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hippocampus

This shows a woman looking at a model of a brain.

·June 7, 2024·4 min read

Brains’ Decision-Making Mechanism Revealed

A new study uncovered neural mechanisms used in planning, revealing an interplay between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. The study shows how the brain imagines future outcomes to guide decisions. This research sheds light on the cognitive processes behind planning, with potential implications for treating disorders affecting decision-making.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 22, 2024·3 min read

Brain Ripples Reveal Daydreams’ Origins

Researchers discovered a link between "sharp-wave ripples" in the hippocampus and self-generated thoughts like daydreaming. These ripples, originating in the memory center of the brain, were more frequent during sleep and associated with vivid, imaginative thoughts. Understanding this brain activity could shed light on various mental conditions.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 7, 2024·6 min read

Unlocking Sleep’s Role in Emotional Health

A new study illuminated the mechanisms by which sleep aids in processing emotional memories, crucial for mental health. The research synthesizes over two decades of data to reveal how neurotransmitters like serotonin and noradrenaline, inactive during REM sleep, facilitate the recalibration of emotional experiences.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 25, 2024·5 min read

Naps Crucial For Brain Development and Memory in Kids

A new study aims to examine the role of napping in brain development among infants and preschoolers. By tracking changes in the hippocampus, the research aims to prove how critical naps are for memory retention and brain growth in young children.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 25, 2024·7 min read

Hybrid Brains: Mice with Rat Neurons Sense Smells

Researchers made a groundbreaking advancement by developing mice with hybrid brains containing rat neurons, allowing them to perceive odors like rats. This innovation underscores the brain's remarkable flexibility to integrate and utilize cells from different species, potentially revolutionizing approaches to human-machine interfaces and cell transplantation therapies.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 10, 2024·4 min read

Hippocampus Generates Deep Sleep Waves

Scientists discovered a surprising new source for brain waves essential for deep sleep. These waves, traditionally thought to come from a different area, were also found to be generated by the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory.

Featured Neuroscience

·March 28, 2024·5 min read

How Memories Are Chosen for Preservation

Researchers uncovered how the brain chooses which daily experiences to convert into long-term memories during sleep, pinpointing "sharp wave-ripples" in the hippocampus as the crucial mechanism. This phenomenon suggests that events followed by sharp wave-ripples are more likely to be consolidated into permanent memories.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 29, 2024·5 min read

Endocannabinoids Play Role in Spatial Navigation

Researchers made a new discovery about how we navigate our environments, pinpointing a brain cell mechanism crucial for spatial orientation. This research reveals that place cells in the hippocampus, essential for creating mental maps of our surroundings, activate and release endocannabinoids to communicate position information.

Featured Neuroscience

·February 6, 2024·4 min read

How Odors Influence Brain’s Decision Making Mechanism

Researchers have uncovered a novel function of the hippocampus in decision making, showing that specific brain cells, known as 'time cells,' are stimulated by odors to facilitate rapid 'go, no-go' decisions.

Electrophysiology Featured Neuroscience

·February 1, 2024·5 min read

Mapping the Brain: The Largest Neuron Projectome Unveiled

Researchers unveiled the most extensive single-neuron projectome database to date, featuring over 10,000 mouse hippocampal neurons. The study provides an unprecedented view of the spatial connectivity patterns at the mesoscopic level, crucial for understanding learning, memory, and emotional processing in the hippocampus.

This shows a mouse looking at itself in a mirror.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 5, 2023·6 min read

Mirror Insight: Mice Show Glimpses of Self-Recognition

Mice display behavior akin to self-recognition when viewing their reflections in mirrors. This behavior emerges under specific conditions: familiarity with mirrors, socialization with similar-looking mice, and visible markings on their fur.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 15, 2023·2 min read

Hippocampus Shrinkage Linked to Cognitive Decline Beyond Alzheimer’s

A new study indicates that hippocampal shrinkage in the brain is associated with cognitive decline, independent of amyloid-beta plaques, a key marker of Alzheimer's disease. The study suggests that neurodegenerative diseases other than Alzheimer's contribute to cognitive decline.