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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.

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

Neuropeptide DH31 Regulates Reproductive Dormancy in a Broad Range of Insects

Dormancy is a survival strategy for many organisms that involves suppressing development and reproduction for a period of time to reduce energy consumption in unfavorable environments.

26 May 2023

Climate Change is Altering Hibernation Patterns of Arctic Ground Squirrels

Arctic ground squirrels are unique among mammals. Their ability to keep from freezing even when body temperatures dip below that mark on the thermometer enables them to survive extreme winter climates.

26 May 2023

Research Uncovers the Biology Underpinning a Rare Genetic Mutation Linked to Painlessness

The biology underpinning a rare genetic mutation that allows its carrier to live virtually pain-free, heal more rapidly and experience reduced anxiety and fear, has been uncovered by new research from UCL.

24 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

Stimulating Cell DNA Repair Processes to Combat the Root Cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders

A new treatment option has been discovered for fragile X syndrome, which is the most common genetic cause of autism spectrum disorders and is defined by a hereditary repetition of certain nucleotides in the DNA sequence of the FMR1 gene. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) carried out the study, which was published in the journal Cell.

22 May 2023

Revealing the Molecular and Cellular Underpinnings of Summit Disease

Carolyn Elya, a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard, illustrates the molecular and cellular underpinnings of the parasitic fungus Entomophthora muscae’s (E. muscae’s) ability to influence the behavior of fruit flies in new research published in eLife.

22 May 2023

Protein Discovery Could Lead to Better Treatment for Females with PTSD

From humans to plants to single-cell organisms, there's a protein that rules them all.

22 May 2023

Untangling the Effects of Admixture on the Genomes of Modern Humans

The course of human history has been marked by complex patterns of migration, isolation, and admixture, the latter a term that refers to gene flow between individuals from different populations.

22 May 2023

A High-Throughput Assay for Identifying and Validating ECHS1 Enzyme Genetic Variants

The enzyme variations of mitochondrial enoyl-CoA hydratase short-chain 1 (ECHS1) are dysfunctional. In Japan, they are mostly responsible for mitochondrial disease.

19 May 2023

TTUHSC Professor Awarded NIH Grant for Potassium Channel Study

Each living cell has small, highly specialized conduits called potassium (K+) channels, which are responsible for the highly selective and fast transfer of K+ ions across cell membranes.

19 May 2023

Liver Cells Influence the Body's Internal Circadian Clock, Study Reveals

University of Queensland-led research has revealed liver cells influence the body's internal circadian clock, which was previously believed to be solely controlled by the brain.

18 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

Study Finds Place of Transcription Start Often Determines the Place of Transcription End

Each gene in the human DNA has a start and an endpoint. It is critical to correctly define the gene's extremities to make functional proteins. Much study has been conducted to identify what determines when, where, and at which place on the DNA a gene “starts.”

16 May 2023

Brain News and Research

Study Reveals Mechanisms Behind Swallowing in Detail

Neuropeptide DH31 Regulates Reproductive Dormancy in a Broad Range of Insects

Climate Change is Altering Hibernation Patterns of Arctic Ground Squirrels

Research Uncovers the Biology Underpinning a Rare Genetic Mutation Linked to Painlessness

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

Study Examines the Role of Neuronal Diversity in Cognitive Functions

Stimulating Cell DNA Repair Processes to Combat the Root Cause of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Revealing the Molecular and Cellular Underpinnings of Summit Disease

Protein Discovery Could Lead to Better Treatment for Females with PTSD

Untangling the Effects of Admixture on the Genomes of Modern Humans

A High-Throughput Assay for Identifying and Validating ECHS1 Enzyme Genetic Variants

TTUHSC Professor Awarded NIH Grant for Potassium Channel Study

Liver Cells Influence the Body's Internal Circadian Clock, Study Reveals

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

Brain-Wide Mapping Reveals How Serotonin Affects Animal Behavior

Study Finds Place of Transcription Start Often Determines the Place of Transcription End

Mitochondria Transfer From Astrocytes Enhances Tumorigenesis in Glioblastoma

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

Mutant MRTFB Proteins Associated With Novel Neurodevelopmental Disorder

New Model for the Evolution of Higher Brain Functions and Behaviors in Insects

Driving Support for Pharmaceutical Testing Through Continuous Innovation

From Memory to Metaplasticity: Unraveling the Brain's Secrets

Revolutionizing Mass Spectrometry: A Deep Dive into Plasmion’s SICRIT® Technology

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