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This shows cells from a cerebral organoid

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·January 30, 2020·6 min read

Not ‘brains in a dish’: Cerebral organoids flunk comparison to developing nervous system

Hailed by many as a breakthrough for neuroscience research, a new study reports brain-in-a-dish models may not be as useful as reported previously. The study reports instead of differentiating normally into the brain's distinctive cell types, cerebral organoids often express mixed genes normally found in different kinds of cells.

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·January 11, 2020·6 min read

Speech-disrupting brain disease reflects patients’ native tongue

Language difficulties associated with primary progressive aphasia differ depending on a person's native language, a new study reports. Native English speakers with PPA have more trouble pronouncing words, while those who speak Italian had fewer pronunciation problems but tend to produce shorter and grammatically simpler sentences.

This shows a head with birds flying out of it

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·January 8, 2020·7 min read

Lifestyle choices could slow familial frontotemporal dementia

Those with a genetic predisposition to frontotemporal dementia (FTD) can become resilient to the neurodegenerative disease by remaining physically and mentally active.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 21, 2019·8 min read

Polio-like disease AFM linked to enterovirus

Researchers detected immunological remnants of enterovirus in the nervous systems of more than 12 patients with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM). The findings provide the strongest evidence to date that AFM is caused by a virus. The discovery could lead to improved diagnostics for the condition and the development of a vaccine for AFM.

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.

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·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.