The contribution of a single neuron to brain function might seem negligible. But a map of the influence of single neurons reveals a complex pattern that prevents redundancy and enables clear messaging. When a drop hits a pool of liquid, concentric cascading ripples form. Studying these ripples gives us information about the properties of the...
Category: <span>Neuroscience</span>
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Soda, sugar-sweetened beverages linked to more severe symptoms for people with multiple sclerosis
For people with multiple sclerosis (MS), drinking around 290 calories per day of soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages, or the equivalent of about two cans of non-diet soda, may be tied to more severe symptoms and a higher level of disability compared to people with MS who seldom consume sugar-sweetened beverages, according to a preliminary...
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A gentle method for unlocking the mysteries of the deep brain
The electroencephalogram records the electrical activity of the brain in a non-invasive way using 256 electrodes placed on the scalp. Thanks to mathematical algorithms combined with anatomical imaging, we can see what is happening in the deepest part of our brain, without having to enter it directly. Credit: UNIGE The subcortical areas of the brain, situated in its deepest...
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Researchers ‘bait’ pathological proteins underlying many neurodegenerative disorders
A single misbehaving protein—called TDP-43—is behind 97 percent of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) cases and 45 percent of frontotemporal dementia diagnoses. It also is found in 80 percent of chronic traumatic encephalopathy and 60 percent of Alzheimer’s disease cases. Now, University of Pittsburgh researchers have found a way to trap TDP-43 so it doesn’t form...
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Scientists identify alterations of neuronal connectivity in the cortex in OCD patients
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by alterations in brain connectivity, i.e., patients present a dysfunction related to the synchronization of activity between different groups of neurons, as evidenced by recent research. In a study published this month in the journal Cerebral Cortex, researchers belonging to three CIBER groups of Mental Health (CIBERSAM) led by Jesús...
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Listening in to brain communications, without surgery
Plenty of legitimate science – plus a whole lot of science fiction – discusses ways to “hack the brain.” What that really means, most of the time – even in the fictional examples – involves surgery, opening the skull to implant wires or devices physically into the brain. But that’s difficult, dangerous and potentially deadly....
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A gentle method for unlocking the mysteries of the deep brain
The subcortical areas of the brain, situated in its deepest reaches, remain a mystery. Scientists are aware of the critical role they play in motor, emotional and associative activity but do not know precisely how they work. A number of serious diseases are directly linked to these areas, including Parkinson’s, Tourette syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorders...
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An inner ear protein speaks volumes about how sound is converted to a brain signal
The inner ear cells are exquisitely arranged to transmit sound to the brain, but just slight defects in these patterns can lead to deafness. Over 100 mutations in proteins involved in this intricate system have been associated with hearing loss. Tobias Bartsch, a postdoctoral associate in A. J. Hudspeth’s lab, and colleagues at Rockefeller University...
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Not all sleep is equal when it comes to cleaning the brain
New research shows how the depth of sleep can impact our brain’s ability to efficiently wash away waste and toxic proteins. Because sleep often becomes increasingly lighter and more disrupted as we become older, the study reinforces and potentially explains the links between aging, sleep deprivation, and heightened risk for Alzheimer’s disease. “Sleep is critical...
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Sports medicine society updates concussion guidelines
Kimberly G. Harmon, M.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues reviewed the existing literature on sports-related concussion(SRC) to update the AMSSM 2013 position statement. The updated statement is intended for sports medicine physicians who provide sports concussion care from acute injury to return-to-play. According to the statement, SRC is a complex, heterogeneous...