A recent study by researchers from Ritsumeikan University found that athletes with a history of sprained ankle showed reduced gut bacteria diversity compared to those without such a history. This suggests that musculoskeletal injury may have a negative impact on the gut microbiota, potentially leading to long-term health consequences.
Sea urchin larvae exhibit a cilia-based response and swim backward when exposed to strong irradiation, revealing a subtle yet crucial mechanism in the evolution of light-responsive tissues. This finding provides insights into the diversification of light-response systems and may have implications for understanding human behavior or fee...
Scientists at Washington State University have discovered a novel theory that the innate immune system can respond differently to specific pathogens. This quality, known as immunological specificity, is driven by the nervous system and could provide a basis for finetuning an experimental treatment to fight infection.
A study by the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience has identified a new neural mechanism of habit formation, showing that striatal dopamine signals are region-specific and temporally stable across action-sequence habit formation. This finding challenges traditional theories on dopamine signaling in habit development.
A new study by Georgia Tech researchers has found a novel pathway for understanding why debilitating side effects occur with cancer treatment. The findings suggest that the central nervous system is vulnerable to cancer treatment's adverse effects, and correcting any one may not be enough to improve human function and quality of life.
Researchers found that delirium and spatial neglect are associated with widespread dysfunction of brain networks, including arousal, attention, and spatial orientation. This imbalance may contribute to chronic cognitive decline after stroke.
Researchers at Salk Institute discovered that neurons deep in the brain's cortex process information from borders first, then send clues back to upstream areas. This supports the importance of the 'feedback' pathway for deciphering borders.
Researchers found that people with ALS have higher levels of arachidonic acid, a lipid involved in inflammation, and that tampering with this pathway can reduce muscle-weakening symptoms. The study suggests that targeting the arachidonic acid pathway may offer potential new therapies for Lou Gehrig's disease.
A new Dartmouth study found that a neural code shared across brains is responsible for recognizing familiar faces, including social and personal information. The study used hyperalignment to align brain responses into a common space, revealing high decoding accuracy in areas outside of visual processing.
A recent study by Amber Alhadeff has uncovered a hypothalamic-to-hindbrain circuit that suppresses pain sensation in hungry mice, enabling them to seek food. The research also highlights the rapid communication between gut nutrients and brain via an understudied pathway.
A first-in-human study at Cleveland Clinic found that targeting the dentate nucleus with deep brain stimulation was safe and feasible for promoting post-stroke rehabilitation, enabling significant functional improvement in upper extremity hemiparesis. The study's adaptive design allowed for extended treatment duration if patients conti...
Researchers have made progress in creating a brain atlas of the mouse brain, which will help develop tools for studying the human brain. The study describes the diversity of neurons in the mouse brain and establishes new methods for characterizing cell types and neural connections.
Scientists at the University of California San Diego have discovered that planar cell polarity is a widely used mechanism for forming and maintaining glutamatergic synapses. The study found that Prickle protein plays a crucial role in stabilizing these synapses, which are essential for neuronal communication.
A new study shows that a four-week psychological treatment called Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) can provide potent and durable relief for chronic back pain in two-thirds of patients. The treatment alters brain networks associated with pain processing, reducing symptoms that last for up to one year.
A team of researchers at the Marine Biological Laboratory has developed a system called HySyn, which uses neuropeptides from Hydra to synthetically reconnect neural circuits in the C. elegans brain. This allows for the creation of an artificial synapse that rewires a behavioral circuit, enabling the worm to communicate more effectively.
A study by Boston University researcher Jennifer Zuk found that the brain's organizational pathways, known as white matter, set a foundation for language learning abilities within the first year of life. This is reflected in children born with higher indications of white matter organization having better language skills five years later.
Researchers discovered that a brain area traditionally thought to specialize in old habits also plays a role in learning new actions. The study found that the dorsolateral striatum is involved in consolidating action learning immediately after the new action has been learned.
Researchers found that auditory and speech processing occur in parallel, with areas of the STG responding as fast as the primary auditory cortex when sentences were played. This challenges the traditional hierarchy model of speech processing and may offer new insights into conditions like dyslexia.
A study from the University of South Carolina's Environmental Health & Disease Laboratory found that andrographolide successfully restored bacteriomes and viromes, increasing beneficial bacteria and decreasing harmful bacteria. The treatment also decreased gut inflammation and neuroinflammation in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a model of how internal states and external stimuli shape the behavior of hydra, a tiny, jellyfish-like creature. By studying their neural networks, scientists can gain insights into fundamental principles that may apply to more complex animals.
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.