Articles tagged with Human Brain
Researchers discovered that mismatch repair genes are critical in eliciting damages to neurons vulnerable to Huntington's disease, triggering downstream pathologies and motor impairment. Targeting these genes may offer novel therapeutic approaches, including improving locomotor and gait deficits and reducing neuronal cell death.
Researchers identified a link between Alzheimer's disease, cell function, and cholesterol in the brain. Lowering oxysterol levels freed trapped ABCA1, restoring its healthy state, and showed potential as a new treatment approach.
Researchers develop new method to study glycosylation in proteins, discovering that gut bacteria can alter molecular signatures in the brain. The study found over 150,000 glycosylated protein forms in brain tissue samples from mice.
Research reveals that perceived trustworthiness of others alters brain activity in reward and salience networks, driving assessments of safety and risk. Higher perceived odds of HIV transmission lead to more distrust and activation of the salience network.
A new study found that the brain's cerebral cortex acts like a memory machine, encoding new experiences and predicting the near future. Novelty detection is a critical function for humans and animals, allowing them to adapt and improve their predictions of future events.
A new study suggests that delivering tenecteplase directly into a large brain artery after removing a blood clot can improve stroke survivors' function 90 days later. The treatment, which was tested in 127 patients, showed promising results compared to standard medical care.
Researchers found that clot-dissolving medication alteplase improved stroke patients' recovery by more than 50% when given up to 24 hours after the beginning of an ischemic stroke. This breakthrough may provide hope for stroke patients worldwide who may not have access to clot-dissolving medications within the approved time window.
A University of Ottawa neuroscientist has led a Canadian research team to discover how neural stem cells integrate signals from different cell types and decode them. The study found that low daughter cell numbers trigger activation, while high numbers keep them in quiescence, offering new insights into cellular relationships and potent...
Research reveals that even short-term exposure to high levels of particulate matter air pollution impairs cognitive functions such as selective attention and emotion recognition. This study highlights the urgent need for stricter air quality regulations and public health measures to combat the harmful effects of pollution on brain health.
A new AI-based tool can translate a person's thoughts into continuous text without requiring language comprehension, and it can be trained in under an hour. The system was developed by adapting a previous brain decoder to a new person using short, silent videos.
UCalgary researchers confirm that endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is not effective for patients with blockages in medium-sized blood vessels. The ESCAPE-MeVO clinical trial found no improvement in outcomes for these patients compared to standard care. EVT was previously shown to improve patient outcomes after large-vessel strokes.
Bess Frost, director of Brown University's Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, received the 2025 Rainwater Prize for her groundbreaking findings on tau toxicity and retrotransposons. Her work may lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and tauopathies.
Researchers at McGill University found that a protein produced in muscles helps manage the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which promotes egg maturation. Lowering myostatin levels delayed puberty and reduced fertility, while restoring it boosted FSH levels.
The DISTAL trial found that endovascular therapy in addition to best medical therapy did not reduce disability more than clot-busting treatment alone for patients with medium distal vessel blockages. The study showed that mechanical clot removal was a safe option, but its benefits were uncertain.
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science have found that opioid delta-receptor agonists can alleviate stress-induced IBS symptoms in a validated mouse model by targeting the central nervous system. The study suggests that these drugs could provide a more definitive solution for IBS with minimal adverse effects.
Eleven scientists will be recognized for their individual exceptional professional achievements and contributions to stroke care and research. Four groundbreaking scientists are devoted to stroke research, while six others will be recognized for their new research findings presented during the meeting.
Researchers used intracranial EEG recordings to find that meditation led to changes in the amygdala and hippocampus, key regions involved in emotional regulation and memory. Loving kindness meditation was specifically found to be associated with changes in brain wave activity.
A new drug developed by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has shown significant promise in reversing memory loss in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The drug, GL-II-73, selectively targets GABA receptors to restore brain function and repair damaged neural connections.
Researchers used fMRI data to uncover how the hippocampus coordinates memory processes by analyzing neural activity patterns. The study found that participants remembered scenes with lower novelty more accurately and that the hippocampus integrates diverse forms of novel information.
A team of researchers has developed a novel model of the Blood-Brain Barrier, which mimics the complex structure of cerebral blood vessels. This breakthrough enables scientists to study neuroinflammation and develop new therapeutic strategies for Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Researchers have found alarmingly high levels of microplastics in human brains, with concentrations increasing by 50% over eight years. The plastic accumulation appears to be linked to food consumption and agricultural practices.
New research suggests lycopene treatment reverses depressive-like traits in mice by promoting synaptic plasticity via the BDNF-TrkB pathway. Lycopene also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, a protein essential for brain function.
A recent study investigated hybrid diffuse optics to monitor changes in blood flow and oxygen levels noninvasively. The technology provided detailed insights into how oxygen is delivered and utilized in the body, suggesting improved outcomes for critically ill patients undergoing red blood cell transfusions.
Researchers used single-cell sequencing to characterize different cell types in brain lesions and identify subpopulations involved in disease progression. The study provides a cellular view of focal cortical dysplasia, a malformation leading to drug-resistant epilepsy.
A new study finds that adding higher-intensity walking to standard physical therapy significantly improves mobility and quality of life in stroke survivors. The protocol, which aims for 2,000 steps with moderate intensity, was successfully integrated into standard-of-care practice in stroke units.
Researchers developed an AI model that analyzes electrocardiogram (ECG) data to predict biological age and potential cognitive decline. The study, based on UK Biobank data, found a link between higher ECG-age and poorer cognitive performance.
A study published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association found that frequent social activity may help prevent or delay dementia in old age, with socially active individuals showing reduced rates of cognitive decline over a five-year period. Social activity strengthens neural circuits and activates areas o...
A preliminary study found that regular dental flossing may lower the risk of stroke caused by blood clots and irregular heartbeats. The study, which followed over 6,000 participants for 25 years, found a significant reduction in irregular heartbeats among those who flossed regularly.
A Mediterranean-style diet was associated with improved brain health in Hispanic/Latino adults, showing enhanced communication between brain regions and reduced white matter atrophy. The study used specialized imaging techniques to investigate the effects of diet on brain integrity.
A preliminary study found that shorter protective caps at the end of chromosomes (telomeres) may be more likely to develop age-related brain diseases such as stroke, dementia, and late-life depression. Adopting healthier lifestyles could lower the negative effects of shorter telomeres.
Researchers have developed a blood test that can rapidly distinguish between brain bleeds and clot-caused strokes, even before patients arrive at the hospital. This test uses glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) levels to differentiate between hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, which can lead to opposite treatments.
A study found that changing cholesterol levels over time is associated with a higher risk of dementia in older adults. The study suggests that fluctuating cholesterol may be a new biomarker for identifying people at risk of dementia.
A recent study by Rei Akaishi at RIKEN CBS found that larger groups can actually promote greater cooperation. Participants in the 'prisoner's dilemma' game cooperated more frequently as group size grew, with brain scans showing increased activity in regions involved in prosocial behavior and memory processing. This challenges conventio...
A University of Oklahoma researcher is exploring alternate strategies for identifying and targeting Alzheimer's and related diseases using a $2.2 million federal grant. The study aims to understand the mechanisms linking aging to cognitive decline, potentially leading to new treatments for dementia.
A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that heavy cannabis users exhibited reduced brain activity during working memory tasks, associated with worse performance. Abstaining from cannabis before cognitive tasks may help improve performance.
Tobias Ackels' research reveals that mammals can differentiate between odor sources at lightning speed, using a temporal dimension to orient themselves in space. This ability is encoded in the output of the olfactory bulb and could be used for early detection of dementia.
Researchers at Rice University's Synthesis X Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center are developing a light-induced brain delivery platform to improve drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier for treating brain metastasis. The goal is to enhance survival rates and transform the standard of care for this deadly form of cancer.
Researchers at McGill University discovered a novel brain mechanism that explains why bipolar patients alternate between mania and depression. A dopamine-based 'second brain clock' controls mood shifts, operating in tandem with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
A new study has identified two biomarkers, corticomotor excitability and peak alpha frequency, that can accurately distinguish high- and low-pain sensitive individuals. This finding has the potential to transform the way chronic pain is understood and managed, allowing for more effective treatment strategies.
A study by cognitive neuroscientists found that the relationship between space and time processing varies across different brain regions. In posterior areas, space and time are processed together, while in anterior areas, they are processed independently. The study highlights a functional hierarchy with distinct neural populations resp...
Researchers at MIT develop CuRVE technology, enabling uniform labeling of proteins across millions of individual cells in intact 3D tissues. This breakthrough allows for unprecedented insights into cellular functions and behaviors, overcoming limitations of existing labeling methods.
A new study from the University of Southern Denmark reveals that the brain's self-healing abilities are hindered by inflammation after a stroke. The researchers mapped specific cells that play a central role in rebuilding myelin, but found gender differences in how men and women respond to injuries.
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have discovered a promising drug candidate that accelerates the brain's natural repair mechanisms and improves vision-related brain functions. The treatment, LL-341070, enhances myelin repair, which is crucial for preventing vision loss in diseases like MS.
Neuromorphic computing is poised to emerge into full-scale commercial use, driven by the need for energy-efficient solutions. The review article proposes strategies for building large-scale neuromorphic systems that can tackle complex real-world challenges.
London taxi drivers use cognitive resources efficiently by prioritizing challenging areas first and filling in the rest of the route around them. This flexible planning strategy can help improve future AI navigation technologies.
Researchers analyzed London taxi drivers' route-planning behavior and found they prioritize high-complexity parts of the city space during offline thinking time. This contradicts previous hypotheses about their decision-making process.
Researchers used EEG to map brain activity in response to hot and cold temperatures, finding that both invoke similar activity patterns in overlapping brain regions. The study could lead to more objective methods for evaluating thermal comfort and reducing health risks due to ambiguous subjective evaluations.
Researchers identify key brain signals prediction error and expected value to predict recovery potential in depression. They found unique brain activity patterns that could inform tailored therapy strategies, targeting specific symptoms of depression.
UCSF researchers found that when brain cells of female mice express only a maternal X chromosome, their memory and cognitive skills deteriorate faster. This study could explain the variation in brain aging between the sexes and individual women.
Researchers found that individuals with childhood epilepsy have an increased accumulation of brain amyloid later in life, which may lead to late-onset brain amyloid disorders like Alzheimer's disease. The study also showed that these individuals performed worse in cognitive tests compared to controls.
Researchers have created a detailed structural map of GABA A receptors in the human brain, revealing how they assemble and interact with drugs. The study provides new insights into treating epilepsy, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, and paves the way for customized therapies.
A large population-based analysis found that genetic variants in the GLP1R gene are associated with cardiometabolic traits and behavioral changes, such as risk-taking behavior and anxiety. These findings suggest that any observed behavioral changes with GLP1RA medications are unlikely to be a direct result of the medication.
Researchers found that biotin supplementation reverses neurotoxicity in human nerve cells, improving mitochondrial function and reducing cell loss. Biotin metabolism was identified as a modifier of manganese-induced neurodegeneration, offering potential therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease
Professors Scott Acton and Mathews Jacob of UVA's Charles L. Brown Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering were named to the IEEE Signal Processing Society's 2025 Class of Distinguished Lecturers for their groundbreaking work in signal processing, artificial intelligence, and medical imaging.
The Advanced Research + Invention Agency has awarded $84.2 million to Rice researchers to explore and unlock new methods for interfacing with the human brain at the circuit level. The project involves developing a distributed network of minimally invasive implants to stimulate neural circuits with cell-type precision.
A study analyzing the brains of women during pregnancy for the first time reveals that 94% of grey matter undergoes changes, particularly in social cognition regions. The research shows a reduction and partial recovery of brain volume, associated with steroid hormone fluctuations and maternal well-being.
Neuroscientists at WashU develop a novel method to create personalized brain models, shedding light on individual variations in brain dynamics and their impact on cognition and behavior. The study reveals new insights into the mechanisms underlying person-specific differences in brain electrophysiology.
The study provides insights into the roles of microglia in neurodegenerative diseases, revealing nine transcriptionally distinct subpopulations. The GPNMB-high Lipo.DAM signature is associated with Alzheimer's Disease and Multiple Sclerosis, and may hold relevance for immune-based therapies.
Researchers found subtle brain changes in people with Huntington's disease 20 years before symptoms appear, offering hope for earlier interventions. The study identified early markers of neurodegeneration through advanced imaging and biomarkers.
A new study reveals that the inherited genetic mutation in Huntington’s disease doesn't harm cells immediately, but slowly morphs into a highly toxic form that kills the cell. The findings suggest potential ways to delay or even prevent the disease by stopping or slowing CAG-repeat expansion in the HTT gene.