Articles tagged with Brain
Researchers created a growth chart for brain networks to identify early signs of attention difficulties and potential ADHD. The chart showed underdeveloped networks in children with attention issues, predicting poor attention performance.
Researchers used an advanced form of ultrasound to map blood flow activity in the brain, detecting changes that differentiate healthy and concussed athletes 83% of the time. The study suggests a new tool for quickly recognizing concussions on the sidelines.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have identified specific neural systems used to encode new scientific concepts. The study shows that the brain repurposes existing neural structures to form new knowledge, enabling humans to learn abstract ideas.
Scientists propose a two-stage model of consciousness processing, where the brain analyzes features continuously and unconsciously before rendering them conscious. The process lasts up to 400 milliseconds, with no consciousness in between.
The Brain & Behavior Research Foundation has awarded $3.9 million in NARSAD grants to 40 mid-career scientists from 30 institutions worldwide to support basic research, new technologies, and next-generation therapies for schizophrenia, major affective disorders, and other serious mental illnesses.
Researchers tested Zika virus in human neural stem cells to understand its effects on developing brains. The study found that the virus preferentially killed brain cells, reducing growth by 40% in a brain organoid model.
Research by Brazilian scientists at D'Or Institute for Research and Education reveals Zika virus infection in human neural stem cells causes cell death, malformations, and reduced growth in neurospheres and brain organoids. The study highlights the etiological nature of microcephaly cases in Brazil.
A recent U of T study found that acetaminophen inhibits Error Related Negativity and Error Related Positivity in the brain, indicating impaired conscious awareness of errors. The research suggests potential implications for cognitive control in daily life.
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine discovered a new gene, FOXF2, linked to ischemic stroke caused by small vessel disease in the brain. The study suggests that unraveling the mechanisms of small vessel disease could lead to better treatments for this major cause of stroke and dementia.
Research found that subclinical epileptic bursts can prolong reaction times and increase virtual accidents in drivers taking a computer test. Antiepileptic drugs, however, did not significantly impair driving performance.
A new MRI scoring system revealed gyral maturational delay as a predictor of neurodevelopmental impairment in smaller premature babies. Gyral maturation delay also predicted cognitive delay and increased risk of death. The study suggests that therapies should begin at the earliest moment impairments become obvious.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered the precise structure of the serotonin transporter, a key player in regulating mood and behavior. This breakthrough provides a platform for designing new, more effective small molecule therapeutics to treat depression and anxiety.
Researchers at UC Davis have made a breakthrough in understanding how we read by developing a new brain-scanning technique called FIRE-fMRI. This method combines functional MRI with eye tracking to study brain activity during natural reading, providing insights into how words are represented in the brain.
A new study in veterans with PTSD finds that mindfulness training can enhance the ability to manage thoughts and emotions, leading to reduced symptoms. Brain scans reveal stronger connections between brain networks involved in attention and inner thoughts, suggesting a potential tool for emotional regulation and trauma processing.
A new study reveals that a targeted immune pathway may be the key to preserving cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease. By blocking this pathway, researchers were able to reduce synapse loss in mouse models of the disease, offering hope for a potential therapeutic target to halt its progression.
A team of Monell researchers used mice engineered with OMP knocked out to demonstrate that OMP filters 'noisy' signals, allowing accurate odor information to reach the brain. The findings increase understanding of how the olfactory system integrates and transmits data about odors.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a set of neurons in the fly brain that are activated only when flies eat sweet solutions, especially when hungry. These neurons connect to taste neurons in the pharynx, allowing flies to directly taste and monitor food while swallowing it.
Researchers found that mimicking simple actions can aid recovery, with human trainers outperforming computer-based methods. The study suggests a potential tool for rehabilitation, providing insight into the ongoing ability of Alzheimer's patients to imitate movements.
A new UCLA psychology study suggests that the brain combines sound and vision using different mechanisms, which can influence how well people perform tasks. Researchers found that people's vision frequently influences their hearing when trying to identify specific locations of sounds and flashes of light.
A Penn study has discovered the molecular mechanism underlying cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), a common cerebrovascular disease that causes stroke and seizures. The research found that increased MEKK3 signaling and over-expression of KLF2 and KLF4 transcription factors are the key drivers of CCMs.
A new Parkinson's disease study has found significant variability in brain signaling that could serve as a predictive marker for identifying patients at highest risk of dementia. Measuring brain signal variability may help identify the best patients to include in trials of new neuroprotective drugs.
Researchers found that certain gut bacteria can shield the brain from stroke by directing immune cells to protect it. Modifying the microbiotic makeup of the gut may become a novel method to prevent stroke, particularly for high-risk patients.
A Stanford University School of Medicine study found that prenatal steroid treatment halves the risk of severe brain hemorrhage in preemies. Researchers analyzed nearly 26,000 premature infants and found a significant reduction in intraventricular hemorrhage risk for those receiving steroids.
A study published in Neurology found that older adults who engaged in moderate to intense exercise showed less decline in thinking skills than those who were sedentary. The difference was equivalent to 10 years of aging.
A study analyzing data on over 1,100 aging adults found that combinations of brain pathologies drive dementia, rather than a single condition. The research suggests that maintaining healthy blood pressure may be key to preventing dementia.
A study published in Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics reveals that people can intentionally exclude objects from their mental model of their environment. Test observers were faster at finding a target when the objects matched the color of the rectangle, but not when they did not, indicating top-down control over attention.
Researchers have developed a unified mathematical framework to design a single global input that synchronizes nonlinear rhythmic units in nature and manmade systems. This breakthrough enables better understanding and control of oscillation in applications such as heart pacemakers, neuronal firings, and circadian timekeeping.
Researchers found that neurons fire in brief, coordinated bursts as information is held in working memory, allowing for multiple items to be stored separately. This discovery fits a new model of rapid synaptic strength changes and gamma frequency oscillations.
A study by Cedars-Sinai researchers found that the C9orf72 gene is crucial for immune cell function in the brain, leading to potential new therapies for ALS. The discovery highlights the active contribution of the brain's immune system to disease progression.
Scientists have created a new technology that converts adult tissue-derived stem cells into human neurons on 3-D scaffolds, which were injected into mouse brains with promising results. The goal is to develop a dense circuitry of neurons that can replace diseased cells and improve therapeutic benefits.
Researchers at Washington State University are investigating new drugs to treat neurological disorders related to autophagic dysfunction. The goal is to selectively activate autophagy, recruiting 'housekeepers' to the brain and potentially regenerating the system.
Researchers found that pyruvate increases brain energy reserves and improves cognitive function in mice, including enhanced exploratory behavior and spatial learning. The findings suggest potential therapeutic applications for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
A newly discovered dinosaur, Timurlengia euotica, lived about 90 million years ago and fills a 20 million-year gap in the fossil record of tyrannosaurs. The species had developed keen senses and cognitive abilities, including low-frequency hearing, which positioned it to take advantage of opportunities to reach the top of its food chain.
A newly discovered species of horse-sized dinosaur provides key insights into the evolution of Tyrannosaurus rex as a top predator. The discovery reveals that tyrannosaurs developed huge body sizes rapidly at the end of the age of dinosaurs, with their keen senses enabling them to dominate the food chain.
A Concordia University study found that education and daily stair climbing can significantly slow down brain age, reducing the appearance of grey matter loss by 0.95 years per year of education and 0.58 years per flight of stairs climbed.
Researchers will focus on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB to develop novel interventions for obesity. The study aims to understand the mechanisms governing energy balance in the body.
Researchers at University of Oregon discovered a connection between brain activity in nematode worms and human sleep disorders, finding similar fragmentation patterns. This study provides a framework to understand genetic and physiological underpinnings of neural circuitry involved in sleep.
Researchers at NIH discovered that neurons in the eye use mathematical processing to distinguish moving objects, amplifying signals through multiplicative scaling. This process may help cells determine object speed and direction.
A protein critical to brain waste removal, TREM2, is diminished in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Alzheimer's disease. The research identified a key reason, microRNA-34a, leading to a new treatment target for both conditions.
A new study found that combining peripheral nerve stimulation with constraint-based therapy enhances recovery of movement in the affected arm and hand, even after one year after a stroke. The technique takes advantage of the brain's neuroplasticity to reorganize or 'rewire' itself after injury.
Researchers linked high C-Reactive Protein levels to increased ischemic stroke risk, identifying gene variations that drive these risks. A new discovery may allow doctors to predict patients' risk of having a second stroke using a commonly performed blood test and their genetic profile.
Researchers at WashU Medicine used whole brain scans to discover that different groups of neurons become active at different times of day, despite being on the same molecular clock. This reveals a new mechanism for encoding daily rhythms in neural signaling.
Researchers from Lomonosov Moscow State University found over 10,000 problematic scenes in 105 Blu-ray discs, including 65 scenes with left-right view swap. This suggests a 21% probability of buying a Blu-ray 3D movie with at least one such scene.
Researchers identified complex brain connectivity patterns in individuals with chronic TBI, explaining long-term higher-order cognitive function deficits. Interactions among networks are critical for daily life tasks like planning and problem-solving.
Researchers have discovered a 520-million-year-old fossilized nervous system, providing the most detailed example yet found. The fossil, from southern China, has revealed individual nerves visible for the first time in a fossil of this age.
A five-year $1-million grant aims to teach people how to protect their brains through exercise, with a focus on African-Americans at elevated dementia risk. The program will include dance-based exercise and lifestyle education, and gather data on brain circuitry, aging, and stress levels.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests that cannabis users have difficulty recognizing and empathizing with human emotions like happiness, sadness, and anger. However, the brain may be able to compensate for these effects when explicitly detecting emotions.
Researchers used advanced calcium imaging to monitor neural activity in zebrafish brains, showing the tectum responds to multiple stimuli like sight, sound, and water flow. This discovery suggests a unified sensory view for both humans and fish, improving understanding of human sensory perception.
A new study at McGill University reveals that complex interactions between neurotransmitter receptors and other proteins help explain the brain's ability to process information quickly. Researchers used multiple techniques to examine AMPA receptors, a major player in brain signaling.
A team of researchers discovered that people with Down syndrome have altered white matter insulation in their brains, affecting nerve transmission. This finding may lead to new treatments for DS patients and has implications for other developmental disabilities like autism.
A new study by Simon Fraser University researchers found that differences in working memory capacity correlate with the brain's ability to actively ignore distraction. Individuals with low memory capacity are unable to suppress distractors, leading to attentional deficits.
A new study suggests that fetal alcohol exposure leads to long-lasting slow-wave sleep fragmentation, which is associated with learning problems and impaired cognitive function. The researchers found that mice exposed to binge amounts of ethanol displayed severe sleep fragmentation, memory impairment, and hyperactivity.
A recent study by the American Academy of Neurology has found that most Ebola survivors experienced brain symptoms six months after their initial infection. The study, which followed 82 Ebola survivors from Liberia, revealed common neurological problems such as weakness, headache, memory loss, and depressed mood.
Two NYU faculty, Marc Gershow and Katherine Nagel, have been awarded Sloan Foundation research fellowships. The fellowships provide $55,000 over two years to support their research in fields such as neuroscience and physics.
New research reveals that dodos had a brain size comparable to pigeons, suggesting moderate intelligence. The study also found an enlarged olfactory bulb in the dodo's brain, indicating a reliance on smell for navigation.
Researchers found a dramatic increase in brain plaques when key immune cells are lacking in genetically modified mice, leading to new techniques to identify and treat individuals at risk of developing Alzheimer's. The study suggests the immune system plays a crucial role in clearing beta-amyloid from the brain.
A philosopher at Ruhr-University Bochum argues that our brain constructs complex contents immediately upon spotting an object, integrating typical features into a pattern. This process is evident in both individual and social perception, and has evolutionary significance.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have found a potential treatment for adults with lazy eye, improving sight and brain response through transcranial direct current stimulation. The treatment has shown promise in increasing vision quality and addressing primary visual cortex problems.
A new medication called idarucizumab reverses the blood-thinning effects of dabigatran in patients with brain hemorrhage, allowing for quicker treatment and reducing complications. The study showed that idarucizumab effectively reversed dabigatran's anticoagulant effects in 90% of patients.
Researchers are developing longer-lived imaging agents to target soluble oligomers, a potentially neurotoxic form of amyloid beta peptide. This approach may lead to more accurate diagnoses and better understanding of the disease process.