Articles tagged with Neural Pathways
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A new study found psychedelics, such as DOI, DMT, and LSD, increase dendritic spines and synapses in neurons, promoting neural plasticity. This effect is similar across species, including humans, and may lead to the development of depression treatments.
Researchers have developed a new technique called spectrally resolved fiber photometry (SRFP) that can measure the activity of two distinct neuron groups in the mouse brain. This method allows for the simultaneous measurement of neural activity in both healthy and diseased brains, shedding light on neurological disorders such as Parkin...
Scientists discovered that sensory neurons in the head and face are directly connected to the brain's emotional pathways, explaining why people experience greater fear and emotional suffering from these types of pain. This finding may lead to more effective treatments for chronic headaches and neuropathic face pain.
Researchers found that LRRK2 gene mutations cause age-dependent dopaminergic neuron degeneration and impair the autophagy-lysosomal pathway in mice. The study suggests an essential role of LRRK in DA neuron survival and regulation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway in the aging brain.
A new study published in Human Brain Mapping found that older adults' brains show more bilateral communication than younger brains. This increased communication helps maintain healthy cognitive function despite the negative effects of aging.
Researchers at Duke University have pinpointed a single type of neuron, the fast-spiking interneuron (FSI), as the master controller of habitual behavior. Forming a habit makes FSI cells more excitable, and shutting them down with a drug breaks habits in sugar-seeking mice.
Researchers at Aalto University and the University of Helsinki have developed a method to improve metacognition using magnetic stimulation. The study showed that transcranial magnetic stimulation targeting the prefrontal cortex can enhance test subjects' ability to evaluate their performance in a tactile working memory task.
New experiments support distinct roles for ventral and dorsal brain pathways in processing information about objects. The dorsal pathway sees objects according to what they are and what is done with them, while the ventral pathway sees objects as they always are, clarifying their roles in visual processing.
Scientists have identified two new brain regions, perirhinal cortex and temporal pole, that facilitate the recognition of familiar faces in monkeys. These regions were found to be specifically involved in recognizing personally familiar faces, but not unfamiliar objects or faces.
Scientists at Nagoya University found two brain pathways that control thermoregulation, revealing their separate roles in 'feeling' and responding to external temperature changes. Disabling one pathway led to impaired ability to regulate core temperature.
Researchers have discovered a new role for an enzyme called Axundead in promoting axon degeneration. However, blocking its function preserved the integrity of injured axons and allowed them to maintain signal transmission within the brain's complex circuitry for weeks.
Researchers at UF will investigate how electrical stimulation can strengthen neuronal connections in the brain, with potential applications for military analysts and civilians alike.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a new brain pathway that controls hand movements, contradicting the long-held belief that motor functions originate from the frontal lobe. This finding has implications for understanding hand movement and may lead to better treatments for patients with motor function disorders.
Research at Lund University found that both neural pathways in the striatum, called direct and indirect pathway, work together to control movements, not independently. This discovery may lead to new treatments for movement disorders like Parkinson's disease by targeting both pathways.
Researchers at Osaka University discovered that retraction of early thalamocortical connections, driven by cannabinoids, can help form L4-L2/3 connections. This finding may contribute to understanding neuronal circuit mechanisms and prevention of cannabis abuse.
A study published in PNAS used MEG and computational methods to measure real-time brain processes converting face appearance into recognition. The research team mapped brain activity for each point in time, identifying which parts of the brain encode appearance-based information versus identity-based information.
Researchers have found evidence that botulinum toxins can move beyond the injection site, entering nerve cells and causing symptoms consistent with botulism. The study uses a lab dish system to visualize toxin movement, shedding light on the potential for remote effects of this deadly substance.
A novel compound has been identified as a potential treatment for Huntington's disease, exhibiting two separate neuroprotective activities by inhibiting SIRT2 and activating the NRF2 transcription factor. The study demonstrates promising results in cellular and animal models of HD.
Researchers found that an age-related decline in a brain circuit impairs mice's ability to adjust to environmental changes, causing interference between old and new learning. This decline leads to motivation problems and potentially cognitive decline and dementia.
PERK's involvement in neurodegeneration is established through pathologic, genetic, and molecular links to various disorders. Long-term PERK activity triggers pro-apoptotic cascades, while current efforts to inhibit PERK show promising results in in vivo models of tauopathy.
Researchers at Gladstone Institutes uncover a neural circuit that controls walking and find a new target for treating Parkinson's disease. Dopamine depletion disrupts movement by miscommunicating between the basal ganglia and thalamus, leading to an imbalance between go and stop pathways.
Researchers create device that stimulates lacrimal gland to increase tear production by nearly 57% in rabbit eyes. The next phase will evaluate the quality of tears produced, with clinical trials underway for FDA approval.
A recent study found that depression is strongly associated with the frequency of chest pain in adults with and without underlying coronary artery disease. Patients with depression were three times more likely to experience more frequent chest pain than those without depression.
A new study published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience found that the Fair Trade logo increases consumer's willingness to pay by 30% on average. The study also discovered that the logo influences subjective evaluations of products and activates the brain's reward system.
Mutations in genes involved in synaptic communication can drive neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases like autism spectrum disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Disruption of a new sorting pathway severely hampers neuron-neuron communication.
New research reveals neural movements can be measured and predicted using non-invasive techniques, helping explain widespread syndromes like carpal tunnel syndrome and sciatica. The study highlights the importance of preserving free movement of neural structures to maintain an asymptomatic situation.
A recent study by University of Colorado Boulder researchers found that pain processing in the brain involves two separate pathways: one for physical pain and another for cognitive regulation. The latter pathway is involved in emotion and motivation, but also plays a key role in long-term pain and disability.
Eiman Azim won the 2014 Eppendorf & Science Prize for his research on neural circuits controlling skilled movement. He identified two separate spinal cord pathways that enable rapid updates and regulation of movements.
Researchers at Stanford University have found that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome exhibit distinct brain abnormalities, including reduced white-matter content and abnormal nerve tract function. The findings may lead to more definitive diagnoses and potentially identify new treatment targets.
A novel viral method reveals that cells from human skin biopsies show altered cAMP–CREB signaling, predicting melatonin response to light and linked to bipolar disease. This study suggests a common signaling pathway may explain the body clock's link to mental illness in bipolar patients.
Researchers discovered that certain blockages in fruit fly brains quickly resolve themselves, suggesting a distinction between benign and permanent blocks. This study could help scientists identify and treat neurodegenerative diseases by focusing on permanent blockages.
A study found a positive correlation between healthy white matter quality and addition and multiplication proficiency in 12-year-olds. The researchers also suggest that this link may explain why some children with dyslexia or dyscalculia struggle with arithmetic problems.
Researchers studied elephant vocal folds to understand how they produce infrasonic calls. They found that elephant vocal folds are orientated at a very acute angle in relation to the air stream, whereas in humans they are almost perpendicular.
Researchers at McGill University discover that excessive axonal pruning, rather than cell body death, plays a crucial role in neurodegenerative diseases. Protecting axons from degeneration may be key to developing novel therapies for these conditions.
Research suggests that prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome by affecting the production of ceramide, a key signal transduction molecule involved in cellular processes. This study provides insights into the mechanisms underlying fetal alcohol syndrome.
Researchers at MIT and Boston Children's Hospital found a correlation between poor pre-reading skills in kindergartners and the size of a brain structure that connects language-processing areas. This study aims to identify children with dyslexia earlier, allowing for early intervention.
Researchers have discovered that L-3-n-butylphthalide can improve cognitive function and protect nerve cells in animal models of vascular dementia. The compound has been shown to activate the Akt kinase pathway, suggesting its potential as a new treatment option for vascular dementia.
A study by researchers from IDIBELL and University of Barcelona found that language learning depends on the structure and function of the arcuate fasciculus, a bundle of nerve fibers connecting auditory regions with motor areas. Individuals with more myelinated connections in this area performed better at word learning.
A novel artificial neural connection bridges the lost pathway between brain and spinal cord, allowing for volitional control of upper limb movement after damage. This study demonstrates that artificial neural connections can compensate for interrupted descending pathways and promote voluntary control.
Researchers found that gestational brain changes cause behavioral problems later in life, similar to the human disease. The UB study proposes a genomic explanation for schizophrenia, identifying the Integrative Nuclear FGFR 1 Signaling pathway as a central intersection point.
Researchers found that people with stronger implicit race biases have different neural representations of Black and White faces. This suggests that those with negative attitudes may perceive faces from different racial groups as more distinct.
A new study proposes a communication routing strategy in the brain that mimics the American highway system, with select hubs forming the influential network known as the 'rich club'. This network provides quick and effective communication between billions of brain cells, with long-distance neural pathways favoring rich club connections.
Researchers discovered a curved, three-dimensional grid structure in the brains of humans and non-human primates, organized pathways are either perpendicular or parallel to each other, forming box-like structures. This finding has implications for understanding brain development, evolution, and function.
A new study finds that fasting activates AgRP neurons, which promote feeding behaviors and weight gain, by increasing excitatory inputs and dendritic spines. The research reveals a neural pathway linking fasting to AgRP neuron activation, providing insight into the complex mechanisms controlling food seeking behavior.
Researchers at McGill University discovered how the brain processes visual information to detect motion and collisions. Using mathematical models and recording techniques, they found that specific neurons in the brain's visual cortex respond selectively to motion patterns.
Researchers found that individuals with developmental prosopagnosia unconsciously recognized famous faces at an early stage but lost this information by the later stage. This suggests 'covert face recognition' where some part of the brain is aware of the face despite lack of conscious awareness
A study published in Neuron reveals that upper and lower white matter fiber pathways play distinct roles in language processing. Patients with damage to the lower pathway struggle with lexical semantics but excel at constructing sentences, while those with damage to the upper pathway have difficulties with syntactic processing.
A new study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine reveals that tinnitus is caused by a lack of inhibition in key neural pathways of the brain's auditory center. The research suggests that increasing GABA-mediated inhibition may be an effective treatment for tinnitus, and a potential new approach to drug development.
A new study published in the Journal of Periodontology found that nearly 30% of human genes are expressed differently during gingivitis onset and healing. Biological pathways associated with immune system activation were identified as critical to controlling the body's reaction to plaque build-up.
The study suggests that neural pathways governing sensory and motor associations accomplish task switching through learning and communication of distinct populations of MT neurons into a downstream decision system. This finding is important for understanding both normal cognition and psychiatric disorders.
A new study published in PLOS ONE reveals that emotional information plays a crucial role in face recognition for individuals with developmental prosopagnosia. The research found that facial expressions and bodies can be used to design more effective assessment and training programs.
A new method identified rare gene mutations in people with schizophrenia, which disrupt genes in pathways of neuronal development and regulation. The study suggests a previously unknown role for rare mutations in the causation of schizophrenia.
Research by the Whitehall II study found that work stress is linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) due to its effect on the autonomic nervous system and neuroendocrine function. Chronic work stress was associated with lower heart rate variability and poor vagal tone, leading to cardiac instability.
Researchers identified key brain regions involved in fine tactile spatial discrimination, including the right posteromedial parietal cortex and right posterior intraparietal sulcus. The study's findings may lead to the development of sensory-substitution devices for visually impaired individuals.
Researchers at MIT have discovered a direct linear pathway connecting three molecules involved in synaptic formation, shedding light on the 'pruning' of neural circuits during development. This new pathway's role in development and learning could advance our understanding of devastating developmental neurological disorders.
A new study identifies a key molecular pathway in neurons that contributes to brain cell degeneration, a process linked to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. The Rho protein plays a crucial role in this destruction of neurons, and blocking its activity can prevent cell death.
A study analyzing 13 biomarkers found that combinations of neuroendocrine and immune markers were associated with high-risk pathways in men, while systolic blood pressure was linked to female high-risk pathways. Recursive partitioning identified the importance of biological regulatory systems in predicting mortality in later life.
A new study by Salk researchers reveals a previously unknown connection between the neural pathways responsible for color and fine detail perception and those involved in motion processing. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that sensory information about color is relatively unimportant for detecting moving objects.
Research suggests that sexual orientation influences how people perceive individual faces, particularly in the brain's reward circuitry. The study found that heterosexual women and homosexual men responded more strongly to male faces, while heterosexual men and homosexual women responded more to female faces.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory developed a functional brain model with 1 million neurons and 16 terabytes of storage. This achievement marks a major breakthrough in neural networking, enabling faster processing speeds and increased computational power.