Repeatedly administered tactile simulation over a sustained period of time alters neural processing of the hand area in the brain. The observable changes over time illustrate neuroplasticity and shed new light on the process of learning. Read More
Oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone," could help to treat cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Researchers demonstrated oxytocin reversed the effects of amyloid-beta on hippocampal LTP in mice. The findings suggest oxytocin could be used as a therapeutic for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Read More
Dropping the level of the IL-33 immune molecule increased the number of synapses in the brain. In older mice, ramping up IL-33 helped push the number of new synapses toward a more youthful state. Read More
Corticotropin-releasing factor and neuropeptide Y work in synchronized opposition to each other to remodel and rewire neurons in the amygdala as a response to stress. The process, researchers say, can be manually reversed to help relieve anxiety. Read More
Adult born neurons are essential for synaptic structural remodeling and memory consolidation during REM sleep, a new mouse study found. Read More
Neurons in the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus, an area of the brain that regulates motor coordination, switch neurotransmitters from acetylcholine to GABA as a result of exercise. The switch appears to provide feedback control that regulates motor coordination and skill learning. Read More
The brains of adults who received hemispherectomies as children had unusually strong connections between functional brain networks in the remaining hemisphere, which help the body to function as if the brain were intact. Read More
Criticality in the brain was linked to inhibitory neurons imposing and organizing the computational dynamics. Read More
Expert pianists have altered mechanisms by with tactile and proprioceptive sensations suppress activity in the primary motor cortex. Read More
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
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
Neurons in the anterior intraparietal cortex learn to modulate their activity to compensate for errors in brain-machine interface tasks. Findings suggest the extent to which a person can learn a new skill is constrained by preexisting neural networks. Read More
