Articles tagged with Hippocampus
Researchers identify lateral septum as crucial link between circuits guiding goal-directed movement and motivated behavior. The study shows that the LS directly encodes information about speed and acceleration, enabling it to integrate or optimize performance across environmental signals.
Research in mice reveals that chronic cocaine use changes gene expression in the hippocampus, leading to epigenetic modifications of the FosB gene. This modification enables the formation of drug associations and contributes to addiction.
Research published in Journal of Neuroscience shows brief periods of hypoxia persistently disrupt the hippocampus, vital for learning and memory, but brain cells do not die as previously thought. Instead, cells fail to mature normally, reducing long-term potentiation, a cellular basis of learning.
As humans age, their brains receive increased load from the heart's beating due to stiffening large arteries, causing damage to smallest blood vessels. The hippocampus, crucial for episodic memory, is particularly vulnerable to this increased stress.
Researchers successfully recorded hippocampal ripples in humans, demonstrating their role in new memory engraving and recall. The findings suggest that synchronized neural activity is crucial for free recall.
Research in mice suggests that physical manifestations of negative memories in the hippocampus could underlie cognitive symptoms of depression. Inhibiting these manifestations could be a future treatment route for depression.
Researchers identified astrocytic mu-opioid receptors as key to conditioned place preference, a mechanism underlying addictive behaviors. The study found that astrocytic MORs in the hippocampus release glutamates, increasing synaptic transmissions and inducing long-term potentiation, which is responsible for spatial memory acquisition.
A study in mice identified parvalbumin interneurons as key brain cells involved in social memory retrieval. Deficits in these cells may contribute to social memory deficits in schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at OHSU discovered a short burst of exercise enhances brain function by increasing connections between neurons in the hippocampus. The study found that this 'gene' promotes small growths on neurons, allowing for better learning and memory.
Researchers discovered that sleep deprivation strengthens hippocampus synapses in mice, allowing new learning to occur after waking. Synapse strength increased after six hours of wakefulness compared to sleep, suggesting a recalibration process during rest.
Researchers at UNIGE discovered that the development of the hippocampus, responsible for memory and emotions, is severely impacted in adolescence following the onset of psychotic symptoms. The study suggests that a 'second hit' later in development may determine further hippocampal atrophy and psychotic symptom emergence.
A study by Boston University neuroscientist Steve Ramirez shows that stimulating different parts of the brain can dial up or down a specific memory's emotional oomph. The hippocampus, a small structure in the brain, stores sensory and emotional information associated with memories.
Researchers found that piriform cortex stimulation triggers synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus, leading to enhanced memory formation. The study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the special role of olfaction in memory formation and retrieval.
A new Northwestern University study found that electromagnetic pulses can improve memory in older adults with age-related memory loss, reversing it to the level of young adults. The technique targets the brain's memory center and rebuilds part of memory that helps recall everyday tasks.
Researchers measured brain activity patterns that suggest new information is organized in a map-like format in the hippocampus. This organizational structure likely enables flexibility in applying knowledge, which could help explain human intelligence and inform teaching methods for efficient learning.
Researchers at U of T discovered the human hippocampus is sensitive to time information on short timescales, helping bind together information about time when forming long-term memories. The study builds on a previous rodent study that found 'time cells' in the hippocampus.
A team of scientists has found evidence that the human hippocampus is necessary for future planning and decision-making. The study, published in Neuron, revealed that individuals with epilepsy displayed inferior spatial memory and a tendency to plan less, highlighting the cognitive map's role in planning into the future.
A new study from Carnegie Mellon University reveals that learning scientific information results in changes in the actual structure of memory-related areas of the brain. The researchers found evidence of microstructural, informational, and network change in the left hippocampus during the learning of organic compounds.
Researchers found that the hippocampus uniquely represents bound features, such as faces and houses combined, which is essential for forming complex associations during learning. The study's findings have important implications for understanding how the brain's memory systems contribute to learning and decision-making.
Research at University of Queensland suggests a connection between vitamin D levels and brain structure, finding that low levels disrupt perineuronal nets in the hippocampus. This disruption leads to reduced cognitive function and potentially contributes to disorders like depression and schizophrenia.
A study in male rats found that a subset of hippocampal neurons respond to both place and taste stimuli. The results suggest the hippocampus overlays existing mental maps with information about reward and hazard derived from food locations.
A protein-secreting device implanted into the hippocampus of epileptic rats reduced seizures by 93% in three months, improving anxiety-like symptoms and cognitive performance. The effects persisted even after device removal, indicating a possible modification of disease progression.
Researchers found that inhibiting pyramidal neurons in the dorsal or ventral hippocampus after a meal caused rats to start their next meal sooner and consume more food. This study suggests boosting meal memories could help regulate future eating behavior.
New research published in JNeurosci finds that stroke generates dysfunctional brain cells that fail to develop properly, leading to memory impairments. Intervening in the production of these cells may help mitigate stroke-induced memory loss.
Researchers discover that conscious knowledge is key to declarative memory, a type of memory linked to facts and events. The study, using amnesic patients with MTL lesions, found impaired performance in recognizing changes in images, highlighting the role of the hippocampus in memory acquisition.
Researchers have discovered a potential treatment for chronic epilepsy using human induced pluripotent stem cells. The study found that grafting these cells into the hippocampus can alleviate symptoms of chronic epilepsy, including reduced seizure frequency and improved cognitive function.
Researchers have developed a system that can decode neural activity in real-time, allowing them to understand how the brain represents space and navigate. This breakthrough enables new experiments on learning, memory, navigation, and cognition, opening doors to new insights.
A new study from the University of Sydney suggests that low-protein, high-carbohydrate diets may be beneficial for brain health and longevity. The research found improvements in learning, memory, and overall health in mice fed an unrestricted low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet.
A study of over 10,000 participants found that gray matter volume in certain DMN subregions was associated with white matter microstructure changes. Variations in functional coupling patterns were also linked to connectivity changes between major brain networks.
Researchers identified a unique frequency of brainwaves associated with communication between the amygdala and hippocampus, which correlates with worsening mood related to depression and anxiety. The study used intracranial EEG to measure brainwave activity in epilepsy patients and found fluctuations in electrical activity at a specifi...
A recent study by the MAGNIMS Study Group provides new insights into the involvement of the hippocampus in multiple sclerosis, a neurodegenerative disease that affects cognition. The research suggests that modifying the hippocampus through aerobic exercise and memory retraining may be effective in improving cognitive outcomes for MS pa...
Researchers have identified glutathione, a key brain antioxidant, as significantly depleted in Alzheimer's patients compared to healthy individuals. Non-invasive imaging techniques revealed that lower levels of this antioxidant are associated with mild cognitive impairment and may hold potential for therapeutic development.
A neuroimaging study found that the hippocampus responds strongest to event boundaries in everyday experiences, such as films. The researchers discovered a strong match between participants' hippocampal activity and independent observers' identified transition points, varying according to their agreement on these points.
Researchers at DeepMind and universities reveal a novel brain mechanism that links episodic memories to solve problems. The discovery suggests the hippocampus recirculates activation back into itself, triggering related memory retrieval.
Researchers found that the cardiac cycle modulates neural responses to external information in humans and rabbits, with improved learning rates observed during the resting phase of the cardiac cycle. This suggests a potential link between bodily rhythms and learning, warranting further investigation.
Researchers developed new electrophysiology techniques to study the pig hippocampus, confirming features comparable to rodents and non-human primates. This breakthrough establishes pigs as a promising preclinical research model for traumatic brain injury and epilepsy.
Researchers have discovered two brain regions - the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus - whose activity patterns are characteristic of the process of forgetting. Voluntary forgetting enables humans to focus on tasks and is crucial for emotional wellbeing.
Weiwei Zhang, a UC Riverside psychologist, has received a five-year, $1.4 million grant to investigate how the brain supports encoding, maintaining, and accessing precise short-term and long-term memories.
Researchers found that mouse memory cells, known as engram cells, are activated by context and episodes, rather than specific locations. This challenges the traditional view of memory storage in the hippocampus, suggesting a more complex role for the brain region.
A study published in JNeurosci reveals the hippocampus plays a key role in predicting visual information based on past experiences. The findings suggest that memories can influence how we perceive the world, with the brain 'filling in' missing information to create a coherent picture.
Researchers found that physical activity increases hippocampal capacity by promoting neurogenesis, which clears out old memories. This process helps maintain memory capacity throughout life, particularly for those with Alzheimer's disease.
A study published in Radiology found that people who smoke or have diabetes are at increased risk of calcifications in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory. The study suggests a link between smoking and diabetes and an increased risk of brain calcifications.
A team of researchers at the University of Freiburg has created a new model to explain how the brain stores memories of tangible events. The model is based on an experiment with mice, where they used a virtual environment and recorded the activity of their nerve cells.
Researchers from Rice University and Michigan Medicine developed a tool to analyze brain waves during periods of rest. They found that these ripples can be used to reconstruct memories of an environment, even when the animals were not actively exploring. The study provides new insights into how brains sort and store information.
A team of researchers proposes a hypothesis on how REM and non-REM sleep might help us solve problems. Non-REM sleep helps organize information into useful categories, while REM sleep enables the discovery of unexpected connections.
Researchers used fMRI to study how subjects process individual experiences into memories and found the hippocampus plays a role in conceptual memory formation. Consistency and similarity across new experiences contribute to building abstract thinking, enabling people to form coherent concepts.
A Baycrest-Rambam study found that patients who survive a brief cardiac arrest and appear neurologically intact may still experience significant memory problems. Comprehensive neuropsychological testing can provide better support for these challenges upon discharge.
Research found that flu strains H3N2 and H7N7 caused memory impairments and structural changes in the hippocampus of mice. The infections also activated brain immune cells and altered gene expression, suggesting a potential threat to healthy brain function.
Researchers found that dim light exposure led to significant reductions in brain-derived neurotrophic factor and dendritic spines, impairing learning and memory performance. Bright light exposure, on the other hand, showed improvement in spatial task performance, with full recovery after a break.
Researchers discovered specific cells in the hippocampus that fire when animals are anxious, triggering anxiety-related behaviors. The findings suggest a direct pathway to respond to anxiety-provoking environments, opening up new areas for exploring treatment ideas.
A study published in Nature Communications used virtual reality to train subjects, then showed that different areas of the hippocampus are activated for different types of memories. The researchers found that the hippocampus is involved in linking similar experiences and encoding time and space information.
Researchers have discovered that brain cells in the hippocampus process spatial information about both oneself and others. This 'buddy system' allows for joint location awareness, enabling rats to track each other's movements through a maze. The findings extend our understanding of the hippocampus' role as the brain's positioning system.
Researchers found that playing 3D video games like Super Mario 64 increased gray matter volume in the hippocampus and cerebellum of older adults. This led to improved short-term memory and cognitive function. The study suggests that learning new things, such as through video games or piano lessons, can reverse age-related brain atrophy.
New findings help clarify genetic influence on brain disorders by analyzing 3 million genomic locations, revealing links to schizophrenia and other disorders. The study identifies specific variable locations in the genome that affect gene expression and DNA methylation.
A new Australian-led study found that aerobic exercise increases the size of the left region of the hippocampus, a critical area for memory and other brain functions. The study showed significant benefits of exercise on brain health, with implications for preventing age-related neurodegenerative disorders.
Research in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found that challenging situations negatively impact the brain's ability to acquire spatial and sequential context. Participants performed poorly on tests after watching clips of positive, negative, and neutral situations.
Researchers discovered that a neurotransmitter called GABA plays a crucial role in inhibiting unwanted thoughts, particularly in individuals with disorders such as schizophrenia and anxiety. The study found that higher GABA concentrations in the hippocampus are associated with better thought suppression abilities.
A recent NIH-funded study used innovative NeuroGrid technology to show that sleep boosts communication between the hippocampus and association neocortex, crucial for memory formation. The research suggests that neural dialogue between these regions helps retain information during sleep.
Researchers observed coordination between high-frequency oscillations and parts of the association cortex, which helped explicit memories transition from hippocampus to association cortex for long-term storage. The coupling was strengthened during sleep after learning.
Researchers found that inducing biochemical alteration in brain proteins via glucosamine suppresses pathological hyperexcitability in rat and mouse models. Glucosamine also protects against drug-induced hyperexcitability by targeting the AMPA receptor.