Optogenetics News and Research

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Brain area communication changes over much faster timescales than previously thought

Understanding how brain areas communicate is one of the oldest questions in neuroscience. Researchers at the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre at UCL used causal techniques to uncover how two neocortical areas in the brain communicate with one another and found that their influence on each other changes over much faster-timescales than previously thought.

10 Jun 2022

Targeting thalamic circuits could reverse Parkinson’s symptoms in mice

Parkinson's disease is best-known as a disorder of movement. Patients often experience tremors, loss of balance, and difficulty initiating movement. The disease also has lesser-known symptoms that are nonmotor, including depression.

8 Jun 2022

Brain motor and fear circuits orchestrate the immune response to acute stress

A new study explores how acute stressors affected mice in terms of their immune responses in specific regions of the brain.

2 Jun 2022

Study shows how stress has a major impact on the immune system's ability to fight infections

Acute stress can be detrimental to fighting off infection, especially COVID-19, and increases the chance of dying in mouse models.

30 May 2022

Study shows how synchronization contributes to transmission, processing of information in the brain

In the early 20th century scientists began to record brain activity using electrodes attached to the scalp. To their surprise, they saw that brain activity is characterized by slow and rapid ascending and descending signals which were subsequently called "brain waves".

26 May 2022

Synthetic biologists interrogate single-celled survivalists to understand stress response

Rice University synthetic biologists and bioengineers are preparing to interrogate some single-celled survivalists to find out how they deal with stress.

23 May 2022

Targeting specific neurons modulates memory retrieval and alters anxiety-like behaviors in mice

We humans lose mental acuity, an unfortunate side effect of aging. And for individuals with neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, the loss of cognitive function often accompanied by mood disorders such as anxiety is a harrowing experience.

16 May 2022

Brain circuit in the anterior thalamus is crucial for remembering how to navigate a maze

As people age, their working memory often declines, making it more difficult to perform everyday tasks. One key brain region linked to this type of memory is the anterior thalamus, which is primarily involved in spatial memory -; memory of our surroundings and how to navigate them.

11 May 2022

Bruker introduces Ultima Investigator Plus — Multiphoton microscope for tissue imaging

Bruker today announced the release of the Ultima Investigator Plus, the newest modular platform addition to the industry-leading Ultima line of multiphoton microscopes for deep tissue fluorescence imaging.

From Bruker Nano Surfaces and Metrology 30 Mar 2022

A cluster of cells in the brainstem found to control the body's response to severe blood loss

University of Virginia School of Medicine scientists have discovered a cluster of cells in the brainstem that controls the body's response to severe blood loss, a finding which could benefit efforts to develop new treatments for traumatic injuries.

28 Mar 2022

Researchers find turbocharger for memory in the brain cells of mice

Scientists have long known that learning requires the flow of calcium into and out of brain cells. But researchers at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute have now discovered that floods of calcium originating from within neurons can also boost learning.

17 Mar 2022

Optical coherence tomography reveals the beating and development of human heart organoids

Researchers have been using organoids -; 3D organ-like, tightly-packed cell cultures -; as models to study organ development, disease and drug discovery with excellent success.

16 Mar 2022

Brain network that triggers the execution of planned movement discovered

Planned movement is essential to our daily lives, and it often requires delayed execution. As children, we stood crouched and ready but waited for the shout of "GO!" before sprinting from the starting line.

14 Mar 2022

Pioneering technique uses a magnetic device to stimulate touch sensitive brain glial cells

Scientists at UCL have developed a new technique that uses microscopic magnetic particles to remotely activate brain cells; researchers say the discovery in rats could potentially lead to the development of a new class of non-invasive therapies for neurological disorders.

24 Feb 2022

Dopamine signaling promotes the development of compulsive reward seeking behavior

Northwestern investigators have discovered that dopamine signaling in the brain's dorsomedial striatum promotes the development of compulsive behaviors in animal models, according to findings published in Current Biology.

7 Feb 2022

New imaging method reveals the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules

Using an innovative new imaging technique, researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have revealed the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules in unprecedented detail and speed. The work could inform new strategies in the burgeoning field of optogenetics, which uses light pulses to alter the activity of individual neurons and other cells.

27 Jan 2022

Optogenetics News and Research

Brain area communication changes over much faster timescales than previously thought

Targeting thalamic circuits could reverse Parkinson’s symptoms in mice

Brain motor and fear circuits orchestrate the immune response to acute stress

Study shows how stress has a major impact on the immune system's ability to fight infections

Study shows how synchronization contributes to transmission, processing of information in the brain

Synthetic biologists interrogate single-celled survivalists to understand stress response

Targeting specific neurons modulates memory retrieval and alters anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Brain circuit in the anterior thalamus is crucial for remembering how to navigate a maze

Bruker introduces Ultima Investigator Plus — Multiphoton microscope for tissue imaging

A cluster of cells in the brainstem found to control the body's response to severe blood loss

Researchers find turbocharger for memory in the brain cells of mice

Optical coherence tomography reveals the beating and development of human heart organoids

Brain network that triggers the execution of planned movement discovered

Pioneering technique uses a magnetic device to stimulate touch sensitive brain glial cells

Dopamine signaling promotes the development of compulsive reward seeking behavior

New imaging method reveals the inner workings of a family of light-sensing molecules

Mice study identifies ventral spinocerebellar tract neurons that control locomotion

Neurologist receives ERC grant to study novel light-activated drugs with antiepileptic effects

Model of neuromuscular junction could accelerate new treatments for neuromuscular diseases

New study uncovers a mechanism of sleep in zebrafish

Genetics & Genomics - Second Edition eBook

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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