FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeurosciencePsychology·July 17, 2020·4 min readSynapse-Saving Proteins Discovered, Opening Possibilities in Alzheimer’s and SchizophreniaStudy identified a new class of proteins that protect synapses from being destroyed. The findings have important implications for both Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·July 6, 2020·6 min readTo Let Neurons Talk, Immune Cells Clear Paths Through Brain’s ‘Scaffolding’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.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·June 18, 2020·4 min readHow chandelier cells light up the brainChandelier cells have an unusual direct method of communication. Unlike other neurons, chandelier cells connect directly to the part of a target neuron that initiates a spike.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 18, 2020·2 min readHow experiencing traumatic stress leads to aggressionStrengthened amygdala pathways increase aggression in those who have experienced trauma. The findings could lead to new treatments for PTSD.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·May 4, 2020·2 min readHow synaptic changes translate to behavior changesLearning produces changes in connectivity via multiple synaptic mechanisms that are consistent with observed behavioral changes.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeurologyNeuroscience·May 1, 2020·4 min readMolecular basis of rare neurological disorder reveals potential treatmentStudy reveals how mutations of the synaptotagmin-1 protein can lead to a rare disorder called syt1-associated neurodevelopmental disorder. Mutations of the SYT1 gene interfere with neurotransmitter release, and the altered protein becomes less responsive to calcium.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·April 16, 2020·2 min readInsight into the synapsesThe direct contact of mGluR4 receptors with other key proteins plays a significant role in the regulation of synaptic activity.Read More
AutismFeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·April 15, 2020·5 min readAutism in males linked to defect in brain immune cells and microgliaAn over-production of eIF4E impairs microglial cells, hampering their ability to effectively prune synapses and leading to autism-like behaviors in male mouse models of ASD.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeurosciencePsychology·April 2, 2020·5 min readHow T. gondii infection causes seizures, and psychiatric illness for someStudy shows how Toxoplasma parasitic infections promote the loss of inhibitory signaling in the brain by altering the behavior of microglia.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscienceNeuroscience Videos·March 21, 2020·7 min readHigh-speed microscope captures fleeting brain signalsCombining two-photon fluorescent microscopy and all-optical laser scanning, researchers can image the brain of an alert mouse 1,000 times a second, recording the passage of millisecond electrical pulses through neurons.Read More
FeaturedGeneticsNeuroscienceOpen Neuroscience Articles·March 11, 2020·2 min readJNK protein triggers neurons to withdraw their synapses when stressedUsing optogenetics to inhibit the JNK protein prevented synapses from shrinking in response to stress.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·March 3, 2020·4 min readBoosting energy levels within damaged nerves may help them healEnhancing mitochondrial transportation and cellular energetics could help promote regeneration and function following spinal cord injury.Read More
