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.

Astrocyte Receptor Effects Differ Dramatically Between Sexes

Weill Cornell Medicine scientists have uncovered the first evidence that astrocyte receptors can trigger opposite effects on cognitive function in male and female preclinical models.

31 May 2024

C. elegans Study Reveals Impact of Embryonal Amphetamine Exposure

Amphetamine is a psychostimulant that has been used to treat a variety of brain dysfunctions. However, it is a highly abused drug.

31 May 2024

Revolutionizing Cell Subpopulation Studies: The ConVERGD Approach

As gene sequencing technologies become more powerful, our understanding of cellular diversity has grown in parallel.

29 May 2024

Modifying Cellular Interactions Near Amyloid Plaques May Offer New Alzheimer's Treatments

Researchers at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine have achieved a big breakthrough in Alzheimer’s disease research by discovering a new technique to potentially slow or even stop disease development.

28 May 2024

Spiking neuron bridges the gap between biological and artificial neurons

Engineers from the University of Liège have made significant advances in the design of artificial neural networks by developing a new form of spiking neuron. The Spiking Recurrent Cell (SRC) is a novel model that combines ease of implementation with the capacity to replicate the dynamics of biological neurons.

28 May 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

Comprehensive Analysis of Gene-Isoform Variation Unlocks Secrets of Brain Development

A team led by researchers at UCLA and the University of Pennsylvania has produced a first-of-its kind catalog of gene-isoform variation in the developing human brain.

24 May 2024

New Chemical Modification Enhances Antisense Oligonucleotide Targeting in CNS Diseases

Diseases that affect the brain and spinal cord can be particularly devastating, and finding new and more effective ways to treat these conditions is an important goal for researchers and clinicians alike.

23 May 2024

How Fruit Flies Use Simple Circuits to Recognize Odors

Whether it's the wafting aroma of our favorite meal or the dangerous fumes seeping from a toxic chemical, the human sense of smell has evolved into a sophisticated system that processes scents through several intricate stages.

22 May 2024

Mapping Neurodevelopmental Disease with High-Throughput In Vivo Perturb-seq

The brain is often referred to as a "black box"-;one that's difficult to peer inside and determine what's happening at any given moment.

21 May 2024

Sonification Reveals Hidden Patterns in Protein Folding Dynamics

By converting their data into sounds, scientists discovered how hydrogen bonds contribute to the lightning-fast gyrations that transform a string of amino acids into a functional, folded protein.

21 May 2024

Discovery of New Cancer Cell Death Pathway Involving Schlafen11 Gene

Chemotherapy kills cancer cells. But the way these cells die appears to be different than previously understood.

17 May 2024

Repetitive Tasks Crystallize Memory Pathways in the Brain

According to a recent study conducted by UCLA Health, repeated practice not only helps to improve skills but also causes significant alterations in the memory pathways in the brain.

16 May 2024

Understanding Lactate's Role in Energy Metabolism

As a student competing in track and field at his Parlier high school, Robert Leija was obsessed with how to improve his performance and, in particular, prevent the buildup of lactic acid in his muscles during training.

16 May 2024

Unlocking the Secrets of Childhood Cancer Genetics

Scientists have revealed a fresh insight into the genetic pathway of childhood cancer, providing new potential for personalized treatment.

15 May 2024

MUSIC Map Uncovers Accelerated Aging in Brain Cells Linked to Alzheimer’s

Researchers observed sex-specific differences in the aging process of certain brain cells.

14 May 2024

Glutamate tRNA Fragments Play Key Role in Brain Aging and Alzheimer's Disease

A significant research paper published in the journal Cell Metabolism by the team of Prof. LIU Qiang at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) reveals the critical role of glutamate tRNA fragments in brain aging and Alzheimer's disease.

14 May 2024

Engineering Blood Vessels to Image Bioluminescence Deep Within the Brain

Researchers frequently tag cells with fluorescent proteins, which enable them to monitor tumor growth or quantify alterations in gene expression that transpire during cell differentiation.

13 May 2024

Understanding Genome Scrambling in Oikopleura Dioica

When two animals look the same, eat the same, behave the same way, and live in similar environments, one might expect that they belong to the same species.

10 May 2024

AI Deciphers the Complex Wiring of the Human Brain

Though it may not seem like much, one cubic mm of brain tissue exists. That small square, however, holds 230 mm of blood vessels, 150 million synapses, and 57,000 cells, totaling 1,400 terabytes of data. That is why researchers from Google and Harvard have just achieved something truly amazing.

10 May 2024