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University of Tokyo

Featured Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·April 26, 2024·5 min read

Mice Fooled by Optical Illusions: New Insights into Brain Function

Mice are susceptible to a visual phenomenon known as neon color spreading, commonly seen as an optical illusion in humans. The study utilized both electrophysiology and optogenetics to explore how different levels of neurons contribute to the perception of brightness.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 10, 2024·4 min read

Bridging Brain Circuits with Lab-Grown Neural Networks

Researchers successfully connected lab-grown brain tissues, mimicking the complex networks found in the human brain. This novel method involves linking “neural organoids” with axonal bundles, enabling the study of interregional brain connections and their role in human cognitive functions.

Featured Neuroscience

·April 4, 2024·5 min read

Music Evokes Distinct Bodily Sensations

A new study reveals how music evokes distinct bodily sensations, particularly in the heart and abdomen, linking these feelings to emotional responses and aesthetic appreciation. Analyzing responses from 527 participants to chord sequences derived from Billboard chart hits, researchers found that predictable music induces calmness and satisfaction, while surprising chords stir stronger heart sensations tied to pleasure.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 9, 2024·6 min read

Predicting Psychosis Before Symptom Onset

Researchers developed a machine-learning tool that accurately identifies individuals at high risk of psychosis through MRI brain scans. This innovative approach, which achieved an 85% accuracy rate in training and 73% using new data, offers a promising avenue for early intervention in psychosis, potentially improving treatment outcomes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 5, 2024·6 min read

Brains of Bullied Teens Show Chemical Shifts Linked to Psychosis

A new study revealed a significant link between bullying in adolescents and the early stages of psychosis, associated with lower levels of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the brain's anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a region critical for emotion regulation. This finding underscores the potential of targeting glutamate levels for pharmaceutical interventions to mitigate the risk of developing psychotic disorders.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology Visual Neuroscience

·July 13, 2023·5 min read

Eyeing Fear: Neurons That Drive Visual Aversion Uncovered

Scientists have unearthed a cluster of neurons, which control our urge to avert our gaze from frightening situations. The team studied fruit fly brains and found these neurons release a chemical, tachykinin, that triggers aversion towards perceived threats.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 12, 2023·5 min read

A Framework to Quantify Brain’s Control Costs

Researchers have developed a novel framework that quantifies control costs when the brain transitions from one state to another by taking account of neural activity.

This shows a baby with its movements mapped

Featured Neuroscience

·December 26, 2022·3 min read

Spontaneous Baby Movements Are Important for Development of Coordinated Sensorimotor System

A new study reveals the spontaneous, random movements babies make aid in the development of the sensorimotor system.

Featured Neuroscience Open Neuroscience Articles

·November 12, 2022·6 min read

Rats Bop to the Beat

New findings reveal rats can move their heads to the beat of music, demonstrating animals have innate beat synchronization.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 29, 2022·5 min read

Pinpointing Consciousness in Animal Brain Using Mouse ‘Brain Map’

Brain mapping study identifies important neural networks and their connections that appear to enhance the conscious experience.

This shows the researcher and a test subject

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 5, 2022·5 min read

Link Between Recognizing Our Voice and Feeling in Control

Recognition of our own voices creates a sense of agency in speech and is a critical factor in our sense of control over our speech. Researchers say personal connection to our voices may be key to understanding auditory hallucinations and could help to improve a person's virtual reality experience.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 27, 2022·4 min read

Supernumerary Virtual Robotic Arms Can Feel Like Part of Our Body

Researchers have developed a virtual robotic arm that can be controlled by a person's feet in a virtual environment to provide an "extra" limb. After training, users reported feeling the virtual limb felt as though it was part of their physical body.

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University of Tokyo

Mice Fooled by Optical Illusions: New Insights into Brain Function

Bridging Brain Circuits with Lab-Grown Neural Networks

Music Evokes Distinct Bodily Sensations

Predicting Psychosis Before Symptom Onset

Brains of Bullied Teens Show Chemical Shifts Linked to Psychosis

Eyeing Fear: Neurons That Drive Visual Aversion Uncovered

A Framework to Quantify Brain’s Control Costs

Spontaneous Baby Movements Are Important for Development of Coordinated Sensorimotor System

Rats Bop to the Beat

Pinpointing Consciousness in Animal Brain Using Mouse ‘Brain Map’

Link Between Recognizing Our Voice and Feeling in Control

Supernumerary Virtual Robotic Arms Can Feel Like Part of Our Body

How Scientists Cracked the Ketamine Code for Depression

Brain Prioritizes “Sound Offsets” During Hearing Repair

Glucose Levels Signal the Growth of Myelin

Why Your Brain “Dreams” Even When You’re Awake

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