Activation of the immune system oscillates throughout the day, peaking just before we wake.
Lack of the SLK protein results in less abundant dendrites. As a lack of SLK is apparent in many patients with epilepsy, the findings could pave the way for new treatments for those suffering from the neurological disorder.
One dose of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, increases dendritic spine density within 24 hours. The neurobiological changes lasted for a month following psilocybin exposure. Additionally, mice subjected to stress showed behavioral improvements and increased neurotransmitter activity after psilocybin exposure.
In older mice, adult neurons in the primary visual cortex with an increased number of "silent synapses" and lacking PSD-95, showed the same structural changes only seen previously in younger animals.
Using a snap-freezing method, researchers have been able to reveal the true structure of the connections that join neurons together in the adult brain.
A clusterization approach allows researchers to analyze dendritic spines in new ways.
Researchers have made an important discovery about the mechanisms behind learning and memory. Depending on the number of synapses, and their proximity, information is processed and stored differently.
Neurons created as a result of adult neurogenesis mature for longer and grow larger than those created during infancy. Findings suggest adult-born neurons may have a more powerful function than those created during infancy and may play a critical role in neuroplasticity.
Computational power is amplified in the brain by newly discovered action potentials in dendrites.
Purkinje cells can modulate and filter incoming signals. The findings shed new light on learning mechanisms within the cerebellum.
Genetic mutations in Usp9X results in the brain growing fewer synapses during development. The mutation also causes hyperactivity and an increased risk of anxiety. The findings shed new light on the cause of autism and other intellectual disabilities.
New memories are laid down via different mechanisms in older mice compared to younger mice. Additionally, synaptic changes linked to new memory formation were harder to modify in older mice.
