Articles tagged with Brain Structure
Chronic use of codeine-containing cough syrups is associated with brain white matter deficits, particularly in regions involved in impulse control. These changes are linked to increased impulsivity traits and correlate with the duration of CCS use.
People with schizophrenia struggle to convert desires into actions due to brain deficits affecting the caudate region. This impairment prevents them from making choices and behaving accordingly. The study's findings suggest that schizophrenics are 'stuck in neutral', wanting a normal life but unable to take necessary steps.
Researchers aim to improve stroke therapies by studying brain networks linked to movement, particularly hand and arm control. They will use techniques like fMRI and transcranial magnetic stimulation to map brain activity and stimulate specific regions.
Researchers found that somatosensory stimulation decreases the firing of pyramidal cells and increases interneuron activity, suggesting a suppressive effect on neuronal hyperexcitability. This study provides insights into signal processing in the hippocampus and explores potential therapeutic applications for brain disorders.
A new study found that amyloid buildup in one brain region can impair metabolism and activity in a distant, unaffected region. The findings suggest a long-distance effect of amyloid pathology on brain function.
A Rutgers researcher discovered consistent brain patterns in the human brain, regardless of activity level, which could lead to a better understanding of serious mental health conditions. The study's findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex, involved in high-level thinking, may be altered in people with severe mental illness.
The study found that electrical stimulation of the fastigial nucleus can increase Ku70 expression, leading to decreased Bax protein and reduced mitochondrial apoptosis. Injured brain tissue showed co-localization of Ku70 with Bax.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai have created 3-D computer models to map the brain region involved in dystonia, identifying an anatomical target for further study. The models provide information for neurologists and neurosurgeons to consider when planning surgery and making device programming decisions.
A pioneering study aims to quantify eye movements and brain responses in adults with convergence insufficiency (CI) to understand the underlying mechanisms of vision therapy. The research hopes to lead to new therapies improving daily activities, such as reading comfortably for longer periods.
A neuroimaging study reveals reduced hippocampus brain volume in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and psychotic bipolar disorder compared to healthy volunteers. Hippocampal volumes are associated with psychosis severity and cognitive performance.
Researchers found that females susceptible to MS produce higher levels of the blood vessel receptor protein S1PR2 than males, leading to the inflammation that causes MS. The study's findings have implications for developing new treatments, including a drug that disables S1PR2.
A study found that premature birth between 34-36 weeks' gestation results in differences in brain structure and cognitive skills compared to full-term births. Late preterm children showed more social, behavioral, and academic problems, as well as slower processing speed and difficulties with visuospatial reasoning.
Researchers find the lateral habenula controls sensitivity to the negative effects of drinking alcohol, leading to increased drinking behavior when the region is inactivated. This study provides new insights into addictive behaviors and may help identify individuals at risk of becoming problem drinkers.
A 'stop mechanism' was found to regulate drinking behavior by detecting thirst levels and preventing overdrinking. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified brain regions that determine the signals to stop drinking, potentially preventing complications from excessive water intake.
A new study found that estradiol hormone therapy prevented degeneration in key brain regions of postmenopausal women at heightened dementia risk. In contrast, Premarin was far less protective. The study suggests that early intervention with estradiol may help stave off dementia.
Stanford researchers have solved a riddle about the inner workings of the brain, revealing a previously unknown process that helps two brain regions cooperate when joint action is required. The study used a new approach to analyze large numbers of neurons and discovered that different regions of the brain keep results localized or broa...
A new study found that causal brain networks involved in fear regulation, imagery, and affect are also used for cognitive processing of religious beliefs. These basic networks evolved to mediate complex beliefs like those contained in religious practice.
Researchers analyzed 1.6 billion connections within the brain and found highest agreement between structure and information flow in the default mode network, responsible for inward-focused thinking. The study suggests that the structural architecture of the brain ensures automatic switching to something useful when not being used.
Researchers discovered that brain regions synchronize their activity to make it possible for people to pay attention, with the process likened to tuning multiple walkie-talkies to the same frequency. The findings have implications for understanding attention deficits in brain injuries or strokes.
Researchers found that certain brain regions exhibit enhanced gene activity levels, similar to those in young brains, allowing for the establishment of new connections. This ability may support lifelong learning and memory formation.
A new study reveals that queen paperwasps have smaller visual processing brain regions than workers, suggesting environmental factors shape caste differences. The research highlights the importance of considering individual brain differences within insect colonies for studying neuroecology.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University used fMRI to show that patients in a vegetative state can react emotionally to photographs of family and friends, suggesting they may be aware of their loved ones' presence. The study's findings provide hope for improved care and treatment for these patients.
Researchers identify lateral habenula as crucial in cost-benefit decisions, clarifying its role in daily choices and shedding light on depression treatment.
Research suggests that nicotine withdrawal is driven by a specific group of neurons in the interpeduncular nucleus. Therapies targeting these cells may help people quit smoking. The findings also hint at potential interactions with other substance-use disorders.
Researchers found that the brain processes visual input at a level of understanding its meaning, even if we never consciously perceive it. The study used EEG monitoring to show that participants' brainwaves showed a signature, or N400 waveform, when viewing objects hidden in silhouettes.
Extensive musical training affects brain structure and function, particularly when started before age 7. Research suggests that musical improvisation can rewire the brain, fostering plasticity and enhancing creativity, cognition, and learning.
A study published in Neural Regeneration Research found that Parkinson's patients with psychosis had greater white-matter fiber injury than those without psychosis. This difference may explain why psychosis often occurs in Parkinson's disease patients.
A new headpiece design could improve a depression treatment by allowing researchers to hit finer targets in the brain, up to twice as deep as today's systems. The system uses computer simulations and metamaterials to reduce pain and increase effectiveness.
A recent study found that the hippocampus helps individuals resist temptation by simulating future outcomes. Individuals with hippocampus damage, such as those with Alzheimer's disease or frontotemporal dementia, struggle to imagine long-term rewards, leading to impulsive decisions.
Researchers collect first solid evidence of brain activity pattern similarity between experimental conditions and everyday conversation. The study's novel method allows for real-life brain monitoring, potentially enabling applications like communication devices for patients with strokes.
Scientists at the University of Washington have identified a population of neurons in the brain that tell the brain to shut off appetite. In mouse trials, activation of these neurons led to immediate loss of appetite and reduced food intake.
A study found that migraine can cause long-lasting changes in brain structure, including increased risk of brain lesions, white matter abnormalities, and altered brain volume. Migraine with aura is associated with a higher risk of these changes compared to those without aura.
Researchers analyzed anatomical connectivity in the brains of subjects with Alzheimer's disease and healthy older individuals, finding widespread network disruptions. The study also identified asymmetry in the proportions of fibers connecting left and right cortical regions, which may worsen as the disease progresses.
Researchers used magnetoencephalography to track brain activity at high temporal resolution, revealing new distinctions in resting and active brain regions. The study provides novel insights into how brain networks function in cooperative groups, which is essential for better diagnosis and treatment of brain injuries.
Researchers have detected perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in the brain tissue of polar bears, which could have severe impacts on human health. The study suggests that PFASs are crossing the blood-brain barrier and accumulating in all parts of the brain, highlighting the need for further research into their effects.
A team of researchers from Imperial College London has developed a map of a typical bird brain, showing how different regions are connected to process information. They discovered that areas important for high-level cognition, such as long-term memory and problem-solving, have similar wiring patterns to those in human brains.
Researchers at UCLA discovered that brain activity in the temporoparietal junction (TPJ) is linked to persuasiveness and idea sharing. This finding could lead to more effective public health campaigns, advertisements, and communication strategies.
A study by Duke University researchers has discovered that the brain's ventromedial prefrontal cortex, a small area between the eyes, calculates both emotional and economic values. The vmPFC plays a key role in value tradeoffs, such as determining whether to part with hard-earned money for a product.
A study using fMRI found that stroke patients' brains exhibit strongest activity in damaged hemisphere regions when viewing actions they struggle with. This suggests a potential therapeutic technique using action-observation to drive plasticity and improve motor function.
New research shows that craving drugs like nicotine can be visualized in specific brain regions, suggesting abnormal interactions between decision-making brain areas could underlie addiction. Dr. Alain Dagher's study found that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regulates cigarette craving in response to drug cues.
Researchers have identified the V5 region of the brain as the site of motion prediction, enabling humans to perceive objects at predicted locations despite visual processing delays. This discovery has implications for understanding and diagnosing disorders affecting motion perception.
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London used complex networks to map human brain connections, finding symmetrical neurons may drive synchronized activity across distant regions. This breakthrough adds to recent findings on neural network growth and development.
A study using fMRI found that first-year college students' brains showed habituation to alcohol-related stimuli and alterations in cognitive control networks. Changes in neural connections may influence decision-making and judgment abilities. The research suggests that exposure to alcohol cues can disrupt brain development, particularl...
A single concussion can cause lasting structural damage to the brain, according to a new study. Brain atrophy has been found in patients one year after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), which may explain long-term neurological and psychological symptoms. The study also identified specific brain regions affected by MTBI.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University developed a new method called CETS to identify heterogeneous brain cells through epigenetic variation analysis. This will simplify the study of brain pathologies such as depression and age-associated disorders.
Researchers mapped brain regions where individual differences occur, finding variability in areas integrating information and controlling attention. This study provides insights into brain evolution and development, potentially linking diversity of human abilities to specific brain region expansions.
Researchers have found that doctors can experience their patients' pain and relief when treating them, with brain activity similar to placebo therapies. The study also shows that physicians' ability to empathize with patients affects their satisfaction during treatment.
New research reveals insulin's role in reducing desire for food after eating, impacting environmental triggers of overeating. The study found that insulin affects the ventral tegmental area, a region linked to reward-seeking behavior and addictive behaviors.
Researchers have identified specific brain areas that interact to compute confidence in decisions, allowing individuals to assess their choices. The study used fMRI to measure activity in the brains of volunteers while they made food choice decisions.
Researchers found that comatose patients' brain networks are restructured in a radical way, with some regions becoming hubs and others less connected. This changes could be linked to consciousness disorders and may help clinical practitioners diagnose comatose patients more accurately.
Research reveals obese children exhibit greater brain activation in reward regions when exposed to food logos compared to healthy weight peers. Healthy weight children show increased self-control and brain activity associated with controlling cravings.
A study published in Frontiers in Neuroscience found that musical duets show coordinated brain oscillations, even when playing different voices of the same song. This suggests a direct neural basis for interpersonal coordination, with synchronized brain activity observed in regions associated with social cognition and music production.
Researchers use electroencephalography to analyze brain activity before training on Space Fortress, a cognitive research video game. The study found that subjects with more powerful alpha wave oscillations tend to learn faster and improve reaction time and working memory.
A new study found that newborn rats' whisker twitches are linked to bursts of brain activity, suggesting a crucial role in developing sensorimotor systems. The discovery sheds light on the importance of involuntary movements during sleep in infant brain development.
Researchers have identified distinct brain regions involved in social decisions and reactions, shedding light on the neural basis of basic social behaviors. These findings may help address conditions such as autism, psychopathology, and schizophrenia, which involve social dysfunctions.
Researchers found that global brain connectivity, specifically with the left lateral prefrontal cortex, explains 10% of individual differences in intelligence. The study suggests that this connection enables flexible hub-like function, monitoring and influencing other brain regions to accomplish tasks intelligently.
Researchers mapped brain activity in 892 cognitively normal individuals and found that Alzheimer's patients spend more time using certain roads and less time with others. This suggests that varying brain activity may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease, potentially through activities like exercise, education, and social connections.
A new study at Duke University found that the temporal-parietal junction (TPJ) is responsible for processing information related to social interactions. The TPJ was active when subjects made decisions against human opponents, but not against computer opponents.
A new study suggests that viewing images of high-calorie foods stimulates the brain's appetite control center, leading to increased desire for food. The research found that this stimulation may contribute to overeating and obesity, particularly in high-risk populations such as Hispanic young women.
Researchers at the University of Granada found that many healers exhibit emotional synesthesia, allowing them to associate people with colors and emotions. This neurological condition enables them to read people's feelings and provide empathy.