Articles tagged with Brain
Researchers discovered a cellular mechanism allowing brain cells to translate different diets into distinct activity patterns. The orexin/hypocretin neurons are stimulated by amino acids, but inhibited by glucose, revealing a complex 'push-pull' control by sugars and proteins.
A group of researchers at UCSF has discovered why the bite of a small Texas coral snake can be so painful. The venom contains toxic chemicals that bind to acid receptors on human nerve endings, triggering severe pain signals to the brain.
The new chip can simulate the activity of a single brain synapse and capture intracellular processes that underlie many brain functions, including learning and memory. It represents a significant advance in modeling neural functions and could be used to build systems for neural prosthetic devices and artificial intelligence devices.
Researchers found that reappraising emotions can quickly reduce negative responses to angry faces, with brain activity showing decreased signals for negative emotions after reappraisal. This process is faster and deeper than previously thought, allowing people to prepare themselves for potentially challenging situations.
Researchers used genetic tools to investigate how stress affects brain function and identify potential targets for treating stress-related disorders. The study provides clues on how different types of stress alter genes and brain function, shedding light on behavior and mood changes in stress-related illnesses.
Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University have identified a definitive role for the brain in regulating involuntary muscle mass loss associated with chronic illnesses. The process is driven by a signaling system that controls stress responses and cortisol release.
Researchers found that once a word is learned, it is stored in a purely visual dictionary in the brain, allowing for fast and efficient recognition. This concept may help explain why people with dyslexia struggle with reading due to difficulties forming a finely tuned visual representation of words.
Researchers found that mice with high amyloid burden experienced significant brain inflammation after receiving the vaccine, while those with lower amyloid burdens showed a significant benefit. The study suggests that vaccines may work best for patients with early disease and lower amyloid burden.
The Allen Institute for Brain Science has launched a new brain atlas resource, the Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas, which provides a three-dimensional map of neural connections throughout the mouse brain. The Atlas will help scientists understand how the brain is wired and what goes awry in brain diseases and disorders.
Researchers are discovering promising treatments for pain, including mirror box therapy and a new opioid-like drug that relieves acute pain without euphoric effects. The studies also identify the neurobiological source of common morphine side effects.
Researchers have developed a flexible brain implant that could pinpoint seizure start points and shut them down. The device conforms to the brain's surface, allowing for unprecedented brain activity observation.
NYU Langone experts will present research on brain networks, cognition, and memory at the annual meeting. The institution's Neuroscience Institute connects scientists with clinicians to tackle complex healthcare issues.
A recent study using functional magnetic resonance imaging has found that attention, rather than awareness, modulates the activity in the primary visual cortex. This suggests that these two mental processes may be dissociated and affect nerve cells differently. The findings have implications for philosophy and psychology.
A Japanese study reveals that the brain, not the eye, produces afterimage illusions in complementary shapes. The research found that the brain's shape-processing visual cortex is responsible for creating these illusory shapes, which were observed in a novel afterimage illusion.
A surgical procedure aimed at bypassing a blocked brain artery did not lower the subsequent stroke rate after 2 years, compared to those who did not have the surgery. Patients who made it through the first month without a stroke had their risk of subsequent stroke almost cut by three-fourths.
University Hospitals neurosurgeons champion brain bypass in select patients with complex brain aneurysms or cerebrovascular disorders. The procedure can reduce stroke risk and improve symptoms in young patients with moyamoya syndrome.
The Toxoplasma parasite affects dopamine production in infected brain cells, leading to increased dopamine levels and changes in behavior. This discovery may provide new insights into treating human neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, ADHD, and Parkinson's disease.
UBC researchers have created a monitoring technique for brain aneurysms using platinum implants as antennas to detect blood levels and indicate implant failure. This approach may enable patients to check their condition at home, reducing the need for invasive procedures.
A new iPhone application called GlassesOff uses brain training to delay the need for reading glasses by translating blurry images into clear ones. Users can read two lines lower on an eye-test chart after just 40 uses of the app, according to trials with average age users.
Researchers found that individuals rationalize restrictions they cannot change, but rebel when they believe a change is possible. This finding could explain uprisings and unrequited love, suggesting that perceived absoluteness influences behavior.
Researchers discovered reindeer use three tactics: panting with nose closed, mouth open and brain cooling system, to prevent overheating while exercising. The team found that reindeer selectively cool their brains only when temperature becomes dangerously high.
A massive study found hundreds of genetic differences between males and females as their brains develop in the womb. Genes associated with psychiatric illnesses are expressed before birth, suggesting a complex link between genetics and mental health.
Scientists have developed a sensor array that can diagnose multiple sclerosis from exhaled breath, offering a fast, inexpensive and non-invasive alternative to traditional methods. The technology has been tested in humans and shows promising results, rivaling the accuracy of spinal taps without pain or risk.
Researchers discovered that a combination of two gut hormones, PYY and GLP-1, can reduce food intake and appetite by deceiving the brain. This finding has significant implications for obesity therapy and could lead to the development of a daily pill that promotes healthy eating.
Scientists at the University of Calgary discovered Natural Killer T-cells suppress the immune system after a stroke, leading to infections. A new drug has been found to stop these cells from suppressing the immune system, potentially reducing death rates associated with stroke.
A six-month randomized controlled trial found no added benefit from high-dose vitamin D over and above ongoing low-dose vitamin D supplementation in treating relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. The study involved 23 participants with MS, who received either high-dose or placebo high-dose vitamin D, and showed no significant differe...
Researchers in India developed an alarm clock that monitors brain activity to wake users during more easily roused stages of sleep. This leads to a gentler and more refreshed awakening compared to conventional alarm clocks.
A UT Southwestern study found that estrogen acts on two hypothalamic neural centers to regulate hunger and energy expenditure in female mice, keeping their body weight in check. This discovery has potential implications for postmenopausal women, who may benefit from targeted hormonal replacement therapies.
A study suggests that alternating between learning and unlearning an unusual walking pattern on a split-belt treadmill can improve motor learning in healthy adults. This approach may help patients relearn how to walk after stroke or injury, improving therapeutic outcomes.
Researchers found that the brain can selectively focus on visual information from one eye, even when both eyes are receiving images. This selective attention enhances the processing of visual information from the focused eye.
Researchers found that boosting VEGF levels improves muscle coordination and balance in mice with SCA1. The study suggests a potentially useful treatment for the fatal disease, which affects 1-2 people per 100,000 population.
This study found that genetic influences on brain activation affect responses to alcohol, particularly in individuals with low response levels. Those with low response levels may not perceive changes in their brain activity after drinking, which can lead to increased consumption and risk of alcohol problems.
A Penn team has identified a key connection between genetic risk factors for schizophrenia and altered sound processing in the brain. By studying mice with a mutated dysbindin gene, they found reduced activity in specific nerve cells that control fast brain activity, leading to symptoms of schizophrenia.
Researchers developed a brain scan method to quickly test whether drugs increase dopamine levels, alleviating attention deficits in mice with neurofibromatosis type 1. The technique may lead to matching specific treatments to patients with NF1 and attention deficit disorders.
Scientists have developed new substances that first block the biological vacuum cleaner preventing anti-HIV drugs from reaching the brain and then revert to an active drug to treat HIV. This breakthrough allows medications to cross the blood-brain barrier, targeting brain diseases and potentially offering a cure for HIV.
Research by biologists at the University of York has revealed that under stressful conditions, synapses can grow excessively, potentially contributing to dysfunction. This finding has strong implications for neuronal function as brains age and adds significantly to our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases.
A University of Wisconsin-Madison study suggests that short-term sleep restriction in adolescent mice prevented balanced growth and depletion of brain synapses, which may have lasting consequences for the wiring of the brain. The study's findings could be relevant to mental illnesses like schizophrenia that often start during adolescence.
Research suggests that diseased brain proteins can be taken up by healthy neurons and propagated within them, leading to neurodegeneration. Alpha-synuclein fibrils have been shown to induce the formation of Lewy bodies, hallmark lesions of Parkinson's disease.
Researchers found that 95% of people aged 65 have brain small vessel disease, while a quarter of healthy seniors have silent strokes. Regular exercise can delay onset of late life dementia, says Dr. Sandra Black.
Researchers have identified estrogen receptors in specific brain areas that influence metabolism, weight gain, and fertility. Deleting these receptors from mice resulted in significant weight gain and metabolic changes.
Pre-schoolers improved their verbal intelligence and brain function after participating in a four-week learning program that combined interactive, music-based cognitive training cartoons. The study, led by Dr. Sylvain Moreno, found rapid transfer of cognitive benefits in 90% of children.
Researchers developed a tracking system to monitor worm behavior and brain activity, revealing that certain neurons remain active as the worm moves. The study provides a new window for exploring links between brain and behavior, genetic mutations, and mental illness in humans.
A groundbreaking study by Michigan State University researchers found that people who believe they can learn from their mistakes exhibit distinct brain activity compared to those who do not. This difference may be used to tailor training programs to individuals' learning styles and abilities.
UCLA neuro-physicists discovered an optimal brain 'rhythm' for changing synaptic strength, contrary to previous assumptions. The findings suggest that stimulating synapses at naturally occurring frequencies, not high frequencies, increases synaptic strength and may lead to new therapies for learning disabilities.
Researchers found evidence of large-scale dynamic DNA demethylation in non-dividing brain cells, challenging scientific dogma. This discovery has major implications for understanding learning, memory, and mood regulation, as well as potential new treatments for depression and neurodegenerative disorders.
A new study published in Psychological Science found that individuals with a growth mindset exhibit different brain activity when making mistakes, leading to better post-error adjustments. Those who believe intelligence is fixed show reduced brain activity and difficulty bouncing back from errors.
Researchers have uncovered details on the brain and nasal passages of a 72 million-year-old armoured dinosaur Euoplocephalus. The team found that it had good senses of smell and hearing, and may have generated sound through its looping nasal passages to communicate.
A University of Adelaide study found that an immune response in the brain contributes to how people respond to alcohol, influencing behavioral changes such as difficulty walking or talking. Blocking toll-like receptors may help reduce these effects and potentially treat alcohol dependence.
Researchers at the University of Houston have found a connection between borderline personality disorder and hypermentalizing in adolescents, which can lead to emotional regulation challenges. The study's findings suggest that early intervention and treatment can improve strategies for managing BPD symptoms.
Researchers used fMRI to compare brain activation patterns of poor readers with and without low IQs. Both groups showed reduced activations in left inferior parietal lobule and fusiform gyrus, indicating impaired phonological processing. This study provides biological evidence against using IQ to diagnose dyslexia.
A Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center research team found that activation of synaptic NMDRs increases COX-2 levels, while extrasynaptic NMDR activation boosts arachidonic acid. Sequential activation of both receptors leads to increased neurotoxic inflammation and disease progression.
A new study found that blocking Toll-like receptors reduces the effects of alcohol on the brain, which could lead to treatments for alcohol dependence and acute overdoses. This shift in understanding may help identify individuals at risk of brain damage after long-term drinking.
Researchers found that kibra protein is essential for regulating brain circuitry and learning, leading to impaired memory in mice lacking the protein. The study suggests that kibra plays a crucial role in shaping brain connections during learning and memory formation.
The ACCORD MIND study found that intensive glucose-lowering strategies offer no additional benefit in preventing cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes. Despite lower brain volumes, the increased risk of dying and other complications outweighed any potential benefits.
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center found a link between low vitamin B12 levels and reduced brain volumes in older adults. Cognitive tests revealed lower scores among participants with high vitamin B12 deficiency markers.
A study found that low vitamin B12 levels may lead to brain cell loss and cognitive decline in older people. Vitamin B12 deficiency was associated with lower scores on cognitive tests and smaller total brain volume.
UC Berkeley researchers successfully decoded and reconstructed people's dynamic visual experiences by watching Hollywood movie trailers. The breakthrough technology can eventually be used to understand what goes on in the minds of stroke victims or coma patients, as well as enable brain-machine interfaces for people with cerebral palsy.
A Johns Hopkins team discovered that MRI's strong magnet pushes on fluid in the inner ear's balance organ, leading to vertigo. This finding may affect results of functional MRI studies and could lead to a non-invasive method for diagnosing balance disorders.
A study in worms has yielded clues about how nerves grow by identifying the molecular mechanisms that prompt dendrite development. The QBI team discovered that a ligand and receptor work together to coax certain neurons to extend dendrites towards their targets.
Kansas researchers found that enriched infant formulas fortified with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are beneficial for developing brains and hearts. Infants fed these formulas showed improved cognitive advancement and lower heart rates compared to those without LCPUFA.