Antibodies: The body’s own antidepressants
When autoantibodies are able to enter the bran and act on NMDA receptors, people experience relief from symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. ... Read More...
synaptic plasticity
Major discovery in the genetics of Down syndrome
Study explains how an overexpression of the RCAN1 gene may cause intellectual disabilities in people with Down syndrome.... Read More...
How the brain’s immune system could be harnessed to improve memory
Altering microglia in rats helped enhance their performance in memory tasks by up to 50%. The findings could help to develop new therapies that enhance memory function and prevent cognitive decline in humans.... Read More...
Brain cells long thought of as passive play key role in memory
Microglia, key immune cells in the brain, may play a significant role in memory retention.... Read More...
Clues to genetic origins of schizophrenia revealed
A study of the Xhosa, an ancestral African population, sheds light on the genetic origins of schizophrenia. ... Read More...
High and low exercise intensity found to influence brain function differently
Low-intensity exercise triggers brain networks associated with cognitive control and attention processing, while high-intensity exercise activates networks involved in emotional processing.... Read More...
Link between autism and cognitive impairment discovered
Study identifies a short gene segment crucial for brain development and information processing. The absence of the gene segment induces altered social behaviors, learning difficulties, and memory deficits, which are hallmarks of a subset of ASD.... Read More...
A rat had basically no brain, but it could still see, hear, smell, and feel
Rat R222 was born with hydrocephalus. Neuroimaging revealed most of its brain had compressed and collapsed as it filled with fluid. However, despite its condition, the animal was still able to see, hear, smell, and feel like other animals. The study sheds new light on neuroplasticity, and the findings could have implications for the development of new machine learning technologies.... Read More...
Largest autism genetics study identifies 102 associated genes
In the largest genetic sequencing study of autism conducted to date, researchers have identified 102 genes associated with the neurodevelopmental disorder. 49 of the genes were also associated with other developmental delays. The new study has enabled the researchers to increase the number of ASD associated genes from 65 to 102.... Read More...
Rejuvenating the brain: More stem cells improve learning and memory of old mice
Critical aspects of hippocampal function can be reversed in old age, or compensated for throughout life, with the help of neural stem cells.... Read More...
Engrams emerging as the basic unit of memory
Imaging and manipulating engrams at the cellular level provides important insights into memory function.... Read More...
Some learning is a whole-brain affair
Motor learning induces widespread cortical synaptic potentiation by increasing the trafficking of AMPAR into dendritic spines.... Read More...