Articles tagged with Neurons
Researchers identify neural and signaling mechanisms responsible for hallucinogen effects by studying the activation of 5-HT2A receptors in the brain. The findings may advance understanding of neuropsychiatric disorders treated with existing pharmacological treatments.
Researchers at UCLA suggest that the brain uses physical changes to cells to monitor time, rather than a clock-like mechanism. The team's computer model showed that the brain-cell network can encode time through the context of preceding events, which was tested in a study with research volunteers.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center successfully cultured stem cells from human bone marrow that can differentiate into neurons and other central nervous system cells. These cells exhibit behaviors similar to those derived from brain tissue, suggesting a promising approach for treating brain disorders and tumors.
Researchers found that ion channels are physically bound to G proteins, allowing for precise targeting of electrical signals. This discovery could lead to the development of more efficient drugs for epilepsy and other nervous system diseases.
Two studies in Neuron shed significant light on how the brain processes numerical information and how it develops in children. The research found that the parietal cortex activates during perception of both abstract quantities and numerical symbols, suggesting an important role for this region in processing quantitative information.
A team of researchers found the cellular mechanism that prevents protein mutations and accumulation, a hallmark of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. This discovery may lead to new insights into neurological disease origins and potential therapeutic strategies.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota successfully used adult stem cells to replace the immune system and bone marrow of mice, offering a promising new therapy for people in the future. The study replicated previous findings and demonstrated that multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs) can give rise to blood cells.
Researchers have isolated broad potential stem cells from amniotic fluid, which can give rise to various specialized cell types. These cells, named amniotic fluid-derived stem (AFS) cells, may represent an intermediate stage between embryonic and adult stem cells.
Researchers at the University of Vermont have clarified the cellular process responsible for signaling regional blood flow changes in the brain. Astrocytes play a crucial role in communicating with blood vessels through potassium ions, leading to rapid dilation and increased local blood flow.
During fasting, brain cells responsible for stimulating appetite make sure you stay hungry. The researchers revealed a link between active thyroid hormone in the brain and increases in an 'uncoupling' protein (UCP2) that boosts power-generating mitochondria, allowing the brain's hunger center to remain active.
A study published in the Journal of Neuroscience has identified two proteins, SDF1 and Ang1, as key triggers for neuronal migration and regeneration after a stroke. These molecular signals, released by newly formed blood vessels, promote post-stroke neuroblast migration, holding promise for developing new therapies to repair brain cells.
Research by Graham R. Huesmann and David F. Clayton reveals that activated caspase-3 protein is essential for memory storage and forms short-lived, localized synaptic processes. The findings provide direct evidence of a change in caspase-3's availability during memory formation.
A study published by Stanford University researchers found that the brain's neural activity can predict movement variability, contradicting the long-held assumption that consistency lies in muscle mechanics. The research suggests that flexibility and improvisation are key features of human movement.
Researchers discovered that the chemical language of nerve cells is determined by electrical activity in the developing nervous system. This finding suggests modifying nerve activity could be a treatment for various brain disorders.
Adult stem cells in a specific region of the mouse brain have a built-in mechanism to participate in the repair and remodeling of damaged tissue. The study's findings suggest that these cells may also exist in humans, potentially leading to new treatments for disorders like stroke and traumatic injury.
Researchers found that mice with severely damaged brains showed substantial mending within weeks after losing specific genes. The repair was attributed to neural stem cell 'escapees' that retained or restored the gene activity, enabling regenerative potential.
Researchers have identified two molecular receptors in fruit flies that detect carbon dioxide, a key factor in attracting blood-feeding insects. This finding could lead to the design of insect repellents to combat global infectious diseases.
Botulinum toxins bind to neurons, disrupting communication and leading to paralysis. The new study provides a structural glimpse of how these toxins recognize receptors on human neurons, offering a promising target for designing drugs to block their action.
Researchers used a natural protein called BMP4 to inhibit glioblastoma, a deadly human brain cancer, in mice by targeting stem-cell-like clusters that feed the cancer. The treatment was successful in stopping cancer growth and improving survival rates.
A team of researchers from Baylor College of Medicine has found a key component in the formation of long-term memory in fruit flies. The study showed that increased calcium influx into mushroom body neurons parallels the creation of new synapses associated with long-term memory, and can be blocked by specific laboratory techniques.
A team of researchers at UCSD School of Medicine has identified a genetic regulatory pathway that controls the choice between proliferation and differentiation in neural cells. Defects in this pathway result in brain malformations, such as Dandy-Walker malformation, which affects motor development and causes progressive skull enlargement.
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine has discovered a natural toxin, PAR-polymer, responsible for most tissue and organ damage after a period of blood oxygen loss followed by restored blood flow. The toxin triggers cell death through a process called parthanatos, which can be prevented with potential new treatments.
A study published in the Journal of Biology found that chemotherapy drugs can cause long-term damage to brain cells, killing neural stem cells and oligodendrocytes, and impairing neural stem cell division. This may explain the adverse neurological side effects observed in some cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.
A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that VIP synchronizes biological clocks, clarifying its role alongside GABA. Without VIP, cells lose synchrony, indicating its coordinator function.
A study reveals human-specific sequence changes in DNA sequences regulating nerve cell adhesion molecules, leading to the uniquely human features of brain development and function. The researchers identified accelerated evolution of conserved noncoding sequences near genes involved in neuronal cell adhesion.
Researchers tracked brain activity in rats while they tasted water, salt water, and sugar water, finding that a formerly disliked taste became pleasurable when the rats were deprived of salt. This study provides new insights into how the brain processes pleasure and has implications for understanding eating disorders and addiction.
Researchers identified 'sociality' neurons in bird brains, which promote positive affiliation and are more active in gregarious species. The study's findings have implications for understanding social behavior in animals, including humans.
A study published in BMC Biology found that G-CSF protein reduces the size of the affected brain area by a third when injected four hours after a stroke, and restores motor functions in rats. Regular delayed injections of G-CSF starting up to three days after experimental stroke are also effective.
Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital have identified a novel pathway that influences the timing of nerve-cell production, favoring neuron over astrocyte formation. This discovery may provide insights into diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and autism.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine have identified a critical protein player in cell communication, which controls calcium flow into cells. This finding sheds new light on the rare cognitive disorder Williams-Beuren syndrome, associated with overly social behavior and spatial learning defects.
A study finds that the mutant huntingtin protein disrupts energy metabolism, leading to neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease. Researchers discovered that PGC-1a levels are lower in affected cells, suggesting a protective role for the protein.
A study published in NeuroImage found structural abnormalities in the planum temporale of individuals with Williams syndrome, which may explain their enhanced auditory skills. Despite smaller brain volumes, the temporal lobe was found to be of normal volume, suggesting that other factors contribute to their unique abilities.
Researchers discovered that food anticipation activates key hunger centers in the brain, while satiety circuits respond to the first bites of food. The study sheds light on the intricate processes governing appetite regulation and suggests a potential link between hormones like leptin and brain activity.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston discovered that curcumin blocks the activity of gastrointestinal hormone neurotensin, implicated in colorectal cancer development. Curcumin reduces IL-8 production, accelerating tumor growth and metastasis.
A specific taste receptor, Gr66a, has been identified as responsible for the detection of caffeine's bitter taste in fruit flies. The receptor plays a crucial role in mediating caffeine's perception and is also involved in the processing of other methylxanthines.
Researchers found that slow theta oscillations tune into high-gamma waves, allowing areas of the brain to coordinate activity and transmit information. This coupling enables top-down executive processes like attention and memory to be connected to low-level perceptions and actions.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University are studying the mechanisms that underlie neuronal synchronization, which is thought to be involved in perception and consciousness. The study aims to understand how normal gamma oscillations are generated and how alterations in this synchrony contribute to schizophrenia.
Researchers at Harvard University have identified two compounds, LTB4 and LXA4, that stimulate stem cell growth in the brain. These findings may lead to new therapeutic approaches for neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Researchers found that increasing brain levels of the enzyme ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (Uch-L1) can reverse lapses of memory in Alzheimer's mice. This suggests that Uch-L1 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and could be a new target for therapy.
A new study suggests that constant lighting in NICUs can disrupt the development of premature babies' biological clocks. Researchers found that newborn mice exposed to constant light were unable to maintain coherent rhythms and had difficulty establishing a regular activity cycle.
A novel proteomics study has shown that proteins regulating brain-cell activity behave like volume controls, allowing for incremental levels of activity. This 'homeostatic plasticity' enables neurons to adapt to changing environments.
Researchers discovered that brain neurons combine economic value and spatial information to control decision-making behaviors, contradicting the previous pure economic view. This study has implications for understanding human disorders such as addiction, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Scientists from the University of Florida have found that ordinary human brain cells can generate new brain tissue in mice and produce large amounts of new brain cells in culture. This discovery could potentially be used to fight Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, and other brain disorders.
Scientists studying the brains of flies, moths, and cuttlefish have made discoveries about the mechanics of how the brain regulates behavior. Researchers have identified specific brain chemicals and regions that allow for rapid color changes in cuttlefish, similar to the human motor cortex.
A team of researchers at the California Institute of Technology has identified a specific region in the brain responsible for processing risk and reward, known as the 'gambling circuitry'. This discovery could help understand abnormal risk-taking behavior in disorders such as addiction and bipolar disorder.
A research team from Massachusetts General Hospital has discovered a potential drug target for Huntington's disease by identifying a novel inhibitor of Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP1). PARP1 inhibitors can protect HD-affected cells from damage and energy depletion in laboratory assays.
Researchers identified a new disorder called enteric anendocrinosis caused by a mutation in the Neurogenin-3 gene. Patients with this condition develop type I diabetes and have abnormally low endocrine cells in their intestine, leading to severe malnutrition and growth failure.
Researchers have identified key components in the molecular mechanism of serotonin's action on appetite regulation. Serotonin and drugs that affect its action act on neurons to reduce AgRP release and increase αMSH levels, disrupting function of melanocortin receptors.
Researchers from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute have found significantly fewer neurons in the amygdala of males with autism, a key brain region responsible for emotional responses and social learning. The study provides new insights into the neuroanatomical basis of autism, which may help advance research into this lifelong neurodevel...
A Rice University study has identified the complexin protein as a brake that shortens response time for signal transmission in nerve cells, enabling nearly instantaneous passing of information. This breakthrough sheds light on the mechanisms behind rapid neural signaling.
The brain's craving for a fix motivates humans to absorb knowledge at an optimal rate, driven by the release of natural opiates. This theory, proposed by USC Professor Irving Biederman, suggests that knowledge addiction has strong evolutionary value due to its correlation with perceived intelligence.
Researchers found that women's brains responded with stronger electrical activity when viewing erotic images than non-erotic content, regardless of its pleasantness or disturbance level. The study suggests that the brain processes erotic material differently, potentially due to evolutionary factors.
A study found that urocortin I impairs glucose-sensing neurons, leading to prolonged hypoglycemic responses. The regulation of the counterregulatory response is largely determined by CRFR2-mediated suppression and CRFR1-mediated activation in the hypothalamus.
Scientists at the University of Manchester have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which glucose blocks brain cells responsible for regulating wakefulness. This finding has implications for understanding and treating disorders such as narcolepsy, obesity, and addiction.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School have defined a molecular signaling pathway linking oxidative stress to cell death in brain neurons. The discovery of the MST-FOXO biochemical switch mechanism may provide potential new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's.
A new mechanism explains how glucose inhibits neurons that regulate wakefulness, revealing a role for previously unknown potassium ion channels. Glucose levels affect the firing rate of these neurons, shedding light on cellular pathways regulating vigilance states and energy balance.
The Salk Institute research found that humans have neurons selective for gender based on motion cues, which adjust their selectivity on the fly. This mechanism allows humans to adapt quickly to local gait patterns, reflecting inherent differences in shape and movement.
Researchers have discovered that astrocytes become activated when their whiskers are stimulated, sending signals to the brain. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that astrocytes don't communicate much and suggests they may be part of everyday brain function.
Researchers have identified the specific step in the neurogenesis pathway that Prozac (fluoxetine) stimulates, increasing the number of neurons in the brain. The study's findings lay the foundation for future cell replacement therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have discovered a new compound that specifically targets FKBP38 receptor, reducing programmed cell death in neuronal cells. The compound protects neurons and promotes neural stem cell proliferation, offering potential therapeutic application for stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases.