings suggest a relatively passive response to visual deprivation.
Researchers at the University of Calgary have identified a new stress response mechanism in the brain, where stress triggers a protein that removes the ability to slow down the stress response. This finding may lead to a better understanding of the changes in sensitivity to stress resulting from chronic exposure.
Researchers discovered that the locust brain encodes turbulent plumes of odor molecules using surprisingly little neural machinery. The findings suggest a new theory on how animals smell, proposing that individual neurons preserve almost full information about precise temporal dynamics of odors.
Researchers discovered that capsaicin, found in chili peppers, triggers a desensitization process in pain receptors, allowing them to adapt to painful stimuli. This adaptive response enables the receptor to continuously respond to varying stimuli, leading to a shift in responsiveness threshold.
Researchers at Northwestern University identified a key molecular relationship between SIRT1 and heat shock factor 1 that helps protect cells from damage. By activating this pathway, it may be possible to manipulate lifespan and treat age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Scientists have successfully derived brain stem cells from human embryonic stem cells, providing a continual in vitro supply of diverse types of neural cells. These cells can serve as an inexhaustible source for studying neurodegenerative diseases and possible active agents directly in human neural cells.
A new study reveals that molecular motors in cells operate in a highly coordinated manner to move internal cargo and transport organelles. The findings provide insight into the mechanisms that instruct motor movement, potentially leading to therapies for neurodegenerative disorders such as ALS and Usher syndrome.
Scientists have long debated the function of microsaccades, but researchers at the Salk Institute found they are actively controlled by the superior colliculus. The study reveals that individual neurons in this area are highly specific about which microsaccade directions and amplitudes they command.
A recent Penn study showed that sleep strengthens neural connections in the brain, leading to improved memory formation. The research discovered that a key molecule called NMDAR plays a crucial role in this process, allowing calcium ions to flow into cells and trigger enzymes that strengthen connections during sleep.
Researchers found that extra copies of the LIS1 gene can cause problems, including smaller brains and developmental abnormalities. Studies in mice and human patients revealed a link between the duplicated gene and brain diseases such as schizophrenia and autism.
A study funded by NIH found that astrocytes, not neurons, contribute to the urge to sleep when wakefulness is prolonged. The release of adenosine from these support cells causes sleep-inducing effects that can be inhibited by caffeine.