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Image shows a Parkinson's disease brain sample.

·July 3, 2017·4 min read

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Spurred By Same Enzyme

Researchers have implicated an enzyme that appears to make both Tau and alpha synculein more toxic in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Inhibiting this enzyme has already proved helpful in treating animal models of Alzheimer's disease. The researchers report they are moving on to testing drugs that inhibit AEP in animal models of Parkinson's disease.

Image shows the basolateral amygdala highlighted in the brain.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 19, 2017·6 min read

Direct Amygdala Stimulation Can Enhance Memory in Humans

Researchers report in a new PNAS study that direct stimulation of the amygdala can enhance memory of images a day later, if the stimulation is applied immediately after the images are viewed.

This shows the researcher and a dog next to an fMRI machine

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·December 18, 2019·4 min read

Dogs process numerical quantities in similar brain region as humans

fMRI neuroimaging reveals the parietotemporal cortex of dogs responds to numeric concepts. The study provides evidence that numerosity is a shared evolutionary neural mechanism.

This shows a brain scan of a 27 day old baby

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·March 2, 2020·5 min read

Earliest look at newborns’ visual cortex reveals the minds babies start with

A newborn's brain is more adult-like than previously assumed. Neuroimaging revealed much of the visual cortex scaffolding is in place, along with patterns of brain activity at 27 days of age, although it is not quite as strong as seen in adult brains.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 15, 2017·5 min read

Granulins Are Brain Treasure, Not Trash

A new tool allows researchers to observe granulins inside cells.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 30, 2017·4 min read

Helping the Brain Prune Bad Habits

Emory researchers report a drug approved in Japan for stroke, can help to stimulate neural pruning and help reduce habit driven behaviors in mice.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 18, 2020·5 min read

How a Single Gene Drives Aggression in Wild Songbird

When the expression of the ER-alpha gene was blocked in white-throated sparrows, the level of aggression they exhibited decreased.

Autism Featured Genetics

·July 12, 2017·6 min read

How Children Look at Mom’s Face Is Guided by Genetics and Disrupted in Autism

According to a new Nature paper, variation in how children seek social information is under genetic control. Such behaviors are decreases in children with autism, adding further evidence for the link between behavioral presentation in ASD and underlying genetics causes.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 4, 2019·3 min read

How chronic inflammation may drive down dopamine and motivation

Computational model sheds light on the impact chronic, low-grade inflammation has on the mesolimbic dopamine system and motivational impairments.

Image shows a dad and toddler looking at the sea.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 17, 2017·5 min read

How Dads Bond With Toddlers

According to a new study, fathers given a boost of oxytocin expressed increased activity in brain areas associated with empathy and reward when viewing photos of their small children.

Image shows a brain with the EBA highlighted.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·December 14, 2016·4 min read

How Hearing ‘Twist My Arm’ Engages the Brain

Researchers discover metaphors that involve body parts such as arms or legs, such as 'twist my arm, engage a brain region responsible for the visual perception of those parts.