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synaptic pruning

·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.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·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.

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.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 30, 2017·4 min read

Helping the Brain Prune Bad Habits

Emory researchers report a drug approved in Japan for stroke, can help to stimulate neural pruning and help reduce habit driven behaviors in mice.

Featured Neuroscience

·September 12, 2016·4 min read

How Cannabis Influences Formation of Neural Circuits

A new study reports cannabis can prune synapses and destroy some neural circuits.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles Psychology

·January 14, 2020·3 min read

Hyperactive immune system gene causes schizophrenia-like changes

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

Autism Featured Genetics

·May 25, 2016·4 min read

Illuminating the Role of Autism Linked Shank Gene

A new study reports a gene mutation linked to autism also plays a critical role when it comes to the formation and maturation of synapses.

Featured Genetics

·April 12, 2016·5 min read

Immune System Proteins Responsible for Fine Tuning and Reducing Motor Control

Researchers discover proteins that play an important role in the immune system may be responsible for fine tuning motor control during development and reducing motor function as we age.

Autism Featured Neurology

·June 7, 2016·6 min read

Link Between Mom’s Immune Dysfunction in Pregnancy and Autism with Intellectual Disability in Offspring

A new study reports pregnant women with high levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines may have a significantly increased risk of having a child with autism combined with an intellectual disability.

Featured Neuroscience

·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.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 6, 2016·6 min read

Neurons Continue to Migrate After Birth

Researchers have identified a previously unknown stage of human brain development.

Featured Neuroscience

·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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synaptic pruning

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

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

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

Helping the Brain Prune Bad Habits

How Cannabis Influences Formation of Neural Circuits

Hyperactive immune system gene causes schizophrenia-like changes

Illuminating the Role of Autism Linked Shank Gene

Immune System Proteins Responsible for Fine Tuning and Reducing Motor Control

Link Between Mom’s Immune Dysfunction in Pregnancy and Autism with Intellectual Disability in Offspring

Mechanical Forces in the Nervous System Play a Corrective Role

Neurons Continue to Migrate After Birth

New Insights Into Synaptic Pruning During Brain Development

Mood Dips During Pill Pause

Visual Recognition Memory: Familiarity Decoded by Brief Spikes

HSN Neuron Unravels Behavior Mysteries

Fatty Foods Influence Memory Formation

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