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.

Long-term opioid use in back-pain patients leads to production of anti-opioid antibodies

University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists have discovered that a majority of back-pain patients they tested who were taking opioid painkillers produced anti-opioid antibodies.

19 Aug 2020

Study demonstrates how a single gene drives changes in wild songbird's social behavior

A new study shows how differentiation of a single gene changes behavior in a wild songbird, determining whether the white-throated sparrow displays more, or less, aggression.

19 Aug 2020

Scientists propose a promising new tool based on optogenetics to study neurons

In many human endeavors, having good tools for a particular task is an essential requirement to obtain the best results possible, and neuroscience is no different than other scientific fields in this regard.

19 Aug 2020

Drugs designed to lower alpha-ketoglutarate levels could help fight DIPG tumors

Every year, 150 to 300 children in the United States are diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), aggressive and lethal tumors that grow deep inside the brain, for which there are no cures.

19 Aug 2020

Study shows how mitochondrial defects lead to neurodevelopmental diseases

The tiny organelles mitochondria supply the energy crucial for all cells in the human body, specifically in the brain that consumes an excessive amount of fuel.

18 Aug 2020

Switching off 'master regulator' may offer neuroprotection from Parkinson's-related damage

Switching off a molecular "master regulator" may protect the brain from inflammatory damage and neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease, reports a study published today in Nature Neuroscience.

18 Aug 2020

New fluorescent probe to detect damaged mitochondria could help treat neurodegenerative disorders

Scientists have developed a new, multipurpose probe that is capable of detecting the programmed destruction of faulty mitochondria with pinpoint precision.

17 Aug 2020

Researchers identify a new gene to treat multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease that affects the central nervous system and can eventually lead to muscle tremors and thus loss of balance.

17 Aug 2020

Recalling memories from an observer-like perspective activates different parts of the brain

Adopting a third-person, observer point of view when recalling your past activates different parts of your brain than recalling a memory seen through your own eyes, according to a new paper.

14 Aug 2020

Hydrogels based on modified pectins could be used for neural tissue restoration

Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) scientists have developed implantable hydrogels based on plant polysaccharides (pectins). They can play the role of an artificial extracellular matrix, a special network of molecules that fills the space between body cells.

14 Aug 2020

Single-cell analysis uncovers new details concerning mitochondrial diseases

Investigators led by a team at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have made discoveries at the single cell level to uncover new details concerning mitochondrial diseases-- inherited disorders that interfere with energy production in the body and currently have no cure.

14 Aug 2020

Researchers use 3D printing to produce cardiomyocytes from stem cells

The life of each human being starts from a single cell, which subsequently divides to ultimately form into an embryo.

12 Aug 2020

Study shows human genome regulates the early development of organs

A team of researchers has identified how the human genome regulates the development of several organs that are crucial to human life.

From The University of Manchester 11 Aug 2020

A genetic switch in brain cells can toggle between sex-specific states when necessary

Biological sex is typically understood in binary terms: male and female. However, there are many examples of animals that are able to modify sex-typical biological and behavioral features and even change sex.

11 Aug 2020

Light impulses can be used to trigger electrical excitation in plants

Optogenetics denotes the manipulation of cellular processes by light-based biological techniques. An international research team led by the Würzburg plant scientists Rainer Hedrich, Georg Nagel and Dirk Becker has succeeded in applying this method to higher plants: Light impulses can now be used to trigger electrical excitation in plants.

11 Aug 2020

Mathematical model shows how stability inherently arises in the brain

Whether you are playing Go in a park amid chirping birds, a gentle breeze and kids playing catch nearby or you are playing in a den with a ticking clock on a bookcase and a purring cat on the sofa, if the game situation is identical and clear, your next move likely would be, too, regardless of those different conditions.

11 Aug 2020