Dementia spreads via connected brain networks
A new brain mapping study allows for individual predictions of the progression of frontotemporal dementia.... Read More...
brain mapping
How the brain repurposes unused regions
There is an underlying organization that dictates how the visual cortex is repurposed in blind people, which is not random. ... Read More...
Discovering biological mechanisms enabling pianists to achieve skillful fingering
Expert pianists have altered mechanisms by with tactile and proprioceptive sensations suppress activity in the primary motor cortex.... Read More...
The toes of artists who paint with their feet can be mapped in their brains
Artists who paint with their feet have finely tuned toe maps in their brains. The study opens up questions about organizational principles of the whole body system.... Read More...
Map of broken brain networks shows why people lose speech in language-based dementia
Researchers have identified the location of dysfunctional brain networks that lead to impaired sentence production and word-finding in primary progressive aphasia (PPA). PPA can occur in those with neurodegenerative diseases, such as frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Mapping the networks allows clinicians to apply non-invasive brain stimulation to potentially improve speech in those with PPA. ... Read More...
Highest-resolution human brain ‘parts list’ to date lays road map to better treatments
Researchers have created the most comprehensive 'parts list' of the human brain to date. They uncovered crucial differences between human and mouse brain cells. The findings may explain why many drugs used in research do not work in human models.... Read More...
A map of the brain can tell what you’re reading
fMRI brain scans reveal semantic tuning during both reading and listening to words are highly correlated in selective areas of the cerebral cortex. The new brain maps enabled researchers to accurately predict which words would active specific regions of the cortex.... Read More...
Hit it where it hurts: Scientists reveal how mirrors cure phantom pain
Visual responsiveness in the somatosensory cortex diminishes significantly following mirror therapy for phantom limb pain. Before therapy, researchers discovered a strong, unexpected activation in the sensorimotor foot region of amputees to visually presented images of the foot. This response was no longer present following mirror therapy.... Read More...
New nerve pathway that connects the foot and face on same side of body map discovered
Newly identified nerve pathway, which runs down the same side of the body, may bypass a damaged spinal cord. The findings could shed light on some neurological disorders such as referred itch or jogger's migraine.... Read More...
How electrical stimulation reorganizes the brain
Brain stimulation resulted in progressive alterations to brain plasticity. ... Read More...
Brains of children with epilepsy able to re-map after surgery to retain visual perception
Following surgery, the brains of children with epilepsy are able to remap and compensate for damaged areas of the visual cortex. The findings shed light on brain plasticity.... Read More...
Detailed brain map uncovers hidden immune cells that may be involved in neurodegenerative disorders
Using mouse models, researchers have developed a comprehensive map of the brain's immune cells. The study found microglia in the choroid plexus showed a similar activation state as microglia that come into contact with Amyloid deposits. ... Read More...