Latest

CSHL

·May 18, 2026·8 min read

How the Brain Filters Calcium to Form Memories

By collecting over 50,000 high-resolution cryo-EM movies, researchers visualized how a molecular sieve called the Asn cage filters calcium from magnesium based entirely on their hydration properties. While magnesium holds water too tightly to squeeze through the pore, calcium sheds its water shell, dehydrates, and transits freely to trigger synaptic plasticity.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 7, 2026·7 min read

The Neural Shortcut to Language

The complex vocal duets of Alston’s singing mice are powered by a simple tripling of existing neural connections, rather than a larger brain. This "evolutionary hack" offers a new playbook for understanding how human speech emerged through targeted wiring changes.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 27, 2026·7 min read

Using AI to Decode Facial Behavior and Brain Health

A new study uses a 6-camera AI system to quantify facial expressions, offering a non-invasive window into the brain's internal states.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·March 25, 2026·7 min read

Brain on Fire: The Body Attacks the Mind to Kill Cancer

What causes "Brain on Fire" syndrome? A new study links anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis to the body's natural defense against breast cancer.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·March 2, 2026·6 min read

Brain’s Family Tree: A New Theory of Neural Self-Organization

A new theory of brain development suggests that neurons find their place by staying near their relatives, rather than following distant chemical signals.

Brain Cancer Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·December 15, 2025·5 min read

Cancer Disrupts the Brain’s Internal Clock

Breast cancer can rapidly derail the brain’s day-night regulation of stress hormones, even before tumors are detectable. In mice, the disease flattens normal corticosterone rhythms by altering hypothalamic neuron activity, which may worsen outcomes and mimic symptoms often seen in cancer patients, such as insomnia and anxiety.

Neuroscience

·December 1, 2025·5 min read

Singing Mice Reveal How Brains Evolved for Vocal Speech

Alston’s singing mice produce loud, rhythmic songs that scientists can clearly hear, alongside ultrasonic calls used for close-range communication. Researchers discovered that both types of vocalizations are generated through a whistle-like airflow mechanism rather than vibrating vocal cords.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 29, 2025·5 min read

How the Brain’s Ion Gates Open and Close

New research reveals how tiny electrical gates in the brain, known as NMDA receptors, control learning, memory, and neuron survival. Using cryo-electron microscopy, scientists captured atomic-level images showing how a natural neurosteroid, 24S-HC, holds these channels wide open, while a synthetic compound locks them partially shut.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 14, 2025·4 min read

How Ketamine Binds to Brain Receptors to Alter Mood

New research sheds light on how ketamine affects the brain by targeting a specific NMDA receptor subtype, GluN1-2B-2D. Scientists used electron cryo-microscopy to capture how ketamine binds to this receptor, revealing multiple attachment sites that influence brain activity.

Auditory Neuroscience Featured Neuroscience

·January 30, 2025·4 min read

How the Brain Adapts to New Sensory Contexts

New research reveals how the brain rapidly adapts to sensory changes using a feedback loop between the olfactory cortex and the olfactory bulb. Scientists trained mice to associate rewards with specific sounds and smells, then switched the rules to test their adaptability.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 6, 2025·4 min read

How the Brain Blends Senses to Understand Social Cues

New research reveals how smell and hearing interact in the brain during maternal behaviors like pup retrieval in mice. Signals from the basal amygdala (BA) merge with auditory inputs in the auditory cortex (AC), influencing responses to social sounds.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·November 26, 2024·4 min read

DNA to AI: How Evolution Shapes Smarter Algorithms

A new AI algorithm inspired by the genome’s ability to compress vast information offers insights into brain function and potential tech applications. Researchers found that this algorithm performs tasks like image recognition and video games almost as effectively as fully trained AI networks.