Brain News and Research

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The human brain is the center of the human nervous system and is a highly complex organ. Enclosed in the cranium, it has the same general structure as the brains of other mammals, but is over three times as large as the brain of a typical mammal with an equivalent body size.

Research shows how new drugs may target genetic variations to slow Parkinson’s diseases

According to a new study presented at the 8th European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress, the duration of Parkinson’s disease may depend on particular gene mutations.

1 Jul 2022

Study identifies the crucial activity of transposable elements in the evolution of the octopus genomes

The octopus is an extraordinary organism with exceptional brain complexity and cognitive abilities that are unmatched by other invertebrates. So much so that it resembles vertebrates in certain ways more than it does invertebrates.

1 Jul 2022

New biomedical research tool may help advance molecular diagnostics and drug discovery

A new biomedical research tool that enables scientists to measure hundreds of functional proteins in a single cell could offer new insights into cell machinery.

30 Jun 2022

Virtual reality simulation could help spur people to environmental action

A virtual reality simulation designed by a University of Oregon professor could help spur people to environmental action.

23 Jun 2022

Understanding why brain training works for some people but not others

If you are skilled at playing puzzles on your smartphone or tablet, what does it say about how fast you learn new puzzles, or, more broadly, how well you can focus, say, in school or at work? Or, in the language of psychologists, does "near transfer" predict "far transfer"?

22 Jun 2022

New gene may affect the upper motor neuron cells in the nervous system, study reveals

A recent genetic finding supports the theory that abnormal lipid (fat) transport pathways inside brain cells cause motor neuron degenerative disorders.

From University of Exeter 20 Jun 2022

Researchers understand how Tenascin proteins slowed down the regeneration process

Tenascin C and Tenascin R, are two proteins that have been the topic of investigation at Ruhr-Universität Bochum. Myelin sheaths, or the sheaths of the nerve cells, are destroyed by immune system cells in this condition.

20 Jun 2022

Researchers discover how the protein content of centrosomes may vary on cell type

The centrosome is the organelle that organizes the cytoskeleton during cell division, which is an important role in species ranging from yeast to humans. Due to its broad functions, scientists previously considered that the centrosome was quite similar in all cells.

17 Jun 2022

Differentiation protocol can develop safe and efficient pluripotent stem cell-based therapies for AMD

As we age, so do our eyes; most commonly, this involves changes to our vision and new glasses, but there are more severe forms of age-related eye problems.

16 Jun 2022

Discovery may reveal new ways to control plant growth

Understanding how plants process light is key to improving crop yields. Light helps plants know when to grow and flower at the right time.

15 Jun 2022

Study reveals possibility of changing the identity of synapses through enzymatic means

As you're reading this sentence, the cells in your brain, called neurons, are sending rapid-fire electrical signals between each other, transmitting information.

14 Jun 2022

Scientists develop tiny probe for minimally invasive interfacing with neural circuits

Researchers at the University of California San Diego and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed a tiny neural probe that can be implanted for longer time periods to record and stimulate neural activity, while minimizing injury to the surrounding tissue.

From UC San Diego 10 Jun 2022

Researchers determine small protein’s structure, likely to pave the way for advanced treatments

For the first time, researchers have deciphered the atomic structure of a protein that transports one of the body’s most vital neurotransmitters into neurons.

9 Jun 2022

Study highlights mismatches between aesthetic value of reef fishes and their conservation priorities

What's the relationship between people's perception of beauty and animals' conservation needs? According to a machine-learning study by Nicolas Mouquet at the University of Montpellier, France, and colleagues, publishing June 7th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, the reef fishes that people find most beautiful tend to be the lowest priority for conservation support.

8 Jun 2022

Researchers analyze functional microglia to empower retinal organ

Professor Zi-Bing Jin is in charge of this research (Beijing Institute of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, and Capital Medical University). He has spent the last decade working on retinal organoids, which can accurately mimic retinal development.

3 Jun 2022

Study identifies the regulatory function of non-coding 7S RNA

In human cells, a non-coding RNA molecule controls mitochondrial gene expression, according to new research published in the journal Cell. The research is the result of a collaboration between Sweden’s University of Gothenburg and Karolinska Institutet, as well as Germany’s University of Cologne.

3 Jun 2022

Researchers reveal that new compact version of Cas7-11 enzyme improves RNA editing

Cas7-11, the first CRISPR enzyme that can make precise, directed cuts to strands of RNA without hurting cells, was identified and described last year by researchers at MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research.

From Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2 Jun 2022

European cuttlefish may employ a more complex strategy to camouflage within underwater

A new study by City, University of London and others suggests that the European cuttlefish (sepia officinalis) may combine, as necessary, two distinct neural systems that process specific visual features from its local environment, and visual cues relating to its overall background environment to create the body patterns it uses to camouflage itself on the sea floor.

1 Jun 2022

Researchers develop advanced machine learning to count blood cells

The use of machine learning to do blood cell counts for illness detection rather than costly and often less reliable cell analyzer devices has proven labor-intensive, as the training of the machine learning model requires a tremendous amount of manual annotation activity by humans.

27 May 2022

A novel mechanism shared by mutations in varied genes could help treat neurological diseases

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Prof. Illana Gozes from the Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sagol School of Neuroscience, have unraveled a mechanism shared by mutations in the genes ADNP and SHANK3, which cause autism, schizophrenia, and other conditions.

25 May 2022