Synapse News and Research

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Biochemical cascade in the brain leads to the destruction of synapses in Alzheimer's

A new study on Alzheimer's disease by Scripps Research scientists has revealed a previously unknown biochemical cascade in the brain that leads to the destruction of synapses, the connections between nerve cells that are responsible for memory and cognition.

5 Dec 2020

Neuroscientists identify astrocytes as master 'conductors' of the brain

In the orchestra of the brain, the firing of each neuron is controlled by two notes--excitatory and inhibitory-- that come from two distinct forms of a cellular structure called synapses.

12 Nov 2020

“Molecular volume knob” in the brain helps with learning, memory

A "molecular volume knob" regulating electrical signals in the brain helps with learning and memory, according to a Dartmouth study.

11 Nov 2020

Scientists observe GABAA receptors and their organization on synaptic membrane

Synapses are specialized devices where learning and memory occur. The efficient transmission of synaptic signals relies on the delicate structure and complex molecular composition of the synapses. However, the small size (several hundred nanometers in diameter) and heterogeneous nature of the synapses pose significant challenges in direct observation of the molecules inside synapses.

10 Nov 2020

Researchers gain novel insights into the role of autophagy in neurons

It appears that autophagy protects our neurons in the brain, but evidently for entirely different reasons than previously assumed, as researchers from the Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP) and Charité in Berlin have now shown.

5 Nov 2020

Super-resolution images of functioning and pathologically altered nerve cells

Three experts for super-resolution microscopy jointly want to obtain better images of functioning and pathologically altered nerve cells. The European Research Council ERC is funding them with eleven million euros.

5 Nov 2020

Researchers uncover molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of neural circuits

Scientists at Korea's Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and colleagues have uncovered some of the complex molecular mechanisms involved in the formation of the brain's neural circuits.

3 Nov 2020

New method marks receptor proteins in selected cells

Where in a nerve cell is a certain receptor protein located? Without an answer to this question, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the function of this protein.

2 Nov 2020

Research program aims to thwart prion-like spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease

Tangles of misfolded tau proteins in the brain are closely associated with memory loss in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In order for this tau pathology to spread, the protein must interact with heparan sulfate, a sugar molecule found on the surface of neurons.

28 Oct 2020

Researchers generate a transcriptomic map of the COVID brain

COVID-19 is known to be associated with multiple changes in gene expression, but many of these are also seen in chronic brain conditions as well as in some abnormal mental conditions. A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 uncovers the molecular basis of this association.

26 Oct 2020

Research elucidates molecular mechanism behind learning and memory function

The long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of the strength of hippocampal excitatory synapse involved in learning and memory formation in brain have been separately explained, but the molecular mechanism that comprehensively explains them has not been elucidated.

21 Oct 2020

Cocaine use in mice leads to the formation of synapses by astrocytes

Drugs of abuse, like cocaine, are so addictive due in part to their cellular interaction, creating strong cellular memories in the brain that promote compulsive behaviors.

15 Oct 2020

Neurobiologists decode central mechanism of degenerative processes in brains of mouse models

Heidelberg neurobiologists decode central mechanism of degenerative processes in the brains of mouse models and develop new principle for therapeutic agents

9 Oct 2020

First pathoconnectome shows how eye disease alters retinal circuitry

Scientists from the John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah have achieved another first in the field of connectomics, which studies the synaptic connections between neurons.

30 Sep 2020

Computer model sheds light on how brain circuits might be altered in psychiatric diseases

Scientists have built a computer 'brain circuit', or artificial neural network, that mirrors human decision-making processes and sheds light on how circuits might be altered in psychiatric diseases, a new study published today in eLife reports.

29 Sep 2020

How many "listeners" a nerve cell has is strictly regulated, shows study

How many "listeners" a nerve cell has in the brain is strictly regulated. This is shown by an international study led by the University College London and the universities of Bonn, Bordeaux and Milton Keynes (England).

26 Sep 2020

Combination of alcohol and nicotine during pregnancy increases health risk in newborns

University of Houston researchers have found that during early pregnancy, the mix of alcohol and nicotine significantly alters the gene regulatory pathways of the developing fetus, which can lead to major deficiencies in brain development.

24 Sep 2020

Scientists identify new area of the brain involved in cost-benefit decision-making

Every day, we make hundreds of decisions. While most are small and inconsequential, like choosing what to eat or wear, others are more complex and involve weighing up potential costs and benefits, like deciding whether to study more for a better grade instead of hanging out with friends.

19 Sep 2020

Study finds potential target for migraine therapy

Migraines affect millions of people worldwide, often lasting days and severely disrupting lives. More than simply super-intense headaches, some migraines actually result from pathological excitation of neurons in the brain.

17 Sep 2020

Brain protein associated with seizures and abnormal social behaviors

A team led by a biomedical scientist at the University of California, Riverside has found a new mechanism responsible for the abnormal development of neuronal connections in the mouse brain that leads to seizures and abnormal social behaviors.

31 Aug 2020