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synapses

·July 1, 2025·6 min read

Brain Stimulation Reverses Synaptic Damage in Alzheimer’s

New research shows that low-intensity repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can restore key synaptic structures in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease. The study found that axonal boutons—sites where neurons form connections—had reduced turnover in Alzheimer’s mice, indicating impaired brain plasticity. After a single rTMS session, the turnover of one bouton type significantly increased, matching levels seen in healthy mice.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2025·4 min read

Sleep Learning: How Synapses Strengthen While We Rest

New research reveals how synaptic connections in the cerebral cortex can strengthen during sleep, offering insight into how the brain continues learning even while we rest. Using computer simulations, researchers demonstrated that synaptic activity during sleep follows known "synaptic learning rules" when neural activity reaches specific thresholds.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 23, 2025·5 min read

Cerebellum Synapse Structure Revealed

Scientists have mapped the molecular structure of glutamate receptors in the cerebellum for the first time using cryo-electron microscopy. These receptors are critical to how neurons in the cerebellum communicate, affecting movement, balance, and cognition.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 4, 2025·4 min read

Brain Uses Separate Synapses to Balance Learning and Stability

New research has overturned a long-held belief in neuroscience by showing that the brain uses separate synaptic transmission sites for spontaneous and evoked signaling. Traditionally thought to share the same origin, these two forms of communication actually emerge from distinct sites, each following its own developmental path.

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·June 3, 2025·5 min read

Self-Powered Synapse Brings Human-Like Vision to AI Devices

Researchers have developed a self-powered artificial synapse capable of color recognition with near-human precision. Unlike traditional systems that demand external energy and massive data processing, this device mimics biological vision and generates its own electricity using solar cells.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 29, 2025·5 min read

Modeling Brain’s Vesicle Cycle Unlocks Synaptic Secrets

A new computational model has mapped the brain’s vesicle cycle in unprecedented detail, providing fresh insight into how nerve cells communicate. Researchers collaborated to simulate how vesicles—tiny sacs that release neurotransmitters—operate within synapses.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 29, 2025·8 min read

Astrocytes May Hold the Key to Brain’s Vast Memory Capacity

New research proposes that astrocytes—long thought to be merely supportive cells—may significantly enhance the brain’s ability to store memories. Unlike neurons, astrocytes cannot fire electrical signals but can influence synaptic activity through calcium signaling and gliotransmitters.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 20, 2025·5 min read

Newly Found Brain Switch Regulates Synapses, Offers Clues to Autism

A research team has uncovered a molecular "switch" that precisely regulates NMDA receptors, key players in brain communication, by blocking excitatory synapse overactivity. The proteins MDGA2 and EphB2 were found to compete for receptor activation, with MDGA2 acting as a natural inhibitor.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 9, 2025·6 min read

How Memories Take Shape at the Synapse Level

A groundbreaking new technique called EPSILON allows researchers to map the proteins involved in memory formation with unprecedented detail, providing a window into the molecular architecture of learning. This approach focuses on tracking AMPARs—key receptors that regulate synaptic strength—over time, illuminating how the brain encodes, strengthens, and stores memories.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 17, 2025·5 min read

Synapses Use Multiple Learning Rules to Encode New Information

New research reveals that individual neurons follow multiple learning rules simultaneously, challenging the long-held belief that synaptic plasticity operates uniformly throughout the brain. Using advanced two-photon imaging, scientists tracked changes in synapses during learning in mice, uncovering that different regions within a single neuron adapt using distinct plasticity mechanisms.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 7, 2025·4 min read

Key Neurons Linked to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk

Layer 5 pyramidal neurons, crucial for brain information processing, vary significantly in their synaptic protein composition based on neuron type. Research shows that intratelencephalic (IT) neurons and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons share some synaptic proteins but also have unique characteristics influencing their functions.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·October 11, 2024·5 min read

Newly Discovered Protein Complex Shapes Synapses and Mental Health

Researchers have identified a protein complex, TrkC-PTPσ, that plays a key role in the structural organization of synapses in the brain, impacting cognitive behaviors. By studying this complex, scientists uncovered how it regulates synaptic protein phosphorylation, essential for healthy brain function. Disruptions in this protein complex led to anxiety-like behaviors in mice, providing insights into mental health conditions like anxiety and autism.

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synapses

Brain Stimulation Reverses Synaptic Damage in Alzheimer’s

Sleep Learning: How Synapses Strengthen While We Rest

Cerebellum Synapse Structure Revealed

Brain Uses Separate Synapses to Balance Learning and Stability

Self-Powered Synapse Brings Human-Like Vision to AI Devices

Modeling Brain’s Vesicle Cycle Unlocks Synaptic Secrets

Astrocytes May Hold the Key to Brain’s Vast Memory Capacity

Newly Found Brain Switch Regulates Synapses, Offers Clues to Autism

How Memories Take Shape at the Synapse Level

Synapses Use Multiple Learning Rules to Encode New Information

Key Neurons Linked to Autism and Schizophrenia Risk

Newly Discovered Protein Complex Shapes Synapses and Mental Health

Gene Therapy Restores Hearing in Those with Deafness

Forever Chemicals May Disrupt Brain Development

Kids Outsmart AI in Puzzle Game That Builds Critical Thinking

Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection

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