Articles tagged with Sensory Stimuli
Researchers found that insects like American cockroaches use the mushroom body to encode behavioral decision-making based on sensory information. The study challenges the prevailing view of insect cognition, suggesting a more complex brain function than previously thought.
Researchers used super-resolution microscopy to study the sensory receptor PIEZO1, revealing its expanded conformation in response to mechanical stimuli. This finding could lead to future drug discovery applications for diseases associated with PIEZO1 defects.
Researchers found that nearly all Purkinje cells in the human cerebellum have multiple primary dendrites, which contradicts the traditional understanding of a one-to-one relationship between climbing fibers and Purkinje cells. This discovery was made possible by analyzing thousands of cells from both human and mouse tissue using immuno...
Researchers have developed a new bioelectronic technology to map fast electrical signals in plants, revealing how plants respond to touch and stress. The study uses a multi-electrode array technology on the Venus Flytrap, demonstrating that electrical signals originate from sensory hairs.
Researchers at UBC Okanagan found that winery visitors are influenced by a range of elements beyond the wine itself, including atmosphere, music, lighting, and social interactions. Understanding these dynamics can help wineries create more positive experiences for customers.
Researchers found nightingales can flexibly adjust the pitch of certain song parts over a wide range of frequencies to imitate competitors. This strategy is thought to increase their mating chances during the breeding season. The birds can also adjust their songs in real-time to auditory stimuli, suggesting a robust neural circuitry.
Researchers found that fruit flies prefer larger quantities, but struggle to distinguish between 3 and 4 objects, highlighting the importance of ratio perception. LC11 neurons are essential for comparing quantities in fruit flies.
Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have identified a novel mechanism by which hair cells can repair themselves after damage. This breakthrough understanding has the potential to develop new treatments for age-related hearing loss and other conditions.
Researchers at KAUST developed smart digital image sensors that can recognize images with high accuracy, using a charge-trapping 'in-memory' sensor sensitive to visible light. The devices have an extremely long-lived retention time of up to 10 years and can perform optical sensing, storage, and computation.
A new study by MIT scientists shows that 40 Hz vibration can reduce levels of the hallmark Alzheimer's protein phosphorylated tau, preserve neurons, and improve motor function in mouse models. This research demonstrates a third sensory modality to increase gamma power in the brain, offering new hope for Alzheimer's treatment.
A new pilot study suggests rhythmic auditory stimulation can improve walking speed and quality of movement in children with severe acquired brain injuries. The technique, tested for the first time in this population, has been shown to facilitate smoother and more coordinated walking patterns.
Research by State University of New York College of Optometry suggests that reading lacks diversity in visual inputs, potentially leading to myopia development. The study proposes a mechanism where sustained reading reduces activation of ON pathways, causing eye growth beyond its focus plane and blurring vision at far distances.
Astrocytes tune down overactive neurons during acute stress, helping to regulate attention and perception. This discovery provides new hope for treating attention disorders like ADHD.
A new study by Boston University researchers reveals that visual stimulation can induce large-scale changes in cerebrospinal fluid flow during wakefulness. The findings have implications for treating conditions like Alzheimer's disease, which are associated with declines in fluid flow.
Researchers discovered that even in the absence of predators, escape events occur frequently but rarely spread to many fish. The study suggests that this robustness to false alarms is due to dynamic adjustments in sensitivity to socially acquired information.
Researchers utilize liquid crystal droplets to visualize electric field distribution within microelectrodes, revealing rotational and translational behaviors under applied voltage. The technique provides high spatial resolution and detection accuracy, enabling defect location analysis.
Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have identified a new cell type, named F-Cell, that plays a crucial role in touch sensing in fruit flies. The study published in Nature Cell Biology reveals that F-Cells are recruited to tactile hairs and participate in sending signals to neighbouring epidermal cells.
Researchers discovered that great apes deliberately spin themselves to dizzy, mimicking human behaviors like whirling dervishes. This study suggests that humans may have inherited the need for altered states from their evolutionary ancestors.
Researchers have discovered a gene mutation that can block chronic pain and provide protection against other stimuli, including heart and brain cells. The TRPV1 receptor mutation, found in avian species, was successfully transplanted into mice, showing reduced pain sensitivity and improved protective effects.
Researchers have developed a novel portable and low-cost macroscopic mapping system for all-optical cardiac electrophysiology using optogenetics and machine vision cameras. The system can stimulate and image engineered networks of human heart cells, providing insights into cardiac wave function and stability.
A new study suggests that the brain's ability to identify a voice is linked to its ability to recognize faces, with a common brain center processing both visual and auditory information. This finding has important implications for understanding disorders where voice or face recognition is compromised.
Researchers from City University of Hong Kong developed an advanced wireless haptic interface system called WeTac. The system provides a vivid touch experience with personalized tactile sensation data and overcomes the shortcomings of existing bulky gloves.
Early stage clinical studies confirm 40Hz sensory stimulation is safe, with no serious adverse effects. The therapy also showed significant neurological and behavioral benefits, including improved brain activity, reduced brain atrophy, and better sleep patterns.
Research reveals that individuals with autism have normal pain thresholds but increased sensitivity to painful stimuli. This study's findings suggest the need for increased awareness and early treatment to improve quality of life for autistic individuals.
Two studies by Harvard Medical School scientists show that the spinal cord and brainstem process touch information as it travels to higher-order brain regions. These findings highlight the importance of these areas in integrating and processing tactile stimuli.
A team co-led by CityU developed a wearable electrotactile rendering system that can mimic the sensation of touch with high spatial resolution and a rapid response rate. The device has various application potential, including enhancing VR/AR experiences and facilitating work in thick gloves.
A team from UNIGE and EPFL discovered that too much or too little motivation can blur sensory information and affect decision-making. In a state of hyper-motivation, rodents performed poorly, while moderate motivation led to optimal choice. These results open up new perspectives in learning methods.
A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School has made new strides in understanding the basic biology of internal organ sensing, revealing spatial maps of neurons in the brain stem responding to feedback from internal organs. The study found that inhibition within the brain plays a key role in selectively responding to organs.
Researchers found that smells can enhance or hinder our ability to recognize emotions in others' faces. The study used a spectrum of emotions, from extreme joy to neutral, and measured participants' response times.
Researchers developed an audio-tactile sensory substitution device (SSD) that converts sound frequencies to vibrations, significantly improving speech comprehension in noisy environments. The technology has shown promise in training hearing-impaired individuals to better understand speech.
Researchers found that the primary somatosensory cortex, traditionally thought to be a basic sensory center, plays a deeper role in decision-making and facilitates flexible behavior with experience. The study suggests an expanded role for this brain area in adaptive strategies.
A transdisciplinary research team at Göttingen Campus has found a new perspective on the rhythmic processes in the brain. They discovered that adapting interneurons can switch between very slow rhythms and fast rhythms, challenging previous assumptions about their function.
Researchers have identified a key protein in the brain that regulates habituation, a mechanism essential for focus and attention. The study found that a decrease in this protein leads to hypersensitivity and symptoms similar to those seen in Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Researchers found correlations between brain morphology and sensory characteristics in adults with ASD, suggesting structural changes may cause sensory abnormalities. The study aims to improve diagnosis and treatment options for ASD beyond behavioral indicators.
Professor Willy Wong has discovered a mathematical relationship in the sensory adaptation response curve that is true for all sensory modalities and all organisms. This finding, supported by 250 measurements of adaptation from different branches of sensory physiology, presents a single, simple equation that holds across all species.
A study published in Nature Communications demonstrates how the brain constructs the present moment through recent past experiences. The researchers discovered that brief stimuli leave a trace in the brain for almost a minute, accumulating biases in perception that allow subjects to fine-tune their sensory channels over time.
Researchers studied mice with Alzheimer's disease and found that pain sensitivity is maintained throughout the disease progression. Females are more sensitive to pain, while males experience greater emotional distress, highlighting age- and sex-specific responses to pain in Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers at Washington University found that neurons in the primary visual cortex exhibit 'drift' over time, changing their responses to the same stimulus even without learning or experience. This discovery challenges the notion of stable neural activity in sensory cortices.
Researchers at SISSA have discovered a new theory for how we perceive the passage of time in relation to sensory stimuli. The study proposes that the experience of elapsed time is generated when the neuronal representation of a stimulus is collected and summed by an accumulator, explaining why we feel longer vibrations as stronger ones.
A new study by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft scientists has identified a region of the thalamus as a key source of signals encoding past experiences in the neocortex. This discovery sheds light on how the brain forms sensory memories, which are essential for perceiving our environment and interacting with it.
A recent study has identified the precise spot in the brain where distracting stimuli are blocked, allowing concentration on a task. The researchers found that responses to distractor stimuli were abruptly suppressed beyond the sensory cortex, preventing further signal transmission within the cortex and triggering a motor response.
Researchers suggest a structural connection between 'content circuits' in the cortex and 'switchboard circuits' that allocate awareness, mediated by L5p neurons. Studies demonstrate interaction between state and contents of consciousness in these cells.
The study provides new insights into the functional role of the PPC in decision-making, showing that it plays an essential role in making judgments about unknown sensory stimuli. The researchers used a novel behavioral technique and precise manipulation of neuronal activity to demonstrate the causal role of the PPC during decision-making.
Researchers identify brain areas where flexible sensory integration takes place, including the parietal lobe and frontal lobe. The study's findings could be useful for understanding diseases affecting sensory processing, such as autism.
Researchers studied neural activity of thalamus and cerebral cortex to understand sensory perception of tactile stimuli. They found that functional interactions between neurons in these areas influence the decision on stimulus detection.
Researchers found that adult-born neurons react to reward-related stimuli, speeding up the connection between sensory information and reward. This discovery suggests that adult neurogenesis plays a crucial role in associative learning processes.
A UCLA study finds that children with autism spectrum disorder who are overly sensitive to sensory stimuli have brains that react differently, leading to a condition called sensory over-responsivity. The research may lead to interventions that can help improve the lives of these children and their families.
New Northwestern University research suggests that real-world creativity may be associated with a reduced ability to filter 'irrelevant' sensory information. This 'leaky' sensory gating allows individuals to integrate ideas outside of focus, leading to creative achievements.
Neuroscientists found that sensory stimuli, even when neurons are silent, can generate long-term synaptic strengthening. This discovery challenges traditional models of synaptic plasticity and has implications for understanding learning and memory, as well as therapeutic possibilities.
Scientists identify distinct subsets of pain-sensing neurons responsible for detecting heat and mechanical pain, challenging conventional wisdom that the brain disentangles these sensations. The study's findings have potential implications for understanding and treating conditions like diabetic neuropathy.
Researchers at Rockefeller University have developed a mathematical equation that combines generalized arousal with specific forms of arousal, such as sex and hunger. The study found that genetic changes in mice lacking estrogen receptors can influence overall arousal, providing new insights into the neural mechanisms underlying arousal.
Researchers have developed tiny implants, called BIONs, that can be injected into muscles to stimulate them and prevent wasting. The implants use radio signals to activate electrical stimuli, offering a potential breakthrough in treating stroke patients who are at risk of serious complications such as thrombosis and muscle dislocation.
Researchers at Boston University found that introducing background noise can enhance a person's ability to feel subtle stimuli. The study suggests potential applications for clinical treatment and developing tactile interfaces for telerobotics and virtual environments.