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When danger is about, mice look to their friends

Researchers found that mice moved closer to a familiar companion when hearing a warning signal, but not with a stranger. This suggests a brain circuit that links social memory to threat response, with the hippocampus acting as a gatekeeper for familiar interactions.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalNeuropsychopharmacology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 22, 2026

A sleepless night increases connections between brain cells

A study found that sleep deprivation leads to increased markers of brain cell connections, including synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A), in areas such as the hippocampus. This suggests that sleep plays a crucial role in restoring cellular balance and may be important for maintaining neural health.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 23, 2026

Novel markers of brain blood flow and oxygenation may offer early clues to Alzheimer’s risk

Researchers found that noninvasive measures of brain blood flow and oxygenation are associated with hallmark brain changes in older adults with and without cognitive impairment. Higher values on these indicators were linked to lower levels of amyloid plaques and larger hippocampal volume, indicating a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 23, 2026

USC study reveals hidden cellular layers in the brain’s memory center

Researchers at USC have identified four distinct layers of specialized cell types in the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus, a structure vital for memory formation. This discovery changes our understanding of how information is processed in the brain and could explain why certain cells are more vulnerable in diseases like Alzheimer's ...

SourceKeck School of Medicine of USC·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 3, 2025

Nonsurgical treatment shows promise for targeted seizure control

A nonsurgical approach has been demonstrated to quiet a specific brain circuit in an animal model by delivering engineered gene therapy only to the targeted region. The method uses low-intensity focused ultrasound to open the blood-brain barrier, allowing precise control over brain activity without impacting off-target areas.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Chemical Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 11, 2025

Exploring how storytelling strategies shape memories

A new study found that storytelling strategies with conceptual or perceptual details activate distinct brain networks, predicting how well participants recall core elements of the story. This suggests that people's preferred memory systems may vary across age groups, and tailored information could improve memory for older adults.

SourceSociety for Neuroscience·JournalJNeurosci·DateOct 20, 2025

Memory consolidation requires reactivation of only three neurons during sleep

A study found that memories acquired while awake are stored in a more permanent form during REM sleep, requiring the reactivation of only three adult-born neurons involved in memory formation. This process is synchronized with theta rhythm activity and essential for proper memory function.

How sleep keeps our memories fresh

Researchers at ISTA discovered that neural activity patterns during sleep reflect recently learned spatial memories and transform into those seen later upon awakening. This 'representational drift' phenomenon optimizes memory representations for long-term storage, allowing the brain to free up resources for new memories.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNeuron·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 24, 2025

New rules for the game of memory

A new study from the University of Chicago suggests that patterns of activity in the brain continually reshape memories, even after learning has occurred. Researchers found that behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP) is a key driver of this process, explaining the dynamic shifting of place cells in the hippocampus.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 20, 2025

Rats anticipate location of food-guarding robots when foraging

Researchers studied rats navigating an L-shape track with a food-guarding robot. The rats created neurological maps of places to avoid after experiencing negative events and thought about these locations even after leaving the area. This finding provides insight into the neuroscience of common psychological conditions like anxiety.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2025

Brain inflammation alters behaviour according to sex

Researchers found that neuroinflammation in the hippocampus significantly alters motivation and behaviour in mice, particularly in females. This study suggests that treatments targeting hippocampal neuroinflammation could help reduce cognitive and behavioural symptoms in diseases such as Alzheimer's and Depression.

SourceUniversity of Technology Sydney·JournalBrain Behavior and Immunity·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 18, 2024

Breathing coordinates brain rhythms for memory consolidation during sleep

A new study by Northwestern University researchers found that breathing rhythms coordinate hippocampal brain waves during sleep, strengthening memory consolidation. This synchronization is critical for proper memory formation and retrieval, with implications for treating disordered breathing during sleep, such as sleep apnea.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 16, 2024

Seeing memories form

Researchers studied mossy fiber synapses in the hippocampus, a crucial region for memory formation and spatial navigation. They discovered that specific proteins play key roles in encoding and processing distinguishing features to trigger memory retrieval.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeImaging analysis·DateNov 20, 2024

Integrating data from different experimental approaches into one model is challenging – this study presents a community-based, full-scale in silico model of the rat hippocampal CA1 region that integrates diverse experimental data from synapse to network

A full-scale in silico model of the rat hippocampal CA1 region has been developed, integrating diverse experimental data from synapse to network. This community-based approach overcomes challenges in integrating data from different experimental approaches.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 5, 2024

Combining VR and non-invasive brain stimulation: a neurotechnology that boosts spatial memory without surgery

Researchers at EPFL have created a unique experimental setup combining non-invasive deep-brain stimulation, virtual reality training, and fMRI imaging to improve spatial memory. The study shows that targeted electric impulses to the hippocampus can temporarily increase brain plasticity, leading to better navigation and recall.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalScience Advances·DateOct 30, 2024

Navigating the future: brain cells that plan where to go

Researchers have discovered a new type of brain cell in the medial entorhinal cortex that accurately predicts future locations as an animal travels. This discovery helps explain how planned spatial navigation is possible and has important implications for understanding mechanisms of spatial navigation and episodic memory formation.

SourceRIKEN·JournalScience·DateAug 15, 2024

“Hidden” sex differences in neurological reward pathways suggest opportunity for improved psychiatric therapeutics

Researchers discovered underlying sex differences in molecular pathways driving reward-related behaviors, which could lead to more effective treatments for mental health disorders. The study found that females use a different channel for calcium ions and an estrogen receptor to strengthen connections between brain regions.

SourceUniversity of Maryland Baltimore County·JournalJNeurosci·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 27, 2024