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Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 4, 2022·3 min read

The Brain Processes Smell Both Like a Painting and a Symphony

Centrifugal fibers which carry impulses from parts of the central nervous system to early sensory regions of the brain play a critical role in olfactory processing.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·April 4, 2022·4 min read

People Around the World Like the Same Kinds of Smell

The structure of the odor molecule determines whether a smell is considered pleasant or not. Additionally, people tend to prefer the same smells over others, regardless of their cultural background.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·February 23, 2022·6 min read

Gene Allowing Humans to Feel Touch May Play a Role in Sense of Smell

A gene commonly associated with the sense of touch may also play an important role in the sense of smell, researchers report.

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Featured Neuroscience

·February 2, 2022·5 min read

Mechanism Behind Loss of Smell With COVID-19 Revealed

Infection with the SARS_CoV-2 virus causes dials down the action of olfactory receptors, resulting in smell loss associated with COVID-19.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 11, 2022·4 min read

The Surprisingly Simple Arithmetic of Smell

The mechanisms behind olfaction may be far simpler than previously believed, researchers speculate.

Brain Cancer Featured Genetics Neurology Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 3, 2022·4 min read

Gene Involved in Sense of Smell Could Play a Role in the Spread of Breast Cancer to the Brain

Inhibition of the OR5B21 olfactory receptor gene significantly decreased the metastasis of breast cancer cells to the brain, lungs, and bones, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Neuroscience Videos

·December 22, 2021·5 min read

Neurons in the Olfactory Cortex Link Smells to Places

Neurons in the primary olfactory cortex play a role in encoding spatial maps, a new study reports.

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Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 22, 2021·6 min read

Scent of Newborn Infants Blocks Aggression in Men but Stimulates Aggression in Women

Hexadecanal, a molecule excreted by humans, found in abundance on the scalps of babies, sparks behavioral changes in adults who are exposed to it. In women, the molecule decreases connectivity in parts of the brain associated with social decision making, but increases connectivity in males.

Autism Featured Neuroscience

·November 5, 2021·5 min read

Flame Retardants Cause Brain Changes in Mice Offspring

Female mice exposed to PBDEs, a type of flame-retardant found on everyday household items, pass on the chemicals to their developing offspring. In female offspring, this can cause alterations in social memories and behaviors which are reminiscent of human compulsive behaviors associated with autism.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 28, 2021·4 min read

Dopamine’s Many Roles, Explained

Study reveals dopamine neurons that play a role in learning and memory also drive motivation.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 26, 2021·3 min read

Does Parkinson’s Start in the Nose?

A majority of Parkinson's patients report a diminished sense of smell, which starts to occur a number of years before the onset of other symptoms. Researchers are exploring whether scent-processing neurons which connect the nose to the brain may play a role in the development of Parkinson's disease.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 19, 2021·6 min read

Artificial Networks Learn to Smell Like the Brain

A new machine-learning algorithm is able to teach itself to smell within a few minutes of training. As it learns, the system builds an artificial network that mimics the brain's olfactory system.