Neuroscience News and Research

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Stable proteins in the brain offer clues to long-term memory and learning in mice

In the tiny brain space where two nerve cells meet, chemical and electric signals shuttle back and forth, a messaging system that ebbs and flows in those synaptic spaces, sometimes in ways that scientists believe aid and abet learning and memory.

3 Apr 2018

Researcher finds that shape of misfolded proteins may contribute to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Huntington's disease may have more in common than their effects on the functions of the brain and spinal cord. And finding that common thread could lead to a treatment that could work for all three.

2 Apr 2018

Study reveals how interneurons emerge and diversify in the brain

Modern neuroscience, for all its complexity, can trace its roots directly to a series of pen-and-paper sketches rendered by Nobel laureate Santiago Ramón y Cajal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

31 Mar 2018

Researchers propose a novel tripartite mechanism of neural memory

The overwhelming quest in cognitive science has been (and still is) to scientifically describe mental processes on a molecular level, notably memory and intelligence, and attempt to mimic them technologically. But really 'intelligent' computers can only arise from an appreciation of neural reality with credible principles about the nature of neural mentation.

30 Mar 2018

Adult-onset degenerative disease mechanism begins much earlier than previously thought

The disease mechanism for adult-onset progressive degenerative diseases begins much earlier than previously thought, according to a Northwestern Medicine study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

30 Mar 2018

Monkeys' brain synchrony influenced by proximity and social status, research suggests

Though their purpose and function are still largely unknown, mirror neurons in the brain are believed by some neuroscientists to be central to how humans relate to each other. Deficiencies in mirror neurons might also play a role in autism and other disorders affecting social skills.

30 Mar 2018

Salk scientists discover protein that 'turns off' uncontrolled liver cancer growth

Salk Institute scientists, together with researchers from Switzerland's University of Basel and University Hospital Basel, discovered a protein called LHPP that acts as a molecular switch to turn off the uncontrolled growth of cells in liver cancer.

29 Mar 2018

Ultra-slow waves in the brain directly linked to consciousness

If you keep a close eye on an MRI scan of the brain, you'll see a wave pass through the entire brain like a heartbeat once every few seconds. This ultra-slow rhythm was recognized decades ago, but no one quite knew what to make of it. MRI data are inherently noisy, so most researchers simply ignored the ultra-slow waves.

29 Mar 2018

Study provides broader picture of problems faced by stroke victims

A new study looks at what problems affect people most after a stroke and it provides a broader picture than what some may usually expect to see.

29 Mar 2018

Simple bedside test may help doctors diagnose certain degenerative brain diseases

A simple bedside test that matches a change in heart rate with a drop in blood pressure after a patient stands may help doctors diagnose certain degenerative brain diseases.

28 Mar 2018

Vagus nerve stimulation accelerates motor skill recovery after stroke

Researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas have demonstrated a method to accelerate motor skill recovery after a stroke by helping the brain reorganize itself more quickly.

28 Mar 2018

Scientists discover link between diminished dopamine-firing cells and ability to form new memories

A new link between diminished input from dopamine-firing cells deep inside the brain and the ability to form new memories could be crucial in detecting the earliest signs of Alzheimer's disease.

28 Mar 2018

New study reveals why some visual cues remain subliminal

Understanding conscious perception is a major challenge for neuroscience. A new study published on March 22nd in Science now shows why weak visual stimuli of the same strength are sometimes detected and other times remain subliminal: As the signals travel from visual areas to the prefrontal cortex, fluctuating brain dynamics can make the difference, elevating some signals above the threshold of conscious experience and stopping others in their tracks.

27 Mar 2018

Choline intake during pregnancy increases brain grey and white matter in young pigs

Choline intake during pregnancy can influence infant metabolism and brain development, according to a series of studies from the University of Illinois. Although the role of choline in neurodevelopment has been studied before in rodents, the new research, done with pigs, has more relevance to humans.

27 Mar 2018

Researchers propose new approach to look deeper into brain function

To uncover connections between brain regions and specific cognitive functions, neuroscientists have long made extensive use of techniques like functional resonance imaging (fMRI). First introduced in the 1990's, the method allows tracking the brain's activity while a test subject performs a task or responds to stimuli in the MRI scanner.

26 Mar 2018

New device achieves 92% accuracy in detecting patients with severe stroke

A new device worn like a visor can detect emergent large-vessel occlusion in patients with suspected stroke with 92 percent accuracy, report clinical investigators at the Medical University of South Carolina, Mount Sinai, the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and elsewhere in an article published online on March 6, 2018, in the Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery.

26 Mar 2018

Mother's stress during pregnancy changes brain connectivity in-utero

The time babies spend in the womb is far from idle. The brain is changing more rapidly during this time than at any other time in development. It is an active time for the fetus to grow and explore, and of course connect to its mother.

26 Mar 2018

Specific immune cells may help slow progression of ALS, research shows

New research into Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) - also known as motor neuron disease - shows that specific immune cells may help slow progression of the disease, an important step towards developing new therapies to treat patients.

22 Mar 2018

Researchers prove link between common childhood cancer and inflammation

The team of María Domínguez, researcher for the Neuroscience Institute, joint venture of the Miguel Hernández University in Elche and the Spanish National Research Council, has managed to prove for the first time that an important factor in the development of acute pediatric lymphoblastic leukemia is inflammation.

22 Mar 2018

Study suggests detailed neuropsychological assessment for brief cardiac arrest survivors

Patients who survive a brief cardiac arrest and who appear neurologically intact should nonetheless receive a detailed neuropsychological assessment before being discharged, suggests a joint study by researchers at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute and Israel's Rambam Medical Center.

22 Mar 2018

Neuroscience News and Research

Stable proteins in the brain offer clues to long-term memory and learning in mice

Researcher finds that shape of misfolded proteins may contribute to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease

Study reveals how interneurons emerge and diversify in the brain

Researchers propose a novel tripartite mechanism of neural memory

Adult-onset degenerative disease mechanism begins much earlier than previously thought

Monkeys' brain synchrony influenced by proximity and social status, research suggests

Salk scientists discover protein that 'turns off' uncontrolled liver cancer growth

Ultra-slow waves in the brain directly linked to consciousness

Study provides broader picture of problems faced by stroke victims

Simple bedside test may help doctors diagnose certain degenerative brain diseases

Vagus nerve stimulation accelerates motor skill recovery after stroke

Scientists discover link between diminished dopamine-firing cells and ability to form new memories

New study reveals why some visual cues remain subliminal

Choline intake during pregnancy increases brain grey and white matter in young pigs

Researchers propose new approach to look deeper into brain function

New device achieves 92% accuracy in detecting patients with severe stroke

Mother's stress during pregnancy changes brain connectivity in-utero

Specific immune cells may help slow progression of ALS, research shows

Researchers prove link between common childhood cancer and inflammation

Study suggests detailed neuropsychological assessment for brief cardiac arrest survivors

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