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neurons

·May 16, 2025·4 min read

Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Drive Brain’s Attention and Alertness

For nearly a century, scientists believed that neuromodulators like norepinephrine adjusted brain communication by acting directly on neurons. A new study overturns this long-held view, revealing that astrocytes—support cells long considered secondary—are the key intermediaries.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 14, 2025·5 min read

How Neurons Switch Gears to Navigate the Developing Brain

New research reveals that neurons can switch their migration strategy depending on whether they move on flat surfaces or through tight, crowded spaces. This adaptive behavior is controlled by a mechanosensitive protein channel called PIEZO1, which detects mechanical stress and triggers a shift in how the cell’s internal motors generate movement.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·January 17, 2025·7 min read

Mapping IL-1’s Role in Mood, Memory, and Sensory Circuits

A comprehensive study mapped neuronal IL-1R1 (nIL-1R1) expression in the mouse brain, highlighting its role in sensory processing, mood, and memory regulation. Researchers found that neurons expressing IL-1R1 integrate immune and neural signals, revealing connections between inflammation and brain disorders like depression and anxiety.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 9, 2025·5 min read

Push-and-Pull Signals Direct Neuron Migration in the Developing Brain

Scientists have uncovered how developing neurons migrate from the germinal zone, a process critical for proper brain circuit formation. They identified a "push-pull" system where the guidance molecule Netrin-1 repels differentiated neurons, while the ubiquitin ligase Siah2 prevents premature migration by degrading essential proteins.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 10, 2024·3 min read

Reprogrammed Brain Cells Could Restore Damaged Circuits

Scientists have successfully reprogrammed astroglia, a type of brain support cell, into neurons that mimic specific interneurons critical for brain function. By modifying the Ascl1 protein, they increased its efficiency in converting astroglia to neuron-like cells, opening new possibilities for regenerative treatments for brain disorders such as epilepsy.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 4, 2024·7 min read

16 Nerve Cell Types Identified in Human Touch

Researchers identified 16 distinct types of nerve cells involved in human touch and compared them with those in mice and macaques, showing both shared and unique traits. The study reveals unexpected complexities in how nerve cells respond to stimuli, suggesting a sensory system that integrates multiple types of sensations.

This shows a child looking at brain scans.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·October 9, 2024·5 min read

Neuron Density Differences in Autistic Children’s Brains

New research reveals that children with autism have varying neuron densities in certain brain regions compared to their peers. Using advanced imaging from the ABCD study, scientists observed lower neuron density in regions associated with memory and problem-solving, while regions like the amygdala showed higher neuron density.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 30, 2024·6 min read

New Brain Mapping Tool Reveals Detailed Neuronal Connections

Scientists have developed a new brain-mapping tool called START, which combines transcriptomics and viral tracing to map the connections between specific neuronal subtypes with unprecedented detail. This technology allows researchers to identify distinct patterns of connectivity in inhibitory neurons within the cerebral cortex, providing a blueprint of the brain’s circuits.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 4, 2024·5 min read

How Astrocytes Can Become Nerve Cells

A new study reveals that astrocytes, a type of brain cell, can transform into nerve cells through changes in DNA methylation. Researchers discovered that astrocytes in certain brain regions have a unique methylation pattern, allowing them to generate nerve cells.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 14, 2024·3 min read

34 Neuron Subtypes Linked to Addiction

Researchers identified 34 distinct subtypes of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens, a brain region crucial for reward and addiction. This discovery challenges previous views of MSNs as a homogeneous group, revealing a complex diversity with potential implications for understanding addiction and developing targeted therapies. The study suggests these findings may be conserved across species, offering insights into human brain function.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 5, 2024·5 min read

New Tool Rapidly Tracks Psychedelic Effects in Brain Neurons

Researchers developed a rapid, noninvasive tool called CaST that tracks neurons and biomolecules activated by psychedelic drugs. This new method allows researchers to observe the cellular processes responsible for the neuroplastic effects of psychedelics, offering insights into treatments for brain disorders like depression and PTSD.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 23, 2024·5 min read

New Tool Maps Brain Signals with Unprecedented Clarity

Researchers developed an innovative chemical tool to explore how signals like dopamine and epinephrine interact with neurons via G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). This new tool allows for precise detection of neuromodulators across various brain regions with high spatial resolution.

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neurons

Astrocytes, Not Neurons, Drive Brain’s Attention and Alertness

How Neurons Switch Gears to Navigate the Developing Brain

Mapping IL-1’s Role in Mood, Memory, and Sensory Circuits

Push-and-Pull Signals Direct Neuron Migration in the Developing Brain

Reprogrammed Brain Cells Could Restore Damaged Circuits

16 Nerve Cell Types Identified in Human Touch

Neuron Density Differences in Autistic Children’s Brains

New Brain Mapping Tool Reveals Detailed Neuronal Connections

How Astrocytes Can Become Nerve Cells

34 Neuron Subtypes Linked to Addiction

New Tool Rapidly Tracks Psychedelic Effects in Brain Neurons

New Tool Maps Brain Signals with Unprecedented Clarity

LEGO Lessons Boost Kids’ Math and Spatial Skills in 6 Weeks

3D-Printed Brain Model Mimics Neural Damage

How the Brain Decides a Smell Is Stinky

Low Sodium Linked to Anxiety Through Brain Chemistry Disruption

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