Thalamus News and Research

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The Thalamus is an area of the brain that helps process information from the senses and transmit it to other parts of the brain.

Brain circuit regulates individual responses to temptation cues, rat study finds

Differences in a key brain circuit may suggest why some individuals are less able than others to resist tempting cues, according to a study in rats published today in eLife.

11 Sep 2019

Scientists find a link between brain’s emotion circuit and movement

The brain is a powerful organ that controls all the body processes, including movement. In some athletes, however, they usually experience a phenomenon called “choking,” wherein their performance rapidly declines when they’re under a lot of pressure.

11 Sep 2019

Unraveling the secret itch pathway

Itching is among the most persistent of skin sensations, requiring an immediate response. However, scientists say it is a protective sensation that stimulates the individual to eliminate parasites and other irritating substances from the skin.

23 Aug 2019

Virginia Tech graduate student wins NIH award to map unexplored area of the brain

As you read this article, your eyes are capturing light and your brain is decoding it into tangible fragments of information - things like colors, edges, words, and ideas.

22 Jul 2019

Researchers identify previously unknown pathways for sensory learning in the brain

We've all heard the saying that individuals learn at their own pace. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed an automated, robotic training device that allows mice to learn at their leisure.

19 Jul 2019

Novel imaging molecule reveals brain changes linked to progressive MS

Secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is a relentless disease. Over time, patients experience worsening physical, mental and mood-related symptoms.

2 Jul 2019

Music helps to develop the neural networks of premature infants

In Switzerland, as in most industrialized countries, nearly 1% of children are born "very prematurely", i.e. before the 32nd week of pregnancy, which represents about 800 children yearly.

27 May 2019

GW researchers lay groundwork for improving diagnostic utility of neonatal EEGs

Neonatal brain injury is a leading cause of lifelong disability. Researchers at the George Washington University are laying the groundwork for a future where health care providers can more accurately diagnose brain injury and dysfunction in newborns with the use of an inexpensive and non-invasive diagnostic tool -- electroencephalography.

15 May 2019

Compound derived from broccoli sprouts may restore brain chemistry imbalance related to schizophrenia

In a series of recently published studies using animals and people, Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers say they have further characterized a set of chemical imbalances in the brains of people with schizophrenia related to the chemical glutamate.

From Johns Hopkins Medicine 9 May 2019

The sense of touch is defined and fully functional before birth

All the surface of the human body is represented in the cerebral cortex in a transversal band localized at the external part of the cerebral hemispheres: the somatosensory cortex.

3 May 2019

Scientists discover trigger region for absence epileptic seizures

Scientists have discovered a neurological origin for absence seizures--a type of seizure characterized by very short periods of lost consciousness in which people appear to stare blankly at nothing.

25 Apr 2019

Obesity linked to a reduction in gray matter

A new study suggests that obesity may be associated with changes in brain structure, including reduced brain volumes in certain areas.

24 Apr 2019

Researchers map auditory sensory system of the mouse brain

University of Oregon neuroscientists report that two areas of the mouse brain combine representations of what is heard and anticipated, guiding behavior that leads mice to the best reward.

19 Apr 2019

Tactile and proprioceptive stimulation improves effects of perinatal brain injuries in mice

A research conducted by the INc-UAB shows that the same perinatal brain injury caused by hypoxia and ischemia have differentiated effects on each gender, but can be improved through tactile and proprioceptive stimuli.

5 Mar 2019

Non-invasive technique to accurately study activity in deepest part of the brain

The subcortical areas of the brain, situated in its deepest reaches, remain a mystery. Scientists are aware of the critical role they play in motor, emotional and associative activity but do not know precisely how they work.

27 Feb 2019

New study shows that people with dyslexia have structural dysfunction in subcortical region

Developmental dyslexia is one of the most widespread learning disabilities. Different therapeutic approaches and learning strategies are used to tackle the reading and writing difficulties associated with dyslexia, but to-date it is impossible to cure dyslexia.

27 Feb 2019

Vilcek Foundation prizes awarded to immigrants for their work on human biology and disease

The Vilcek Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 Vilcek Foundation Prizes for Biomedical Science, awarded to immigrants who have made significant contributions to the field. Dr. Angelika Amon will receive the $100,000 Vilcek Prize, while Drs. Amit Choudhary, Jeanne T. Paz, and Mikhail G. Shapiro will each receive the $50,000 Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise.

8 Feb 2019