Brain

New study reveals how thalamus orchestrates the maturation of sensory and cognitive processing

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Our brains seamlessly process streams of visual information from the world around us while simultaneously understanding the causal structure of events. These essential cognitive functions, known as external sensory processing and internal world modeling, are critical for navigating complex environments. The brain achieves this through large-scale functional systems responsible for these processes. Recently, an international … Read more

New studies reveal how sleep fine-tunes memories during rest

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Imagine you’re a student, it’s finals week, and you’re preparing for a big exam: do you pull an all-nighter or do you get some rest? As many a groggy-eyed person who’s stared blankly at a test knows, a lack of sleep can make it extraordinarily difficult to retain information. Two new studies from University of … Read more

Vitamin B6 breakdown inhibitor shows promise for vrain disorders

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A low vitamin B6 level has negative effects on brain performance. A research team from Würzburg University Medicine has now found a way to delay the degradation of the vitamin. Vitamin B6 is important for brain metabolism. Accordingly, in various mental illnesses, a low vitamin B6 level is associated with impaired memory and learning abilities, … Read more

Study links mediodorsal thalamus activity to paranoia in humans and monkeys

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The ability to adapt one’s beliefs about actions and their consequences in a constantly changing environment is a hallmark of advanced cognition. Disruptions to this ability can negatively impact cognition and behavior, potentially leading to states of mind such as paranoia, where there is a belief that others intend to cause harm. In a groundbreaking … Read more

Fish brains from 290 million years ago found in Brazil

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Recent discoveries in Brazil have significantly advanced our understanding of the evolutionary history of ray-finned fish brains. Research led by Rodrigo Tinoco Figueroa, a doctoral student at the University of Michigan, has unearthed remarkably well-preserved brains in late Paleozoic ray-finned fishes. These findings, which include other rare soft tissues like fragments of the heart, eyes, … Read more

Scientists reveal sex-specific cognitive effects of astrocyte receptors

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Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine have discovered groundbreaking evidence that astrocyte receptors can have opposite effects on cognitive function in male and female preclinical models. This finding highlights the significant role of astrocytes—brain cells that support and regulate neurons—in sex-specific brain mechanisms. Traditionally, studies have focused on the behavioral effects of astrocytic receptors, predominantly in … Read more

Early memory complaints may signal preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, new study finds

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A groundbreaking study underscores the importance of addressing concerns about persistent memory loss with a healthcare provider. Conducted by researchers from Mass General Brigham, the study reveals that reports of cognitive decline by patients and their close family members or study partners may indicate early changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease. This discovery … Read more

Study reveals surprising dynamics of brain blood flow

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For the first time, researchers have successfully visualized the intricate network of blood vessels spanning the cortex of awake mice. Their groundbreaking observations revealed that these blood vessels rhythmically expand and contract, creating “waves” that wash across the brain’s surface. This discovery, published in the journal Neuron, significantly enhances our understanding of cerebral blood flow, … Read more

Low-level light therapy enhances brain healing in traumatic brain injury patients

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Low-level light therapy (LLLT) appears to promote healing in the brains of individuals with significant brain injuries, according to a study published in the journal Radiology. For years, researchers have explored the wound-healing properties of light of various wavelengths. In a recent study, scientists at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) applied LLLT to 38 patients who … Read more

New research challenges long-held belief about primate brain evolution

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Primates, including humans, have notably larger brains compared to most other mammals. For decades, scientists have speculated that diet, particularly the consumption of fruit, played a crucial role in the evolution of these larger brains. A groundbreaking study from the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute now suggests that … Read more

How brain activation affects behavior

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Our brains are made of tens of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These cells communicate with each other through biomolecules called neurotransmitters. Serotonin, a type of neurotransmitter, is produced by serotonin neurons in our brains and influences many of our behavioral and cognitive functions such as memory, sleep, and mood. Using mice, scientists at … Read more

Bilingual exposure in the womb leads to heightened neural sensitivity in newborns

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It is well-established that fetuses, especially in the third trimester, can hear and learn about speech. For instance, research shows that newborns already prefer their mother’s voice, recognize stories read to them in utero, and can differentiate their mother’s native language from others. However, recent studies have begun to explore how fetuses respond to bilingual … Read more

The Role of Sweet Taste Receptors in Metabolic Regulation

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The Monell Chemical Senses Center has long been at the forefront of research into sweet taste, tracing back to 2001 when Monell scientists were among the first to identify and describe the mammalian sweet taste receptor, TAS1R2-TAS1R3. Over the past two decades, Monell researchers have significantly advanced our understanding of the genetics and functionality of … Read more

Study links gut microbiota composition to increased sensitivity towards fairness

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Decision-making in social contexts is typically explained through psychological, social, and political lenses. However, groundbreaking research by Hilke Plassmann and her team from the Paris Brain Institute and the University of Bonn suggests that our gut microbiota might also play a crucial role. Their findings, published in the journal PNAS Nexus, reveal that changes in … Read more

Study shows witnessing injustice under stress triggers altruistic brain response

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Being stressed while witnessing injustice may push your brain towards altruism, according to a study published on May 14 in the journal PLOS Biology by Huagen Wang from Beijing Normal University, China, and colleagues. It takes more cognitive effort to punish others than it does to help them. Studies show that when witnessing an act … Read more

Researchers discover new cell death pathway in response to DNA damage

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Chemotherapy kills cancer cells. But the way these cells die appears to be different than previously understood. Researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, led by Thijn Brummelkamp, have uncovered a completely new way in which cancer cells die: due to the Schlafen11 gene. “This is a very unexpected finding. Cancer patients have been treated with … Read more

Head-camera study reveals unique visual diet of young infants

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What do infants see? What do they look at? The answers to these questions are very different for the youngest babies than they are for older infants, children and adults. Characterized by a few high-contrast edges in simple patterns, these early scenes also contain the very materials needed to build a strong foundation for human … Read more

Animal Development: Embryonic Development and Morphogenesis

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Animal development, also known as embryonic development, encompasses the complex processes through which a single fertilized egg cell transforms into a multicellular organism with distinct tissues, organs, and body structures. This intricate journey involves cellular differentiation, tissue organization, morphogenetic movements, and regulatory mechanisms that orchestrate the formation of body axes, germ layers, organ systems, and … Read more

Neuroplasticity: Brain’s Ability to Change and Adapt

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Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity or neural plasticity, is a fundamental property of the brain that refers to its ability to change and adapt throughout life in response to experiences, learning, environmental stimuli, injury, and disease. This remarkable capacity for structural and functional reorganization enables the brain to modify neural pathways, establish new connections, … Read more

Study shows nerve stimulation boosts brain-boosting molecule release from muscle

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Exercise prompts muscles to release molecular cargo that boosts brain cell function and connection, but the process is not well understood. New research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has found that the nerves that tell muscles to move also prompt them to release more of the brain-boosting factors. “The molecules released from the muscle … Read more