Optogenetics News and Research

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New method harnesses light to activate neurons in the brain

University of Rochester researchers have demonstrated a noninvasive method using BL-OG, or bioluminescent optogenetics, that harnesses light to activate neurons in the brain.

3 Oct 2024

New treatment strategy targets somatostatin to prevent blood sugar drops in type 1 diabetes

Inhibiting the hormone somatostatin may be a new treatment strategy to prevent dangerous blood glucose drops in type 1 diabetes.

30 Sep 2024

Unraveling psychiatric disorders with cutting-edge epigenetic tools

The "Innovators & Ideas: Rising Star" section of Genomic Psychiatry features an illuminating "Genomic Press Interview" with Dr. Pierre-Eric Lutz, a rising star in the field of neuro-epigenetics.

5 Sep 2024

Neuroscientists decode the brain’s response to unexpected sensory inputs

Researchers have discovered how two brain areas, neocortex and thalamus, work together to detect discrepancies between what animals expect from their environment and actual events.

28 Aug 2024

New optical neural chip technology reveals unexpected dopamine dynamics

DGIST (President Lee Kunwoo) Department of Brain Sciences Professor Lee Kwang and his team have discovered a new correlation between neural signaling in the brain and dopamine signaling in the striatum.

2 Aug 2024

Neuroscientists discover a key piece of the placebo effect puzzle

The placebo effect is very real. This we've known for decades, as seen in real-life observations and the best double-blinded randomized clinical trials researchers have devised for many diseases and conditions, especially pain.

24 Jul 2024

Researchers find a special group of "first responder" cells crucial for triggering blood sugar response

How does our body control blood sugar so precisely? An international research team led by scientists from the Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of the German Center for Diabetes Research brought us a step closer to the answer.

17 Jul 2024

Decoding cerebellar neural patterns in movement disorders

The cerebellum is a region of the brain that helps us refine our movements and learn new motor skills.

3 Jul 2024

New light-activated method targets cancer and inflammatory cells with precision

A new method of precisely targeting troublesome cells for death using light could unlock new understanding of and treatments for cancer and inflammatory diseases, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report.

1 Jul 2024

Study identifies key neurons controlling threat response and escape in mice

Neuroscientists have discovered how the brain bidirectionally controls sensitivity to threats to initiate and complete escape behaviour in mice. These findings could help unlock new directions for discovering therapies for anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

27 Jun 2024

Scientists reveal new insights into how red light-regulated histidine kinases function

Scientists have revealed new information on how red light-regulated histidine kinases function.

14 Jun 2024

New AARF-D award supports Temple researchers to explore synapse function in the aging brain

Late-life depression is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, in particular because it accelerates progression from mild cognitive impairment to dementia.

12 Jun 2024

Mechanisms of aversive learning: How negative experiences shape neural circuits

'I'm not gonna do this again', we often say when faced with negative feedback, adverse effects, or disappointing outcomes. Thus, we attempt to learn from such negative experiences.

7 Jun 2024

New optogenetics approach may offer better muscle control with less fatigue

For people with paralysis or amputation, neuroprosthetic systems that artificially stimulate muscle contraction with electrical current can help them regain limb function.

23 May 2024

Novel lab-grown mini-colons can accurately mimic the development of colorectal tumors

In a breakthrough for cancer research, scientists at EPFL have created lab-grown mini-colons that can accurately mimic the development of colorectal tumors, offering a powerful new tool for studying and testing treatments for the disease.

24 Apr 2024

New technique connects lab-grown "neural organoids" to resemble brain circuits

The idea of growing a functioning human brain-like tissues in a dish has always sounded pretty far-fetched, even to researchers in the field.

10 Apr 2024

“Zombie neurons” shed light on the cerebellum's critical teaching signals

Nestled at the back of your head, the cerebellum is a brain structure that plays a pivotal role in how we learn, adapting our actions based on past experiences.

2 Apr 2024

MIT researchers identify key brain circuit for vocalization control

MIT researchers have discovered a brain circuit that drives vocalization and ensures that you talk only when you breathe out, and stop talking when you breathe in.

7 Mar 2024

NIH funds study on neural mechanisms behind autism and sound sensitivity

Supported by a $2 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health, the Auerbach Lab at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology will examine how different genes associated with autism spectrum disorders may similarly impact our brain's neurons, resulting in heightened sensitivity to sounds.

28 Feb 2024

Study uncovers missing piece in the complex nerve-network needed for left-right turns

Have you ever wondered what happens in the brain when we move to the right or left? Most people don't; they just do it without thinking about it. But this simple movement is actually controlled by a complex process.

12 Feb 2024