Articles tagged with Brain
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Dr. M. Brandon Westover has been awarded a two-year, $300,000 BIG Award to develop methods to track brain aging by monitoring brain rhythms during sleep. The goal is to create a low-cost marker of brain age that may help identify individuals at risk of age-related cognitive impairment.
Rat models reveal factors contributing to relapse, withdrawal, and addiction vulnerability, highlighting the need for new preventions and treatments. Sensation-seeking behavior is linked to severe opioid withdrawal and addiction risk.
A new gene therapy can reprogram brain glial cells into functioning neurons, potentially treating stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers hope the innovative technology may one day help patients with severe neurological disorders.
Erik Herzog and Gönül Peker received the Award for Education in Neuroscience from the Society for Neuroscience. Herzog is recognized for his efforts to increase diversity in neuroscience through mentoring and outreach, while Peker has promoted international educational experiences and research collaborations.
The Society for Neuroscience presents Dr. Michael Bruchas with the Jacob P. Waletzky Award, recognizing his research on stress biology and opioid signaling in drug addiction. His work has advanced our understanding of neural circuits and cell biology critical to developing new treatments.
Researchers at Virginia Tech are conducting a three-year study to identify the root causes of epilepsy development after traumatic brain injuries. The team aims to find predictive biomarkers and strategies to prevent brain changes that lead to epilepsy.
Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, have successfully restored vision in rats with severe retinal degeneration through cell transplantation. The study demonstrates that donor cells can integrate into the retina and generate nearly normal visual activity in the brains of blind animals.
New findings from Neuroscience 2018 present promising avenues for early treatment of mental illness and alcohol/substance use disorders in adolescents. Childhood trauma and genetic variants affecting reward response are identified as key factors impacting adolescent brain development and susceptibility to addiction.
Researchers aim to identify barriers to successful therapy outcomes and develop optimal physical therapy treatment strategies for military personnel. Brain scans and virtual reality tests will be used to guide the development of new therapy methods, which could have real-world applications beyond the military.
Llinás' research on membrane biophysics and the active neuron concept has significantly advanced our knowledge of neuronal function and behavior. He was recognized for his work on dendritic calcium spikes, electrotonic coupling, and subthreshold oscillations in mammalian neurons.
Fumiko Hoeft receives the Science Educator Award for her work in educating the public about neuroscience through outreach and education. Teodora Stoica and Elena Blanco-Suárez receive the Next Generation Award for their efforts to share neuroscience with local communities through communication, education, and outreach.
A genetic variation in TMEM106B has been identified as a potential risk factor for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) disease severity and pathology. The study found that this variation may predict increased CTE pathology and brain inflammation, and is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia.
The Society for Neuroscience is recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to advancing women in the field of neuroscience. This year's honorees include Elaine Del Bel, PhD, and Herbert Geller, PhD, for their pioneering work on mentoring female neuroscientists and promoting equality among students.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center are part of a national effort to understand the neural circuits behind learning, memory, and behavior. Four scientists have received grants to study topics ranging from mental health to opioid addiction.
The NIH has increased investment in the BRAIN Initiative to over $400 million, supporting more than 200 new awards for cutting-edge brain research. These projects aim to develop new tools and knowledge to discover answers for neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders.
A Vanderbilt biologist studied cockroaches' defense mechanism against wasp attacks using ultra-slow-motion videography. The 'en garde' position and swift kicks saved 63% of adult cockroaches from being stung, while juveniles were more vulnerable to attack.
A recent study published in Nature suggests that gut bacteria play a crucial role in regulating movement in fruit flies. The researchers found that specific bacterial strains, such as Lactobacillus brevis, can slow down the speed of germ-free flies by fine-tuning levels of carbohydrates.
Research by Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that individuals with larger brains are more likely to develop brain tumors. The study, which analyzed data from over 1,000 participants, revealed a statistically significant association between brain size and increased cancer risk.
Valentin Dragoi of UTHealth receives $1.6M NIH BRAIN award for studying visual cortex and executive control in social interactions, which may help address autism-related social awkwardness.
A NIH study found that astrocytes alter neuron signal speed by changing myelin thickness and node width, impairing reflexes. The researchers propose thrombin inhibitors as a potential treatment for multiple sclerosis.
A new review of animal studies reveals that sex differences in response to cannabis are not just socio-cultural, but biological too. Estradiol affects control of movement, social behavior and filtering of sensory input via modulation of the endocannabinoid system.
A neural network mimics the fruit fly's visual system and distinguishes between individuals based on sight alone. The system achieved an F1 score of 0.75, surpassing human biologists' performance in a similar task.
A study suggests that microdosing psychedelics can improve creative problem-solving abilities by enhancing divergent and convergent thinking. Participants who took a tiny fraction of a normal dose of psychedelic substances showed improved performance on tasks requiring alternative solutions and convergent thinking.
A study published in Neurology found that middle-aged individuals with high cortisol levels experienced impaired memory and reduced brain volume compared to those with average cortisol levels. The study also found no links between low cortisol levels and memory or brain size.
Researchers found perrottetinene, a natural compound in liverwort moss, to be more effective than THC in treating inflammation and pain. The study suggests perrottetinene could have potential therapeutic applications, but further research is needed.
Researchers at UMass Amherst used an eye-tracker to study jumping spiders and found that the principal eyes rely on an adjacent set of eyes, known as anterior lateral eyes, to track moving stimuli. This integration is unusual in the animal kingdom.
The brain compensates for its own limitations by relying on previous experiences and using strategies such as Bayesian integration, which combines multiple pieces of information to reduce variability. In tasks requiring complex computation, the brain reduces noise by increasing confidence in its calculations.
A landmark study published in JAMA found that brain cooling, a long-debated treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI), offers no benefits to patients. The POLAR trial involved 511 patients across six countries and showed that neither group had significantly better outcomes in terms of living independently after TBI recovery.
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.
A team of researchers from Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin has been awarded an ERC Synergy Grant to study the effects of play on brain mechanisms involved in learning. The six-year project aims to understand the neurobiology of learning and how learning through play affects the brain.
Researchers have developed memristors that mimic the brain's ability to process information efficiently and adapt to changing conditions. The new devices, made from niobium-doped strontium titanate, can 'forget' and retain memories, making them suitable for future electronic brains.
EDAS surgery reroutes brain arteries to create new pathways for blood and oxygen, significantly decreasing stroke recurrence rates by 9.6% compared to intensive medical management alone. The study's findings are promising for applying EDAS to severe atherosclerosis of the brain arteries.
Astrocytes play an unexpected role in brain plasticity by secreting the protein Chrdl1, which enables the brain's maturation and regulates its flexibility. This discovery could lead to ways to restore lost connections due to aging or trauma.
A new study by Imperial College London reveals that kisspeptin, the master regulator of reproduction, affects brain activity in healthy volunteers, leading to decreased sexual aversion and increased brain activity associated with sexual arousal. The hormone also boosts networks involved in mood and depression.
A large study published in The BMJ found that pre-eclampsia is associated with an increased risk of later dementia, particularly vascular dementia. Women with a history of pre-eclampsia were more than three times as likely to develop vascular dementia compared to those without the condition.
Researchers demonstrate a new type of compound synapse that can achieve synaptic weight programming and conduct vector-matrix multiplication, achieving accuracies up to five times those of conventional devices. The development uses atomically thin boron nitride memristors running in parallel for energy-efficient performance.
Experts recommend changing the way clinicians and patients describe cognitive changes experienced after anesthesia and surgery, particularly in elderly patients. The new nomenclature suggests Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder (PND), which includes delirium, delayed neurocognitive recovery, and mild or major neurocognitive disorder.
The study found that sweet and bitter tastes were quickly detected but took longer to be identified, while salty and sour tastes were vice versa. The researchers also discovered that participants' ratings of pleasantness influenced processing speed for sweet and bitter tastes.
New research shows that drinking No 1 Rosemary Water can improve memory by up to 15%. The study, conducted by Dr Mark Moss at Northumbria University, found that the drink increased brain blood flow and improved cognitive performance in participants.,
Research reveals abnormal vision in childhood can impact attention and brain development. Studies show that patients with lazy eye have difficulty directing attention to the weaker eye when both eyes are open.
Researchers found that a ketogenic diet improved neurovascular function and reduced neurodegeneration risk in young healthy mice. The diet also showed beneficial effects on the microbiome, blood glucose levels, and body weight.
Researchers at Duke University discovered a minimally invasive treatment using vagus nerve stimulation to reduce brain inflammation and cognitive decline after surgery. The study showed improved cognitive outcomes and reduced brain inflammation in mice with inflammation.
Researchers developed a transgenic mouse model of Parkinson's disease, replicating PD-like motor symptoms and α-synuclein aggregation. The study suggests that stabilizing normal αS tetramers may prevent or delay PD onset.
A recent grant from the National Institutes of Health will enable a three-year project to explore the sex differences in oxytocin system development. The study aims to understand how oxytocin affects the female and male brain's neural regulation of social behavior.
A team of University of Pittsburgh and UPMC researchers has received $8 million in NIH funding to expand their groundbreaking brain-computer interface (BCI) research, with the goal of restoring hand function via a robotic arm. The new funding will support critical next steps in their research.
Researchers aim to understand the molecular signatures of Alzheimer's, CTE, and other neurodegenerative diseases by mapping the three-dimensional structures of protein tangles. This knowledge will enable the design of drug molecules that prevent tangle buildup and aid in early detection through biomarkers.
Researchers have discovered that two types of motor neurons die in ALS patients through distinct mechanisms, potentially leading to the development of more targeted treatments. The study used worm models to investigate the degeneration of spinal and brain neurons in ALS, revealing new insights into the complex nature of the disease.
The study found that participants who slept between 7 to 8 hours per night performed better cognitively than those who slept less or more. Despite age differences, sleep affected all adults equally, and too little or too much sleep had a similar impairment on cognitive function.
New research reveals identical brain mechanisms trigger memories during both sleep and wakefulness, suggesting a crucial role for sleep in stabilizing memories. The study provides further evidence of the beneficial effects of sleep on memory formation and offers insights into how memories are formed.
Research on GHB users found associations with negative emotions identification, altered brain processes during verbal long-term memory and working memory, lower IQ, and increased stress and anxiety. Brain scans revealed changes in brain activity and connectivity between memory-related pathways.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University have identified a brain-signaling pathway that can be manipulated to reverse autism-related changes in genetically engineered mice. The study suggests a novel approach to treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by targeting an enzyme associated with stress and inflammation.
Researchers, led by Dr. Nikolaus Wenger, are developing neural prostheses for brain-computer interfaces to treat neurological disorders. The goal is to understand how the brain processes information and develop a prosthesis that can transmit signals back to the nervous system.
Caltech researchers develop two illusions to demonstrate postdiction, a phenomenon where later stimuli retroactively affect earlier perceptions. The Illusory Rabbit and Invisible Rabbit illusions show how sound can influence vision, highlighting dynamic neural processing.
A new study on Samuel Morton's 19th-century skull collection found that while Morton accurately measured brain size, his conclusions on racial intelligence were based on racist biases. The analysis of handwritten documentation revealed systematic underestimations of African cranial capacity due to inconsistent data collection methods.
A pilot study at Aarhus University found that certain migraine patients can reduce medication use by using an inhaler that changes the air's composition. The treatment increases brain oxygen supply by up to 70% and stops the destructive chain reaction, providing significant pain relief.
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has awarded over $13.8 million in Young Investigator Grants to 200 promising young scientists studying various psychiatric disorders, including addiction and depression. The grants support innovative ideas for groundbreaking neurobiological research.
Research suggests that short naps can aid in processing unconscious information, improving cognitive function and reaction time. The study found that even brief periods of sleep can enhance brain processing, particularly for implicit information.
Two University of Pittsburgh faculty members, Peter Strick and Warren Ruder, have been awarded $6 million NIH Director's Transformative Research Awards for innovative research in brain-body connection and antibiotic resistance. Their work aims to revolutionize biomedical research and address significant medical challenges.
Scientists have found spiking neurons in the tiny roundworm C. elegans, which could help understand fundamental principles of brain computation. The discovery overturns decades of dogma and reveals a unique coding mechanism that allows the worm's olfactory neurons to encode information in two ways.
Jonathan Kipnis, a UVA neuroscientist, receives $5.6 million in funding to advance his research on the relationship between the brain and immune system. His work aims to understand how the immune system interacts with the brain and potentially develop new treatments for neurological diseases.