Articles tagged with Neural Pathways
Research highlights the connection between discrimination and altered gut microbiomes, which can impact metabolic and immune functions. The study's authors emphasize the need for further investigation into the relationship between the human gut microbiome and health inequities.
A new study found that the brain's neural representation of a familiar face strengthens faster when viewing someone in person. The type of exposure affected how much the signal changed, with in-person interactions strengthening it the most.
Researchers identified specific neural circuits in the basal ganglia linked to motor and non-motor Parkinson's symptoms. The findings provide a novel framework for understanding disease progression and may lead to more precise therapeutic strategies.
Research published in British Journal of Ophthalmology found that normal-tension glaucoma is associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment and possibly dementia. The study suggests that the disease pathways for normal-tension glaucoma may be similar to those for dementia.
Researchers have identified a neuroprotective pathway that sustains the nucleocytoplasmic RAN gradient, suppressing Lou Gehrig's Disease. The LSM12-EPAC1 pathway normalizes abnormal RAN concentration differences, restoring cellular function.
Research using neuroimaging found that white conservatives exhibit higher sensitivity to racial ambiguity in the anterior insula, leading them to overcategorize mixed-race faces as Black. This effect is linked to an affective reaction to racial mixing rather than a sensitivity to Blackness.
Researchers found that electroacupuncture can significantly reduce pro-inflammatory molecule levels and increase survival rates in mice with a life-threatening inflammatory condition. The treatment worked by exciting norepinephrine-producing nerves, which activated receptors that suppressed inflammation.
Research reveals that people struggle to differentiate between outgroup faces due to visual processing quirks. The brain's fusiform facial area responds similarly to same and new black faces, impairing ability to tell them apart
Researchers discovered that influenza H1N1 blocks protein degradation pathways, inducing alpha-synuclein and DISC1 protein aggregates. Increased expression levels of these proteins were found in murine brains after H1N1 infection.
Research shows adolescents struggling with mental health issues have distinct neural connections that affect cognitive control and attention. The study provides new insights into the brain development of adolescents with mental health problems, potentially informing diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers identified a cluster of 38 neurons in the hindbrain that mediate delayed escape responses in zebrafish, characterized by flexible trajectories. This circuit may represent an evolutionarily ancient pathway for defensive responses to threats sensed via acoustic or vibrational cues.
Conceptual knowledge affects emotion perception and brain's face representation, with neural similarity predicted by individual conceptual similarities. The right fusiform gyrus plays a role in this process.
A new cellular mechanism for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been identified, suggesting a novel therapeutic strategy targeting the RNA degradation pathway. Researchers also found that an asthma drug called Tranilast could potentially rescue cells and fruit flies from C9orf72-induced neurotoxicity.
Scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine discovered changes in brain activity linked to the brain's reward memory response in depression. The research found that the strength of signals between two brain regions is critical for processing rewarding stimuli.
A study found that neural tissue density in a specific white matter pathway, the vertical occipital fasciculus (VOF), correlates with individual differences in stereoacuity. The VOF connects key visual areas involved in stereopsis and is crucial for understanding its neural basis.
A study published in PLOS Biology reveals a new neural circuitry linking olfaction to locomotion in lampreys, a parasitic fish that has decimated large populations of fish. The discovery demonstrates how smell can activate locomotor centers via two distinct brain pathways.
Researchers discovered that neural encoding of sensory information leading to belief updates is negatively related to dopamine receptor availability. The study also found a link between dopamine and the ability to flexibly update beliefs, with paranoid ideation being negatively related to sensitivity to meaningful sensory information.
Researchers found that deep brain stimulation affects different neural pathways for motor and cognitive functions. The treatment shows improved effects on motor control and fewer adverse cognitive effects.
Researchers at Kyoto University have discovered that MTSS1 controls the branching of neurons by activating one pathway and inhibiting another. This protein plays a dual role, regulating actin filaments to facilitate efficient and uniform coverage of the surrounding environment.
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.