Optogenetics News and Research

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Simple Neural Circuit Controls Chewing and Appetite

Speaking, singing, coughing, laughing, yelling, yawning, chewing-;we use our jaws for many purposes. Each action requires a complex coordination of muscles whose activity is managed by neurons in the brain.

24 Oct 2024

Magnetic Control of Brain Cells: A Step Forward in Neuromodulation

The introduction of magnetogenetics provides a noninvasive technique to modulate brain circuits, paving the way for innovative therapies in neuromodulation.

18 Oct 2024

Harnessing Bioluminescence for Noninvasive Brain Activation

Researchers at the University of Rochester have demonstrated a noninvasive technique called bioluminescent optogenetics, or BL-OG, that uses light to stimulate brain neurons.

4 Oct 2024

Illuminating Plant Defense Mechanisms Through Light-Activated Ion Channels

When it comes to survival, plants have a huge disadvantage compared to many other living organisms: they cannot simply change their location if predators or pathogens attack them or the environmental conditions change to their disadvantage.

29 Aug 2024

Neuroscientists Discover Brain Mechanisms Behind Escape Behavior

Neuroscientists have discovered how the brain bidirectionally controls sensitivity to threats to initiate and complete escape behavior in mice.

27 Jun 2024

New Light-Sensitive Proteins Unlock Brain Cell Control for Neurological Research

Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have found that a new class of light-sensitive proteins are capable of turning off brain cells with light, offering scientists an unprecedentedly effective tool to investigate brain function.

27 May 2024

Researchers Highlight Crucial Contributions of Astrocytes to Mental Health

The health and function of the brain depend on astrocytes, which are essential cells in the central nervous system. According to recent research, they affect behaviors and higher cognitive functions by controlling local neuronal activity.

22 Apr 2024

Unveiling the Mysterious Role of 'Zombie Neurons' in Cerebellar Learning

Nestled at the back of your head, the cerebellum is a brain structure that plays a pivotal role in how we learn, adapting our actions based on past experiences.

3 Apr 2024

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

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

New Cell Model Paves Way for Faster Treatments for Neuromuscular Diseases

Scientists have so far identified around 800 different neuromuscular diseases. These conditions are caused by problems in the way muscle cells, motor neurons and peripheral cells interact.

20 Dec 2023

Shedding Light on the Brain's Reward System

A new study provides deeper insights into how the brain learns and adapts through trial and error, whether a scientist or a pup.

14 Dec 2023

The Evolving Landscape of Consciousness Studies

In this interview, we speak to Umberto Olcese, an Associate Professor at the University of Amsterdam, to delve into the complex and fascinating world of consciousness from a neuroscientific perspective.

12 Dec 2023

Pancreatic Nerve Zaps Restore Insulin Production and Reverse Diabetes in Mice

Insulin is a hormone that decreases blood glucose levels. The only cells that produce insulin are pancreatic beta cells (β-cells), and a decrease in these cells is a major cause of diabetes.

5 Dec 2023

Unveiling the Cerebellar Nuclei’s Role in Associative Learning

The regulation of associative learning was traditionally believed to be controlled by the cortex within the cerebellum, commonly known as the “little brain.”

21 Nov 2023

The Factors Influencing Egg Cell Development

According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Northwestern Medicine scientists discovered how cytoskeletal proteins influence the growth of developing eggs in fruit flies, findings that advance the field’s understanding of how egg cells form and distinguish themselves from other sister cells.

11 Oct 2023

Scientists Discover How Brain's "Population Clock" Guides Behavior

From Aristotle's musings on the nature of time to Einstein's theory of relativity, humanity has long pondered: how do we perceive and understand time? The theory of relativity posits that time can stretch and contract, a phenomenon known as time dilation. Just as the cosmos warps time, our neural circuits can stretch and compress our subjective experience of time. As Einstein famously quipped, "Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an hour, and it seems like a minute".

14 Jul 2023