Articles tagged with Neuroimaging
A £1.5M EU-funded project led by Dr Esther Walton aims to understand the brain's role in aging and mental health, tracking over 78,000 individuals from birth to death. The research hopes to propose earlier interventions for a healthier, happier life.
Researchers used MRI to analyze brain changes in patients up to six months after COVID-19 recovery. Significant abnormalities were found in the frontal lobe and brain stem, including differences in white matter and regions linked to fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches, and cognitive problems.
A new study from Mount Sinai Hospital finds a strong association between age-related macular degeneration and severe forms of heart disease, including heart failure, heart attacks, and stroke. The study highlights the importance of increased screening for eye disorders to diagnose undetected heart disease.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine studied 350 people to understand how Alzheimer's disease affects the brain. The study found that gene APOE is active in the areas most damaged by the disease, leading to symptoms like language and vision problems.
Researchers are developing a comprehensive cell atlas for the human brain, which would cover billions of cells and provide a holistic description of its properties. Advanced visualization techniques have been developed to catalog brain regions and cell types, enabling better resolution and accuracy in studying neural circuits.
Researchers propose a new network approach to understand brain function, suggesting that connections between brain regions are key to cognitive tasks. This new view also sheds light on individual variability and can be applied to predict symptoms in patients with brain lesions.
A new protocol for live imaging of adult C. elegans has been developed, extending imaging time to over two hours while avoiding heat stress in the specimen. This breakthrough allows for high-resolution imaging of cell dynamics and developmental processes.
Scientists have created an extensive new map of the brain's olfactory circuits, revealing a complex system that processes different aspects of odor information. The map suggests the existence of parallel neural circuits dedicated to assessing smell identity, pleasantness, and origin, offering new insights into olfactory processing.
Researchers found that actors' brain activity suppressed when hearing their own name during performance, indicating potential impact of theatre training on human brain. The study also investigated interpersonal coordination between actors and found specific brain systems involved in social interactions.
A team of researchers at USC is launching a comprehensive study to investigate the connection between type 2 diabetes and dementia in adults with Hispanic ancestry. The five-year study will examine brain structure and activity, blood flow, blood glucose and insulin levels, and cognitive functioning in 200 participants.
A Cornell University researcher is using optical microscopy and other tools to map the brain's neural response to psychedelics. The study aims to develop fast-acting antidepressants and treatments for substance-use disorders and cluster headaches.
The Keck School of Medicine's Stevens INI has received a nearly $2 million grant to upgrade its storage system, increasing its capacity to handle vast amounts of brain imaging data. This will enable the lab to maximize scientific productivity and fulfill its promise to collaborate with researchers globally.
Interdisciplinary researchers at the Beckman Institute have received a four-year, $2M award from the National Institutes of Health to develop a device that can instantly enable real-time 3D ultrasound imaging. The device, named FASTER, is designed to improve high-quality medical imaging accessibility in diverse communities.
Research reveals that individuals with inflammatory breast cancer are at a higher risk of brain metastases, which can lead to improved survival rates and quality of life. The study suggests that patients with triple-negative breast cancer face an even higher risk, emphasizing the need for earlier detection and more aggressive treatment.
A team from McGill University has created a database called neuromaps, which combines over 40 existing brain maps to help scientists find correlations between patterns across different brain regions. The tool provides standardized space to view and compare each map, improving reproducibility of results.
A study found impairments in the prefrontal cortex-habenula circuit, critical for regulating executive functions and reward, in people with cocaine or heroin addiction. The circuit's microstructural features were analyzed using diffusion MRI tractography, revealing reduced coherence in white matter fibers.
Researchers found that petting real dogs activates the prefrontal cortex more than stuffed animals, with increased brain activity each time interaction occurs. This effect persists after the dog is gone, suggesting a long-lasting impact of social bonding.
The CMU Array, a new microelectrode array, offers customized treatments for neurological disorders by allowing for three-dimensional sampling and ultra-high-density configurations. This technology has the potential to transform how doctors treat conditions like epilepsy and limb function loss.
The Keck School of Medicine of USC's Stevens INI has received a $149 million grant to study Alzheimer’s disease among diverse communities. The HABS-HD study aims to develop biomarkers that determine risk for developing the disease, addressing health disparities among Hispanic and African American populations.
A study from UniSA researchers found associations between metabolic profiles and adverse brain findings, including lower hippocampal and grey matter volumes. People with metabolic profiles linked to obesity were more likely to have higher accumulation of iron in the brain.
Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory discovered that tufted cells in the olfactory bulb are better at recognizing smells than mitral cells. This finding sheds light on how the brain processes sensory information, including smell intensity and identity.
A prospective multicenter case-control study found that third-trimester fetuses exposed to opioids in utero exhibited smaller brain biometric measurements and altered fetal physiology. The study suggests a possible link between prenatal opioid exposure and postnatal clinical outcomes.
Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University found that brain stimulation combined with a nose spray containing nanoparticles can improve recovery after ischemic stroke. The treatment increased cognitive and motor functions, and weighed more quickly than those treated with TMS alone.
Researchers at UTHealth Houston will create a coordinating unit for biostatistics, informatics, and engagement to advance knowledge about human brain neurons. The project aims to produce an open-access digital brain cell reference atlas to improve understanding of neurological functions and disorders.
Researchers have developed a simplified and fast optoretinography approach to measure retinal function, potentially accelerating the development of new treatments for eye diseases. The technique can collect data from three healthy subjects in just ten minutes and has been demonstrated to be reproducible.
Neuroscientists at Sainsbury Wellcome Centre discovered that individual neurons in the visual cortex of mice are modulated separately by attention and running. The study found that spatial attention and running influence neurons independently, with different dynamics.
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center used fMRI to study how the brain processes complex audiovisual speech. The study found that watching a narrator tell a story activates an extensive network of brain regions involved in sensory processing and cognitive functions associated with comprehension. This finding has pot...
Researchers found that experiencing reward enhances connectivity between the default mode network (DMN) and the ventral striatum. This effect was specific to the DMN and correlated with personality characteristics related to openness. The study used data from the Human Connectome Project, a database of healthy participants.
Researchers developed a new holographic microscope that can see through the intact skull and image the neural network of a living mouse brain with high resolution. The technology uses a wave correction algorithm to filter out multiple scattered light waves, allowing for sharper images.
Researchers discovered an electric signal in the hippocampus triggered by novelty, inducing a transition from memory to learning states. The signal may work as a switch to enable the brain to balance forming new memories and recalling familiar ones.
Geisinger Health System is conducting a comprehensive study on the genetic causes of cerebral palsy, funded by a $3.3 million NIH grant. The research aims to identify individual genes and regions responsible for the condition, which affects 1 in 500 people worldwide.
A University of Ottawa research team has made new discoveries on how motor skills are learned and stored in the brain. By studying mice, they found that a specific transcription factor called NPAS4 regulates gene changes in inhibitory neurons, leading to the formation of learning-associated neuron ensembles.
A novel 937-nm laser source has been developed for multiphoton microscopy, enabling deep tissue imaging at depths of over 600 µm with only 10 mW of power. This breakthrough technology offers a good balance between sensitivity, penetration depth, and imaging speed.
The University of Ottawa-led team aims to bridge the gap between heart and brain health by developing new diagnostic tools and treatments. They will focus on improving patient outcomes for disorders linked to both organs.
A new study by a global team of researchers has revealed subtle alterations in the size of the brain's prefrontal region in young people with mood disorders and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The study suggests that these associations may be absent or more difficult to identify in more diverse samples.
Researchers developed a thin lens with a continuously tunable focal length to alleviate vergence-accommodation conflict in AR/VR devices. The Alvarez lens can change focus continuously within a large range while being compact and lightweight.
The report explores diffuse optical imaging methods applicable to noninvasive human studies, including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS). It introduces state-of-the-art technologies and software, exploring their impact on neuroscience and clinical applications.
The September issues of American Psychiatric Association journals focus on combining molecular and neuroimaging measures to understand psychopathology and inform new treatment development. Featured research includes studies on early childhood psychotic experiences and schizophrenia imaging signatures.
A large study found associations between steroid use and structural changes in brain white and grey matter, which may explain neuropsychiatric side effects. Steroid use was associated with reduced white matter structure and altered brain structures involved in cognitive and emotional processing.
Researchers used novel 3D imaging technology to study a human brainstem nucleus and found intriguing complexity and previously undescribed cellular forms of tau pathology. The study reveals dendritic atrophy as an early sign of tau-bearing neuron degeneration, potentially contributing to symptoms like sleep disturbances and anxiety.
Researchers have successfully visualized α-synuclein aggregates in the brains of patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) using a new positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent. The agent, 18F-SPAL-T-06, shows high specificity and potential for MSA diagnosis.
The Human Brain Project has identified seven new areas in the insular cortex using statistical mapping of cytoarchitecture, providing new insights into its structural organisation. The findings are now available online for future studies addressing relations between structure and function in this complex brain region.
A new study published in Current Biology reveals that fruit flies' brains encode sweet and bitter tastes differently than expected, with some overlap in neural activity. This finding has implications for understanding the importance of taste in survival and potentially shedding light on human pleasure.
Researchers at Texas A&M University created a device that harnesses quantum fluctuations to enhance spectroscopy results in Brillouin microscopy, increasing image clarity and accuracy. The new source significantly improves the signal-to-noise ratio, allowing for better visualization of biological structures and properties.
A team of scientists has created the first detailed map of embryonic movements in C. elegans, showing a slow-wave twitch phase before hatching that depends on neuronal activity. The study used innovative imaging techniques and computational tools to track the embryo's movements, revealing new insights into neurodevelopment.
Scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have developed a new sensor that allows neuroscientists to image brain activity without missing signals, for an extended time and deeper in the brain than previously possible. The sensor uses genetically-encoded voltage indicators to capture fast brain signals while identifying specific cell types.
A proof-of-concept study developed three machine learning models to predict posttreatment recurrence in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The models achieved high accuracy using imaging data alone, while combining clinical data did not significantly improve performance.
Ben-Gurion University researchers Dr. Moti Salti and Dr. Dafna Bergerbest propose a framework to objectively compare subjective experiences and reveal their neuronal basis. They focus on numerosity as a field where objective criteria can be established, aiming to map individual transfer-functions at both behavioral and neuronal levels.
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Center for Healthy Minds found that mindfulness training alters specific pathways in the brain related to pain regulation. Participants who completed an eight-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course showed a reduction in pain-related brain activity, suggesting a potential new ...
SARS-CoV-2 uses nanotubes to infect neurons, bypassing the usual ACE2 receptor. The virus can spread rapidly through these nanotubes, contributing to its infectious capacity and neurological symptoms.
Artificial neural networks use white matter cracks and cerebral cortex furrows to estimate biological age, which can indicate possible disease or injury. The 'black box' problem has been solved, revealing the algorithm's decision-making process.
A new study led by researchers from the University of Michigan and Penn State College of Medicine compared two approaches for people with early form of memory loss: mnemonic strategy training and spaced retrieval training. Mnemonic strategy training showed increased brain activity in areas often affected by Alzheimer's disease, while s...
A multidisciplinary team at UVA Health will use deep brain stimulation to treat refractory neuropathic pain, aiming to modulate pain signals from the insula. The study may shed light on the fundamental nature of pain and identify biological indicators for effective treatment.
A new study from Tel Aviv University found a promising treatment for long-term COVID-19 symptoms using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Patients treated with HBOT showed significant improvement in cognitive function, attention, and executive functions.
A new study finds that racial discrimination affects brain microstructure, increasing the risk for health disorders in Black women. Traumatic experiences lead to changes in brain white matter tracts, which may enhance risk for negative health outcomes.
A team of experts encourages further investigation into the benefits of exercise training for managing multiple sclerosis. They argue that available studies are poorly designed and lack measurable neurological damage, suggesting that rigorous trials could provide evidence for neuroprotection.
A neuroimaging study reveals that the brain differentiates between sentences and phrases by using unique timing and connectivity of neural firings. The findings provide new insights into how the brain creates language and could have implications for machine learning systems.
A recent study published in PAIN found that mindfulness meditation can reduce pain intensity and unpleasantness by separating pain from the sense of self. Participants who practiced mindfulness reported a significant reduction in pain levels after undergoing painful heat stimuli.
Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a low-cost ultrasound imaging method to study the relationship between Alzheimer's disease and the brain's vascular system. The technique, which provides high-resolution images of animal microvasculature, may aid in early detection of the disease.
A recent study published in Nature has identified a complex neural network in the fruit-fly brain that shapes behavior and decision-making, particularly when it comes to food choice. The 'appetite map' created by the researchers reveals how internal states, such as nutrient deficiencies and pregnancy, interact to guide behavior.