Articles tagged with Brain
A team of New York University scientists found that emotional experiences can induce physiological states that persist for long periods, influencing future experience recall. Non-emotional experiences following emotional ones were also better remembered.
Grasping actions have been shown to accelerate the brain's comprehension process, allowing for a faster interpretation of words. This new method could be used in therapies for aphasia, a language disorder affecting stroke patients, by utilizing motor training through grip movements to strengthen word recognition.
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel technique to identify carbohydrates, which play a vital role in life processes. The new method, called 'sequencing by recognition,' uses electricity to release current spikes that can be measured and analyzed to identify specific carbohydrate molecules with high accuracy.
Neurons in the brain store immature RNA copies that are pre-manufactured and only need splicing upon stimulation, significantly reducing production time and enabling rapid adaptation. This discovery reveals a new regulatory mechanism for brain plasticity processes.
Researchers developed an artificial neural network using spintronic devices, demonstrating associative memory operation with learning ability, similar to human brain. The technology enables fast-processing capabilities and ultralow-power consumption, opening new horizons in AI technology.
Ron Davis, a Scripps Florida scientist, has been awarded a $5 million Outstanding Investigator Grant to investigate the biological processes underlying memory formation. The grant aims to understand how the brain organizes memories and suppresses their formation, with potential applications in treating neurological disorders.
Research at University of Helsinki finds that noise sensitive individuals' brains process sounds differently, leading to decreased responsiveness to new sounds. This adaptation may help protect against overreacting to noise, suggesting a physiological basis for noise sensitivity.
Rare type 2 innate lymphocytes found in meninges around the brain may play a critical role in battling Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological diseases. The discovery suggests these cells could be the missing link between the brain and gut microbiota.
Clinically depressed children show blunted response to rewards in brain activity, a key finding that may help explain the biological underpinnings of depression. Researchers hope this discovery can lead to new treatments and improve long-term outcomes.
Researchers induced autistic-like behavior in mice by lowering nSR100 protein levels, showing its causative role in autism. The study identifies nSR100 as a hub that channels molecular miscues contributing to the disorder.
Brain connections critical for complex thinking skills deteriorate with age, while movement and hearing connections remain relatively well-preserved. Researchers analyzed brain scans from over 3,500 people aged 45-75 to understand aging's effects on the brain.
Researchers developed a method to read and amplify high confidence states using decoded neurofeedback, boosting participants' confidence without awareness. The effect was reversible, with confidence decreasing when the pattern was no longer detected.
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have successfully corrected Parkinson's disease motor symptoms in mice using a PREP blocker treatment. The treatment, which blocks the formation of alpha-synuclein aggregates, restored motor skills and cleared brain accumulations within two weeks.
Scientists found abnormal immune reactions in the brain's cerebrospinal fluid seven years before expected dementia onset. TREM2 levels can track immune activity and predict disease progression.
A study published in The Lancet found that adding an MRI scan after a 20-week ultrasound scan can increase the accuracy of diagnosing fetal brain abnormalities, with almost all scans being correct. This extra information helps doctors give more accurate diagnoses and advice to parents.
Researchers found that prion diseases can infect the gut through contaminated meat, and that M cells are key to whether or not the infection takes hold. The study suggests that factors like inflammation and ageing may influence a person's risk of contracting prion diseases.
The UCLA team implanted a spinal stimulator in a California man who broke his neck in a dirt-biking accident, showing early promise in returning hand strength and movement. The device bypasses the injury by training the spinal cord to find alternate pathways, allowing patients to regain mobility in their hands.
New research shows that when focused, information is processed continuously, while ignoring stimuli is perceived in waves. This study provides insights into how the brain prioritizes attention and processing of time and space.
Research found that blood flow in fetuses of diabetic mothers is redirected to the placenta, diverting away from the brain. The study used foetal Doppler echocardiography and a computerized model to analyze blood circulation.
A study from Center for Music in the Brain found that oxytocin enhances synchrony in finger-tapping pairs, indicating improved social bonding and prediction skills. The hormone's role in facilitating predictability explains its social effect without subjective affiliation.
Research reveals that macaques possess the physical attributes necessary to produce intelligible human speech, yet their brains lack the neural circuitry required for this ability. This finding debunks the idea that vocal anatomy alone limits speech in nonhumans, highlighting the importance of brain evolution in human language.
A study by Aalto University and the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology used EEG to model user interest in Wikipedia articles, predicting search intentions and recommending relevant documents. This technology has potential to assist humans by automatically monitoring and gathering information through wearable EEG sensors.
Researchers identified four unique depression subtypes based on brain connectivity patterns, providing potential biomarkers for diagnosis and treatment. These subtypes differ in clinical symptoms and response to transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy.
Researchers at OIST uncover a neural mechanism that uses silent gaps to detect species-specific birdsong. Juvenile zebra finches learn song by mimicking adults and preferentially adopt the song of their own species despite noise and variety of birdsongs.
Researchers found that the brain fills in missing details in peripheral vision, creating a visual illusion. The study suggests that this 'filling in' is a general perceptual mechanism that affects many basic visual features.
Rates of breast cancer brain metastasis have not substantially declined despite improved targeted treatments for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Researchers found that the risk of death from brain metastasis is more than twice that of patients with metastasis to other areas of the body.
Researchers found significant alterations in brain networks of PD patients with mild cognitive impairment, indicating complex structural brain network disruption rather than individual white matter degeneration. The study suggests using MRI to monitor the disease and predict cognitive complications.
A study published in Neurology found that higher levels of brain activity in the prefrontal cortex were associated with a higher risk of falls in healthy older adults. The association remained even after accounting for other factors, such as slow walking speed and frailty.
Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that brain activity while walking and talking can predict the risk of falling. The study, published in Neurology, involved 166 healthy older adults who were asked to perform tasks such as walking and reciting letters. The researchers found that elevated brain activity during thes...
Researchers developed a microfluidic device that overcomes previous models of the blood-brain barrier, allowing for study of brain inflammation and its link to neurodegenerative conditions. The device was successfully tested with flying colors, paving the way for use in testing new drugs and compounds.
Andrew Holmes receives the ACNP Daniel H. Efron Research Award for his work on understanding the causes of alcoholism and comorbid neuropsychiatric conditions. His research has been published over 170 times, with more than 13,000 citations.
University of Washington researchers demonstrate humans playing a simple two-dimensional computer game using only input from direct brain stimulation. The subjects navigated mazes with improved accuracy when receiving guidance via phosphene stimulation, suggesting potential for encoding novel information into the human brain.
Repeated dieting can cause weight gain as the brain interprets diets as short famines and urges people to store more fat for future shortages. This phenomenon, known as yo-yo dieting, may explain why people struggle to keep weight off after trying low-calorie diets.
Researchers create new sensors that detect proteins and induce blood flow changes, allowing for non-radiative imaging of molecules in the brain. This approach enables detection of biologically low-level molecules and monitoring of dynamic processes in the brain.
A recent study by Duke University researchers has identified a crucial link between autism and pain sensation, suggesting that the SHANK3 protein plays a key role in transmitting pain signals. The findings have significant implications for understanding autism-related sensory problems and developing effective treatments.
Researchers at OHSU discovered a correlation between aquaporin-4 prevalence in brains of older people without Alzheimer's compared to those with the disease. The protein's disorganization in Alzheimer's brains may reflect impaired waste clearance, suggesting it as a potential target for treatment or prevention.
Researchers found that specific changes in neural connections can retain information for short periods, allowing it to be retrieved through noninvasive brain stimulation techniques. The study used TMS to reactivate and strengthen latent memories, demonstrating a dynamic maintenance mechanism under cognitive control.
Researchers used transcranial magnetic stimulation to revive stowed memories, suggesting a separate state of memory apart from active working memory and deep storage. This breakthrough may help individuals control their attention and manage mental health disorders like schizophrenia and depression.
Researchers used high-resolution brain scans and machine learning algorithms to detect concussions in individual patients, achieving an 88% accuracy rate. The approach also predicted the severity of symptoms reported by patients.
A study by Eriko Aiba found that professional musicians' brains process musical information differently, depending on their prioritization strategy. Some prioritize sight and others rely on auditory memory to learn music, leading to the development of efficient learning methods tailored to individual brain strategies.
Researchers found that CRPS patients' brains activate similarly to normal pain when observing movements, suggesting a connection between pain processing and motor control. The study may help develop diagnostics and therapeutic strategies for CRPS patients.
A study of over 105,000 light and heavy social drinkers found a variation in the β-Klotho gene associated with decreased desire for alcohol. The less frequent variant is seen in approximately 40% of participants and is linked to a reduced risk of excessive drinking.
A liver hormone called FGF21 may regulate alcohol drinking by acting directly on a receptor in the brain, according to a new study. The researchers found variations of a gene called β-Klotho that were related to the amount of alcohol people consumed, indicating that this gene may regulate drinking behaviour.
A recent study has identified a link between cerebrospinal fluid volume changes and visual impairment in long-duration space missions. The findings suggest that the increased fluid pressure in microgravity may cause structural changes in the eye, leading to blurry vision and other symptoms.
Researchers find that rapsyn helps ensure optimal positioning and functioning of acetylcholine receptors on muscle cells, enabling precise brain-muscle communication. This discovery provides new insight into diseases like muscular dystrophy and offers potential therapeutic targets.
A new study found that head impacts in high school football players can cause changes in the gray and white matter of their brains. The research used brain imaging exams to measure the effects of repeated head trauma on young athletes.
Researchers propose an integrated strategy for managing and analyzing global neuroscience data to maximize return on investments. The plan includes standardizing data descriptions, developing hardware and software ecosystems for archiving and sharing data, and collaborating with mathematicians to develop new approaches for data analysis.
A team of scientists has developed a mouse model that closely mimics fetal brain abnormalities caused by the Zika virus, revealing abnormal blood vessel formation and a leaky blood-brain barrier. This finding highlights the need to understand all the effects of Zika infection if successful therapies are to be developed.
A combined pharmacological therapy and rehabilitation program shows promise in treating persistent cognitive difficulties after traumatic brain injuries, with modest yet significant improvements noted in verbal and nonverbal learning abilities, working memory, and divided attention.
The University of Utah Health has received a five-year contract renewal from the NIH to test drugs for treating refractory epilepsy, with the goal of identifying novel compounds. The program aims to address unmet medical needs in epilepsy patients and develop new therapies for different types of epilepsy.
A study at McGill University found significant differences in how people from different cultures perceive and react to the same scents. Providing odour names reduced these cultural differences, suggesting that mental representations activated by sensory information are more diverse than those activated by knowledge of what the scent is.
A recent study from the University of Georgia found that individuals with higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in their diets had better cognitive performance, as measured by fMRI technology. The researchers suggest that these compounds may help buffer age-related brain decline and improve neurocognitive function.
A multidisciplinary group of stakeholders developed guidance materials to address concerns around neurotechnologies, prioritizing patient safety and societal benefits. The workshop emphasized the need for proactive discussions on ethics, social values, and governance.
A new index called Lung-moIGPA has been developed to estimate survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and brain metastases. The updated Lung-moIGPA incorporates genetic and molecular data, including EGFR and ALK gene mutations, and predicts an overall median survival of 12 months.
A five-year project is building on longstanding partnerships with Flint community collaborators to boost stroke awareness and get treatment to more stroke patients. The 'Stroke Ready' program will address barriers to timely evaluation and treatment, helping to reduce the risk of disability by over 30 percent.
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have reported a high-resolution structure of the human cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), which binds to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is responsible for marijuana's high. This detailed structure should lead to a better understanding of how cannabinoids initiate signals in the brain.
A new study at the University of Kansas investigates the potential of transcranial direct current stimulation for depression therapy. Researchers will apply a safe, low current of electricity to the brain and measure changes in brain chemistry and neural activity among participants.
Researchers found microstructural brain alternations in autism spectrum disorder using Automated Fiber Quantification technique, which provides increased sensitivity to white matter changes. The study supports the hypothesis that autism is caused by large-scale disruptions in brain connectivity.
A study published in PLOS Biology investigated the role of noradrenaline, acetylcholine, and dopamine in handling uncertainty. The findings suggest that these brain chemicals enable our brains to learn changing relationships in our environment, predicting future events and executing fast responses.
Researchers used magnetoencephalography to discover that brain activity in both the child and mother is low during gazing, but increases with parental responses. This study provides new insights into social interactions and child development for children with autism spectrum disorder.