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.

Uncovering the Neural Basis of Goal-Directed Navigation in Fruit Fly Brains

When we walk down the street, we have an internal sense of which way we are heading, from looking at street signals and physical landmarks, and also a sense of where we'd like to go.

9 Feb 2024

The Influence of Smells on Rapid Decision-Making

Researchers discover important hippocampal cells that might be involved in making snap decisions.

7 Feb 2024

The critical role of saturated fats in memory consolidation

University of Queensland researchers have uncovered the critical role that saturated fats play in the brain's memory consolidation process.

7 Feb 2024

Exploring the Link Between Immune Response and Acute Viral Infections

For many years, it was thought that acute viral infections, such as COVID-19 or Zika, were the cause of neurological damage.

6 Feb 2024

From Lab Trials to Clinical Studies - Integrin αV's Role in Cancer Prognosis

Researchers at City of Hope, one of the biggest cancer research and treatment centers in the US, have identified a novel biological process that is critical to the pathogenic potential of cancer cells.

6 Feb 2024

Prefrontal Neurons’ Cascade of Phonetic Representations

A new study led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) uses sophisticated brain recording techniques to show how neurons in the human brain cooperate to enable people to plan words for speech and then produce them verbally.

5 Feb 2024

Diagnostic Biochips: Brain Research Tools for the Future

In this interview, we delve into the innovative world of Diagnostic Biochips with its founder, Brian Jamieson. He shares insights into the company's inception, its contributions to advancing brain research, and the future of neural interfacing technology.

1 Feb 2024

New Research Finds Placenta Cells May Lower Blood Pressure

Scientists from La Trobe University and the Hudson Institute have demonstrated that cells from placentas could have therapeutic benefits for patients suffering from high blood pressure.

1 Feb 2024

Alston's Singing Mouse and The Fascinating Link Between Brain Circuits and Perception of Time

The pace of life is hard. It travels more quickly or slowly than intended. Still, humans adjust. Conversational rhythms become familiar. One follows the stream of people strolling along a metropolitan sidewalk.

31 Jan 2024

51 Vertebrate Genomes Sequenced Rapidly, Offering a New Perspective on Human Evolutionary History

The mapping of genetic blueprints for 51 species, such as sharks, turtles, kangaroos, cats, penguins, and dolphins, has advanced the knowledge of evolution and the relationships between animals and people.

30 Jan 2024

How the Brain Controls its Cravings for Water and Salt

For terrestrial creatures, including humans, to survive, they must drink plenty of water and eat enough salt. Neural pathways comprising many brain regions intriguingly control both thirst and salt appetite.

29 Jan 2024

Promoter Mutations and Their Association with Autism Risk

The RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) employed genome mutation analysis to investigate the genetics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in people and their families. They found that the way a certain type of genetic mutation contributes to the illness differs from that of ordinary mutations.

29 Jan 2024

Study Sheds Light on a Decades-Long Mystery About How Retinal Photoreceptors Work

Working with mammalian retinal cells, neuroscientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine have shown that, unlike most light-sensing cells (photoreceptors) in the retina, one special type uses two different pathways at the same time to transmit electrical "vision" signals to the brain.

27 Jan 2024

Pain-Triggered Oxytocin in the Brain Leads Mice to Shun Bullies

Mice, like humans, fight for mates and territory, form intricate social groups, and learn when it is safer to stay away from particular opponents.

25 Jan 2024

A New Tool for Monitoring Neuronal Inhibition

By tracking when distinct subsets of brain cells activate, researchers have understood the complex activity patterns found in both human and animal brains for many years. Knowing how long those neurons stay active and when they turn off again is crucial to understanding the brain and its associated disorders.

24 Jan 2024

Traffic Jam in the Brain: Study Uncovers Cellular Cause of Rare Neurological Disease

Researchers from McGill University, led by Professor Alanna Watt of the Department of Biology, have identified previously unknown changes in brain cells affected by a neurological disease.

22 Jan 2024

Stem Cell-Derived Brain Organoids on Ax-3 Mission Seek to Improve Modeling for Neurodegenerative Diseases

More than 5 million people worldwide are living with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease and primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS).

19 Jan 2024

Mathematical Model Unravels Brain Connectivity

Across all species, the functioning of the brain relies on a complex network of connections that enables neurons to exchange information, governing both thought processes and physical activities.

18 Jan 2024

New Technology Enables Minimally-Invasive, High-Resolution Recording of Brain Activity

Sensors built with a new manufacturing approach are capable of recording activity deep within the brain from large populations of individual neurons–with a resolution of as few as one or two neurons–in humans as well as a range of animal models, according to a study published in the Jan. 17, 2024 issue of the journal Nature Communications.

18 Jan 2024

Universal Networking Principles Wire Up Different Brains

A new study by physicists and neuroscientists from the University of Chicago, Harvard and Yale describes how connectivity among neurons comes about through general principles of networking and self-organization, rather than the biological features of an individual organism.

18 Jan 2024