Neuron News and Research

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The Role of the Golgi Apparatus in the Development of Postnatal Neurons

Neurons are the cells that constitute brain circuits and employ chemicals and electricity to receive and transmit information that allows the body to perform anything from thinking to sensing to movement.

31 Jul 2023

Lactate Signaling Found to Be Critical for Neuronal Differentiation

Scientists at Tohoku University have discovered the critical role that lactate plays in helping neural stem cells develop into specialized neurons, a process dubbed neuronal differentiation.

25 Jul 2023

Developing a Fluorescent Sensor to Visualize Neuronal Self-Connectivity

How do brain cells, or neurons, distinguish their own processes and those of other neurons when they send out processes to connect with other neurons? A molecule known as clustered protocadherin (Pcdh) plays an important role in this puzzle.

19 Jul 2023

Novel Drug Compound Reduces Sensory Hypersensitivity in Fragile X Mice

Boosting the activity of inhibitory interneurons in Fragile X mice reduced their hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli, according to a new Neuron study led by UCLA Health researchers.

14 Jul 2023

Glucose-Sensing Neurons May Play a Role in Regulating Blood Sugar

The body's blood glucose level needs to be maintained in a relatively narrow range. It cannot be too high, as it can lead to diabetes, and it cannot be too low because it can cause fainting or even death.

12 Jul 2023

Analyzing Glioma Progression and Implicating CPNs’ Long-Range Projections

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and lethal form of brain tumor. Despite treatment, GBM recurrence is inevitable and tends to occur outside surgical margins or in locations remote to the primary tumor, highlighting the central role played by tumor infiltration in this malicious disease.

29 Jun 2023

Review: Role of Alternative Splicing Defects in Major Neurodegenerative Diseases

Alternative splicing, a clever way a cell generates many different variations of messenger RNAs -; single-stranded RNAs involved in protein synthesis -; and proteins from the same stretch of DNA, plays an important role in molecular biology.

21 Jun 2023

New Mechanism to Maintain Astrocyte-Neuron Communication

Neurons and astrocytes are the two types of cells required by the brain to enjoy the scent of morning coffee and freshly baked cookies or to discern the warning smell of something burning.

16 Jun 2023

Novel Technique Overcomes Challenges of Bioprinting

Printing living cells into functional tissues is a highly complex process, and with each technological advancement, new challenges emerge. The Levato lab at UMC Utrecht has successfully combined two promising printing processes to boost cell density, cell survival, and specialization in bioprints. The solution: granular biogels or resins.

8 Jun 2023

Scientists Discover the Mechanisms of Synaptic Pruning in Brain Development

Researchers at Kyushu University have uncovered the mechanisms of a fundamental yet critically under-looked phase in brain development: synaptic pruning.

8 Jun 2023

High-Resolution, Stable Brain Stimulation by Ultraflexible Nanoelectrodes

Conventional implantable medical devices designed for brain stimulation are often too rigid and bulky for what is one of the body's softest and most delicate tissues.

31 May 2023

Study Reveals Mechanisms Behind Swallowing in Detail

Sensory cells in the vagus nerve can detect and locate food in the esophagus. Their signals help transport the food onward to the stomach. Signal failure leads to swallowing disorders, say a team led by Carmen Birchmeier at the Max Delbrück Center.

29 May 2023

Cytoelectric Coupling: Electrical Fields Influence Physical Configuration of Neurons' Sub-Cellular Components

To produce its many functions, including thought, the brain works at many scales. Information such as goals or images is represented by coordinated electrical activity among networks of neurons, while within and around each neuron a mix of proteins and other chemicals physically carries out the mechanics of participating in the network.

23 May 2023

Study Examines the Role of Neuronal Diversity in Cognitive Functions

Neurons in a key area of the brain have different functions based on their exact genetic identity, and understanding this diversity could lead to better understanding of the brain's computational flexibility and memory capacity, potentially informing disease treatment options, Cornell researchers report in a new study.

23 May 2023

Glycosylation Enzyme Regulates the Formation of Neurons and Astrocytes From Neural Stem Cells

The MGAT5 glycosylation enzyme plays a crucial role in brain development, according to a study by University of California, Irvine researchers, a discovery that may contribute to new therapeutic purposes for neural stem cells.

17 May 2023

Brain-Wide Mapping Reveals How Serotonin Affects Animal Behavior

Because serotonin is one of the primary chemicals the brain uses to influence mood and behavior, it is also the most common target of psychiatric drugs.

16 May 2023

Patients With Motor Neuron Disease and Frontotemporal Dementia Carry the Same Genetic Defects

New research has discovered that some patients with motor neuron disease (MND) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) carry the same rare genetic defects that cause other neurodegenerative diseases.

10 May 2023

Study Sheds Light on How Foxp2 Gene Controls the Ability to Produce Speech

Mutations of a gene called Foxp2 have been linked to a type of speech disorder called apraxia that makes it difficult to produce sequences of sound. A new study from MIT and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University sheds light on how this gene controls the ability to produce speech.

5 May 2023

Eliminating or Blocking the Tiam1 Gene Prevents, Reverses Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Neuropathy is a type of chronic pain triggered by nerve injury or certain diseases. It affects millions of people worldwide, significantly deteriorating their quality of life.