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Brain Connectivity Surges at Birth, Study Reveals

Brain-imaging data collected from fetuses and infants has revealed a rapid surge in functional connectivity between brain regions on a global scale at birth, possibly reflecting neural processes that support the brain's ability to adapt to the external world, according to a study published November 19th, in the open-access journal PLOS Biology led by Lanxin Ji and Moriah Thomason from the New York University School of Medicine, USA.

20 Nov 2024

How Marmoset Brains Grow Smarter with Help from Many Caregivers

Findings from marmoset studies highlight the role of social interactions in brain development, providing clues to the evolution of human social skills.

7 Nov 2024

Novel Gene Regulates Axon Regeneration in the Central Nervous System

A scientific investigation led by researchers at HKUST has uncovered promising avenues for treating injuries to the central nervous system, with findings published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

23 Oct 2024

Mutant Neurons Show Accelerated Development in Mouse Brain

The mechanisms behind intellectual disabilities and autism remain largely unknown. However, researchers from the labs of Prof. Pierre Vanderhaeghen and Prof. Vincent Bonin at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research and NERF have identified that mutations in the SYNGAP1 gene interfere with the extended development of human neurons, a process believed to be critical for normal cognitive function.

15 Oct 2024

A New Technique Reveals the Behavior of OPCs in the Brain

Imagine yourself sometime in the far future aboard a routine rocket to Mars. Someone just spilled their drink. Without gravity, it collects in floating blobs that ripple right before your eyes. Now freeze.

14 Oct 2024

New Insights Into Early Brain Development and Mental Health

An unparalleled glimpse at how gene regulation changes during human brain development has been provided by a study led by UCLA, which demonstrates the crucial role played by the 3D structure of chromatin, which is made up of proteins and DNA.

10 Oct 2024

New Tool START Enables Precision Mapping of Neuronal Connectivity

Scientists at the Salk Institute are unveiling a new brain-mapping neurotechnology called Single Transcriptome Assisted Rabies Tracing (START). The cutting-edge tool combines two advanced technologies-;monosynaptic rabies virus tracing and single-cell transcriptomics-;to map the brain's intricate neuronal connections with unparalleled precision.

1 Oct 2024

Research Reveals How the Brain Encodes Time and Experiences at the Neuronal Level

A landmark study led by UCLA Health has begun to unravel one of the fundamental mysteries in neuroscience – how the human brain encodes and makes sense of the flow of time and experiences.

26 Sep 2024

A New Understanding of How the Brain Adapts to Changing Situations

In a constantly changing world, animals, including humans, need to quickly adapt to their environment and learn to make decisions that lead to the best possible outcomes. In most cases, this type of learning happens through direct experience; when faced with a choice between two particular items or events, animals resort to previous experience involving the same options.

23 Sep 2024

Low Extracellular Sodium Concentrations Can Suppress mRNA Expression in Brain Cells

Brain and mental problems can result from chronic hyponatremia, a disorder marked by low blood salt levels.

19 Sep 2024

Unexpected RNA Mechanism Controls Black Pigment in Butterfly Wings

A team of international researchers has uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings.

2 Sep 2024

Mitochondrial DNA 'Jumps' to Chromosomes, Potentially Impacting Lifespan

As direct descendants of ancient bacteria, mitochondria have always been a little alien.

23 Aug 2024

The Complex Link Between DNA Modification and ALS

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease which remains incurable. The disease is characterized by the selective degeneration of upper motor neurons in the motor cortex as well as the lower motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord. The cause of ALS remains unknown in 90 percent of cases, which are referred to as sporadic ALS because there is no family history for the disease. Cumulative evidence suggests that sporadic ALS may result from complex interactions between genetic susceptibility and aging.

23 Aug 2024

Revealing Neural Basis of Categorizing and Remembering Novel Information

Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have pinpointed the brain cells involved in remembering specific details of events.

22 Aug 2024

New Imaging Technique Offers Clearer View of Brain Function

Researchers have developed a new two-photon fluorescence microscope that captures high-speed images of neural activity at cellular resolution. By imaging much faster and with less harm to brain tissue than traditional two-photon microscopy, the new approach could provide a clearer view of how neurons communicate in real time, leading to new insights into brain function and neurological diseases.

16 Aug 2024

Deep-Learning Model Identifies Parkinson's Disease-Specific Neuroanatomical Features

A deep-learning-based contrastive approach to examine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from Parkinson’s disease patients.

14 Aug 2024

Brain's Co-Rippling Activity Sheds Light on Consciousness

For many years, researchers have been concentrating on how the brain organizes information into hierarchical structures, with distinct regions of the brain designated for distinct functions.

13 Aug 2024

Study Explores the Role of Sex-Biased Gene Expression in Autism Risk During Prenatal Development

The cortex of prenatal donors to determine differentially expressed genes based on sex and potentially identify molecular and cellular mechanisms that contribute to ASD.

7 Aug 2024

New Model Reveals Underlying Similarity in Mammalian Brain Shapes

A novel method for characterizing the cerebral cortex's shape has been devised by researchers, who also present evidence that cortices in all mammalian species share a common, fractal design.

31 Jul 2024

Antisense Therapy Shows Promise Against Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as many other neurodegenerative disorders, has shown a link between the abnormal aggregation of a protein called α-synuclein (aSyn) and neuronal death. These aggregates, known as Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites depending on their subcellular localization, can spread by continuously causing normal endogenous aSyn to misfold.

26 Jul 2024