Brain damage caused by plasticisers
Biologists found that plasticisers bisphenol A and bisphenol S disrupt nerve cell communication in fish brains. They warn of similar effects on human brains, highlighting the need for alternative plasticisers.
Neuroplasticity
Articles tagged with Neuroplasticity
Losing money causes plastic changes in the brain
Researchers at HSE University found that signals predicting financial losses evoke plastic changes in the cortex, allowing for more accurate identification of impending financial troubles. These changes occur rapidly and automatically, without requiring voluntary attention.
SourceNational Research University Higher School of Economics·JournalScientific Reports·DateDec 15, 2020
New scientific study shows brain injuries can be unbroken by innovative neuro-technologies
A recent scientific study led by the Centre for Neurology Studies at HealthTech Connex and Simon Fraser University reports breakthroughs in brain health recovery for Captain Trevor Greene, a Canadian veteran who survived an axe attack in Afghanistan. The study used innovative neuro-technologies, including Portable Neuromodulation Stimu...
World first study links obesity with reduced brain plasticity
A world-first study has found that severely overweight individuals are less likely to re-wire their brains and form new neural pathways. This impairment in brain plasticity makes it harder for them to learn new tasks and remember things, with significant implications for people recovering from strokes or brain injuries. Obesity is asso...
Kessler Foundation researchers receive grant to study robotic intervention post stroke
Researchers at Kessler Foundation will conduct a comprehensive five-year study on the effects of robotic exoskeleton-assisted gait training in patients with stroke. The study aims to improve recovery of lost mobility and understand the mechanisms underlying the effects of exoskeleton-assisted gait therapy.
Reaching and grasping -- Learning fine motor coordination changes the brain
Researchers at the University of Basel's Biozentrum have discovered a new group of nerve cells in the red nucleus that changes with fine motor tasks. Practicing grasping movements strengthens connections between neurons, optimizing movement and storing it in the brain as a code.
Genetic variants may influence poststroke recovery
A meta-analysis of 12 international stroke studies identified common genetic variants associated with poststroke recovery outcomes. The study found a significant genetic variant linked to worse outcomes, and suggests that genes may contribute to individual differences in recovery.
Audio-motor learning during musical training
A study discovered rapid recruitment of auditory-to-motor cortical pathways when participants played or passively listened to learned melodies. Brain connectivity between motor and auditory areas was also associated with training success, suggesting potential implications for rehabilitation strategies based on audio-motor learning.
SourceProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 11, 2018
To sleep, perchance to forget
A four-year study published in Science found that sleep leads to a 20% decrease in synapse size, allowing for more growth and learning the next day. The discovery supports the synaptic homeostasis hypothesis, suggesting that sleep is essential for brain plasticity.
Electrical stimulation in brain bypasses senses, instructs movement
A new study shows that very low levels of electrical stimulation can instruct an appropriate response or action in the brain, bypassing damaged senses. The findings have significant implications for the development of neuro-prosthetics and brain-computer interfaces.
Brain damage in fish affected by plastic nanoparticles
A recent study conducted at Lund University has found that brain damage can occur in fish due to exposure to plastic nanoparticles. The research shows that these tiny particles can accumulate in the brains of fish and cause behavioural disorders, including slower eating rates and reduced exploration.
New understanding of brain plasticity may lead to novel treatment approaches
Researchers explore therapeutic interventions like light, sound, and electrical energy to resynchronize damaged neurons in the brain. Neuroplasticity can be harnessed to treat a range of conditions, from bad habits to chronic pain syndromes.
SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalAlternative and Complementary Therapies·DateNov 16, 2016
Can physical exercise enhance long-term memory?
A new study published in Brain Plasticity reports that running mice developed twice the normal number of new neurons and showed improved ability to distinguish between similar objects. This improvement in pattern separation is crucial for everyday memory tasks like remembering chess piece shapes or patterns on a board.
Stimulating specific brain area could help defrost arms frozen by stroke
A study published at Neuroscience 2015 found that magnetically stimulating a specific part of the brain can affect arm movements in patients with severely disabling post-stroke arm impairment. The research suggests that repeated stimulation of the unaffected side of the brain may help teach it to control the impaired arm.
Electroconvulsive therapy changes key areas of the human brain that play a role in memory, emotion
Researchers found that ECT alters the hippocampus and amygdala, structures linked to mood and learning, in patients with major depression. These changes correlated with improved mood and treatment response.
SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalBiological Psychiatry·DateMar 30, 2015
New pathways discovered to prevent blindness
Scientists at Monash University have made a major breakthrough in understanding how the brain adapts to vision loss by discovering a second pathway for visual information. This new pathway, through the pulvinar area of the brain, plays a crucial role in rerouting visual information following injury or trauma.
Vision restored with total darkness
A study by Dalhousie University researchers found that immersion in total darkness can rapidly restore vision in kittens with amblyopia. The recovery depends on the loss of neurofilaments holding the visual system in place. Darkness therapy holds promise for treating children with amblyopia, but more research is needed to determine the...
PNAS study: Language structure arises from balance of clear and effective communication
A team of researchers found that when learning a new language, humans automatically organize words into sentences that are both clearly understood and efficient to communicate. Participants in the study added case markings to nouns precisely when it made the sentence clearer, indicating a universal principle guiding language structure.
SourceGeorgetown University Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 15, 2012
Taking music seriously
A review of research linking musical training to learning highlights the neural connections made during musical training also prime the brain for other aspects of human communication. Music training enhances neuroplasticity and enables the nervous system to provide stable patterns for meaningful learning.
Rehabilitation can restore some vision after stroke
Vision restoration therapy (VRT) is a new technique that can help patients with visual field defects recover their sight after a stroke. Through repeated use of damaged areas, VRT strengthens nerve activity related to vision, leading to significant improvements in sample stimulus detection and reduction in undetected stimuli.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Enhances Short-Term Brain Plasticity
Researchers have shown that TMS can modify brain reorganization, potentially accelerating recovery and rehabilitation. The technique may also be used to promote learning and improve brain function after injuries or trauma.