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New Clues Emerge on What Makes the Human Brain Unique

Research from scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on an age-old question: what makes the human brain unique?

14 Aug 2025

Microbes Help Shape the Developing Brain Before and After Birth

New research from Michigan State University finds that microbes play an important role in shaping early brain development, specifically in a key brain region that controls stress, social behavior, and vital body functions.

14 Aug 2025

New Imaging System Reveals Cellular Activity at Unprecedented Depths

Both for research and medical purposes, researchers have spent decades pushing the limits of microscopy to produce ever deeper and sharper images of brain activity, not only in the cortex but also in regions underneath such as the hippocampus.

8 Aug 2025

Microglia Replacement Therapy Offers Hope for Genetic Disorders Affecting the Brain

Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases, genetic disorders affecting the brain, have no effective treatment and are typically fatal within the first years of life.

7 Aug 2025

Parkinson’s Gene Mutation Blocks Vital Neuroprotective Signals

GBA1 mutations impair ciliary Hedgehog signaling in Parkinson's disease, reducing neuroprotective factors and highlighting a shared pathogenic pathway.

7 Aug 2025

Case Western Researchers Use Stem Cells to “Shut Off” Nerve Cell Strain

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is an incurable neurological disease that affects motor neurons, which are nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that regulate voluntary muscle movement and breathing.

6 Aug 2025

Cancer Cells Trigger Instant Energy Surge When Squeezed

Cancer cells mount an instant, energy‑rich response to being physically squeezed, according to a study published in the journal Nature Communications.

31 Jul 2025

Thalamus Found to Modulate Cortical Sensitivity to Touch

The cerebral cortex processes sensory information via a complex network of neural connections. How are these signals modulated to refine perception? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has identified a mechanism by which certain thalamic projections target neurons and modify their excitability.

31 Jul 2025

Retinal Immune Response Relies on Microglia Not Neutrophils

During most eye infections or injuries, neutrophils, immune cells found in the blood, are usually the first line of defense.

28 Jul 2025

Uncovering the Molecular Roots of Neural Stem Cell Decline

Age often brings a gradual decline in the ability to learn new things and retain memories. This phenomenon, often associated with the elderly, is linked to the brain's deteriorating capacity to generate new neurons-a process that primarily occurs in the hippocampus -as neural stem cells (NSCs) divide and mature.

28 Jul 2025

3D-Printed MXene Scaffolds for Brain Injury Recovery

Research on MXene-ECM scaffolds reveals their potential in enhancing electrical stimulation for neural repair, crucial for addressing neurotrauma challenges.

25 Jul 2025

Memory Neurons Encoding Familiar Routes Drift with Every Experience

In a new study, Northwestern University neurobiologists found the brain's internal GPS changes each time we navigate a familiar, static environment.

24 Jul 2025

Neuron-Like Telocytes Directly Connect to Stem Cells in the Intestine

In a key advance for regenerative medicine and gut health, scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have uncovered a precise and unexpected communication system in the gut.

24 Jul 2025

Gat3 Knockout Disrupts Visual Information Encoding in Mice

Cells called astrocytes are about as abundant in the brain as neurons, but scientists have spent much less time figuring out how they contribute to brain functions.

23 Jul 2025

Gene Editing Reverses Symptoms of Rare Brain Disorder in Mice

Scientists have corrected gene mutations in mice causing an ultra-rare disease by editing DNA directly in the brain with a single injection, a feat with profound implications for patients with neurological diseases.

22 Jul 2025

Brain Cells Show Unexpected Self-Sufficiency in Energy Use

A new Yale study has revealed that neurons - the energy-hungry cells that connect and direct activity in the brain - are equipped with "backup batteries" that kick in to keep the brain running during periods of metabolic stress.

18 Jul 2025

Hormone-Sensitive Brain Circuit Drives Mating Behaviors in Mice

In animals with social structures, the drive to reproduce is a complex process; governed by the brain, it's influenced by both internal cues such as hormones and external factors such as interactions with potential mates.

17 Jul 2025

Rutgers Scientists Uncover Protein Key to Learning and Memory

Scientists have discovered how a key protein helps maintain strong connections between brain cells that are crucial for learning and memory.

14 Jul 2025

Machine Learning Uncovers Hidden Role of Glial Cells

Long overlooked and underestimated, glial cells – non-neuronal cells that support, protect and communicate with neurons – are finally stepping into the neuroscience spotlight.

9 Jul 2025

Obesity-Related Cognitive Deficits Improved Through Astrocyte Modulation

Fatty diets and obesity affect the structure and function of astrocytes, the star-shaped brain cells located in the striatum, a brain region involved in the perception of pleasure generated by food consumption.

8 Jul 2025