Neurophysiology News and Research

RSS

Neurophysiology is a discipline within the health sciences which deals with the measurement and assessment of nervous system function rather than the anatomy of the nervous system. It helps to diagnose and monitor the progress of nervous disorders.

Fetal alcohol exposure reduces taste system's responsiveness to bitter flavor and burning sensation

A new study suggests that fetal alcohol exposure reduces the taste system's responsiveness to the bitter flavor and burning sensation of many varieties of alcoholic beverages.

18 May 2017

Diabetes medication could potentially help treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome

Metformin, the most widely used drug to treat type 2 diabetes, could potentially be used to treat symptoms of Fragile X syndrome, an inherited form of intellectual disability and a cause of some forms of autism.

15 May 2017

Contrary behavior by blood vessels in the brainstem is what keeps us breathing, research suggests

Certain blood vessels in the brainstem constrict when blood vessels elsewhere in the body would dilate. And that contrary behavior is what keeps us breathing, according to a new paper by UConn researchers published May 8 in eLife.

9 May 2017

Study explores health and function of cortical neurons in hand amputees

Researchers have found that the nerve cells (neurons) controlling sensation and movement of the hands show injury-induced changes for years after hand amputation, reattachment or transplant.

11 Apr 2017

New mathematical models show critical tipping point for swelling of brain cells

When brain cells don't get enough energy, caused by a stroke or trauma, they can start swelling rapidly. New mathematical models of this mechanism, developed by Koen Dijkstra of the University of Twente in The Netherlands, show a critical tipping point: at lower energy levels, there is no way back.

23 Mar 2017

Researchers identify potential alcoholism mechanisms linked to dynamical dopamine imbalance

Researchers from the Higher School of Economics, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris, Indiana University and the Russian Academy of Sciences Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Applied Physics have identified potential alcoholism mechanisms, associated with altered dopaminergic neuron response to complex dynamics of prefrontal cortex neurones affecting dopamine release.

9 Mar 2017

Microwave helmet shows great potential to detect intracranial bleeding in traumatic brain injuries

Results from a clinical study demonstrates that microwave measurements can be used for a rapid detection of intracranial bleeding in traumatic brain injuries.

8 Mar 2017

Novel statistical approach reveals details about brains' internal networks in patients with epilepsy

A novel statistical approach to analyzing patients with epilepsy has revealed details about their brains' internal networks. The findings may lead to better understanding and treatment of the disease, according to Rice University researchers.

6 Mar 2017

Cedars-Sinai neuroscientists uncover human brain processes crucial to short-term memory

Cedars-Sinai neuroscientists have uncovered processes involved in how the human brain creates and maintains short-term memories.

21 Feb 2017

Researchers uncover cell membrane protein that regulates gene linked to schizophrenia

Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, have identified a protein that regulates a gene associated with schizophrenia. The study, published in the Journal of Neurophysiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for January.

5 Jan 2017

Viral infection during pregnancy affects maternal care and can trigger depression in offspring

A viral infection in a pregnant woman not only affects her subsequent ability to provide maternal care but can also trigger depression in her offspring, which can then even extend into the next generation as a result of changes to genetic mechanisms in the brain.

15 Dec 2016

CBD oil may reduce frequency and severity of seizures in patients with epilepsy, UAB study shows

Cannabidiol oil, also known as CBD oil, reduces the frequency and severity of seizures in children and adults with severe, intractable epilepsy, according to findings presented by researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham at the American Epilepsy Society 70th Annual Meeting.

5 Dec 2016

Stanford study suggests tiny portions of the brain fall asleep and wake up constantly

When we are in a deep slumber our brain's activity ebbs and flows in big, obvious waves, like watching a tide of human bodies rise up and sit down around a sports stadium. It's hard to miss.

2 Dec 2016

Male brains appear to consume more energy than women when multitasking

It has long been known to science that women find it easier than men to multitask and switch between tasks.

17 Nov 2016

Portsmouth scientist wins major award to develop treatments for MS patients

A University of Portsmouth scientist has won almost £180,000 to fund research that could help develop treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

14 Oct 2016

Researcher aims to shed new light on inner workings of the retina

One of the more studied parts of the human anatomy, the retina -- the neural layer at the back of the eye that senses light -- still has secrets to reveal.

23 Aug 2016

Researchers study impact of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in adolescents with anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychiatric conditions affecting children and adolescents. While antidepressants are frequently used to treat youth with anxiety disorders, sometimes, antidepressants may be poorly tolerated in children who are at high risk of developing bipolar disorder.

20 Jul 2016

Study links brain chemistry and fluid intelligence in living humans

A new study begins to clarify how brain structure and chemistry give rise to specific aspects of "fluid intelligence," the ability to adapt to new situations and solve problems one has never encountered before.

21 Jun 2016

Wide-field imaging approach can help study underlying mechanisms of brain function

University of Oregon scientists have looked into the brains of living mice to see in real time the processing of sensory information and generation of behavioral responses.

24 Mar 2016

USF receives $9 million NIH grant to study unique treatment for age-related hearing loss

Researchers in the University of South Florida's Global Center for Hearing and Speech Research, recognized as the world's top research center for age-related hearing loss, have received a five-year, $9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study two unique ways to treat age-related hearing loss (ARHL).

17 Mar 2016