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synapses

·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.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·September 30, 2024·4 min read

Prion Disease Mutations Impact Synapses Before Symptoms Appear

New research reveals that prion disease mutations can alter the structure of neuron synapses long before symptoms emerge. Scientists studied neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) of patients with the E200K prion protein mutation, showing changes in neuron-to-neuron contact sites even in the absence of misfolded prion proteins.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 29, 2024·3 min read

How the Brain Enhances Sleep Through Synaptic Strength

Researchers have discovered that stronger synaptic connections between neurons in the brain trigger deeper sleep. Using a molecular tool called SYNCit-K, scientists enhanced synaptic strength in the prefrontal cortex of mice, inducing sleep and aligning with predictions from a mathematical model of brain activity.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·September 27, 2024·3 min read

Enzyme Key to Brain Function and Synapse Health Discovered

A new study reveals that the absence of the TRMT10A enzyme disrupts tRNA levels, leading to impaired protein synthesis and brain function. Researchers found that mice lacking the Trmt10a gene had decreased levels of key tRNAs, which affected neuronal synapses and cognitive abilities.

Featured Neuroscience

·August 8, 2024·5 min read

Synaptic Quality Key to Age Related Memory Preservation

A recent study reveals that the quality, not the quantity, of synapses in the brain is crucial for preserving memory in older adults. Researchers found that larger dendritic spine head diameters in the temporal cortex correlate with better episodic memory performance, challenging the long-held belief that memory decline is primarily due to synapse loss.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 25, 2024·6 min read

The Brain Stores 10x More Info Than Thought

Researchers developed a method to measure synaptic strength, precision of plasticity, and information storage in the brain. Using information theory, researchers found that synapses can store 10 times more information than previously believed.

Featured Neuroscience

·May 1, 2024·4 min read

Sleep’s First Half Crucial for Brain Reset

During the first half of sleep, the brain actively weakens the synaptic connections formed during wakefulness, supporting the Synaptic Homeostasis Hypothesis on the purpose of sleep. This finding suggests that sleep serves as a crucial reset that prepares the brain for new learning by reducing synaptic strength.