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Metastatic Lung Cancer Cells Cozy Up to Neurons and Form Synapses

Small cell lung cancer cells that metastasize to the brain cozy up to neurons and form working electrical connections, called synapses, according to an upcoming study led by Stanford Medicine researchers.

11 Sep 2025

Stress Reshapes Brain Cells and Alters Activity in Mice

Canadian researchers show that stress modifies the morphology of brain cells in mice, directly influencing the rodents' level of physical activity.

5 Sep 2025

Study Uncovers Connection Between Neuronal Overactivation and Parkinson’s Disease

Certain brain cells are responsible for coordinating smooth, controlled movements of the body. But when those cells are constantly overactivated for weeks on end, they degenerate and ultimately die.

28 Aug 2025

PV Interneurons Regulate Social Behavior and Empathy in Mice

A special set of neurons directs mice's attention to or away from their peers, depending on the situation. The Kobe University discovery has implications for finding causes for neuropsychiatric conditions such as autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia.

27 Aug 2025

New Technology Maps Over 140 Proteins Across Human Tissues

Each organ in the human body contains different types of cells arranged in specific ways.

20 Aug 2025

MIT Researchers Unlock the Hidden Features of Protein Language Models

Within the past few years, models that can predict the structure or function of proteins have been widely used for a variety of biological applications, such as identifying drug targets and designing new therapeutic antibodies.

20 Aug 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hippocampal Neurons Show Surprising Flexibility in Brain Signal Processing

The brain is constantly mapping the external world like a GPS, even when we don't know about it. This activity comes in the form of tiny electrical signals sents between neurons -- specialized cells that communicate with one another to help us think, move, remember and feel.

17 Jun 2025