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synaptic pruning

·June 8, 2023·5 min read

New Insights Into Synaptic Pruning During Brain Development

Researchers shed light on the largely unstudied process of synaptic pruning in brain development, using mouse mitral cells, a neuron type in the olfactory system. The research reveals that neurons receiving a neurotransmitter signal are protected via specific chemical pathways while other dendrites in the same cell are triggered to undergo pruning.

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·April 24, 2023·5 min read

Disrupted Synaptic Pruning a Key Factor in Teen Mental Health at Risk

According to research, problems with the brain's ability to prune itself of unnecessary connections may be behind a wide range of mental health disorders that begin during adolescence. This could explain why people are often affected by more than one disorder. The discovery of a characteristic pattern of brain activity called the "neuropsychopathological factor" (NP factor) could help identify those at greatest risk of mental health problems and facilitate earlier interventions to reduce the risk.

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·January 25, 2023·3 min read

Mechanical Forces in the Nervous System Play a Corrective Role

Synaptic pruning occurs as a result of mechanical tearing, a new study reveals.

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·January 18, 2022·7 min read

Study Highlights Connections Between Addictive Drugs and Brain Function in Mice

Study reveals the specific changes that occur in the brains of mice exposed to cocaine. The findings shed new light on the role of dopamine in addiction, and provide new insight into dopamine transmission in the brain.

This shows neurons in the developing brain

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·July 22, 2020·5 min read

New Role for White Blood Cells in the Developing Brain

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.

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·April 15, 2020·5 min read

Autism in males linked to defect in brain immune cells and microglia

An 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.

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·January 14, 2020·3 min read

Hyperactive immune system gene causes schizophrenia-like changes

Study implicates C4, an immune system gene, in schizophrenia pathogenesis.

This shows a teenage girl with flowers in her hair

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·September 25, 2019·5 min read

Brain anatomy changes with maturation to adolescence

White matter tracts show increasing maturation with age from the back to the front of the brain. The maturations begin as a child reaches 9-12 years of age. The maturity correlates with a critical and formative period of development.

Autism Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 4, 2019·4 min read

Exercise fine-tunes brain’s connections, eases autism spectrum disorder in mouse model

Participating in exercise improved synaptic pruning in mouse models of autism. The study also found microglia dependant synaptic pruning is impaired by maternal inflammation, which has been previously connected to the development of ASD.

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·February 4, 2019·5 min read

Excess Immune Pruning of Synapses in Neural Cells Derived From Patients with Schizophrenia

Researchers have directly observed excessive synaptic pruning in cells derived from people with schizophrenia.

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·April 17, 2018·2 min read

Brain Development Influenced by Immune System

A new study provides further evidence for immune system activation during pregnancy and disruptions in brain development. Many adult diseases, researchers say, may originate during fetal development.