Articles tagged with Brain
Using tropical fish, researchers discovered the brain processes sensory information to control movement. The study sheds light on the communication between the brain and body, potentially contributing to medical advances in humans.
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.
A study by UC Irvine scientists found that short but repeated learning sessions can slow the development of two brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest that stimulating the mind through activities like reading or crossword puzzles may help delay and/or prevent the disease in senior citizens.
Scientists have made a surprising connection between Alzheimer's disease and the body's arterial system. Reduced blood flow in the brain precedes cognitive decline in patients with Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have developed a novel transdermal vaccine approach that effectively clears brain-damaging plaques from a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The vaccine works by triggering the immune system to recognize abnormal protein Ab as a foreign invader, reducing cognitive deficits and senile plaque burden.
A UCL study found that relying on instincts rather than higher-level cognitive processes can lead to more accurate decisions. Participants who were given no time to think performed better, with accuracy rates of 95% compared to 70% when given over a second to scrutinize the image.
A study found that brain hemorrhages associated with warfarin increased by over tenfold in people over age 80, while the rate for all other populations quadrupled between 1988 and 1999. The increase was largely due to greater use of the drug, which is prescribed to prevent blood clots.
A groundbreaking case study reveals that congenitally blind individuals can acquire visual function and skills even after extended periods of blindness during childhood. The findings challenge the widely-held 'critical period' theory, suggesting the brain's ability to relearn and adapt remains flexible throughout life.
Researchers at University of Illinois Chicago discovered that receptor numbers on nerve cells are controlled by brain's level of glutamate, a previously ignored neurotransmitter. This finding has implications for understanding perception, learning, and behavior, including homosexuality.
Scientists discovered that the neural processes in sea creatures are far more complex than previously thought, with thousands of genes active at any given time within a single brain cell. This study sheds light on how genes control the generation of specific brain circuitry and enables learning and memory.
A gene variant linked to exceptional longevity also helps maintain clear thinking and memory in centenarians, according to a new study published in Neurology. Researchers found that individuals with the CETP VV gene were twice as likely to have good brain function compared to those without it.
A Northwestern University study uses EEG measures to show how attention alters brain activity, revealing that paying attention makes brain responses to stimuli more coherent. This synchronization enables a stimulus to stand out and guides behavior.
A study by Dr. James A. Coan found that women in high-quality marriages experience reduced brain activity when holding their husband's hand during a threatening situation. This effect is not seen in lower quality marriages, highlighting the health-enhancing properties of close social relationships.
The CAPTURE study found that carotid stenting can be performed safely and effectively by community physicians who receive proper education and training. The study involved 3,500 high-surgical risk patients and 353 physicians at 144 hospitals across the US, with similar outcomes among experienced and less-experienced physicians.
University of Washington researchers have successfully controlled a humanoid robot using signals from a human brain. The robot can move to specific locations and pick up objects based on the individual's brain waves, achieving 94% accuracy.
Researchers found that people can store more faces in their visual short-term memory than other objects, thanks to the efficient way faces are encoded. This advantage was only observed when participants studied upright faces, which are more familiar to us.
A recent UCSD graduate has won an award for his work on human functional brain imaging, specifically analyzing competing Bayesian approaches for source localization. His research may lead to improvements in existing algorithms used in magnetoencephalography (MEG) and electroencephalography (EEG) techniques.
Research suggests that adolescent brain maturation is associated with synaptic pruning, a process that eliminates weak connections between neurons. Delta wave activity declines during adolescence, beginning at around age 11, with a 25% decrease by age 14, and is related to age but not physical growth or sexual maturation.
A new study reveals that insomnia and sleep perception can significantly impact alcohol recovery, with patients who overestimate their sleep quality being more likely to relapse. The research suggests addressing sleep disturbances is crucial for effective recovery.
Researchers developed a synthetic protein fragment that blocks the interaction between Apo E and amyloid beta, reducing its aggregation by around 50% in mouse brains. The treatment showed no apparent inflammation or memory decline in animal tests.
A study by UW-Madison researchers found that the inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) is essential for blocking interference in memory, which can lead to confusion. The technique of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) allowed them to temporarily disrupt the IFG and demonstrate its crucial role in controlling memory operations.
A study by University of Rochester Medical Center researchers found that black patients are more likely to prefer life-sustaining care when faced with an incurable illness or serious disabilities. In contrast, white patients were less inclined to accept such care. The differences in attitudes suggest a need for healthcare policies sens...
Researchers highlight potential new treatments for Alzheimer's disease, autism, and treatment-resistant depression, as well as a gene influencing nicotine-induced behaviors. The studies suggest innovative approaches to prevention and treatment of neurological disorders.
University of Alberta researchers identified a specific nuclei in the hummingbird's brain that detects visual motion, enabling it to stay stationary mid-air and hover. This neural specialization is two to five times larger than in any other species, relative to brain size.
A new study using fMRI found that strong brands elicit stronger activity in the brain, activating areas involved in positive emotional processing and self-identification. Weak brands, on the other hand, showed higher levels of activation in working memory and negative emotional response.
A University of Leeds study reports a groundbreaking case of déjà vu in a blind individual, challenging traditional theories. The research suggests that déjà experiences are caused by disrupted familiarity areas in the brain, contradicting optical pathway delay theory.
Researchers found that girls use a system for memorizing words and associations, while boys rely on rule-governed language systems. The study supports the notion that men and women may process skills differently, with estrogen affecting brain processing.
Researchers have demonstrated a central role for zinc in modulating signaling among neurons, shedding light on its presence in free ion pools. The findings show that manipulating synaptic zinc levels can affect neuronal action, highlighting the complexity of potential therapeutic interventions.
A new study proposes that myelin, the fatty insulation around brain cells, is linked to various neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's. The research suggests that enhancing myelination through cholinergic treatments may improve neuron signaling and potentially delay disease progression.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins have discovered that a brain protein called Arc controls how brain cells learn and associate behaviors, leading to improved long-term memory. The study also sheds light on the mechanisms behind certain addictive behaviors, such as drug addiction.
A new RNA map provides the first comprehensive understanding of how alternative splicing works throughout the genome. The results reveal that specific locations of short RNA snippets affect the regulation of alternative splicing in the brain, with implications for learning, memory, neurological diseases, and cancer biology.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have made a groundbreaking discovery linking the timing of inhibitory neuron activity to the generation of odor-specific patterns in the brain's olfactory bulb. This finding supports the temporal coding hypothesis, which proposes that odor identity is encoded by the timing of neuronal firing, r...
Researchers have identified characteristic changes in cerebrospinal fluid that may serve as biomarkers for psychosis, including schizophrenia. These findings suggest a potential new approach to understanding and treating these conditions.
Researchers found significant variation between individuals with depression and healthy women, particularly in the mu-opioid system involved in stress and emotions. The study suggests that these differences may predict treatment response, highlighting the need for personalized approaches to depression treatment.
Genetic analysis of Xenoturbella, a worm-like creature, reveals its unique characteristics and confirms the common ancestry between humans and other chordates. The discovery provides insight into the evolution of brains in animals.
Research found that baby rhesus monkeys with high maternal rejection and mild abuse had lower serotonin levels, associated with anxiety and depression. Abused females who became abusive mothers had reduced serotonin, suggesting a potential link between early abuse and intergenerational transmission of parenting behaviors.
Research by Stanford University found that decreased TGF-beta signaling in mice leads to increased neurodegeneration and beta-amyloid peptide accumulation, similar to Alzheimer's disease. Increasing TGF-beta signaling may potentially reduce neurodegeneration and be beneficial for individuals with AD.
Researchers have discovered a new protein called neuroglobin in the brain that defends against oxygen deprivation and brain damage. This protein plays a protective role, ushering in nitric oxide to protect neuron survival and recovery.
A two-week rehabilitation program using constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) significantly improved function of the affected arm in stroke survivors. CIMT involves training the weakened hand and arm through repetitive exercises while restraining the unaffected hand and arm, forcing patients to use their affected limbs.
Researchers at OHSU School of Dentistry identify interaction between two proteins in nerve cells carrying pain information from the head and neck to the brain. This finding may help develop therapies for migraines and other craniofacial pain conditions.
A new study by Olaf Sporns and Max Lungarella provides insight into how the brain operates and sheds light on its evolution. The researchers created a mathematical framework that quantifies the relationship between neural and behavioral processes, revealing that the brain and body are interconnected.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine identified an enzyme that degrades a key component of brain plaques characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. The enzyme, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), breaks down abnormally aggregated proteins known as amyloid fibrils, which are the main ingredient of brain plaques.
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.
The University of Minnesota's Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) has received a $7.9 million NIH grant to expand its neuroscience research capabilities. The grant will enable more university researchers to access the center's state-of-the-art magnetic resonance equipment and methodology.
Nicotine exposure at a young age can alter brain development, leading to future addiction risk. The study found molecular changes in the brain that break down nerve cell membranes, especially in males.
HCA-Vision allows researchers to reliably measure significant features of cells' appearance as they change in response to drugs, biochemicals or diseases like dementia. The software enables significant speed improvements over manual tracing methods, accelerating brain research.
Researchers have identified the JNK, Wnt, and FGF signaling cascades as the most important actors in axon growth, showing that growth is independent of neuronal activity. This finding brings greater clarity to the axon's growth process and has implications for understanding nerve diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.
The study reveals that the brain uses non-auditory sensory cues to control speech, with subjects learning to compensate for robotic interference even when speech sounds normal.
Researchers found a connection between celiac disease and cognitive decline in patients with documented symptoms. Three patients showed reversal of cognitive symptoms after gluten withdrawal, suggesting a potentially reversible form of cognitive impairment.
Researchers at the Salk Institute found that moving eyes helps resolve ambiguous visual inputs, improving object recognition. The brain uses internal image stabilization and eye movement feedback to maintain stable perception despite shaky video streams.
Researchers at McMaster University found that seniors can re-learn multi-tasking with practice, achieving levels similar to younger participants. The study showed that training improved performance in both older and younger subjects, with benefits lasting up to three months later.
Experiments by Piotr Winkielman and colleagues suggest that judgments of attractiveness are influenced by the ease with which our minds process stimuli. Prototypical images are rated as more beautiful or appealing because they fall into the average of what we've seen, making them simple for our brains to recognize quickly. The research...
Brain researchers in Göttingen have created a genetic animal model for autism, showing that neuroligins ensure signal transmission between nerve cells. The study reveals that autistic patients often lack mature synapses due to mutations in the genes carrying building instructions for proteins in the neuroligin family.
Researchers have identified calcineurin as essential for complete lung development, and its absence led to respiratory problems in mice. A new model of human placental development also sheds light on the complex process of placentation, while a study on thyroid structures reveals that mature T cells trigger their formation.
A 3-year-old Australopithecus afarensis girl, discovered in Ethiopia, provides a unique window into human infancy. The fossil offers clues about skull morphology, brain growth, locomotion, and height, shedding light on early human evolution.
Research published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that high hourly air pollution levels significantly increase the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage. The study analyzed data from 13 major urban areas in Japan and found a doubling of stroke risk when particulate matter levels exceeded 200 ug/m3 two hours before death.
A commonly used acne treatment has been found to increase depressive behavior in mice, sparking concerns about its potential effects on humans. The study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, suggests a possible link between the active molecules of Roaccutane and depression-related behaviors.
Researchers found accelerated brain changes in people with Parkinson's, while mice exposed to pesticides showed increased oxidative stress and reduced dopamine uptake. Exposure to banned pesticides like dieldrin may increase the risk of developing Parkinson's earlier in life.
Scientists create radioactively tagged molecules for positron emission tomography (PET) scans, providing insights into addiction and brain function. The radiotracers help monitor drug distribution and receptor activity in the brain, revealing key factors in addiction.
A new academic discipline, neuroarthistory, uses scanning techniques to answer questions about artistic phenomena and the origin of art. The research explains why certain styles emerged in different regions and periods, shedding light on the creative processes of artists such as Leonardo.