Articles tagged with Human Brain
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...
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.
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.
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 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 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 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.
Researchers at UTEP aim to understand how drugs impact decision-making processes and drive costly behaviors. The study will use animal models and computational neurobiology to simulate neural activity and test hypotheses about the relationship between drug use, decision-making, and brain activity.
Researchers investigated how individuals with anorexia and eating disorders perceive body weight, finding they underestimate the weight of smaller hands and overestimate the weight of larger hands. This study suggests two different mechanisms for weight perception in body parts versus objects.
Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a unique method for encoding natural touch sensations via specific microstimulation patterns in implantable electrodes. This allows individuals with spinal cord injuries to feel tactile edges, shapes, curvatures and movements, enabling them to control a bionic arm with the...
Researchers at University of the Basque Country discover molecule that protects brain and reverses initial cognitive damage caused by dementia; increases activity of cannabinoid and cholinergic systems, improving memory. Further studies needed to identify similar molecules for clinical trials.
The Brain Health Navigator program aims to provide resources for patients and providers at six US sites, promoting intuitive care navigation. The initiative supports healthcare providers across multiple settings, including frontline interactions and diagnosis, with educational components on brain health and post-diagnostic care.
The study found three psychological profiles associated with different patterns of cognitive and brain decline in ageing. A 'well-balanced' profile is linked to better cognitive and mental health, while low levels of protective characteristics are linked to poorer cognition and brain atrophy.
A study led by University of Cincinnati researcher Jun-Ming Zhang investigates the link between blood vessel movement and neuropathic spontaneous pain. The research aims to understand how blood vessel movement triggers cluster firing of neurons, a key mechanism in neuropathic pain.
Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed a new training technique for highly efficient AI methods, inspired by biological neurons that use short voltage pulses to communicate. This approach enables spiking neural networks to be trained using conventional methods, resulting in improved accuracy and reduced energy consumption.
A team led by University of Rochester professor Edmund Lalor aims to understand how the brain processes audiovisual information to improve speech comprehension for individuals with cochlear implants. They will use noninvasive electroencephalography (EEG) brainwave measurements to study how people respond to multisensory speech.
Researchers developed an AI model to detect brain cancer spread in surrounding tissue using MRI scans, showing 85-per-cent accuracy. This non-surgical method offers insights into patients' cancer without aggressive surgery, potentially improving treatment and survival.
Researchers discovered a brain functional connectome phenotype related to multiple cerebrovascular disease markers that contributes additively to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration alongside Alzheimer's disease. The study highlights the role of cerebrovascular disease in reshaping our understanding of dementia.
A study of 23-year-olds in Europe found over half exhibit restrictive, emotional, or uncontrolled eating behaviors. Structural brain differences play a role in the development of these habits.
A new analysis of US mortality data shows men are most likely to die from traumatic brain injuries (TBI), with rates over three times higher than women. Older adults and specific racial and ethnic groups, such as American Indian or Alaska Native people, also face a higher risk of fatal TBI-related deaths.
Researchers at the University of Parma and Sant'Anna School in Pisa developed a new approach to understand how the brain controls spontaneous movements in natural situations. The study used telemetric devices to record hundreds of neurons from the brains of monkeys, revealing complex synergies between individual neurons that allow for ...
Researchers found neurotransmitters in the human brain are released during emotional language processing, providing insights into how words shape our choices and mental health. The study bridges biology and symbolism, linking neural processes to human communication and emotion.
The Neuron special issue sheds light on the science of aging, focusing on how age-related changes impact the brain's ability to clear waste and transport energy. The collection also explores the link between the immune system and brain health.
Researchers at UCSF have discovered a new type of stem cell in the young brain that can form cells found in tumors, shedding light on how adult brain cells grow and develop into deadly brain cancers. The study provides a comprehensive roadmap for understanding healthy brain development, which could lead to better treatments for conditi...
A study published in Cell describes the synchronized oscillations that occur during non-REM sleep, including norepinephrine, cerebral blood volume, and CSF flow. The research highlights the critical role of these oscillations in powering the glymphatic system, which removes protein waste associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
New research from the University of Liverpool finds that accelerated reproductive ageing in females is associated with unstable brain connectivity patterns and increased stress sensitivity. Early puberty and early menopause are linked to psychosis vulnerability and depression risk, respectively.
A study published in PNAS found that short-term timing patterns of past brain activity are the primary determinant of sleep spindle timing, accounting for over 70% of its variability. These individualized patterns change with age and provide a new target for understanding how sleep supports memory.
Researchers at Delft University of Technology have developed durable neural implants that can withstand chronic use, enabling safe and effective brain-computer interfaces. The study found that PDMS coating significantly enhances the longevity of implantable chips.
The study found that female infants had significantly more grey matter than male infants, while male infants had more white matter. These sex differences are average and do not imply better or worse brains, but rather reflect biological sex differences during prenatal brain development.
A recent case series suggests that an extended course of Paxlovid may help some patients with long Covid experience sustained improvements in their symptoms. The study, published in Communications Medicine, found that five out of 13 patients experienced significant symptom relief after taking the antiviral drug for 15 days.
A new study has found HSV-1 proteins embedded in Alzheimer's brains, linking the virus to tau protein changes. Researchers suggest that inhibiting viral activity or modifying the brain's immune response could slow or stop Alzheimer's progression.
Researchers discovered a link between HSV-1 and Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that viral infections play a role in the disease. The study also found that tau protein initially protects the brain from the virus but contributes to brain damage later.
A study published in Nature found that new memories are replayed and consolidated when the pupil contracts during non-REM sleep, while older memories are replayed when the pupil dilates. This micro-structure separates new learning from old knowledge, preventing 'catastrophic forgetting'.
A new technique detects brain metastasis in mice by inserting a thin probe into the brain, providing information on chemical composition. The technique uses vibrational spectroscopy and has the potential to analyze molecular changes caused by tumors or injuries without altering the brain beforehand.
A study of nearly 10,000 adolescents found distinct brain structural differences between those who used substances before age 15 and those who did not. These differences appeared to exist prior to any substance use, suggesting a role for brain structure in substance use risk.
Researchers explore circadian nutrition as a potential solution for industrialized societies plagued by fatigue. Time-restricted feeding and night/active phase-restricted feeding have shown promise in improving muscle endurance and reducing cognitive dysfunctions.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University discovered the brain actively prevents learning both types of memory, leading to confusion. The brain prioritizes one type of learning over the other using a strategy to resolve conflicts.
Neuroscientist Inga Neumann discusses groundbreaking research on oxytocin, a neuropeptide that shapes social behavior and emotional responses. Her work has significant implications for treating social anxiety disorders and understanding stress resilience.
Researchers created a whole-brain atlas to visualize regions of the brain connected to V1 interneurons, a group of cells necessary for movement. The findings provide a framework to further understand the anatomical landscape of the nervous system and how the brain communicates with the spinal cord.