Neuroscientists Identify the First Potential Treatment for Cosmic Radiation
Planning a trip to Mars? You’ll want to remember your anti-radiation pills. NASA and private space companies like SpaceX plan to send humans to the…
Neuroscience
Turtle and Lizard Brains Shed Light on Human Brain Evolution
Our cerebral cortex, a sheet of neurons, connections and circuits, comprises “ancient” regions such as the hippocampus and “new” areas such as the six-layered “neocortex”,…
Neuroscientists Develop Calcium-Based MRI Sensor to Monitor Neural Activity
System detects direct signals of neural activity; could reveal patterns underlying behavior. MIT neuroscientists have developed a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensor that allows…
Machine-Learning System Replicates Human Auditory Behavior, Predicts Brain Responses
Using a machine-learning system known as a deep neural network, MIT researchers have created the first model that can replicate human performance on auditory tasks…
The Culturally Co-opted Brain: How Reading Changes the Way We Think
From a research perspective, reading and writing is a fascinating phenomenon. After all, the first writing systems date back less than 6,000 years – the…
Stabilized Supralinear Network – Software with Smarts
A computer-aided network shows how ion channels in the membrane of neurons are able to control such wide-ranging abilities as short-term memory and brain waves….
Scientists Identify Several Genes That Cause Abnormally Small Heads
Scientists have identified several genes that when mutated can cause children to be born with microcephaly, or abnormally small heads. But exactly how these genes…
Neurologists Track and Precisely Image Myelin Throughout a Lifetime
Myelin acts as insulation for millions of brain cells, allowing for swift and efficient transmission of signals across brain regions. Despite its crucial role, little…
Boosting TREM2 Protein Levels Improves Alzheimer’s Symptoms
Scientists have known for about five years that mutations in the gene TREM2 increase a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Now, UCLA researchers have…
Neurologists Identify a Genetic ‘Switch’ That Could Improve Memory
A neural circuit mechanism involved in preserving the specificity of memories has been identified by investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Regenerative…
Neuroscientists Reveal How the Brain Tracks Objects in Motion
Catching a bouncing ball or hitting a ball with a racket requires estimating when the ball will arrive. Neuroscientists have long thought that the brain…
Neurologists Reveal What Happens in the Split Second Before the Emergence of Consciousness
Our brains are bombarded with information about events around us, but we only become conscious of a few of them. Yale researchers have captured what…
Excess Levels of Calcium in Brain Cells Linked to Parkinson’s Disease
Researchers have found that excess levels of calcium in brain cells may lead to the formation of toxic clusters that are the hallmark of Parkinson’s…
Mossy Brain Cells Linked to Memory Loss and Seizures
A small group of cells in the brain can have a big effect on seizures and memory in a mouse model of epilepsy. According to…
First Direct Evidence That Fragile X Syndrome Neurons Can Be Restored
Fragile X syndrome is the most frequent cause of intellectual disability in males, affecting one out of every 3,600 boys born. The syndrome can also…
Astrocyte Neuron Interactions May Provide Insight into Brain Disorders
Neurons are the star of the show in brain science, but MIT researchers believe they don’t work alone to process information. In new research funded…
MIT Neuroscientists Identify Neurons Responsible for Routine Habits
Our daily lives include hundreds of routine habits. Brushing our teeth, driving to work, or putting away the dishes are just a few of the…
Neuroscientists Reveal First Glimpse of Molecular Mechanisms of Memory Formation
MIT neuroscientists have uncovered a cellular pathway that allows specific synapses to become stronger during memory formation. The findings provide the first glimpse of the…