Neurons News and Research

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Proprioceptive neurons perform sensory functions in all human body movements

Scientists have unveiled a range of proprioceptive neurons and have uncovered a new form of plasticity, indicating neuronal individuality in the nervous system.

16 Feb 2021

Natural compounds in apples and other fruits may improve brain function

According to a new study, apples and other fruits contain natural substances that may help trigger the generation of new neurons in the brain.

15 Feb 2021

Tiny population of neurons may play a significant role in depression

A tiny population of neurons known to be important to appetite appear to also have a significant role in depression that results from unpredictable, chronic stress, scientists say.

12 Feb 2021

Enzyme in fruit fly larvae plays key role in waking up brain stem cells

Researchers studying an enzyme in fruit fly larvae have found that it plays an important role in waking up brain stem cells from their dormant 'quiescent' state, enabling them to proliferate and generate new neurons.

12 Feb 2021

Study may lead to alternative treatment for potentially addictive opioid pain killers

When two naturally occurring lipids are altered using a process called epoxidation, they are transformed into powerful agents that target numerous cannabinoid receptors in neurons, disrupting pathways that promote inflammation and pain.

11 Feb 2021

Scientists identify mystery protein that explains the origins of Parkinson's Disease

Researchers have made a “vital step” toward inferring the origins of Parkinson’s disease—a neurological condition that is rapidly growing in the world.

11 Feb 2021

Light-activated protein can be used to study single synapses of neurons

Neurons are the primary cells of the nervous system, and the signals that are transmitted between them are responsible for all our actions and our cognitive ability.

10 Feb 2021

Scientists implicate disruption in prenatal neurogenesis in the development of autism

A new study of autism risk genes by UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley scientists implicates disruption in prenatal neurogenesis - a process in which specialized "progenitor" cells give rise to new brain cells - in the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

9 Feb 2021

Study provides a causal link between the Alzheimer's risk gene and COVID-19

A City of Hope-led research team found that the same gene that increases the risk for Alzheimer's disease, ApoE4, can increase the susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19.

5 Feb 2021

Ancestral backgrounds can influence Alzheimer's disease risk, finds study

Genetics contributes to the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, and the APOE gene is the strongest genetic risk factor, specifically the APOE4 allele.

5 Feb 2021

Synthetic biomolecule resembles dual stimuli-responsive channel

For the first time, researchers from the Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and the University of Tokyo in Japan have produced a new artificial transmembrane ion channel—based on a naturally found transmembrane channel that plays a role in neuron signaling—that reacts to both electrical and chemical stimuli.

2 Feb 2021

Electrical trigger sites in the brain change with experience, shows study

To process information in our brains, nerve cells produce brief electrical impulses, called action potentials, triggered from one highly specialized region.

22 Jan 2021

Automated electron microscopy helps visualize neural function and behavior

Researchers are still clueless about how the neural networks are linked together to make functional circuits.

From Harvard Medical School 12 Jan 2021

Neurons in the brainstem circuit control fine motor skills

Writing, driving a screw or throwing darts are only some of the activities that demand a high level of skill.

7 Jan 2021

KAIST researchers identify mechanism underlying plasticity in adult brains

Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections — the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger — are nurtured and reinforced, while connections deemed unnecessary are pruned away.

28 Dec 2020

Study shows how the brain navigates places and tracks someone else in the same location

As COVID cases rise, physically distancing yourself from other people has never been more important. Now a new UCLA study reveals how your brain navigates places and monitors someone else in the same location.

24 Dec 2020

Innovative gene therapy approach for regeneration of functional new neurons

Spinal cord injury (SCI) often causes disability and seriously compromises quality of life. While decades of research have made significant progress in axonal regeneration after SCI, most of the interventions have not been translated into clinical therapies.

18 Dec 2020