Yale Scientists Show Small Differences in the Evolution of Human Brain
The most dramatic divergence between humans and other primates can be found in the brain, the primary organ that gives our species its identity. However,…
Neuroscience
Human Stem Cells Allow Paraplegic Rats to Walk and Regain Sensory Perception
Engineered tissue containing human stem cells has allowed paraplegic rats to walk independently and regain sensory perception. The implanted rats also show some degree of…
New Chimpanzee Research Sheds Light on Human Evolution
New research from the University of Edinburgh reveals that Chimpanzee brains may be more different from those of humans than was previously thought. The study…
Researchers Use Next-Generation Optogenetics to Control Single Neurons
Using a technique that relies on a new type of light-sensitive protein, researchers have devised a way to control single neurons using optogenetics. Researchers at…
New Yale Study Reveals ADHD as a Collection of Different Disorders
New research from Yale University reveals that patients with different types of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have impairments in unique brain systems, indicating that there may…
Study Shows Six-Month Old Babies Have a Sense of Probability
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig have now shown that even six-month-old babies have a sense of…
Laminin Alpha 5 is Crucial to Adolescent Brain Maturation
New research from Yale University reveals that the laminin alpha 5 molecule is crucial to the maturing of the adolescent brain. For a decade, the…
“Silent Engrams” Build a Case for a New Theory of Memory Formation
According to MIT neuroscientists, the existence of “silent engrams” suggests that existing models of memory formation should be revised. Learning and memory are generally thought…
Harvard Study Casts Doubt on the Prevailing Model of Fixed Memory Formation
A newly published study from the Harvard Medical School casts doubt on the prevailing model of fixed memory formation, suggesting that the brain may be…
Neuroscientists Reveal the Brain Circuit Dedicated to Retrieving Memories
Neuroscientists from MIT have shown, for the first time, that recalling a memory requires a “detour” circuit that branches off from the original memory circuit….
Blocking HDAC2 Enzyme May Reverse Memory Loss Caused by Alzheimer’s Disease
Research from MIT suggests a new approach to developing treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, revealing a new way to reverse memory loss by blocking an enzyme…
FLARE Technique Provides Snapshots of Neuron Activity
Researchers from MIT and Stanford have developed a way to label neurons when they become active, essentially providing a snapshot of their activity at a…
Yale Researchers Show Sedative Combats Virus That Causes Birth Defects
New research from Yale University reveals that a common sedative may help combat common viral infections that can cause birth defects in developing babies. The…
WebKnossos: An Annotation Tool for 3D Electron Microscopic Data
Researchers have developed reconstruction software that allows them to fly through the brain tissue at unprecedented speed, gaining an about 10-fold speedup for data analysis…
MIT Neuroscientists Challenge Standard Model of Memory Consolidation
New research from MIT reveals that memories are formed simultaneously in the hippocampus and the long-term storage location in the brain’s cortex. When we visit…
Scientists Reveal Important Characteristics of the Motion Detector in the Fruit Fly Brain
New research from scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology shows how the brain extracts this essential motion information, revealing the cells that enable…
MIT Neuroscientists Identify Brain Circuit That Drives Pleasure-Inducing Behavior
MIT neuroscientists identify the brain circuit that drives pleasure-inducing behavior in a brain region thought to be linked with fear. Scientists have long believed that…
Researchers Pinpoint Fetal Cells ‘Vulnerable’ to Later Life Stress
A team of scientists has developed a way to identify cells damaged prior to birth by drugs, radiation, or poisons such as mercury that survive…