The way our brain processes different emotional and cognitive tasks may be underpinned by common factors, find scientists from UNSW and Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA). In this latest study, published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, Dr. Haeme Park and Associate Professor Justine Gatt, who hold joint positions at UNSW Psychology and NeuRA, looked at … Read more
Scientists still are not sure how neurological symptoms arise in COVID-19. Is it because SARS-CoV-2 infects the brain? Or are these symptoms the result of inflammation in the rest of the body? A study by Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin has now produced evidence to support the latter theory. It was published in the journal Nature Neuroscience. Headaches, … Read more
A study published in Science reports a comprehensive database of single-neuron projectomes consisting of over 10,000 mouse hippocampal neurons, thus revealing the spatial connectivity patterns of mouse hippocampal neurons at the mesoscopic level. The study was conducted by teams from the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT), the Institute of Neuroscience … Read more
A team of University of Wisconsin–Madison scientists has developed the first 3D-printed brain tissue that can grow and function like typical brain tissue. It’s an achievement with important implications for scientists studying the brain and working on treatments for a broad range of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. “This could … Read more
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with scientists from The University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Miami, are spearheading a groundbreaking approach to address neuropathic pain, a challenging condition often caused by nerve damage in various bodily tissues. This type of pain, characterized by sensations like electric shocks, … Read more
New findings published in the journal Nature Neuroscience have shed light on a mysterious pathway between the reward center of the brain that is key to how we form habits, known as the basal ganglia, and another anatomically distinct region where nearly three-quarters of the brain’s neurons reside and assist in motor learning, known as … Read more
The intricate dance of neurons orchestrates vital bodily functions and complex thoughts within a vast network. Traditional neuroscience, relying on in vivo electrophysiology within living organisms, grapples with the brain’s overarching complexity. An alternative method involves extracting cells and studying them in vitro, on a culture dish, offering researchers better control and precision in probing … Read more
The nervous system is a complex and intricate network that plays a crucial role in coordinating and regulating the functions of the human body. Comprising the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, the nervous system serves as the body’s command center, responsible for processing information, initiating responses, and maintaining homeostasis. Understanding the structure and function … Read more
A groundbreaking study spearheaded by the University of Liverpool and King’s College London has unveiled unsettling revelations about the lasting impacts of COVID-19 on the brain. Despite the absence of abnormal inflammation markers in routine blood tests, the research indicates persistent markers of brain injury in individuals months after their COVID-19 infection has subsided. This … Read more
Neuropharmacology is a specialized field within pharmacology that focuses on the study of how drugs affect the nervous system, both in terms of normal functioning and in the context of disease. This multidisciplinary science combines elements of neuroscience, pharmacology, and psychology to understand the interactions between drugs and the complex network of cells in the … Read more
Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It explores a vast range of topics, including the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of living organisms. This discipline delves into various levels of biological organization, from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems. Through methods like observation, experimentation, and analysis, biologists seek … Read more
Neuroscience, a multidisciplinary field of study, is dedicated to understanding the structure and function of the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. This dynamic and rapidly evolving field integrates knowledge from various scientific disciplines, including biology, psychology, physics, and computer science, to unravel the complexities of the nervous system. Neuroscience … Read more
When brain oxygenation is cut off for a prolonged period, the electrical activity of the cerebral cortex is quickly reduced to zero. But that’s not the end of the story. Researchers at the Paris Brain Institute, coordinated by Séverine Mahon, have shown that the “wave of death” appearing on the flat electroencephalogram is initiated deep … Read more
New research conducted by scientists from the University of Amsterdam and the HUN-REN Research Center for Natural Sciences in Hungary affirms that newborn babies have the ability to perceive the beat in music. The study, published in the journal Cognition on November 27, reveals that this capability goes beyond statistical learning, indicating that beat perception … Read more
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have uncovered a pivotal role of a gene linked to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in guiding cells within the brain’s hippocampus towards their distinct identities, as reported in a recent study published in Science Advances. The findings carry potential implications for the development of novel therapies for ASD, a prevalent … Read more
Four years ago, Jason Eshraghian from UC Santa Cruz pioneered “snnTorch,” a Python library merging neuroscience and artificial intelligence to craft spiking neural networks—a machine learning approach inspired by the brain’s adept data processing. Surpassing 100,000 downloads, this open-source gem is now integral in diverse projects, spanning NASA’s satellite tracking to semiconductor firms fine-tuning chips … Read more
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have identified a protein key to the development of a type of brain cell believed to play a role in disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases and used the discovery to grow the neurons from stem cells for the first time. The stem-cell-derived norepinephrine neurons of the type found … Read more
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, involves inducing a brief seizure in the brain using controlled doses of electricity. While ECT is highly effective for certain mental illnesses, particularly depression, the reasons for its efficacy have long puzzled the fields of psychiatry and neuroscience. Now, researchers from University of California San Diego may … Read more
Two groundbreaking studies led by Evangelos Kiskinis, Ph.D., associate professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology’s Division of Neuromuscular Disease and of Neuroscience, have revealed innovative cellular mechanisms implicated in two genetic forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Published in Science Advances and Cell Reports, these discoveries enhance our comprehension of ALS, … Read more
In a recent study conducted by SISSA and published in the journal Science Advances, researchers have unveiled the fascinating mechanisms behind rats’ ability to accurately perceive the direction of moving objects. This unique skill is attributed to a specific cluster of visual neurons within the rat brain, resembling the “pattern cells” found in the cerebral … Read more