Researchers have developed a novel approach to measure the activity and strength of individual synapses that drive a neuron's response to sensory input.
Astrocytes are involved in regulating inhibitory synapses by binding to neurons through the NrCAM adhesion molecule.
Astrocytes respond to cocaine exposure in the brains of mice by promoting the formation of new synapses.
Low-level exposure to lead during development does not lead to alcohol use disorder, but does alter the neural circuits in a way that if addiction occurs, it makes it harder to refrain from returning to addiction related behaviors.
A clusterization approach allows researchers to analyze dendritic spines in new ways.
The retrieval of mitochondria via a feedback loop is vital to sustaining synaptic transmission.
Researchers have identified a mechanism by which neurons communicate via intonations.
A newly designed synthetic compound could act as a prototype for a novel class of drugs to treat neurological damage.
When T helper cells are absent in the brain, microglia remain suspended between the fetal and adult developmental state. Mice lacking brain T cells showed changes in behavior and defective synaptic pruning. The study reveals the critical role T cells play in the development of the brain.
A mutated form of the huntingtin protein disrupts the normal movement of vesicles holding HT and Rab4. This leads to defects in synapses, resulting in movement abnormalities and lifespan decreases in fruit fly larvae. Findings suggest Rab4 could be a novel therapeutic target for the early intervention of Huntington's disease, before the neuronal loss and behavioral deficits associated with the neurodegenerative disorder.
Study identified a new class of proteins that protect synapses from being destroyed. The findings have important implications for both Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
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.
