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neuroplasticity

·August 13, 2020·4 min read

Becoming a Nerve Cell: Timing Is of the Essence

Mitochondria regulate how neural stem cells become neurons during brain development. The findings may help explain how humans developed larger brains during evolution and how mitochondrial defects lead to some neurodevelopmental disorders.

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·July 21, 2020·5 min read

Scientists Observe Learning Processes Online in the Brain

Repeatedly administered tactile simulation over a sustained period of time alters neural processing of the hand area in the brain. The observable changes over time illustrate neuroplasticity and shed new light on the process of learning.

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·July 20, 2020·4 min read

Oxytocin Could Be Used to Treat Cognitive Disorders Like Alzheimer’s

Oxytocin, the so-called "love hormone," could help to treat cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease. Researchers demonstrated oxytocin reversed the effects of amyloid-beta on hippocampal LTP in mice. The findings suggest oxytocin could be used as a therapeutic for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

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·July 6, 2020·6 min read

To Let Neurons Talk, Immune Cells Clear Paths Through Brain’s ‘Scaffolding’

Dropping the level of the IL-33 immune molecule increased the number of synapses in the brain. In older mice, ramping up IL-33 helped push the number of new synapses toward a more youthful state.

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·June 22, 2020·3 min read

Adult-born neurons grow more than their infancy-born counterparts

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.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 16, 2020·5 min read

Previously undetected brain pulses may help circuits survive disuse

Study offers clues to how neurons can rewire and restore pathways following injury or illness.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 5, 2020·5 min read

Chemical messenger in brain could point to better treatments for anxiety

Corticotropin-releasing factor and neuropeptide Y work in synchronized opposition to each other to remodel and rewire neurons in the amygdala as a response to stress. The process, researchers say, can be manually reversed to help relieve anxiety.

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·June 4, 2020·3 min read

Adult neurogenesis essential for sleep-induced memory consolidation

Adult born neurons are essential for synaptic structural remodeling and memory consolidation during REM sleep, a new mouse study found.

This is a drawing of two voles hugging over a heart

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 11, 2020·4 min read

Are our brains hard-wired for longing?

Neuroimaging study reveals the neural basis for the motivation to reunite with the ones you love. The findings could lead to new therapies for disorders associated with social behaviors, and may also help explain why social distancing is so tough.

This says welcome in different languages

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·May 5, 2020·3 min read

Bilingualism delays the brain’s aging process

A new study reports bilingualism may have a positive effect on brain aging, specifically when it comes to executive function. The findings of this study contradict other research, suggesting bilingualism does have a protective effect against cognitive decline in aging.

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·May 4, 2020·4 min read

Exercise boosts motor skill learning via changes in brain’s transmitters

Neurons in the caudal pedunculopontine nucleus, an area of the brain that regulates motor coordination, switch neurotransmitters from acetylcholine to GABA as a result of exercise. The switch appears to provide feedback control that regulates motor coordination and skill learning.