Researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the University of Bonn have investigated which activity patterns occur in the brain when people remember or forget things. They were interested in how the brain replays and stores during sleep what it had learned before. The team recorded the brain activity of epilepsy patients who had electrodes implanted into...
Category: <span>Neuroscience</span>
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Scientists create new map of brain region linked to Alzheimer’s disease
Curing some of the most vexing diseases first requires navigating the world’s most complex structure—the human brain. So, USC scientists have created the most detailed atlas yet of the brain‘s memory bank. Cartographers of the cranium, a USC research team has illustrated the internal circuitry of the hippocampus in detail that would make the great...
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Neuron death in ALS more complex than previously thought
Brown University researchers have uncovered new clues about the progression of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a surprisingly common disease that causes the death of motor neurons that control voluntary muscles such as those involved in walking, talking, chewing or breathing. A team led by Anne Hart, a professor of neuroscience at Brown, discovered that two...
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PIEZO2, a molecular target for treating clinical pain
If you’ve ever been sunburned, you’ve experienced the dreaded pain of putting on a shirt the next day. Fabric that should feel soft turns into a layer of painful pressure. That kind of pain-from what should feel like a gentle touch-is called allodynia, and it’s a fact of life for many people who suffer from...
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Why people with dementia don’t all behave the same
Dementia is the is the leading cause of death among Australian women and the third most common cause of death among men. Image: People with dementia experience a range of psychological symptoms and behavior changes. Credit: shutterstock.com While dementia is not a normal part of aging, the biggest risk factor for dementia is advancing age. Given ours is...
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A diagnostic tool to save lives and prevent brain damage
A new study confirms the efficacy of a new diagnostic tool that utilizes ultrasound to measure intracranial pressure following accidents. The technology will now be provided with artificial intelligence so that ambulance personnel can carry out examinations at accident scenes. Image: By examining the patient’s eye with ultrasound, doctors can reveal high brain pressure. In...
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New technology could help people with paralysis to speak again
Scientists are close to devising technology that uses the brain’s encoding and muscle control commands to allow people who have lost the power of speech due to paralysis to talk again. Image: People who cannot speak due to paralysis may soon be able to relearn the skill. Recent research led by Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, finds that the brain generates speech sounds in a similar...
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Study looks at brain networks involved with free will
Utilizing lesion network mapping, a recently developed technique for analyzing how the brain works, Ryan Darby, MD, assistant professor of Neurology at Vanderbilt, studied free will perception related to movement decisions. A diagram showing the regions associated with disorders of agency and volition, two components comprising free will. Credit: PNAS In the study, published online...
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Insomnia therapy may slow or reverse cortical gray matter atrophy in fibromyalgia
DARIEN, IL – Preliminary findings from a pilot study suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) may slow or even reverse the atrophy of cortical gray matter in patients who have co-morbid fibromyalgia. IMAGE: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM A PILOT STUDY SUGGEST THAT COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY FOR INSOMNIA (CBT-I) MAY SLOW OR EVEN REVERSE THE...
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Pathomechanisms deciphered for the two most common age-related eye disorders
Population aging is a global phenomenon with profound medical implications. Tissue dysfunction associated with aging affects all vital organs, including the eyes. Various ocular structures are affected by aging, such as the macula, the functional center of the retina responsible for precise central vision. Idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iEMR) and macular hole (MH) affect millions of...