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Research unravels neural mechanisms underlying illusions of complex-flow motion

A study of humans and monkeys published in JNeurosci has found the same subset of neurons encode actual and illusionary motion, although it takes the brain slightly longer to distinguish between the two.

From Society for Neuroscience 19 Feb 2019

Study shows how animals may remember and locate food sources

A subset of neurons in the hippocampus respond to both place and taste, according to research in male rats published in JNeurosci.

From Society for Neuroscience 19 Feb 2019

New map of infant brain may aid early diagnosis of autism

A new map of newborn babies' brains offers details of structure that will provide a new reference for researchers studying both typical brain development and neurological disorders.

18 Feb 2019

Study finds neuromelanin-sensitive MRI as potential biomarker for psychosis

Researchers have shown that a type of magnetic resonance imaging -- called neuromelanin-sensitive MRI is a potential biomarker for psychosis.

18 Feb 2019

Heavy smoking could lead to vision loss, study finds

Smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day can damage your vision, a study co-authored by a Rutgers researcher finds.

18 Feb 2019

Activating gene that helps excite neurons reverses depression in male mice

Directly activating a gene important to exciting our excitatory neurons and associated with major depression may help turn around classic symptoms like social isolation and loss of interest, at least for males, scientists report.

18 Feb 2019

UVA scientists find potential explanation for mysterious cell death in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have identified a potential explanation for the mysterious death of specific brain cells seen in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.

15 Feb 2019

Researchers identify brain pathways of aversion

What happens in the brain when we feel discomfort? Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden are now one step closer to finding the answer. In a new study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry they identify which pathways in the mouse brain control behavior associated with aversion.

14 Feb 2019

Scientists find effective way to improve synchronization measured in chaotic systems

Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology found a simple, yet effective, way to improve how synchronization is measured in chaotic systems.

14 Feb 2019

Abnormal timing found in the brains of people with autistic symptoms

The neural 'time windows' in certain small brain areas contribute to the complex cognitive symptoms of autism, new research suggests.

13 Feb 2019

Increased activity of EHMT2 gene deficient neurons could cause autism in humans

A novel investigation into the impacts of neuronal mutations on autism-related characteristics in humans has been described in the open-access journal eLife.

13 Feb 2019

New study provides insights into developmental organization of the brain

What makes us human, and where does this mysterious property of "humanness" come from? Humans are genetically similar to chimpanzees and bonobos, yet there exist obvious behavioral and cognitive differences.

13 Feb 2019

Low-calorie meals have protective effect against some diseases, reveals research

The number of calories a person eats directly influences the performance of different cells. A group of researchers from the University of São Paulo has shown that low-calorie meals have a protective effect against some diseases.

13 Feb 2019

Lactate activates multiple genes that modulate neuronal activity

A genome-wide study led by Dean Pierre Magistretti sheds light on the mechanisms through which lactate regulates long-term memory formation and neuroprotection.

12 Feb 2019

Pill that reverses brain damage could be on the horizon

Researchers have made important progress in designing a drug that could recover brain function in cases of severe brain damage due to injury or disease.

12 Feb 2019

Study reveals how one mutation causes the most common inherited intellectual disability

Research published today (Feb. 11, 2019) reveals how one mutation causes fragile X, the most common inherited intellectual disability.

12 Feb 2019

MGH researchers identify brain cells that modulate behavioral response to threats

A team of investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Regenerative Medicine has identified a population of brain cells that appears to play a role in calibrating behavioral responses to potentially threatening situations.

12 Feb 2019

Brain protein critical to recovery from stroke identified

Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States suffers a stroke and available therapies, such as clot busting drugs or clot removal devices, are focused on limiting the extent of brain damage.

12 Feb 2019

New target appears to aid recovery after optic nerve trauma

When a car crash or explosion results in an optic nerve injury, eliminating an enzyme known to promote inflammation appears to aid recovery, scientists report.

11 Feb 2019

Novel protein sensor allows researchers to observe nicotine's movements in cells

When a person takes a puff on a cigarette, nicotine floods into the brain, latching onto receptors on the surface of neurons and producing feelings of happiness. But nicotine does not simply stay on the surface of cells--the drug actually permeates into neural cells and alters them from the inside out.

8 Feb 2019