Glutamate Unlocks Brain Cell Channels to Enable Thinking and LearningResearchers used advanced cryo-electron microscopy to capture atomic-level images of how glutamate, a key neurotransmitter, opens channels in brain cells. These channels, known as AMPA receptors, are essential for neuron-to-neuron communication and play a role in learning, memory, and disorders like epilepsy.Read More
Virtual Reality Reveals Hidden Brain Patterns in Kids With ADHDResearchers used a virtual reality game and functional MRI to uncover how children's brains with ADHD respond differently during active tasks. Unlike traditional brain scans taken during rest, this immersive approach revealed distinct patterns of neural communication in ADHD, especially in deeper brain structures.Read More
New Tech Lets You Taste Digital FoodScientists have developed e-Taste, a novel technology that digitally replicates taste in virtual environments. Using chemical sensors and wireless dispensers, the system captures and transmits taste data remotely, enabling users to experience sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami flavors.Read More
FDA Approves Adaptive DBS for Parkinson’s PatientsThe FDA has approved adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), a breakthrough therapy that adjusts in real time to Parkinson’s disease symptoms. Unlike traditional DBS, which delivers constant stimulation, aDBS monitors brain activity and responds with precise electric pulses to prevent stiffness and involuntary movements.Read More
Synchronizing Nerve Stimulation With Heartbeat Boosts EffectivenessSynchronizing vagus nerve stimulation with natural body rhythms, such as the heartbeat and breathing, significantly improves its effectiveness. This "electric pill" technique uses ear-mounted electrodes to stimulate the vagus nerve, targeting chronic conditions like pain and inflammation.Read More
Advancing Prosthetics: Restoring Touch Through Brain StimulationResearchers are making strides in restoring touch sensations to prosthetic limbs through brain stimulation. By using electrodes in the brain's touch center, they can evoke stable, precise sensations, even allowing users to feel the shape and motion of objects.Read More
Breaking Silence: Giving the Silent a Voice Through ThoughtsResearchers enabled a silent person to produce speech using thought alone. Depth electrodes in the participant's brain transmitted electrical signals to a computer, which then vocalized imagined syllables. This technology offers hope for paralyzed individuals to regain speech. The study marks a significant step towards brain-computer interfaces for voluntary communication.Read More
Mapping Brain Activity with Brain-Computer Interface TechnologyResearchers are trialing a novel brain-computer interface (BCI) with the potential to transform neurosurgical procedures and patient care. The Layer 7 Cortical Interface, boasting 1,024 electrodes for unparalleled brain activity mapping, promises new insights into neurological and psychiatric conditions.Read More
Neuralink’s Brain Chip Implant Marks New Era in Human-Computer SynergyElon Musk announces the first human has been successfully implanted with Neuralink's brain chip, named Telepathy, aiming to allow severe physically disabled individuals to control devices via thought. The FDA-approved trial focuses on the implant's potential for movement control, with the patient reportedly recovering well and showing promising initial results.Read More
AI Turns Brain Waves into Spoken WordsResearchers achieved a breakthrough in converting brain signals to audible speech with up to 100% accuracy. The team used brain implants and artificial intelligence to directly map brain activity to speech in patients with epilepsy.Read More
AI Revolution: Paralyzed Woman ‘Speaks’ via Digital AvatarResearchers created a groundbreaking brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows a paralyzed woman to communicate through a digital avatar. This advancement marks the first-ever synthesis of speech or facial expressions directly from brain signals.Read More
Wireless Brain-Spine Interface: A Leap Towards Reversing ParalysisIn a pioneering study, researchers designed a wireless brain-spine interface enabling a paralyzed man to walk naturally again. The 'digital bridge' comprises two electronic implants — one on the brain and another on the spinal cord — that decode brain signals and stimulate the spinal cord to activate leg muscles.Read More
Advancing the Way for the Brain to Be Able to Control Devices in Real TimeResearchers investigate brain region synchronization in order to assist control of brain-machine interfaces.Read More
Neural Prosthesis Uses Brain Activity to Decode SpeechA newly developed machine learning model can predict the words a person is about to speak based on their neural activity recorded by a minimally invasive neuroprosthetic device.Read More
AI-Powered Brain Implant Lets Paralyzed Man Control Robotic ArmA new brain-computer interface (BCI) has enabled a paralyzed man to control a robotic arm by simply imagining movements. Unlike previous BCIs, which lasted only a few days, this AI-enhanced device worked reliably for seven months.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·January 13, 2025·4 min readBiodegradable Brain Electrodes Advance Neural RepairResearchers have developed a flexible, biodegradable electrode capable of stimulating neural precursor cells (NPCs) in the brain, offering a safer and more precise alternative for neural repair. The electrode dissolves naturally after seven days, eliminating the need for surgical removal while promoting tissue regeneration.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·January 11, 2025·6 min readRed Light Therapy May Reduce Deadly Blood ClotsExposure to long-wavelength red light significantly reduced blood clot formation in both mice and human studies. Red light was associated with lower inflammation, reduced immune system activation, and fewer clot-promoting mechanisms, such as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and platelet activation. Unlike blue or white light, red light influenced clotting through optic pathways, suggesting its effects are mediated by neural mechanisms rather than direct blood exposure.Read More
Brain CancerFeaturedNeuroscience·December 31, 2024·6 min readRevolutionizing Brain Diagnostics with Light and AIA new "molecular lantern" technique allows researchers to monitor molecular changes in the brain non-invasively using a thin light-emitting probe. This innovative tool utilizes Raman spectroscopy to detect chemical changes caused by tumors, injuries, or other pathologies without altering the brain beforehand.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·December 17, 2024·6 min readBrain-Targeted mRNA Delivery Breaks the Blood-Brain BarrierResearchers have developed lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and precisely target brain cells, a major step toward treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s. By attaching short peptides to LNPs, scientists achieved targeted mRNA delivery to neurons and endothelial cells, avoiding invasive procedures. Peptides are smaller, more stable, and easier to use than antibodies, making them ideal for LNP-based therapies.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 17, 2024·4 min readLab-Grown Neurons Mimic Brain Networks, Exhibit NeuroplasticityResearchers have developed lab-grown neurons that behave more like real brain networks, advancing the study of learning and memory. Using microfluidic devices, the neurons formed diverse and functional networks, resembling those seen in living nervous systems.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscience·December 14, 2024·3 min readMini-Brains Reveal New Insights Into Mitochondrial Brain DisordersResearchers have created mini-brains to study how mitochondrial failure impacts brain cells, opening new possibilities for treating severe conditions like epilepsy. These brain organoids mimic real disease processes, allowing scientists to observe mitochondrial dysfunction and test potential treatments.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 11, 2024·4 min readNew Materials Reduce Noise in Pacemakers, Enhancing Patient ComfortResearchers developed innovative materials to improve the performance of brain and heart pacemakers by reducing signal interference. These devices often face challenges from external electromagnetic forces, causing discomfort like headaches for patients.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 9, 2024·3 min readWhat Makes Robots Feel Human? A New Scale Reveals the SecretResearchers have developed a new scale to measure how human-like robots appear, identifying four key qualities: appearance, emotional capacity, social intelligence, and self-understanding. Robots lacking any of these traits risk being perceived as cold or unsettling, limiting their usefulness in customer service.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience Videos·December 9, 2024·6 min readCan We Program the Brain to Learn Without Teaching?Researchers have developed a groundbreaking technique to “write” new learning patterns directly into the brain using real-time neurofeedback from fMRI imaging. Participants in the study learned new visual object categories without explicit teaching, as their brain activity was subtly shaped to align with predesignated patterns.Read More
Brain CancerFeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·December 9, 2024·6 min readLab-Grown Tumor Models Mirror Glioblastoma Treatment ResponseGlioblastoma organoids, lab-grown replicas of a patient’s tumor, accurately predict how the tumor responds to CAR T cell therapy. This breakthrough allows real-time testing of therapies, showing that responses in the organoid closely mirror those in the patient.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·December 2, 2024·6 min readTiny Walking Robots Advance Micro-Optics and Biological ResearchResearchers have developed the smallest walking robots, measuring just 2 to 5 microns, capable of interacting with visible light for imaging and force measurement. These magnetically controlled robots can inch forward or swim through fluids while serving as diffraction elements, enabling super-resolution microscopy at scales previously unattainable.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 2, 2024·4 min readDecoding Emotions Through Skin SignalsSkin conductance offers a promising new way to measure emotional states, bypassing the limitations of facial recognition. In an experiment, volunteers watched videos evoking fear, humor, and family bonding while their skin's electrical properties were recorded.Read More
