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Dopamine and Serotonin Act as Opposing Forces in Learning and Reward

If you've heard of two of the brain's chemical neurotransmitters, it's probably dopamine and serotonin. Never mind that glutamate and GABA do most of the work -; it's the thrill of dopamine as the "pleasure chemical" and serotonin as tender mood-stabilizer that attract all the headlines.

26 Nov 2024

Novel Genetic Variant Associated with Severe Mitochondrial Dysfunction

The rare hereditary condition known as mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome (MTDPS) is typified by a significant reduction in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA).

26 Nov 2024

Redefining plant monitoring with innovative tactile sensor technology

In a recent article, researchers present an iontronic tactile sensory system combined with machine learning, enabling accurate classification of plant species and growth stages for precision agriculture.

26 Nov 2024

Cell Shape and Surface Stiffness Drive Distinct Migratory Behaviors in Ovarian Cancer Cells

The spread of tumor from the primary cancer site to distant organs, called metastasis, has puzzled scientists for many years – they are only now beginning to pinpoint triggers and mechanisms that drive this process.

25 Nov 2024

Simplified Model Predicts Neuronal Activity in Zebrafish Gaze Control

Working with week-old zebrafish larva, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and colleagues decoded how the connections formed by a network of neurons in the brainstem guide the fishes' gaze.

25 Nov 2024

Unmasking the Molecular Mechanisms of Melanoma

LMU researchers have discovered how the interplay between a key protein and an endolysosomal ion channel promotes tumor development in skin cancer.

24 Nov 2024

Hormonal Control of Caste Determination in Ants

Most ants have two morphologically differentiated adult castes - queens and workers - each irreversibly specialized for either reproduction or nonreproductive altruism such as foraging, defense and care of maternal brood. Adult gynes (virgin queens) normally have higher body mass, wings and frontal eyes, as well as enlarged ovaries and a sperm storage organ.

24 Nov 2024

Researchers Decode Complete Genome of Medicinal Plant Forsythia Suspensa

A recent study has decoded the complete genome of Forsythia suspensa, a plant renowned for its medicinal value and decorative appeal.

23 Nov 2024

Study Reveals Genetics Behind Dilated Cardiomyopathy

A potentially life-changing heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, can be caused by the cumulative influence of hundreds or thousands of genes and not just by a single "aberrant" genetic variant, as was previously thought, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences.

23 Nov 2024

Human Cell Atlas Consortium Makes Major Progress in Understanding the Human Body

Researchers with the global Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium report significant progress in their quest for a better understanding of the cells of the human body in health and disease, with the publication today (20 November) of a Collection of more than 40 peer-reviewed papers in Nature and other Nature Portfolio journals.

22 Nov 2024

Researchers Map DNA Repair Protein Activity in Human Cells

New research from the Kind Group at the Hubrecht Institute sheds light on how cells repair damaged DNA. For the first time, the team has mapped the activity of repair proteins in individual human cells.

22 Nov 2024

Scientists Map Microbiome of Rivers Across the U.S.

Rivers and streams serve as critical connectors across vast geographical landscapes, trickling out of tucked-away headwaters and snaking thousands of miles toward oceans and deep seas.

21 Nov 2024

Ancient DNA Unlocks Secrets of European Genetic Adaptation

Leveraging a unique statistical analysis and applying it to ancient DNA extracted from human skeletal remains, a team of researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of California, Los Angeles has revealed new insights into how ancient Europeans adapted to their environments over 7,000 years of European history.

21 Nov 2024

Discovery of Large Tandem Duplications Opens New Avenues for Cancer Treatment

Cancer researchers at the University of Chicago and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have discovered that mutations in certain genes can lead to the accumulation of DNA errors, resulting in a specific type of genetic change known as large tandem duplications (TDs) that can arise from the collision of two critical cellular processes: transcription and DNA replication.

21 Nov 2024