Optogenetics News and Research

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Study: Neural signal that urges to eat overpowers the one that says to stop

Almost everyone knows the feeling. You're at a restaurant or a holiday meal, and your stomach is telling you it's full, so logically you know you should stop eating.

21 Sep 2018

New research aims to engineer neural network from living cells

Will the computers of tomorrow be manufactured, or will they be cultivated? This question lies at the heart of new research from Lehigh University that aims to engineer a neural network--a computer system modeled on the human brain and nervous system--from actual living cells, and program it to compute a basic learning task.

14 Sep 2018

Genetic mutations may drive tumor formation by blurring growth signals

Genetic mutations in a form of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may drive tumor formation by blurring cells' perception of key growth signals, according to a new laboratory study published August 31, 2018 in Science.

3 Sep 2018

Single neuron in fruit fly triggers new behavior and also suppresses antagonistic behavior

In the fruit fly, a single pair of brain neurons command backward locomotion in both larvae and adults, researchers report.

23 Aug 2018

Researchers uncover surprising new role for inhibition in the cerebellum

Almost everyone is familiar with the unique mixture of surprise and confusion that occurs after making a mistake during an everyday movement.

17 Aug 2018

Biologists unlock new cure for jet lag in mice

Travel by airplane has opened the door to experiencing different cultures and exploring natural wonders. That is, if you can get past the jet lag.

13 Jul 2018

Researchers identify new region in mouse brain that affects appetite and body weight

Researchers at A*STAR's Singapore Bioimaging Consortium have identified a new region of the mouse brain called the Tuberal Nucleus, which affects appetite and body weight

13 Jul 2018

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals how complex brain circuit works

The complexity of the human brain presents scientists with immense challenges as they try to find new treatments for a host of diseases and conditions. But the advent of a new technology known as single-cell RNA sequencing is opening a window into how the brain works.

6 Jul 2018

Researchers discover how behavior is organized in the brain

Driving to work, typing an email or playing a round of golf--people perform actions such as these throughout the day.

29 Jun 2018

Study details role of dopamine in unlearning fear

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science have discovered a circuit in the brain that is necessary for unlearning fear. Published in Nature Communications, the study details the role of dopamine in ensuring that rats stop being afraid when there isn't anything to be afraid of anymore.

27 Jun 2018

Serotonin enhances speed of learning, study finds

An international team from the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, in Portugal, and the University College London, in the UK, has uncovered a previously unknown effect of serotonin on learning.

26 Jun 2018

Researchers use optogenetics to shape tissues

Constructing biological tissues, such as skin, muscle, or bone, in customized shapes is now one step closer.

19 Jun 2018

Neuroscientists identify one single control center for sleep-wake cycle in the brain

Until now, it was thought that multiple brain areas were needed to control sleep and wakefulness. Neuroscientists from Bern have now identified one single control center for the sleep-wake cycle in the brain. The findings are of great importance for finding new sleep therapies.

11 Jun 2018

MIT researchers develop wireless system to power devices implanted deep inside human body

MIT researchers, working with scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital, have developed a new way to power and communicate with devices implanted deep within the human body. Such devices could be used to deliver drugs, monitor conditions inside the body, or treat disease by stimulating the brain with electricity or light.

5 Jun 2018

Serotonin stimulation may improve patience, mice study shows

Just a little longer. It's a common experience: hanging on in the hopes that our patience will pay off in the end.

1 Jun 2018

Study identifies neurons involved in control of aggression

Researchers from the Karolinska Insitutet in Sweden have made a new discovery about the biological mechanism underlying aggressive behavior.

28 May 2018

Specific neurons may cause male aggressiveness

Scientists have managed to identify certain neurons in the brain that could evoke sense of aggressiveness. This could mean that problems associated with aggression could not be understood better and perhaps prevented they hope.

28 May 2018

Researchers identify neurons that play key role in aggressive behavior

High activity in a relatively poorly studied group of brain cells can be linked to aggressive behaviour in mice, a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows.

25 May 2018

Sleep deprivation study to pinpoint brain processes causing poor decision-making

Sleep deprivation can take a heavy toll on our ability to make sound decisions, with potentially disastrous outcomes.

17 May 2018

Researchers identify serotonin receptor that could be targeted to boost memory

In a breakthrough that could one day help individuals with cognitive impairment, researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center identified a specific receptor related to the neurotransmitter serotonin that could be targeted with drugs to boost memory.

11 May 2018