Researchers developed an AI-based method to predict bitterness of peptides, enabling de novo design of bitter peptides for improved flavor control. The method used a combination of a protein language model and an artificial neural network to analyze structural data, resulting in the identification of new bitter-tasting peptides.
Researchers at Texas A&M University have found a way to intervene early in traumatic brain injuries using a natural, gut-derived chemical that prevents post-traumatic epilepsy from taking root. The treatment reduced brain inflammation, improved memory and mood, protected brain cells, made seizures both rarer and harder to trigger.
A new study reveals that smell loss can have a devastating impact on quality of life, comparable to conditions like Parkinson’s, stroke, and diabetes. Patients with smell disorders experience significant emotional, social, and psychological suffering, often rivaling those with chronic illnesses.
Researchers created a detailed diagram of smell receptors in the nose, revealing that they form horizontal stripes based on receptor type from top to bottom. The study provides foundational information for developing therapies for loss of smell and offers insights into how information moves from the nose to the brain.
A new study reveals how octopuses use their arms to recognize and mate with each other. The researchers found that the male hectocotylus contains special sensors that detect female sex hormones, allowing the males to locate females without visual cues.
Researchers confirmed core predictions of Hubel and Wiesel's model by analyzing signal transmission at individual synapses between the thalamus and visual cortex. They found that orientation selectivity emerges through cortical circuits, resolving a long-standing controversy in neuroscience.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute have discovered how the body detects light touch, revealing a key protein's unique structure and function. The study, published in Nature, sheds light on sensory disorders linked to PIEZO2 mutations, suggesting a new pathway for treating these conditions.
Researchers used computer vision and machine learning to study Drosophila melanogaster courtship. They found that males rely on specific visual cues, particularly the female's eyes, to determine her anterior-posterior body axis. This recognition shapes when and how different elements of courtship are deployed.
Researchers created detailed maps of oligodendrocytes in mouse brains, showing their precise location over time and revealing insights into how these cells impact human diseases. The study provides a whole-brain picture of myelin content and offers potential clues to preserving myelin in diseases like multiple sclerosis.
Researchers from CAMH and RWTH Aachen deciphered the molecular signature of sleeping nociceptors, a type of pain-sensing nerve cell that drives chronic pain. The findings reveal specific molecular hallmarks, including OSMR and Nav1.9, which could lead to the development of targeted therapies.
Researchers have discovered detailed visualizations of mosquito's carbon dioxide-detecting neurons, revealing anatomical adaptations designed to target human blood. The study provides key insights into the mosquito's sensing mechanisms and their unique ability to detect CO2, which contributes to their deadly status.
A study from the Champalimaud Foundation found that when fruit flies are deprived of essential amino acids, their brains upregulate two olfactory receptor genes involved in smell, leading to a refined sense of smell that guides them to protein-rich yeast and gut bacteria. This interplay between smell and taste regulates feeding behavior.
Researchers at Northwestern University captured a detailed look at TRPM3, a core temperature sensor, revealing how it turns on when temperatures rise. The finding uncovers a new way that cells sense temperature, helping explain how the nervous system distinguishes harmless warmth from dangerous heat.
Scientists at RIKEN Center for Brain Science found that fruit flies use separate circuits to compute pleasant and unpleasant odors, challenging the idea that 'good' is the opposite of 'bad'. The discovery may contribute to a better understanding of human brain's flavor appreciation mechanisms.
Salk scientists pinpoint gracile nucleus as brain area responsible for differentiating between painful and non-painful touch, with dysfunction leading to chronic pain. Altered neuronal activity in the dorsal column nuclei drives mechanical allodynia, causing the brain to misinterpret innocuous light touch as painful.
Researchers at the University of Michigan have identified a complete sensory pathway for sensing cool temperatures, which is separate from the pathway for hot temperatures. This discovery provides insight into how the skin detects its surroundings and responds to environmental changes.
Scientists at Tufts University have developed a three-dimensional model to study the regeneration of nerve tissue in the nose, revealing that dormant stem cells play a key role in preserving the sense of smell. The research found that these stem cells actively support the generation of new olfactory neurons.
A new study uses a fruit fly model to investigate the genetic basis of cocaine addiction. By genetically modifying bitter-sensing receptors in fruit flies, researchers found that these flies developed a preference for cocaine over sugar. This study suggests that genes involved in human cocaine addiction may also be active in fruit flies.
A recent study by the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich shows that less bitter-tasting pea protein hydrolysates can form bioactive peptides during digestion, which induce satiety signals via bitter taste receptors. The study reveals molecular mechanisms that can be used to optimize the tas...
A USC Stem Cell mouse study has identified shared genes involved in regenerating cells in the ear and eye, which could lead to new treatments for hearing and vision loss. The researchers discovered that inhibiting a specific protein, p27Kip1, can encourage regeneration in both organs.
Researchers developed a novel bio-hybrid drone by integrating robotic technology with biological odor sensors from insects, overcoming visual sensor limitations. The drone's enhanced performance enables accurate odor detection and tracking, broadening applications in gas sensing, disaster response, and rescue operations.
Scientists investigated the role of ancient VR type-1 (ancV1R) receptor in pheromone detection using knockout mice. The study found that ancV1R-deficient female mice had impaired pheromone detection and exhibited abnormal sexual behavior.
A USC Stem Cell study has identified key gene regulators that enable some deafened animals, including fish and lizards, to naturally regenerate their hearing. The researchers found a class of DNA control elements known as 'enhancers' that amplify the production of a protein called ATOH1, which induces sensory cells in the inner ear.
Fiber-rich food manufacturers can now create palatable products by encapsulating insoluble fibers in a soft, velvety gel coating. The treatment reduces the sensation of grittiness and dryness in the mouth by up to 52% and 36%, respectively.
Researchers at Umeå University found that muscles sense mechanical pressure, challenging current understanding of proprioception. The 'triple-eight' technique involves applying low pressure and releasing it to relieve muscle stiffness.
Researchers developed Transparent Pressure-Calibratable Interference Electrotactile Actuator (TPIEA) technology to provide consistent virtual haptic experiences. The TPIEA uses platinum nanoparticles to reduce impedance and achieve high transmittance, allowing for precise and varied tactile sensations.
Insects like fruit flies use simple, efficient systems to recognize odors. Researchers found that paired olfactory receptor neurons in fly antennae facilitate computations in the central brain through pre-processing stage.
Researchers discover a new mechanism of neural plasticity underlying learning and memory processes, highlighting the crucial role of chondroitin sulfates in brain function. The study provides insights into how these molecules contribute to synaptic modifications and spatial memory.
Researchers have discovered that certain volatile compounds emitted by microbes and food can alter epigenetic states in neurons and other eukaryotic cells. Exposure to these compounds can slow down neurodegeneration and cancer, while also affecting plant growth and responses to stress.
Patients with post–COVID-19 chemosensory alterations experience improved recovery of smell function over a 3-year period. Taste dysfunction shows lower frequency and faster recovery compared to smell dysfunction.
Researchers at the University of Basel have discovered a key signaling pathway that influences auditory sensory cell function and is downregulated with age. Removing this pathway from mouse hair cells leads to rapid hearing loss, highlighting its importance.
A team of scientists has successfully elucidated the structure and function of LITE-1, a biomolecule used by Caenorhabditis elegans to detect danger. The researchers used artificial intelligence to predict the structure of LITE-1, which is a channel protein that forms a pore in the cell membrane allowing charged particles to pass through.
The study reveals that spontaneous waves of neurotransmitter glutamate facilitate dendrite pruning, while a unique protection/punishment machinery strengthens certain connections and eliminates others. Proper pruning is critical for neural development, with insufficient or excessive connections linked to neurophysiological disorders.
A Washington State University-led study reveals that plants can distinguish between touch and release by sending slow waves of calcium signals when touched and rapid waves when released. The researchers used specially bred plants with calcium sensors to detect these changes, providing new insights into plant sensitivity.
Researchers analyzed octopus and squid sensory receptors to discover new families of chemotactile receptors that drive distinct behaviors in the environment. These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of novelty across levels of biological organization.
A Collaborative Research Centre investigates animal navigation using the Earth's magnetic field. The study focuses on vertebrates, including birds and fish, aiming to protect endangered migratory species.
Researchers at Nagoya University discovered that grass puffer fish use a non-toxic version of their deadly toxin, TDT, to attract mates and warn off predators. The study found that TDT serves as an odorant, activating specific olfactory sensory cells in the fish's brain.
The 7th International Meeting of the Digital Olfaction Society will showcase innovations and products in digital olfaction. Several demonstrations, including those by Sony and Ricoh, will be displayed, highlighting progress in olfactory measurement, testing, and transmission.
A study by researchers at Linköping University and the Oregon Health and Science University has discovered that many cells in the inner ear react simultaneously to low-frequency sound, making it easier to experience these sounds. This new understanding may lead to improved cochlear implants for people with severe hearing impairments.
Researchers found that woodpeckers have regained the ability to sense sugar by repurposing their savory receptor. In contrast, wrynecks selectively lost this ability due to a single amino acid change in their receptor, highlighting a novel mechanism of sensory reversion.
Scientists have discovered a master gene that programs ear hair cells into either outer or inner ones, enabling the development of these cells to restore hearing. This breakthrough could provide a previously unavailable tool to create specific hair cells and improve treatments for age-related hearing loss.
A recent study estimates that between 700,000 and 1.6 million US individuals have experienced a lasting loss or change in their sense of smell due to SARS-CoV-2. The analysis suggests that these individuals may be experiencing chronic COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction.
Researchers at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology have identified the 'caramel receptor', which recognizes furaneol, a natural odorant found in fruits and coffee. This discovery contributes to a better understanding of molecular coding of food flavors.
A recent study analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's coronavirus self-checker to identify symptoms reported by adults with and without SARS-CoV-2 infection following a loss of taste or smell. The results revealed distinct symptom profiles for individuals with and without the virus.
Researchers created a bionic arm that combines intuitive motor control with touch and hand movement sensation, enabling wearers to think and behave like a person without an amputation. The system's bi-directional feedback and control allowed study participants to perform tasks with similar accuracy as non-disabled people.
Researchers from USC Stem Cell discovered a latent regenerative potential in the inner ear's sensory cells. They found that epigenetic modifications regulate hair cell development and identified a key histone decoration, H3K4me1, that keeps supporting cells primed for transdifferentiation.
Scientists from Okayama University discovered that marine flatworms develop gravity-sensing ability within 0-7 days after hatching, with a statolith forming in the statocyst. The statocyst comprises nerve cords and is connected to the nervous system through the basal lamina and stc.
Researchers found identical structures in horseshoe crab and ancient sea scorpion eyes, suggesting contrast enhancement evolved over 400 million years. The findings shed light on the evolution of compound eyes in arthropods.
Scientists at Linköping University found that the tectorial membrane stores calcium ions, which regulate sensory cell function. Temporary hearing loss occurs when the membrane's calcium ion concentration drops, but returns to normal once it replenishes.
Research conducted by the University of Exeter and University of Strathclyde found that people with prosthetic arms are less affected by the size-weight illusion. The study compared perception in amputees using prosthetics with those using their natural hands, finding a significant difference in illusion strength.
Researcher Benjamin J. Perrin is advancing knowledge of age-related hearing loss by exploring the function of sensory cells in the inner ear. He hopes to develop a maintenance-of-living-cells approach to prevent or restore hearing loss, with implications for millions of people.
Massachusetts Eye and Ear researchers have linked symptoms of difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments to evidence of cochlear synaptopathy in young adults. Regular use of hearing protection significantly improved test scores.
Researchers identified pejvakin as a crucial molecule in the hearing system, and its absence is linked to noise-induced hearing loss. The study found that mice with inactivated pejvakin genes exhibited varying levels of hearing impairments, highlighting the importance of environmental factors in hearing damage.
Researchers at LMU Munich discovered that low-frequency signals activate measurable responses in auditory circuits, contrary to the assumption that the ear is unresponsive to these frequencies. The study found that low-frequency hum stimulates the cochlea and induces slow oscillations in spontaneous otoacoustic emissions.
Researchers identify Bmp7 molecule as key player in establishing auditory system organization and positioning of sensory cells. The study offers insight into how hair cells learn to detect specific frequencies, shedding light on a fundamental principle of the auditory system.
Researchers have identified a key channel crucial for hearing, contradicting the long-held theory that TMC proteins are the transduction channel. The new findings suggest that the actual channel may be a distinct membrane protein expressed alongside other key molecules.
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet have discovered that the hairs in the inner ear not only move sideways but also change in length when stimulated by sound waves. This finding provides new fundamental knowledge about the mechanisms of hearing and may help develop a new treatment for impaired hearing.
A new protein has been identified as crucial for protecting sensory cells in the ear, according to a study led by University of Iowa researchers. The protein, claudin-9, helps maintain the separation of potassium ions between cells, preventing intoxication and functional defects.
Researchers identified a new protein that protects sensory cells in the ear, crucial for maintaining potassium balance and preventing intoxication. The study found mutations in the claudin-9 gene lead to functional defective sensory cells, highlighting the importance of this protein in hearing.