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Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 14, 2019·6 min read

Dementia spreads via connected brain networks

A new brain mapping study allows for individual predictions of the progression of frontotemporal dementia.

Featured Neuroscience

·October 3, 2019·6 min read

Key to learning and forgetting identified in sleeping brain

Using optogenetics to dampen delta waves of rats during sleep resulted in weaker memory reactivation and promoted forgetting. The findings could have significant implications for treating PTSD in humans.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·August 28, 2019·5 min read

After 10-year search, scientists find second ‘short sleep’ gene

Researchers have identified a second gene that contributes to natural short sleep. Using optogenetics, researchers triggered neurons in the pons that express the ADRB1 gene, rousing mice from sleep. Wakefulness-promoting neurons in the pons with a mutated version of ADRB1 were more easily activated.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Pain

·August 22, 2019·6 min read

Scorpion toxin that targets ‘wasabi receptor’ may help solve mystery of chronic pain

WaTx, a short protein in the venom of Australian Black Rock scorpions, is helping researchers uncover new information about chronic pain and inflammation.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·August 12, 2019·5 min read

Alzheimer’s disease destroys neurons that keep us awake

Tau accumulations disrupt wake-promoting neurons. The findings help explain why day-time napping and sleep disruptions are often reported in Alzheimer's patients.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·August 6, 2019·5 min read

1 in 300 thrives on very-early-to-bed, very-early-to-rise routine

Advanced sleep phase may affect as many as one in 300 people, and may be the result of a genetic trait.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·July 30, 2019·8 min read

Team IDs Spoken Words and Phrases in Real Time from Brain’s Speech Signals

Using ECoG and machine learning, researchers decoded spoken words and phrases in real-time from brain signals that control speech. The technology could eventually be used to help those who have lost vocal control to regain their voice.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·June 24, 2019·8 min read

Mood neurons mature during adolescence

Late developing neurons in the amygdala may be responsible for emotional development and mood disorders, researchers report.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 3, 2019·6 min read

Algorithm that Tailors Digital Meditation Program Improves Attention and Memory

MediTrain, a new app-based program that uses a closed-loop algorithm to tailor the length of meditation sessions to a person's ability, can improve memory and attention in younger people.

Autism Featured Genetics Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·May 16, 2019·6 min read

Brain changes in autism traced to specific cell types

Studying brain tissue samples from people with ASD revealed a common set of alterations in genes associated with synaptic communication between neurons. The changes were identified mainly in neurons in the uppermost layers of the neocortex.

Featured Genetics Neurology Neuroscience

·May 1, 2019·9 min read

Alzheimer’s disease is a ‘double-prion disorder’

Self-propagating amyloid and tau act as prions in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease. Higher levels of the prions in human brain samples were strongly correlated with early onset of Alzheimer's and death at a younger age.