Research on the structure and workings of the human brain. Covers prenatal brain development, structural changes in disease, gray and white matter, and brain stimulation.
Researchers analyzed neuronal avalanches in the human brain during perceptual tasks, discovering a high degree of similarity in temporal and spatial distribution. The study provides an analytic 'biometric' technique to link MEG-generated data to specific individuals.
The American Epilepsy Society awarded Dr. Christian E. Elger the William G. Lennox Award for expanding his department into a leading program in epilepsy surgery and human brain research. Elger's pioneering work includes studying seizure prediction and developing pre-surgical cognitive outcomes.
Scientists measured dopamine signals in Parkinson's patients during brain surgery, revealing rapid dopamine release encodes information crucial for human choice. The findings have widespread implications for neurological and psychiatric disorders, including depression and addiction.
The study reveals that both humans and monkeys have a common brain area that recognizes the orderliness of sound sequences, suggesting evolutionary origins of cognitive functions underlying language. This knowledge may help understanding how we learn and lose language, such as in aphasia after a stroke or dementia.
Researchers discovered human brains exhibit greater plasticity and adaptability than chimpanzee brains. Human brain organization is less influenced by genetics compared to chimpanzees, suggesting a strong role for environmental factors in shaping the human cerebral structure.
Researchers identified a conserved set of gene expression patterns common to all individuals, providing key insights into the core genetic code that makes our brains human. These patterns include those associated with diseases like autism and Alzheimer's, offering new opportunities for therapeutic targeting.
Researchers found human brains exhibit greater adaptability to environments and cultures due to higher plasticity, whereas chimpanzees' brain organization is more genetically determined. This study provides insight into human evolution and potential susceptibility to neurodegenerative diseases.
Scientists develop first-of-its-kind synthetic synapse that mimics the plasticity of the real thing, allowing for learning and self-healing capabilities. The novel dynamic system made from aluminum oxide and twisted bilayer graphene has the potential to aid in the development of biology-inspired electronics.
Researchers found that individuals with faster alpha oscillations can perceive two flashes of light in 25 milliseconds, whereas those with slower frequencies require a 45-millisecond delay. This suggests that finer resolution in visual perception is linked to faster brain waves.
A recent study has found that the human visual cortex contains neurons that selectively respond to intermediate colors, not just red, green, yellow, and blue. This discovery challenges existing color encoding models and may provide clues for designing more precise multi-primary-color displays.
Researchers have developed a nearly complete human brain model, engineered from adult human skin cells, with an identifiable structure and containing 99% of the genes present in the human fetal brain. The lab-grown brain has the potential to accelerate studies of genetic and environmental causes of central nervous system disorders.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have identified a similar process in flies that ignores visual input caused by their own flight turns. This finding can help understand how ongoing behavior influences visual perception and may provide insights into sensory processing disorders such as schizophrenia.
A new UC Berkeley study finds that brain rhythms synchronize within the frontal lobe to connect with other brain regions during cognitively challenging tasks. This synchronization enables quick communication between neurons, which is critical in various disorders such as Parkinson's disease and autism.
A unique brain network in humans controls and redirects attention, allowing us to select and prioritize information based on our needs. This network, which includes the dorsal and ventral attention networks, may have evolved to better process complex social cues and distinguish between relevant and irrelevant stimuli.
Researchers discovered over 100 DNA segments, known as enhancers, that play a vital role in normal development by controlling gene activity in the human brain. The study provides new insights into the genetic basis of autism and related neurological disorders.
The study reveals that 89% of connections in the idealized brain network showed up in the real brain network, suggesting evolutionarily designed to be very close to what our algorithm shows. The scientists' strategy prioritizes function over structure, highlighting essential links for optimal navigation.
Researchers have identified the epicenter of the brain's predictive ability in limbic tissue, which also plays a key role in emotions. This discovery challenges traditional theories on emotion and suggests that the brain is wired to ask questions about past experiences rather than react to external stimuli.
Research at Duke-NUS Medical School reveals lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) are crucial for human brain development and function. Studies show that mutations in the protein Mfsd2a, which transports LPCs, lead to impaired brain growth and function.
A new study published in Nature Genetics highlights the critical role of essential fatty acids like omega-3 in human brain growth and development. The research, conducted in a rural community in Pakistan, identified a genetic mutation that impairs the brain's ability to absorb these vital fats.
Researchers at UC Santa Barbara demonstrate a simple artificial neural circuit that performs image classification, using memristor technology to achieve brain-like efficiency. The breakthrough has potential applications in medical imaging, navigation systems, and search technologies.
Researchers found a key difference in human and chimpanzee DNA that boosts brain size in mouse embryos. This discovery sheds light on the genetic basis of human brain evolution and may help explain why humans have unique capabilities compared to chimps.
The University of Waterloo has three researchers recognized as among Canada's top natural sciences and engineering researchers for 2015. Chris Eliasmith, David Blowes and Michael McTavish are making significant advancements in human brain research, environmental impact reduction and invasive species understanding through their work. Th...
New research reveals that unexpected brain connectivity can lead to fast brain specialization, allowing humans to adapt to rapid technological and cultural innovations. Blind individuals using sensory substitution devices activate specialized brain areas for tasks such as reading and recognizing numerical symbols.
Researchers found that endogenous retroviruses, constituting around 5% of human DNA, regulate gene expression and have an important regulatory role in the brain. The study suggests that viruses take a firm hold on cellular machinery over evolution, leading to complex brain functions.
Researchers at the University of Rochester used imaging technique to show how brain heals itself after surgery, predicting vision recovery based on myelin insulation. This finding could have implications for treating various central nervous system injuries.
Researchers from UC San Francisco discovered a protein called PDGFD that is made in growing human brains but not in mice, driving brain cell growth. The protein's presence may have played an evolutionary role in the huge increase in cortical size in mammals leading to humans.
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet discovered that human brains have a higher rate of oligodendrocyte maintenance and can modulate myelin production, enabling faster adaptation and learning. This finding has significant implications for understanding neurological diseases such as MS.
Researchers discuss the limitations of brain simulations, citing the need to account for individual experience and social context. They also raise concerns about the potential creation of artificial consciousness and the technical challenges of simulating complex biological systems.
Researchers at Lund University have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which the brain produces new nerve cells after a stroke. Astrocytes, support cells in the brain, can form immature nerve cells that mature into functional neurons.
Researchers discovered that a single dose of antidepressant can dramatically change the human brain's functional architecture within three hours. The study found increased connectivity in two specific brain regions, while reducing intrinsic connectivity elsewhere.
A team of neuroscientists and robotics engineers has demonstrated direct brain-to-brain communication in humans, transmitting information via the internet between two human subjects separated by 5,000 miles. The study used advanced precision neuro-technologies to directly transmit a thought from one person to another without them havin...
A study at the University of Adelaide found that certain areas of the brain remain protected from aging, enabling spatial attention skills to remain consistent across ages. The research challenges current models of cognitive aging and may have implications for understanding Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Cornell University have discovered that the human brain uses fine-grained patterns of neural activity to represent emotions in a standardized code. This code allows individuals to share similar emotional experiences, regardless of personal perspectives or cultural backgrounds.
Researchers developed a new circuit board, Neurogrid, capable of simulating 1 million neurons and billions of synaptic connections using 16 custom-designed chips. The device is more efficient than other brain mimics on the power it takes to run a tablet computer.
A groundbreaking study reveals that the human brain is sensitive to language universals, with frequent syllables processed more readily than infrequent ones. The brain's response to ill-formed syllables points to a universal linguistic principle governing sound patterns in human language.
Researchers have created a high-resolution blueprint for the developing human brain, mapping where genes are turned on and off during mid-pregnancy. This atlas provides insight into diseases like autism and the origins of human uniqueness, revealing key genetic hubs linked to social behavior and cognitive features.
The Allen Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas provides a comprehensive wiring diagram of the mammalian brain, revealing specific patterns in connections between brain regions and varying connection strengths. The atlas offers unparalleled details into how structures are connected inside the brain.
A study published in PLOS Genetics found that the DUF1220 gene family is linked to the severity of autism symptoms. The research suggests that increasing copies of this gene segment may be associated with more severe symptoms, particularly social deficits, communicative impairments, and repetitive behaviors.
Research from the University of Adelaide has confirmed that gene USP9X is crucial for early human brain development and intellectual disability. Mutations in this gene disrupt normal brain cell functioning, leading to disorders such as epilepsy and autism.
Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have discovered that a small region within the amygdala in bats is responsible for producing emotional calls and sounds. This finding may lead to new treatments for malfunctions in emotional responses, such as pathological aggression.
A recent study has revealed that human and dog brains share dedicated 'voice areas', suggesting a long evolutionary history of this neural mechanism. The research used fMRI scans to compare brain activity between humans and dogs in response to voice and emotional sounds.
Researchers at KAIST developed K-Glass, a wearable HMD with an augmented reality (AR) processor that works like human vision, improving power efficiency and speed. The processor enables efficient AR experiences in various environments, including outdoor spaces without barcodes or markers.
The European Human Brain Project, Allen Institute for Brain Science, and US BRAIN Initiative are developing new methods to study the brain in health and disease. Researchers aim to reconstruct brain structure in computer models and analyze vast amounts of brain data.
Researchers have noninvasively mapped human brain activity with unique accuracy, identifying both location and timing of brain processes. The study used a novel brain-scanning technique combining fMRI and MEG data to pinpoint when the brain recognizes objects and categorizes them.
A new study demonstrates that ultrasound directed to a specific region of the human brain can enhance sensory perception. The technique showed significant improvements in distinguishing pins at closer distances and detecting small frequency differences.
Research published in Cell Metabolism reveals that hotspots of fuel consumption in the adult brain are associated with ongoing development and remodeling. The study identifies 16 brain regions with elevated levels of aerobic glycolysis, which is linked to gene expression related to growth, synaptic transmission, and neurogenesis.
The Allen Institute for Brain Science has released major updates to its online public resources, including the Mouse Brain Connectivity Atlas, Human Brain Atlas, and more. These updates provide freely available tools and data for researchers worldwide, accelerating understanding of brain function and disease.
Researchers found that girls' brains undergo a selective process called preferential detachment, preserving long-distance connections that integrate information. This process may explain why brain function improves during maturation in females.
Researchers found significant differences in the expression of genes in male and female brains, involving 2.5% of all brain genes. These differences could contribute to the higher incidence of autism in males.
Studies on armadillos, fruit flies, nematodes, and monkeys reveal insights into progressive blindness, brain structure, and decision-making. The findings also highlight the importance of animal models in understanding human brain function and developing medical diagnostic devices.
Johns Hopkins researchers pinpointed a site in the right parietal lobe that plays a crucial role in recognizing which way is straight up and down. Disruptions to this process can cause spatial disorientation and dizziness, but the study suggests that trans-cranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) could be used to treat chronic dizziness.
A study published in PLOS ONE found that listeners' brain reactions differ depending on the speaker's perceived ability to act upon their words. Researchers used EEG recordings to compare reactions to statements made by influential and non-influential speakers, revealing a significant impact of social status on neural responses.
The BigBrain model is based on data from over 7,400 tissue samples and provides a detailed understanding of the normal structure of different functional areas of the brain. The high-resolution model will contribute to precise identification and evaluation of changes in the brains of patients with neurodegenerative diseases.
The BigBrain atlas provides nearly cellular resolution, allowing researchers to see details close to the level of individual cells. This high-resolution model can be used for various applications such as computational modeling, simulating brain functions and analyzing data from MRIs and PET scans.
The BigBrain project presents a landmark three-dimensional digital reconstruction of the human brain with a spatial resolution of 20 microns. This allows for unprecedented exploration of brain microstructure and cellular level details, facilitating new insights into neurobiology, cognition, and aging.
Researchers at Vanderbilt University used fMRI to map the brain's resting state network, confirming its relationship with anatomical structure. The study provides new insights into neural connectivity and its potential applications in diagnosing mental health disorders.
The study demonstrates that when transplanted into mice, human glial cells can influence communication within the brain, allowing animals to learn more rapidly. Human astrocytes are found to have unique functional advantages and play a significant role in integrating and coordinating neural activity.
Research shows that individuals with spinal cord injuries perceive their wheelchairs as a functional substitute for their affected body part. This perception is not limited by time since injury or experience with using the wheelchair, indicating a deeper integration of prosthetics into bodily awareness.
Researchers developed an artificial brain system that enables robots to learn and understand new sentences containing a new grammatical structure. This technology has the potential to contribute to understanding linguistic malfunctions in Parkinson's disease and improve robots' ability to acquire language knowledge.
A new study identified two neighboring areas of the cortex as processing different types of visual information independently. The researchers used magnetic fields to disrupt neural activity, revealing that one area plays a causal role in processing orientation, while another underpins shape recognition based on curvature differences.