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.
Researchers at Washington State University have found a brain protein called AcPb that helps regulate sleep and speeds up animal recovery from influenza. The study reveals that without this protein, animals develop more severe symptoms of infection and die at higher rates.
Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago found that playing catch can improve balance and prevent falls in seniors by enhancing anticipatory postural control. The study also showed a transfer effect, where training improved performance on other tasks beyond the specific activity.
Monkeys can be taught to recognize themselves in a mirror through visual-somatosensory training, demonstrating the neural basis of self-awareness. The study's findings have hopeful implications for people with brain disorders affecting self-recognition.
Researchers found that distinct motor memories can be learned with unique follow-throughs, allowing for faster learning of multiple skills. Practising consistent follow-through enables tasks to be learned quickly, while variable follow-through activates multiple motor memories.
A research team at McGill University has identified a complex of neurons in the lateral prefrontal cortex that interact to filter visual information while ignoring distractions. The discovery has far-reaching implications for understanding diseases such as autism, ADHD, and schizophrenia.
A new study reveals that adolescents have dramatic misperceptions about their peers' behaviors, leading to conformity to social norms. Teens overestimate the amount of drug- and alcohol-use and sexual behaviors among their peers, while underestimating the time spent on studying or exercise.
Researchers found improvement in movement and motor skills in people with Huntington's after one month of triheptanoin therapy. The study showed that the synthetic oil could improve brain metabolism in early stages of the disease.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have found that the flow of calcium ions into synapses activates CaMKII, which then unhooks SynGAP from scaffolding, spurring Ras signaling to begin. This discovery moves neuroscientists closer to understanding how learning and memory work and developing interventions for problems related to them.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have designed new peptides that interact with gephyrin to enhance brain signaling, with effects up to 1,000 times stronger than natural counterparts. This breakthrough could lead to more effective treatments for mental disorders with fewer side effects.
Researchers at the Center for BrainHealth found individuals with depressed mood experience 12% memory deficit when exposed to depressive thoughts. The study suggests therapeutic approaches teaching cognitive inhibition may be effective in treating depression-related cognitive deficits.
A new system between the gut and nervous system may be more direct than hormone release in signaling fullness. The connection also suggests a potential pathway for foodborne viruses to infect the brain.
A new study from Indiana University finds that a patient self-reporting version of the Healthy Aging Brain Care Monitor is reliable and valid. The tool measures 27 items on a four-point scale to assess cognitive, functional and psychological symptoms, providing valuable information for busy physicians.
Scientists at the University of Southampton have created a new technique called multicolour RGB tracking to mark individual brain cells. This approach allows researchers to color-code and distinguish between cells that were previously indistinguishable.
Researchers found that crows can spontaneously solve higher-order relational matching tasks, a feat previously only achieved by humans, apes, and monkeys. The study suggests that crows possess advanced cognitive abilities, challenging the notion of human exceptionalism in cognition.
Researchers found specific brain markers linked to social and moral evaluation processes in children, predicting their generous behavior. The study demonstrates the role of automatic and controlled neural responses in guiding prosocial actions in children as young as three years old.
A team of neuroscientists has found that our brains use elapsed time as a proxy for task difficulty to calculate how confident we should be when faced with making choices but lacking sufficient evidence. This association helps untangle the different factors that contribute to the decision-making process.
Children who actively participated in music classes showed greater gains in speech processing and reading scores compared to less-involved peers. Music training improved neural benefits in the same areas of the brain traditionally weak in disadvantaged children.
Research suggests that talking to babies and naming things in their world can help them make connections between what they see and hear. Training with individual-level labels in infancy leads to long lasting learning effects that generalize from the trained images to human faces.
Research at the University of Kansas explores how native language impacts processing auditory words in a second language. Annie Tremblay's study investigates cues that signal word beginnings and endings, finding that some cues are easier to pick up than others.
Researchers used virtual bodyswapping to decrease white people's unconscious biases against black individuals and adults' childlike stereotypes. The results suggest a potential method for approaching phenomena like racism, religious hatred, and gender inequality.
A recent study by Caltech neuroeconomists found that the speed at which people factor in healthiness affects their ability to exercise self-control. On average, taste information begins to drive food choices 200 milliseconds before health information does.
A study by Ting Qian and Richard Aslin shows that our brains are wired to detect patterns in data, even if they don't lead to correct conclusions. This tendency is built into cognitive processes, providing information on possibilities that might not have been considered otherwise.
A large international group of scientists has published the results of a first-ever look at the genome of dozens of common birds, revealing how modern birds evolved after the mass extinction that wiped out dinosaurs. The research also provides insight into how songbirds learn to sing and brain connection with human speech.
Researchers found that microglia cells in autism brains are perpetually activated and their genes for inflammation responses are turned on. The study is the largest so far of gene expression in autism brains, analyzing data from 104 brain samples.
Researchers used electrodes to record single neurons' activity in singing Bengalese finches, finding that precise timing of spikes contains more information than rate. The study's findings could improve prosthetic limb control and provide insights into brain function.
ANG4043 shows therapeutic brain concentrations in healthy mice and in mice bearing intracranial HER2+ tumors, increasing median survival time by 78% in a HER2+ intracranial tumor model. This technology has the potential to create brain-penetrant mAbs for treating neurological diseases.
The Allen Institute for Cell Science will create dynamic, visual models of cell behavior and share reagents, data, and tools with the scientific community. The initial project, Allen Cell Observatory, aims to accelerate disease research by predicting cell behaviors.
A team of researchers has identified an enzyme that inhibits the breakdown of progesterone, a hormone linked to PMS. This discovery could lead to targeted therapy with minimal side effects.
Carmela Abraham, a professor at Boston University School of Medicine, has received the Massachusetts Neuroscience Consortium Award for her research on multiple sclerosis and the life extension protein Klotho. Her work identifies Klotho as a neuroprotective protein that can benefit animal models of Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis.
Researchers at Salk Institute and Harvard Medical School have identified a neural mechanism in the spinal cord that sends erroneous pain signals to the brain. The discovery provides a key to understanding how chronic pain disorders arise from dysfunctional neural processing, opening doors to potential new treatments.
A new drug called ISP was designed to mimic a critical part of an enzyme found in damaged axons, promoting recovery from spinal cord injuries. Injections of the drug partially restored axon growth and improved movements and bladder functions in paralyzed rats.
A study of US Marines who suffered concussions found persistent post-concussive symptoms and lingering cognitive effects are due to concussion-related brain trauma. Multiple concussions were associated with worse emotional and post-concussive symptoms, an important finding for military and civilian settings.
Researchers have discovered a common 'genetic toolkit' for behavioral traits across different species, including house mice, stickleback fish, and honey bees. Shared gene expression patterns were found in response to intruder threats, suggesting molecular similarities run deeper than brain structural differences.
Researchers found that combining imagery with observation strengthens brain activity in movement-related areas, potentially aiding motor function recovery for stroke patients. The technique may help compensate for lost brain functions through brain plasticity.
A new study suggests that prehistoric conflict played a crucial role in the evolution of humans' ability to work together, overcoming costs associated with large brains. The research proposes that warfare and 'us vs. them' activities drove the emergence of high intelligence and cooperative behavior.
A new study led by Brown University found that older adults learn and retain visual perception tasks as well as younger people, but struggle to filter out irrelevant information. The researchers suggest this may be due to the brain's tendency to learn more than necessary, leading to a 'plasticity and stability dilemma'.
Researchers found that older individuals take in more irrelevant visual information due to a decline in filtering out non-task relevant details. This suggests a failure of attentional systems to suppress task-irrelevant signals.
Researchers found a significant association between atherosclerosis and mild cognitive impairment in a study of nearly 2,000 adults. The study used MRI and CT imaging techniques to measure plaque buildup in arteries and brain health.
Researchers at the University of Leeds have identified a missing gene mutation linked to autistic traits in mice. The study found behavioural features similar to autism symptoms, including sociability issues and impaired neurotransmitter release.
Research shows that brain metastases have dense concentrations of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes, providing an immunoactive environment. High expression of PDL1 is common in both glioblastoma and brain metastases, making immune checkpoint inhibitors a promising treatment option.
Researchers developed a sound-based training approach to enhance brain's distractibility, improving focus in aged rats and humans. Training reduced distraction-related errors and improved memory and attention spans.
A model inspired by epidemic disease spreading is used to analyze over 700 Amyloid-beta protein imaging datasets, concluding that misfolded protein propagation can be mathematically described. The study identifies genetic and demographic factors influencing this phenomenon in healthy aging and Alzheimer's disease progression.
A new study shows that gut microbiota can influence the integrity of the blood-brain barrier, which protects the brain from harmful substances. The findings suggest that alterations to our indigenous microbiota may have far-reaching consequences for the blood-brain barrier function throughout life.
A high-fructose diet during adolescence can exacerbate depressive-like behavior and alter the brain's response to stress. The study found that rats on a high-fructose diet had an altered stress hormone response and changed genetic pathways associated with stress regulation.
A new study reveals that computer-based cognitive training can improve memory, speed, and visuospatial skills in older adults. However, self-directed brain training at home has no therapeutic effect on cognition. Training frequency is also crucial, with one to three sessions per week being most effective.
A new study at Brown University found that reward overcomes retrieval-induced forgetting, a phenomenon where practicing certain facts suppresses recall of others. Volunteers who earned rewards during practice had improved recall of unpracticed fish category facts.
Several countries have launched brain research projects with big budgets and ambitious goals, aiming to make groundbreaking discoveries and develop new treatments for diseases. The initiatives are expected to drive rapid progress in the field of neuroscience, with a focus on global collaboration and interdisciplinary approaches.
Researchers have created a new mouse model that allows them to study human glia in live animals, enabling the development of potential treatments for progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). The study found that the JC virus targets astrocytes, leading to inflammation and cell death, which can trigger PML.
Researchers at McGill University found that infant experiences shape the unconscious brain, influencing adult development even after years of disuse. The study used functional MRI scans to compare brain activation patterns in girls with unilingual French-speaking families versus those adopted from Chinese-speaking families.
A new neurological disease closely resembling Alzheimer's disease, called primary age-related tauopathy (PART), has been defined and established criteria for diagnosis. PART is characterized by cognitive impairment without amyloid plaques, but with neurofibrillary tangles composed of a protein called tau.
A new international study led by the Research Institute of McGill University Health Centre has identified a molecule that puts a brake on brain processing and when removed, brain function and memory recall are improved. The study found that suppressing the production of molecules required for building new memories leads to stronger con...
Researchers will use brain imaging to discover the brain-behavior connections that influence decisions on goal-setting, activities, and controlling illness. They hope to develop new interventions to motivate patients to take better care of themselves.
Scientists at Scripps Research Institute found that moving forward trains the brain to perceive the world normally and calibrates time perception. The study's findings have implications for treating sensory processing disorders like autism and could lead to retraining the brain after stroke or other conditions.
A recent study by Dr. Ahmed Dahir Mohamed found that Modafinil slowed down reaction times and impaired the ability to respond in a timely manner in healthy participants. The drug did not improve cognitive performance or enhance creativity, contrary to its marketed claims.
A team of researchers has drawn connections between known regulators of body mass, pointing to possible treatments for obesity and metabolic disorders. They also found intriguing clues that these same molecular pathways may play a role in learning and perhaps even in some forms of brain cancer.
Researchers discovered that statins can reverse the learning deficits caused by Noonan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting 1 in 2,000 people. The treatment works by reducing Ras activity, allowing brain cells to communicate properly and enabling normal learning to take place.
A new study reveals that playing action video games boosts learning capabilities by fostering better templates in the brain. Action gamers excel at tasks due to their improved ability to build and fine-tune models of the world, leading to accelerated learning curves and lasting effects.
Ankylosaurs had a unique nasal structure that allowed them to regulate their body temperature. The long, winding passageways would have warmed the inhaled air and cooled the blood before it reached the brain. This adaptation likely helped maintain the dinosaur's stable brain temperature.
Fidel Santamaria and his team aim to transform traditional approaches to understanding brain networks using a power-law framework. They will build computational tools to analyze and model power-law dynamics at multiple scales, from molecules to behavior.
Research on Alzheimer's disease and other neurological conditions may eventually lead to ways to prevent memory loss, learning disabilities, and devastating symptoms. Significant progress continues to be made with advancements in detecting neurodegeneration and predicting cognitive decline.