Articles tagged with Sensory Neurons
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Researchers have identified specific neurons in the brainstem of mice that encode sweetness and convey sweet taste-specific signals. This breakthrough study reveals new information about how different taste qualities are processed by distinct types of neurons.
A recent study has discovered that female fruit flies can sense the sensation of sex and reject unwanted partners, independent of sperm presence. The 'copulation effect' involves a neural circuit that allows females to quickly determine if they've successfully mated.
Researchers created an algorithm that generated images to super-stimulate monkey neurons, showing the brain builds preferred images from scratch. The study reveals insights into how the brain learns to abstract statistically relevant features of its world.
Researchers at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute have made a breakthrough in understanding how neurons navigate to their targets, potentially leading to treatments for spinal cord injuries and motor disorders. The study discovered that Sonic hedgehog molecules act like breadcrumbs to guide axons towards specific locations.
Researchers have identified distinct sensory neuron systems for detecting different intensities of cold in mammals, which may lead to the development of new drugs for treating cold-related pain. The study found that Trpm8 neurons detect acute cold and NaV1.8-expressing neurons detect prolonged extreme cold.
Researchers studied neural activity of thalamus and cerebral cortex to understand sensory perception of tactile stimuli. They found that functional interactions between neurons in these areas influence the decision on stimulus detection.
A study by SISSA neuroscientists reveals the existence of temporal maps in the brain's supplementary motor area (SMA) for decoding abstract features of time. The maps are represented via topography and duration tuning, with different portions responding to specific durations.
A new preclinical study published in JNeurosci found that switching mice from saturated fat-based diets to monounsaturated fat-rich diets restored and protected nerve function in obese mice. The results suggest that interventions targeting dietary fats may provide a new therapeutic avenue for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy.
New research reveals that individual amygdala neurons in monkeys respond to both touch, imagery, and sounds, suggesting these cells facilitate the processing of multisensory social and emotional information. The findings challenge assumptions about the amygdala's primary response to visual stimuli.
Researchers at Bar-Ilan University discovered the intricate molecular mechanism of the guidance receptor 'Robo', which reacts to signals in its environment while avoiding premature activity. The findings provide a basis for designing effective drugs targeting Robo receptors, potentially treating various neurological and cancer conditions.
Researchers discovered that C. elegans neurons fire action potentials, a more digital type of signaling, rather than analog signals previously thought. This finding opens doors to improved neural mapping and insights into how complicated brains operate.
Researchers found NGF has therapeutic properties for diseases like cutaneous ulcers, glaucoma, and Retinitis Pigmentosa. Early studies led to the development of safe dosages and new treatment routes with NGF-based therapy.
Researchers decipher how brain's cortex processes sensory information and optimizes synaptic connections through feedback systems. This study sheds light on the mechanisms of perceptual learning and its potential applications in computerized learning systems and artificial intelligence.
Researchers discovered a key brain mechanism that underlies our ability to rapidly focus attention. The cholinergic system plays a crucial role in triggering desynchronization of neurons, allowing individual neurons to respond to sensory information differently. This allows us to focus on specific stimuli while ignoring distractions.
A new mechanism has been discovered for the onset of migraines, involving a mutation in a protein that inhibits neuronal electrical activity. This finding opens a new path for the development of anti-migraine medicines by targeting K2P2.1 channels to reduce neuronal excitability.
The study challenges traditional understanding of brain circuits, finding that neurons in thicker areas have longer, more complex structures. This affects how individual neurons process sensory input and compare it to internal models.
A review from the Center for the Study of Itch identifies key factors contributing to the itch-scratch cycle, including immune responses and behavior. The study suggests that targeting specific molecules, such as cytokines, may be effective in treating chronic itching conditions.
Researchers found that mutations in specific genes also attack sensory neurons, leading to new insights for preventing or reversing ALS. Sensory neurons' axons exhibit similar pathological changes as motor neurons, making them a potential target for discovering and testing molecules to treat ALS.
Marley Kass, PhD, of Rutgers University, has been awarded the $2,500 Donald B. Lindsley Prize in Behavioral Neuroscience for her thesis on experience-dependent plasticity of early sensory processing in mice.
Researchers identified 'navigator' neurons that play a key role in establishing the olfactory map and correcting faulty connections. These neurons, which only exist during early development, undergo exuberant axon growth and have distinct molecular signatures.
A study published in Scientific Reports found that 80% of tracked neurons were reliably activated by the same oriented lines throughout a two-week period. The researchers used two-photon microscopy to visualize hundreds of neurons and tested an extensive range of stimuli, including varying line thickness.
Researchers discovered that activating Piezo2-expressing neurons induces painful sensations in mice and that rodents deficient in Piezo2 do not register pain in response to soft touches. Blocking Piezo2 function may prevent allodynia without affecting normal pain responses.
Researchers have identified a novel gut-brain neural circuit establishing the vagus nerve as essential for regulating reward and motivation. The study reveals that stimulating the right branch of the vagus nerve can excite reward neurons in the brain, offering potential targets for therapy for eating and emotional disorders.
Researchers at Duke University discovered a neural circuit that enables the brain to predict motion based on past experiences and sensory inputs, mirroring Bayesian statistical inference. This discovery could improve our understanding of motor control and eye movements.
Researchers have isolated a volume control in the brain for pain and identified a small group of neurons in the cortex that can amplify touch sensation. Silencing these neurons may help break a feedback loop that introduces and exaggerates the pain response to normally non-painful touch.
Researchers developed a new method to measure degeneration of sensory neurons grown in a lab, improving the screening of experimental therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. The automated test uses software-assisted analysis to accurately assess nerve cell densities and shapes.
The motor cortex is essential for executing corrective movements in response to unexpected changes of sensory input, but not when movements are executed spontaneously. Neuronal activity patterns in the motor cortex differ between these two scenarios.
Researchers from D'Or Institute and L'Oréal R&I successfully generated functional human sensory neurons that respond to painful stimuli. The breakthrough discovery has significant implications for the study of chronic pain, analgesic drugs, and the development of reconstructed human skin with enhanced neuro-inflammation predictivity.
A team led by W. Christopher Risher discovered that the α2δ-1 receptor is necessary for synapse structure and brain connectivity, implicating astrocyte-to-neuron signaling in psychiatric disorders such as autism and addiction.
Researchers identified genetic determinants of the lateral plate ectoderm in Ciona intestinalis, showing interlocking regulatory interactions. The study suggests that the entire lateral plate may be the source of both placodal and neural crest derivatives in vertebrates.
Researchers from Duke University found that single neurons can switch between encoding information for two different sounds, suggesting a potential explanation for how the brain processes complex information. The study's results may also shed light on perceptual and cognitive limitations.
A study reveals that small changes in a fruit fly's brain wiring can greatly impact its mating behavior, leading to different responses to the same pheromone. The research suggests that variations in brain circuits may underlie species-specific reactions to specific scents.
A new study tracked how the brain processes visual information from simple sensory inputs to meaningful categories, finding a continuum of activity across multiple cortical regions. The research challenges classic beliefs about separate regions playing distinct roles, suggesting a more integrated network of functional similarities.
A new study at MIT's Picower Institute found that the posterior parietal cortex plays a crucial role in converting vision into action. The research team identified specific neurons in this region that respond to visual patterns and motor actions, suggesting a key link between seeing and acting.
Researchers have discovered a previously overlooked connection between neurons in two distinct areas of the mammalian brain that control the sense of touch. In mice, layer 4 neurons in the S2 region extended their axons beyond their local area to reach neurons in the S1 region, suggesting a link between movement and sensation.
Researchers at UCLA have successfully transferred a memory from one marine snail to another by injecting RNA, creating an artificial memory. The study could lead to new ways to lessen the trauma of painful memories and restore lost ones.
A new study reveals that disrupted insulin signalling in pain sensory neurons is the underlying cause of diabetes-induced pain in fruit flies. Increasing insulin signalling reverses pain hypersensitivity in these model flies, suggesting a potential treatment for diabetic neuropathy patients.
A new study from USC Keck School of Medicine finds that exposure to loud noises damages hearing by killing sensory hair cells and filling the inner ear with fluid. Injecting a salt- or sugar-based solution into the middle ear can prevent up to 64% of neuron loss, offering hope for preserving hearing function.
Researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center mapped critical brain-to-spinal cord nerve connections that drive voluntary movement in forelimbs. The study identified specific neurons that control different skilled movements and provided insights into the organization and function of corticospinal circuits.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that intense exercise reduces appetite by activating temperature-sensitive receptors in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that regulates metabolism and weight. The study provides evidence that body temperature can act as a biological signal that regulates feeding behavior.
Researchers at Max Delbrück Center found that a single spike from pyramidal cells can cause parvalbumin-expressing neurons to fire efficiently and even silence neighboring cells. This mechanism helps the brain filter subtle but important stimuli amidst noise, leading to better signal detection.
Researchers have developed a concept to preferentially inhibit pain-transmitting neurons using direct electrical current. The new approach could reduce side effects of conventional devices, allowing for more precise targeting of pain-transmitting nerve cells.
Researchers at New York University have found that strong signals can be transmitted across many areas of the brain using a balanced large-scale neural circuit mechanism. This discovery may help explain how conscious information processing is achieved.
Researchers found that adult-born neurons react to reward-related stimuli, speeding up the connection between sensory information and reward. This discovery suggests that adult neurogenesis plays a crucial role in associative learning processes.
Researchers investigated how the brain constructs the world by integrating sensory signals from multiple modalities. They found that the posterior parietal cortex plays a crucial role in merging signals to form meaningful representations of objects and memories.
A team of neuroscientists has discovered that specific taste neurons located in the fruit fly's proboscis are responsible for its protein craving. The study, published in eLife, identifies two groups of neurons that regulate the fly's feeding behavior.
Researchers at University of Maryland School of Medicine identified a type of cell in the brain's primary processing area that responds to sound, providing new insights into early sensory development. This breakthrough has implications for diagnosing autism and other cognitive deficits emerging early in development.
Researchers at Salk Institute reveal specific neurons called RORbeta interneurons inhibit transmission of disruptive sensory info, promoting a fluid gait during walking. This sophisticated spinal cord processing highlights the nervous system's ability to selectively shut off irrelevant information.
Scientists discovered that sensory neurons in the head and face are directly connected to the brain's emotional pathways, explaining why people experience greater fear and emotional suffering from these types of pain. This finding may lead to more effective treatments for chronic headaches and neuropathic face pain.
A new study led by University of Maryland neuroscientists found that subplate neurons, thought to have no role in transmitting sensory information, may conduct such signals after all. This discovery could enable early diagnosis of autism and other cognitive deficits.
Researchers have discovered new neural connections in a critical brain region of the fruit fly, challenging existing maps and highlighting the need for detailed brain mapping. High-resolution electron microscopy has revealed these unexpected synapses, which may be crucial for learning and memory.
A new study from the Salk Institute discovered that the p75 protein plays a crucial role in pain signaling, supporting the survival of sensory neurons that transmit pain signals. This finding has significant implications for understanding neurological disorders and developing treatments for conditions such as spinal cord injury.
A Harvard Medical School study found that neurons involved in learning and memory are less stable than previously thought, but more flexible. This flexibility allows the brain to easily integrate new information and adapt to changing circumstances.
Researchers have developed a new surgical technique to reconnect sensory neurons to the spinal cord, offering hope for treating traumatic spinal injuries. The technique involves implanting neural offshoots into the dorsal horn of the spinal cord to form a functional neural circuit.
Researchers visualize how fruit flies sense and process both temperature and humidity through their brains, revealing a 'sensory map' that helps them avoid hot and dry conditions. This discovery could inform strategies to prevent mosquito-borne diseases by targeting the mosquitoes' own humidity receptors.
Researchers discovered cooperative neural networks in posterior parietal cortex, allowing information persistence over time, and contrasted with independent auditory cortex neurons.
Researchers found that mice lacking a sense of smell lose an average of 16% body weight, with most weight loss coming from fat. The team discovered a link between the loss of smell and increased burning of brown fat, which helps with weight regulation.
Researchers develop fully automated method to analyze neural networks trained on visual data, shedding light on node firing patterns and emphasis on different visual properties. The approach provides specific insights into the organization of human brain and computer vision algorithms.
Researchers at UC Berkeley reconstructed a mouse's whisker map of its surroundings, revealing a new layer of spatial awareness. This discovery may have implications for understanding how humans perceive space and navigate their environment.
Researchers found that increasing serotonergic activity in a mouse model of autism improved social behavior and reduced abnormal brain activity. The study suggests that serotonin may be potentially therapeutic for discrete ASD symptoms.