Neurons News and Research

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Scents regulate fat metabolism without affecting feeding habits

Dr. Ayse Sena Mutlu, a postdoctoral fellow at Baylor's Huffington Center On Aging, had an intriguing question. Is it possible to change the body's fat storage without changing eating habits?

17 Apr 2020

Novel high-speed microscope successfully records neural activities

Our brain contains tens of billions of nerve cells (neurons) which constantly communicate with each other by sending chemical and electrical flashes, each lasting a short one millisecond (0.001 sec). In every millisecond, these billions of swift-flying flashes altogether traveling in a giant star-map in the brain that lights up a tortuous glittering pattern.

15 Apr 2020

A commonly expressed protein in skin can 'turn on' allergic itch

A commonly expressed protein in skin - periostin - can directly activate itch-associated neurons in the skin, according to new research from North Carolina State University.

9 Apr 2020

Uncovering how different types of stimulation impact neuronal activity

Using electrodes smaller than a human hair, researchers are able to connect mind to machine and interact with the human brain in revolutionary ways.

8 Apr 2020

Memory cells that help to interpret new situations identified

Imagine you are meeting a friend for dinner at a new restaurant. You may try dishes you haven't had before, and your surroundings will be completely new to you. However, your brain knows that you have had similar experiences -- perusing a menu, ordering appetizers, and splurging on dessert are all things that you have probably done when dining out.

7 Apr 2020

Study shows entire brain responds to gut through neuronal connections

The strange feeling in the gut is considered as an innate intuition that emerges from deep within the belly and helps guide the actions of people, if allowed.

6 Apr 2020

Researchers engineer skin cells into brain cells for effective regenerative therapies

Precise activation of selfish genetic elements called LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposons is essential to develop functional brain cells in a lab dish.

27 Mar 2020

Researchers discover the RNA editing process in squids

Researchers have recently discovered that squid can vastly edit their own genetic instructions, inside the nucleus of their neurons and also inside the axon.

24 Mar 2020

How do stem cells promote neuronal growth in tissue regeneration?

Stem cells are capable of producing a wide range of particular tissues and are used more and more in clinical applications—for example, these cells are used for replacing a cartilage or bone.

24 Mar 2020

New method for mapping the structures of heparan sulfate sugars

Heparin, the blood-thinning drug, is used worldwide. However, to date, mapping of the fundamental sugar structures of heparin and the wider class of heparan sulfate sugars in cells has not been accomplished.

23 Mar 2020

Genetically manipulating cells using synthetic materials to construct artificial structures

Researchers at the Stanford School of Engineering have designed a technique for reprogramming cells to use synthetic materials, which the team provides, to create artificial structures that can perform functions within the body.

20 Mar 2020

New computer program can help map individual nerve cells in worms

A new computer program has been developed by scientists who are focused on interpreting the mechanism of the brain in high-definition and at the single-cell level of detail.

19 Mar 2020

Regulating ion flow using a ball-and-chain mechanism

Ion channels that permit potassium and sodium ions to move in and out of cells are essential for the function of the brain and heart, and also for neuronal “firing” in the central nervous system.

19 Mar 2020

Hero proteins can prevent dangerous clumps linked with neurodegenerative diseases

At the University of Tokyo (UTokyo), scientists have identified a new group of proteins that have been hailed for their extraordinary shape and potential to defend against protein clumps linked with neurodegenerative diseases in laboratory experiments.

13 Mar 2020

Parallel neural pathways bypassing brain’s frequency control enable animals to move faster

The speed at which a person runs determines the end result, whether running to win an Olympic gold or to escape a predator.

13 Mar 2020

Changes in cell death patterns in the nervous system could allow a species to adapt to its environment

According to research conducted in fruit flies at the Francis Crick Institute, the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, zombie cells tend to develop into functional neurons when the death of neurons is stopped during brain growth.

12 Mar 2020