Articles tagged with Human Brain
The Human Brain Project has identified seven new areas in the insular cortex using statistical mapping of cytoarchitecture, providing new insights into its structural organisation. The findings are now available online for future studies addressing relations between structure and function in this complex brain region.
A study from MIT neuroscientists has identified a population of neurons in the visual cortex that respond to images of food. The researchers found four previously known populations and a fifth, more surprising population that appears to be selective for food images. This finding may reflect the special importance of food in human culture.
A new neurosurgical procedure has been deemed safe for measuring dopamine and serotonin in the human brain. The study, published in PLOS One, found no significant increase in infection rates among patients who underwent the procedure.
A new study published in Development Cell shows that microglial cells develop in a unique wave-like pattern throughout human brain development. The research, led by Professor Diego Gomez-Nicola, used post-mortem human brain samples to create the largest-ever study on microglial development across the human lifespan.
Research led by Drs. Yuhai Zhao and Walter J Lukiw reports a pathway from the gut to the brain that contributes to Alzheimer's disease development. Adequate dietary fiber intake can prevent this process. The study suggests a potential means to modify the abundance of microbes in the microbiome.
A team of researchers from The Mount Sinai Hospital has made a groundbreaking discovery into the genetic and molecular mechanisms that predispose individuals to Alzheimer's disease. They identified 21 candidate risk genes, including SPI1, which regulates microglia and AD risk.
A team of UNLV-led researchers questions the hypothesis that modern humans experienced an evolutionary decrease in brain size during the transition to complex societies. They analyzed a dataset of early human fossil and museum specimens, finding no reduction in brain size over 30,000 years.
Scientists aim to replicate human brain's capabilities in computing, inspired by quantum materials' traits. Researchers develop materials that can process information efficiently, consuming less energy than traditional computers.
A study published in NeuroReport reveals that ultrasound exposure improves depressive behavior in a rat model of depression. OB rats exposed to USV had significantly lower hyperemotionality scores and plasma corticosterone levels than unexposed rats, suggesting potential anti-depressant effects.
Researchers at MPI-CBG found that modern human variants cause longer metaphase and fewer chromosome segregation errors in neural stem cells, leading to more efficient brain development. This suggests that some aspects of modern human brain evolution may be independent of brain size.
Researchers at UCLA have developed a new framework for studying the organization of the human brain by combining data simulation and experimental observation. The study reveals that a small number of spatiotemporal patterns can unify various observations, providing a description of global functional brain organization.
Artificial neural networks use white matter cracks and cerebral cortex furrows to estimate biological age, which can indicate possible disease or injury. The 'black box' problem has been solved, revealing the algorithm's decision-making process.
Researchers found that despite a powerful brain response to sound during sleep, the level of alpha-beta waves associated with attention and expectation is significantly reduced. This means the brain can analyze auditory input but fails to focus on it, resulting in no conscious awareness.
A Baycrest study found that expert knowledge helps memorize new information by providing a mental organizational structure. Experts grouped birds based on specific features, while non-experts relied on superficial characteristics like color. This structure supports memory and may mitigate age-related decline.
A recent study published in Brain Stimulation reveals that non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation increases reaction times to negative images and decreases reactions to positive images. The findings have implications for the development of treatments for PTSD and other mental health conditions.
A new theory developed by a collaboration between a former cosmologist and a computational neuroscientist has identified essential connections between brain cells. The theory, published in Physical Review Research, uses geometric framework to predict structure from function in neural networks.
A new GPU-based machine learning algorithm, ReAL-LiFE, can rapidly analyze large amounts of data from diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI) scans of the human brain. This allows for faster analysis and prediction of brain connectivity, enabling better understanding of brain-behaviour relationships at scale.
Researchers have discovered a prominent network of silencing interneurons in the human cortex, which could be linked to enhanced working memory and reasoning abilities. This unique network relies on abundant connections between inhibitory interneurons and is distinct from those found in mice.
Researchers used microcircuit models of basal ganglia and thalamus areas to create multiscale models of Parkinson's patient and healthy control brain. They found that in-silico deep brain stimulation could normalize decreased firing rates in subcortical regions, but also caused differential activity in the motor cortex.
Researchers at Colorado State University have found a way to alter the type of synapses between brain cells using enzymes. This breakthrough could lead to new treatments for brain disorders caused by faulty synaptic information processing and exchange.
Research reveals that healthy brain temperature varies significantly by brain region, age, sex, and time of day. Daily brain temperature cycles strongly correlate with survival in traumatic brain injury patients, suggesting potential improvements in understanding and treatment of brain injuries.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have identified LIPE, a lipase that degrades triglycerides, as a promising candidate therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease. Inhibiting LIPE reduced alpha-synuclein inclusions and alleviated neurodegeneration in patient-derived neurons and a C. elegans model of toxicity.
A new study by Baycrest and Western University suggests that older adults may benefit more from natural speech than previously thought. They found that for engaging stories, older adults performed similarly to younger adults in noisy settings, but struggled with disconnected sentences.
Researchers at Texas A&M University College of Medicine have identified a crucial mechanism driving the evolution of the neocortex, leading to increased intelligence and surface area. This breakthrough understanding contributes to insights into developmental deficits linked to autism spectrum disorders and intellectual disabilities.
Researchers have elucidated principles of human brain organisation across visual, auditory, somatosensory, and motor functional systems. The study revealed systematic changes in receptor architecture and gene expression within each system, reflecting increasing complexity of information processing.
A new study reveals an 'expanding hole' illusion that deceives the brain, prompting a dilation reflex in the pupils and making us perceive more light. The illusion is perceived by approximately 86% of people and affects how our visual system anticipates and makes sense of the visual world.
Researchers found that listening to groove music enhances executive function and activity in the brain's prefrontal cortex in familiarized participants. The study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure changes in cognitive function before and after listening to music.
A new study by the University of Birmingham found that dopamine levels can affect emotion recognition in people with neurological disorders. Those with low baseline dopamine levels improved their ability to recognize emotions after receiving a dopamine boost, while those with higher baseline levels became worse at emotion recognition.
Researchers have successfully processed sequences with a large neural network while consuming significantly less energy on neuromorphic hardware. This breakthrough showcases the potential of neuromorphic technology to improve the energy efficiency of AI workloads.
Researchers analyzed brain volumes of 37 Parkinson’s patients and 27 controls over 8.8 years, finding accelerated grey matter decline in temporal and occipital lobes. The study’s findings support Braak's disease stage scheme and provide new insights into Parkinson’s progression.
A study by HBP scientists found that wakefulness, non-REM sleep, and REM sleep have complementary functions for learning: experiencing stimuli, solidifying experiences, and discovering semantic concepts. This research suggests that unusual dreams, simulated using Generative Adversarial Networks, can improve brain learning by introducin...
A recent study by Leipzig University researchers has identified a rare gene mutation that causes increased cognitive performance and blindness. The mutation affects synaptic communication, leading to improved neuronal function, as demonstrated using fruit flies.
A new study suggests that supplementing a diet with Ascidiacea, also known as sea squirts, reverses some main signs of aging in animal models. The researchers found that plasmalogens, vital to body processes, decrease with age and contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Researchers used a mega-electron-volt ultrafast electron diffraction instrument to study vanadium dioxide's insulator-metal transition. The 'stroboscopic camera' captured the hidden trajectory of atomic motion, showing two stages with non-linear atomic motions in the second stage, influenced by electron orbital forces.
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai discovered how the brain uses a group of neurons in the frontal lobe to monitor performance, enabling humans to learn from mistakes and develop specific skills. This mechanism allows for flexibility in learning new tasks and adjusting focus based on conflict or difficulty encountered.
Scientists have developed novel methods to study human brain cell migration during fetal development by tracking genetic mutations in healthy adult individuals. This allows for the first time to reconstruct brain development and provide key findings on cell type origins and hemisphere separation.
A new study found that newborn brains are already organized into functional networks, with five networks operating at birth. Individual variability in these networks may be related to genetic differences and could have implications for behavior in adults.
A team of researchers from Kobe and Kyoto universities proposes an ethical framework for conducting research on conscious brain organoids. The framework assumes that brain organoids already possess consciousness and recommends guidelines similar to those for animal experiments. Key considerations include minimizing the number of organo...
Researchers are developing technologies to image tens or hundreds of human brains at unprecedented speed, generating comprehensive brain-cell atlases to uncover behavior, emotion, and cognition. The team aims to chart the diversity of brain cells, including neurons and glial cells, to gain insights into normal brain function and disease.
Researchers created brain charts spanning human lifespan, revealing rapid brain growth in early life and slow decline with age. The charts use aggregated MRI datasets, covering a range of ages from fetus to 100-year-old adult, and aim to create a common language for describing brain development and maturation.
A new study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that the Virtual Behavioural Medicine (VBM) program successfully reduced the proportion of patients who needed admission to a specialized inpatient unit by 60%. This suggests that VBM is highly effective for managing severe neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia without p...
A new technique developed at the University of Birmingham uses electroencephalography (EEG) to measure brain activity in patients before surgery, predicting their likelihood of severe pain after recovery. This allows clinicians to plan additional preventative pain medication and potentially reduce chronic symptoms.
Researchers created detailed 3D maps of the metathalamus using BigBrain dataset, gaining insight into its cellular structure and subcortical nuclei. The maps have clinical relevance for diagnosing neurological disorders and aiding neurosurgery, as the metathalamus is involved in many conditions.
The completed human genome assembly has revealed new insights into human evolution and diseases. Researchers found that highly repetitive regions, including segmental duplications, contain genes critical for brain development and function. These findings shed light on the genetic factors that make humans distinct from other primates.
A study published in PLOS Biology found that despite the functional importance of connections between far-reaching brain regions, the actual number of these connections is low. Researchers estimated 2.5 billion long-range axons in the cerebral cortex, but found that only a small percentage directly connected key functional areas.
The Human Brain Project (HBP) has brought together neuroscientists from different disciplines to work collaboratively on common goals. The HBP researchers outline their scientific approach and illustrate the potential of EBRAINS infrastructure for neuroscience research.
Researchers developed a new genomic technology to analyze DNA, RNA and chromatin from a single cell, providing a comprehensive database for better understanding of brain diseases. The technology helped identify 63 cell types in the human frontal cortex region.
Researchers at MUSC and University of Florida successfully visualize the complete human brain lymphatic system in living humans using a new non-invasive MRI technique. This breakthrough enhances our understanding of brain function and may provide insights into neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Researchers discovered a population of neurons in the auditory cortex that responds specifically to singing, but not speech or instrumental music. The study uses electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings to gain higher-resolution data, revealing fine-grained segregation of function within the auditory cortex.
Researchers found significant microstructural changes in white matter tracts, indicating the brain's ability to adapt to spaceflight. After returning to Earth, these changes remained visible seven months later.
A team of researchers from MIT created a comprehensive atlas of cerebrovascular cells in human brain tissue, identifying 11 subtypes and their functions. The study reveals differences between healthy and diseased cells, potentially leading to new targets for treating Huntington's disease.
Thirumalai Venkatesan's research aims to create a human-brain like computing system using quantum technology. His team has discovered a wonder molecule that enables molecular devices to mimic the brain's logic and reconfigure physical wiring, leading to enhanced computational power and reduced energy consumption.
A study by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers found that autistic children have distinct amygdala changes, with larger volumes associated with traditional anxiety and smaller volumes linked to autism-distinct anxieties. The study used brain scans of 71 autistic and 55 non-autistic children between ages 2-12.
Neuroscientists have designed neural organoids with both mature neurons and astrocytic glial cells to study interactions between brain cells. The new technology enables the emulation of brain activity during healthy and disease states, opening doors to rapid drug screening for neurological diseases.
A team of scientists has identified hundreds of new genomic loci associated with brain structure, shedding light on how the human brain is shaped. The study used genetically informed brain atlases to uncover the largest number of genetic variants linked to cortex size and thickness.
Researchers have developed a system that can capture the information in speech signals similar to how humans perceive speech. The method uses a matching pursuit algorithm and psychoacoustic principles to produce high-quality resynthesized speech signals with natural accents.
Researchers developed a single-use sensor strip that can detect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks, providing a rapid diagnostic tool for patients with brain and spinal cord injuries. The test uses antibodies specific to proteins found in human CSF, detecting leaks even when other substances are present.
Breakthrough research reveals Tuberous Sclerosis Complex arises from human-specific progenitor cells, explaining its pathology. Human-derived cerebral organoid models shed light on complex brain development and potential mechanisms for other diseases.
The new sensor grids offer 100 times higher resolution than existing technology, allowing for more precise identification of seizure origins and preservation of healthy brain tissue. Longer term, the technology holds potential for permanent implantation to improve life quality for people with paralysis or neurodegenerative diseases.
A new study by researchers from Eötvös Loránd University found that dog brains can differentiate between two languages, with distinct activity patterns in primary and secondary auditory cortices. The study used brain imaging to compare dogs' responses to speech and non-speech stimuli in Spanish and Hungarian.