Shedding New Light on Infant Brain Development
Researchers find the infant brain does not control its blood flow in the same way as the adult brain. The findings could change the way researchers study brain development in infants and children.
Nanomachines for Bionic Proteins
Researchers developed nanomachines which recreate principal activities of proteins. They present the first versatile and modular example of a fully artificial protein-mimetic model system.
Study Shows Limits on Brains Ability to Perceive Multifeatured Objects
A new study sheds light on how the brain encodes objects with multiple features, a fundamental task for the perceptual system. Researchers suggest neurons that encode a certain feature, such as shape or color, fire in synchrony with neurons that encode other features of the same object.
Blood May Hold Clues to Risk of Memory Problems After Menopause
A new study suggests that blood may hold clues to whether post-menopausal women may have an increased risk for brain damage that can lead to memory problems and an increased risk of stroke.
Scientists Turn Off the Ability to Feel Cold
Researchers have isolated chills at a cellular level, identifying the sensory network of neurons in the skin that relays the sensation of cold. By better understanding the specific ways in which we feel sensations, scientists hope to one day develop better pain treatments without knocking out all ability to feel for suffering patients.
Gene Associated with High Anxiety Can Have Protective Effect on the Battlefield
Through a combination of genetic and psychological testing, researchers have identified factors that mitigate against PTSD. In combat, soldiers who avoided threats were more likely to develop PTSD as a result of traumatic experiences, the study found.
Rewiring the Serotonin System
Researchers discover a new way to influence the serotonin signaling system. The findings could lead to more effective medications with fewer side effects.
In Some Dystonia Cases, Deep Brain Therapy Benefits may Linger After Device is Turned Off
According to a new report, two patients with Dystonia were freed from the severe debilitating effects of the disease through deep brain stimulation therapy, continued to have symptom relief for months after their devices accidentally were fully or partly turned off.
Neuroprosthesis Gives Rats the Ability to ‘Touch’ Infrared Light
Researchers have given rats the ability to “touch” infrared light by fitting them with an infrared detector wired to microscopic electrodes implanted in the part of the mammalian brain that processes tactile information. The study demonstrated that a novel sensory input could be processed by a cortical region specialized in another sense without “hijacking” the function of this brain area.
Novel Protein May Help Detect Lou Gehrig’s Disease and Dementia
Researchers discover an abnormal protein that accumulates in the brains of patients affected with ALS and frontotemporal dementia. The findings have uncovered a potentially new therapeutic target and biomarker that would allow clinicians to confirm diagnosis of the diseases.
