The Importance of Forgetfulness in Brain Function

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Forgetting may be essential for the brain to remember

Hans Nelemann/Getty Images

There's nothing more frustrating than trying to remember a fact or memory only to realize it's gone. You may ask yourself, is this the beginning of mental decline or the beginning of a degenerative brain disease? You probably don't think forgetting is a good thing. But it's possible. New research on memory suggests that it is actually a healthy and necessary brain function that is becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing lives. “You want to be able to adapt to your environment because the environment is always changing. But if you get too attached to your initial experience, you won't be able to act adaptively,” he says. thomas ryan At Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Interestingly, his research also suggests that forgotten memories remain in the brain and could be restored if needed.

Everyday forgetfulness, such as not remembering what you had for dinner last week, is called natural forgetfulness. This is in contrast to pathological forgetfulness caused by conditions such as brain injury or Alzheimer's disease. Far from being a problem, natural forgetfulness supports one of our most unique and powerful traits: our ability to generalize. There are times when having a very detailed memory can be invaluable, such as when reviewing for an exam or acting as a witness to a crime, but you can't generalize without considering the specifics quickly and flexibly. says Mr. edwin robertson At the University of Glasgow, UK. “For a chair to be considered a chair…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ensuring Optimal Brain Function: Tips for Peak Performance

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock k

Thomas Edison says: He held a steel ball in each hand as he prepared for a nap.. When he nodded, they would fall and wake him up so he could write down ideas that came to him in the moments just before sleep, when he believed he was most creative. But are there really specific times when our brains perform better? And more broadly, are we better at different kinds of thinking at different stages of life? If so, it's worth asking how you can make the most of these mental peaks and maximize your brain's capabilities.?

Edison's methods may have been unorthodox, but It turned out that he was onto somethingas Delphine Audinet It was discovered in 2021 by the Paris Brain Institute and colleagues. They gave 103 slightly sleep-deprived people a seemingly complex math problem that they could solve with simple creative insight. Participants who woke up immediately after falling asleep were almost three times more likely to take a creative leap and solve a problem than those who stayed awake throughout the experiment.

This knowledge may be useful if you are looking for inspiration. But if that's the memory you're trying to optimize, deep sleep is when your brain does the heavy lifting, accumulating new long-term memories from the day's experiences. To get the most out of this, you need plenty of sleep. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you are among them, A lot of people…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Research: Vertebrate Brain Resembles an Ancient Retrovirus

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Biologists from the Altos Institute, Cambridge Institute of Science, and the University of Cambridge have discovered that genetic elements derived from retroviruses (retrotransposons) are essential for the production of myelin (the insulating sheath that surrounds nerve axons) in mammals, amphibians, and animals. I discovered that fish. This gene sequence, called retromyelin, is likely the result of an ancient retroviral infection, and comparisons of retromyelin in mammals, amphibians, and fish indicate that retroviral infection and genome invasion events occurred separately in each of these groups. suggests that it has occurred.

gauche other. suggest that retrovirus internalization played an important role in the emergence of vertebrate myelin. Image credit: Ghosh other., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.011.

Myelin, the complex fatty tissue that lines vertebrate nerve axons, allows rapid impulse conduction without the need to increase axon diameter. This means that the nerves can be packed more closely together.

It also provides metabolic support for the nerves, allowing them to lengthen.

Myelin first appeared on the tree of life around the same time as the jaw, and its importance in vertebrate evolution has been recognized for a long time, but until now it is unclear what molecular mechanism caused its appearance. was.

Tanay Ghosh and colleagues at Altos Labs-Cambridge Institute of Science noticed the role of retromyelin in myelin production while studying the gene networks used by oligodendrocytes, the cells that produce myelin in the central nervous system. .

Specifically, they were studying the role of non-coding regions, including retrotransposons, in these gene networks. This has not been previously studied in the context of myelin biology.

“Retrotransposons make up about 40% of our genome, but we know nothing about how they helped animals acquire specific traits during evolution.” said Dr. Ghosh.

“Our motivation was to learn how these molecules serve evolutionary processes, especially in the context of myelination.”

Researchers discovered that in rodents, retromyelin RNA transcripts regulate the expression of myelin basic protein, one of the key components of myelin.

When we experimentally inhibited retromyelin in oligodendrocytes and oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (the stem cells from which oligodendrocytes are derived), the cells were no longer able to produce myelin basic protein.

To find out whether retromyelin is present in other vertebrate species, scientists looked for similar sequences within the genomes of jawed vertebrates, jawless vertebrates, and some invertebrate species. Searched for.

They identified similar sequences in all other classes of jawed vertebrates (birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians) but found no similar sequences in jawless vertebrates or invertebrates. did not.

Robin Franklin, a neuroscientist at the Altos Institute at the Cambridge Institute of Science, said: “There was an evolutionary drive to speed up the conduction of impulses in axons, because the faster the impulse conduction, the faster we can grab objects and move away from them.'' Because they can run away.”

Next, the authors wanted to know whether retromyelin was integrated once in the ancestor of all jawed vertebrates, or whether there were separate retroviral invasions in different branches.

To answer these questions, they constructed a phylogenetic tree from 22 jawed vertebrate species and compared their retromyelin sequences.

This analysis revealed that retromyelin sequences are more similar within species than between species, suggesting that retromyelin has been acquired multiple times through a process of convergent evolution.

The researchers also showed that retromyelin plays a functional role in myelination in fish and amphibians.

When they experimentally disrupted the retromyelin gene sequence in fertilized zebrafish and frog eggs, they found that the developing fish and tadpoles produced significantly less myelin than normal.

“Our findings open new avenues of research exploring how retroviruses are involved in directing evolution more generally,” said Dr. Ghosh.

of study It was published in the magazine cell.

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Tanai Ghosh other. 2024. Retroviral involvement in vertebrate myelination through retrotransposon RNA-mediated control of myelin gene expression. cell 187 (4): 814-830; doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.011

Source: www.sci.news

AI can accurately determine a person’s gender from a brain scan 90% of the time

Posted on February 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Comparisons are difficult because men’s brains tend to be larger than women’s.

Sergiy Tryapitsyn / Alamy

Are male and female brains that different? A new way to investigate this question has led us to the conclusion that they exist, but we need artificial intelligence (AI) to tell them apart.

The question of whether we can measure differences between male and female brains has long been debated, and previous studies have yielded conflicting results.

One problem is that men’s brains tend to be slightly larger than women’s. This is likely due to the fact that men are generally larger, and some previous studies have compared the size of various small areas of the brain. Unable to adjust whole brain volume. However, no clear findings have been made so far. “When you correct for brain size, the results change quite a bit,” he says. Vinod Menon at Stanford University in California.

To tackle this problem in a different way, Menon’s team used a relatively new method called dynamic functional connectivity fMRI. This involves recording the brain activity of people lying in a functional MRI scanner and tracking changes in how activity in different areas changes in sync with each other.

The researchers designed an AI to analyze these brain scans and trained it on the results of about 1,000 young people from an existing database in the United States called the Human Connectome Project, identifying which individuals are male and which individuals. told the AI whether the person was female. In this analysis, the brain was divided into 246 different regions.

After this training process, the AI was able to differentiate between a second set of brain scan data from the same 1000 men and women with approximately 90% accuracy.

More importantly, the AI was equally effective at differentiating male and female brain scans from two different, never-before-seen brain scan datasets. Both consisted of about 200 people of similar age, ranging in age from 20 to 35, from the United States and Germany.

“What we bring to the table is a more rigorous study with replication and generalization to other samples,” Menon says. None of the people in the training or testing data were transgender.

“Replication with a completely independent sample from the Human Connectome Project gives us even more confidence in our results,” he says. Camille Williams At the University of Texas at Austin.

The next question is whether the AI will be just as accurate when tested on an additional, larger set of brain scan results. “Time will tell what results we get with other datasets,” he says Menon.

If confirmed, the findings could help us understand why some medical conditions and forms of neurodiversity, such as depression, anxiety, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, differ by gender. No, says Menon.

“If we don’t develop these gender-specific models, we will miss important aspects of differentiating factors.” [for example]”An autistic man and a control man, and an autistic woman and a control woman,” Menon said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Crucial Link Between the Brain Microbiome and Curing Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Russell Kightley/Science Photo Library

It looked like a classic case of Alzheimer's disease. The man, in his 70s, had been experiencing severe cognitive decline for three years. Frequently forgetting the names of his family members, he was unable to drive or leave the house alone. Further deterioration seemed inevitable. But then his doctor tested him and found that his cerebrospinal fluid sample I noticed a fungus called Cryptococcus neoformans. They put him on antifungal medication and the results were amazing. Within two years he had his driver's license reinstated and returned to his job as a gardener.

Neuroscientists have long suspected that certain infections can increase the risk of dementia.For example, both Porphyromonas gingivalisthe bacteria behind periodontal disease, the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores, It has been pointed out that there is a relationship with Alzheimer's disease.. However, cases of “reversible dementia” are emerging from the idea that our brains are teeming with microbes and that imbalances in this “brain microbiome” can make people more susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases. is beginning to arouse great interest.

Until recently, it was thought that the brain was free of microorganisms. This was especially due to the blood-brain barrier, a special membrane that protects pathogens and toxins in the blood from the brain. Therefore, the idea of a brain microbiome was controversial. But new research seems to confirm the case. Richard Leeds University of Edinburgh, UK and colleagues Analyzed data obtained from postmortem brains It is housed in four brain banks in the UK and US. They discovered a wide variety of microorganisms of different types.

Source: www.newscientist.com

The Unexpected Advantages of an Asymmetric Face, Body, and Brain

Posted on January 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

When you look in the mirror, you may notice slight imbalances in your facial features, such as your nose crooked to the left, a wrinkle that only appears under one eye, or your ears slightly higher than the other. .

For centuries, this lack of perfect balance has been thought to detract from our beauty, and there are a number of services aimed at “fixing” it, from photo filters to cosmetic surgery. But asymmetry is built into the human body and brain, and for good reason. Moreover, new research suggests that it has little effect on your appeal to others.

First, lopsided arrangement of our internal organs. For most people, the heart, stomach, and spleen are all on the left side of the spinal cord, and the liver and gallbladder are on the right side. This makes more efficient use of thoracic and abdominal space compared to a structure that aligns all organs to the spine.

Why is the human brain asymmetrical?

What about your brain? Although her two hemispheres may appear to be reflective of each other, corresponding areas on each side have different responsibilities. You will notice the effect this has on your movements. If you're right-handed, it's because the left hemisphere of your brain, which is connected to the right side of your body, is slightly more specialized in controlling the fine muscles of your fingers, increasing your manual dexterity. .

You may be surprised to find that this “lateralization” is seen in many fields…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Slowing Aging and Preventing Dementia Through Restoration of Brain Mitochondria

Posted on January 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Protein plaques in the brain may be caused by mitochondrial dysfunction

Sebastian Kauritzky/Alamy

If you own a car, you’ve probably noticed that your engine becomes less efficient over time. The farther you drive, the more fuel it takes to cover the same distance. Eventually, you’ll end up with so little power that you need a physical push to climb a gentle hill.

It is now becoming clear that much the same holds true for the human brain. Microscopic structures called mitochondria, found in all brain cells, are literally the engines of our thoughts and emotions. As we age, we find it increasingly difficult to generate enough energy to power mental activity. Worse, just like an old car leaves behind a cloud of smoke, the power source of our cells begins to produce unnecessary waste products that slowly pollute our brains. This means that mitochondrial dysfunction may underlie some of the most serious brain diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and motor neuron disease.

According to this “grand unified theory” of neurodegeneration, recharging neurons through restoration of their power plants can prolong healthy brain function. This idea has already inspired some exciting new treatments for age-related brain diseases, with multiple drug candidates under investigation. Some researchers are exploring the possibility of transplanting healthy mitochondria into damaged, aging brains to reactivate them. “If you keep replacing the parts in your car, it can last forever,” he says. claudio soto, a neurologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “So what happens if we try to run this…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Your brain is naturally inclined to avoid exercise: The science behind it.

Posted on January 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Humans are not the fastest or strongest species. We have no wings, fangs, claws, poison, or armor. Physically, we are primarily controlled by nature.

However, the words “run the same way'' are ironic. This is because humans physically dominate all other species in one area: long-distance running. Thanks to our bipedalism and unique sweat glands, humans can continue running long after other species have collapsed from exhaustion.

Humans have evolved to train their bodies, or exercise, over long periods of time. But while many people actually enjoy exercise, they're in the minority (as evidenced by uncrowded gyms and abandoned New Year's resolutions in mid-February).

So why doesn't everyone enjoy exercise, even though we've evolved to do so? It’s because of the mysterious complexity of the human brain.Evolving abilities does not automatically evolve want to use it. Armored creatures do not want to be actively attacked.

Although physical exercise is not that Bad, but still usually unpleasant and uncomfortable. It must be so. You end up pushing your body to its physical limits, which leads to significant discomfort. There are limits for a reason.

What does the brain think about exercise?

Another problem is that the human brain is extremely sensitive to wasted effort. Research has shown that the insular cortex contains dedicated circuitry. Calculate the effort required for an action – They are there to ask “Is it worth it?”

This is a trend that evolved to prevent us from wasting vital resources on pointless endeavors, such as walking 20 miles to buy a handful of berries.

However, regular exercise to “get in shape” requires constant and great effort. It's all about gradual progress and uncertain rewards (it's impossible to guarantee success in advance). In other words, your brain tends to ask, “Is it worth it?” It would be difficult to keep quiet.

This trait also means that we typically prefer things that give us the most reward with the least amount of effort. So we choose the path of least resistance, stick to our routine, and stay in our comfort zone.

Starting to exercise means changing everything for an uncertain result. To keep us safe, our brains typically tend to value risk over reward, making us more reluctant to engage in physically demanding activities.

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So while our bodies may be adapted to continuous exercise, our brains are adapted to avoid it in many ways. And we have built a world for ourselves where avoiding physical activity is a viable option.

Thankfully, the human brain is an incredibly complex organ, so there are some metaphorical tricks up your sleeve. Most obviously, it is not dominated by more primitive and direct instincts and impulses. Many species' thought processes are limited to “Food, eat!”, “Danger, run!”, “Pain, avoid!”, but we have evolved beyond that.

The human brain is capable of forming multiple long-term goals and ambitions. We are rarely satisfied with just day-to-day survival. We simply simulate a desired future scenario, figure out how to achieve it, and then…do it. Or at least strive towards it.

This directly affects how our brains process motivation and willpower in many interesting ways. First, it allows you to delay gratification. In other words, you will realize that it is important to refuse the reward now. Can lead to bigger rewards later, and act accordingly.

In this case, eating four bags of potato chips as a family while watching TV is fun in the moment, but going to the gym will make you fitter, stronger, and fitter later on.

And then there's the “just world” fallacy. Here we assume the world is fair and that is what makes us believe. research shows this – No matter how much suffering you suffer, it will always lead to reward. As the saying goes, no pain, no gain.

How the brain increases motivation

So how does the brain process all these different motivations? Self-contradiction theory suggests that we have multiple “selves” active in our minds at any given time. The “real” self, the “ideal” self, and the “ideal” self.

Your “actual” self is your current state, or how you are right now. Your “ideal self” is yourself. want Something to do. And your “ideal” self is one that does whatever it takes to become your “ideal” self.you do what you do should What I'm doing. In other words, if your “ideal” self is a professional soccer player and your “real” self is not, then the “ideal” you is someone who has to train, exercise, and train a lot to get better at soccer. It's someone who spends their time.

This is just one framework for how motivation works when it comes to physical exercise. Of course, there are many other factors that play an important role, such as time constraints, body image, and ease of movement.

However, as far as the brain is concerned, there are processes that prevent movement and processes that promote movement. Ideally, you'll end up focusing more on the latter than the former. Also, moving weights is a classic exercise, so it's a good idea to start somewhere.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Is it Possible that Quantum Clues in the Brain could Resurrect a Core Theory of Consciousness?

Posted on January 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Two weeks before the pandemic lockdown in March 2020, I flew to Tucson, Arizona, and knocked on the door of a suburban ranch-style home. I was there to visit Stuart Hammeroff. He is an anesthesiologist and co-inventor with Nobel Prize-winning physicist Roger Penrose of a radical proposal for how conscious experience arises: that it has its origins in quantum phenomena in the brain.

Such ideas, in one form or another, have existed on the fringes of mainstream consciousness research for decades. There is no solid experimental evidence that quantum effects occur in the brain, as critics claim, and aside from a clear idea of how quantum effects produce consciousness, they come in from the cold. Not that it was. “It was very popular to bash us,” Hammeroff told me.

But after a week of questioning him about the concept, I realized that at least his version of quantum consciousness is widely misunderstood. Partly, I think it’s Hammeroff’s fault. He gives the impression of a single package. In fact, his ideas are a series of independent proposals, each forcing us to confront important questions about the relationship between fundamental physics, biology, and the indescribable thing called consciousness. I am.

Furthermore, during my visit I saw several experiments that Hammeroff had proposed come to fruition, and it became clear that his ideas could be applied to experimental research. Researchers have now provided preliminary evidence suggesting that fragile quantum states can persist in the brain and that anesthetics can influence those states.

Now is the time to start taking it…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Psychedelic drugs show promise in treating PTSD and traumatic brain injury

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Veterans saw improvement in combat-related brain injury after taking psychedelic drugs

Shutterstock / Ground Photography

The psychedelic substance ibogaine has the potential to treat chronic disorders caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI). A single dose of this drug resulted in sustained improvements in physical and social function, cognition and mood in veterans with combat-related traumatic brain injury.

“This is the first time someone has actually been able to show that there is a neurorehabilitation effect with psychedelic drugs and that there are fairly deep signs of improvement,” he says. nolan williams at Stanford University in California.

He and his colleagues recruited 30 male veterans with traumatic brain injuries to attend a treatment facility in Mexico for five days. They were each given ibogaine, a hallucinogenic substance extracted from the iboga plant, which is native to Africa. Everyone met with a therapist before and after taking ibogaine to discuss preparation for the psychedelic experience. Participants can also participate in activities such as yoga, massage, and meditation on-site.

Participants took 12 milligrams of ibogaine per kilogram of body weight and received an intravenous infusion of magnesium to prevent heart problems associated with the drug. The researchers measured participants' disability before and after treatment on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater disability. At the beginning of the study, participants' average score was 30, meaning mild to moderate disability. After 4-5 days of treatment, this score dropped below 20, and after 1 month it was around 5, indicating no disability.

At least 83 percent of participants no longer met criteria for depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) one month after treatment. They also saw significant improvements in processing speed, problem solving, and working memory.

However, it is unclear whether this effect is solely due to hallucinogens. “The big problem is [that] Without a control group, it will be nearly impossible to say for sure what's going on here. ” Albert Garcia Lomu at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. He says talking to a therapist, participating in wellness activities, and even traveling may have contributed to these improvements.

But many of these variables have previously been studied as treatments for neurological diseases with little success, Williams said. He believes a series of mechanisms could explain how ibogaine can treat traumatic brain injury. For example, he says, the drug is known to increase neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to rewire.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Electrically Stimulating the Brain Makes Hypnotism More Accessible

Posted on January 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Hypnosis may involve a therapist bringing a patient into a deeply relaxed state to treat symptoms or change habits.

Voisin/Fanny/Science Photo Library

Sending electrical pulses to certain parts of the brain can make people more susceptible to hypnosis. Although the research is still in its early stages, it could eventually lead to more widespread use of hypnotherapy for conditions such as chronic pain.

“There are a lot of different ways to treat different disorders and symptoms, both in psychology and psychiatry,” he says. Afik Furman at Stanford University in California. “Hypnosis is one psychological technique that has been proven to be effective for anxiety, depression, and especially pain.”

Previous research suggests that People who are highly susceptible to hypnosis have better connections between the two parts of their brains. Left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.They also suggest that Stimulating the former area strengthens this connection.

Faerman and colleagues focused on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, located at the front of the brain, and administered transcranial magnetic stimulation to 40 people with the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia. This was administered as 800 pulses to the scalp via a paddle, and the procedure lasted just over 1.5 minutes. This method uses a magnetic field to stimulate nerve cells in the target tissue.

Another 40 people with the same symptoms were given the sham treatment. At the start of the study, none of the participants were thought to be susceptible to hypnosis.

Hypnotherapy is generally defined as the use of hypnosis to treat symptoms or change habits. Susceptibility to hypnosis was assessed by the “hypnoinduction profile,” a standard method for measuring hypnotic efficacy.

After just one session, the group that received electrical brain stimulation had increased hypnotic susceptibility for up to an hour, while the other groups showed no change.

The researchers did not measure whether fibromyalgia symptoms improved in either group. “Our main goal was to figure out whether it was possible to alter the hypnotic state, so we were really excited to be able to do that,” say team members. nolan williams at Stanford University.

Researchers now hope to repeat the study with more people with more diverse symptoms. They also want to see whether fine-tuning the length or number of electrical stimulation pulses a person receives affects hypnotic susceptibility.

Despite showing some promise as a medical use, hypnotherapy is not routinely covered by health insurance companies in the United States or the National Health Service in the United Kingdom.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Targeting the brain with Ozempic and Wegovy may lead to reduced inflammation

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Ozempic is a diabetes drug, but it is also often used for weight loss.

fcm82/shutterstock

Weight loss and diabetes injections such as Wigovy and Ozempic (both semaglutide) are more widely used than initially thought after studies in mice suggest they act on the brain and reduce inflammation throughout the body. Possible medical benefits.

This finding may explain why this class of drugs appears to reduce heart attacks more than would be expected from weight loss effects alone.

It also supports their use in combating a wide range of health conditions that involve inflammation, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, which is being studied in clinical trials.

Semaglutide works by mimicking a gut hormone called GLP-1. Normally released after a meal, GLP-1 reduces appetite, makes you feel full, and triggers the release of insulin, a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation.

Some studies suggest that semaglutide not only reduces weight, but also reduces inflammation, and is a mild increase in certain types of immune system activity.Lowers levels of a compound in the blood called C-reactive protein (CRP) is a well-established sign of inflammation. Daniel Drucker At the University of Toronto, Canada.

A growing body of research suggests that inflammation is involved in many conditions not previously associated with the immune system, such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, but this does not yet lead to new treatments available in the clinic. has not been applied.

Because obesity is also associated with inflammation, semaglutide’s effect on CRP may simply be a side effect of weight loss, rather than the drug itself reducing inflammation.

To find out, Drucker and his colleagues investigated how several GLP-1 mimics affect inflammation in mice. First, they injected bacteria from the mice’s intestines into other parts of their abdomens, causing bacterial infections in their blood. This triggers a strong immune response and causes inflammation.

Some mice were also injected with GLP-1 mimics, either semaglutide or another member of this drug class called exenatide.

GLP-1 mimics reduced the animals’ inflammatory response to infection, but this did not occur when the researchers used mice genetically modified so that their brain cells lacked receptors for GLP-1. Ta.

The researchers also found no reduction in inflammation when they tested genetically normal mice whose brains were injected with compounds that block GLP-1 receptors.

Taken together, these results show that GLP-1 mimetics such as Ozempic act on brain cells to reduce inflammation, and that this is not just a side effect of weight loss.

“Losing weight is good, but you don’t need to lose weight to be effective,” Drucker says. For example, in Wegovy’s recent randomized trial, he says, the drug started preventing heart attacks within the first few months, before people lost significant weight.

“It was known that these drugs acted on inflammation,” he says. Ivan Koichev at Oxford University. “This paper is helpful because it reveals the underlying mechanism.”

In theory, anti-inflammatory drugs could cause people to develop additional infections, but this has so far not been observed in people who received the shots for weight loss or diabetes, Koychev says. .

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Harvard University Researchers Decipher Enigmas of the Brain

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

A new study led by Harvard Medical School has revealed the neurological foundation of daydreaming. Conducted in mice, the study found that neurons in the visual cortex fired in patterns similar to those seen during the viewing of images, indicating daydreaming. This was especially pronounced during early daydreams and could predict future brain responses to visual stimuli, implying a role in brain plasticity. The study suggests that daydreaming may play a role in learning and memory processes in mice and potentially in humans. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

However, most neuroscientists do not understand what happens in the brain during daydreaming. A team of researchers at Harvard Medical School used mice to investigate the activity of neurons in the visual cortex of the brain during quiet wakefulness and found that these neurons fire in patterns similar to when the mouse views images, indicating that the mouse was daydreaming about the image. Furthermore, the brain showed the same firing pattern during daydreams as when it was seeing an image, suggesting that the mouse was imagining the image. These daydreams occurred only when the mouse was relaxed and had a calm behavior and small pupils.

The researchers found that mice were biased towards daydreaming about recently viewed images, and this daydreaming was more prominent at the beginning of the day. The daydreams influenced the brain’s future responses to images, indicating a role in brain plasticity. The two regions of the brain, the visual cortex and the hippocampus, were also found to communicate during daydreaming. Subsequent research with imaging tools will examine how these connections change when the brain sees an image.

While it remains an open question whether human daydreams involve similar patterns in the visual cortex, preliminary evidence suggests that a similar process occurs during the recall of visual images. The findings suggest that giving the mind waking downtime is crucial for daydreams, which is important for brain plasticity. This research was published on December 13th in Nature.

Source: scitechdaily.com

The Impact of High Blood Pressure on Brain Immunity

Posted on December 15, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

NINDS Research on High Blood Pressure and Cognitive Decline

by National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) December 14, 2023

NIH-funded researchers have found that high blood pressure leads to an increase in interleukin-17 in the brain, which activates immune cells and causes cognitive decline. The discovery, made using a mouse model, points to the possibility of new treatments by targeting T cells in the brain’s protective membranes. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

An NIH-funded study in mice suggests a potential new target for treating hypertension. Research supported by National Institutes of Health The findings suggest that a response of immune system cells within the protective membrane that surrounds the brain may contribute to the cognitive decline that can occur in people with chronic hypertension. This discovery is natural neuroscience, may shed light on new ways to counter the effects of high blood pressure on cognition. This study was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the NIH. “Understanding the role of immune signaling in cognitive decline is critical,” said Dr. Roderick Corriveau, NINDS program director. “These findings provide insight into how signaling from the immune system contributes to the symptoms of cognitive decline that ultimately lead to the diagnosis of dementia.”

Global impact of hypertension and its impact on cognition

High blood pressure affects more than 1 billion people worldwide and can cause cognitive decline not only when a stroke occurs, but even when a person with high blood pressure does not have a stroke. However, efforts to control cognitive decline in people who have not had a stroke with blood pressure-lowering treatments have shown mixed results. The results of this mouse study suggest that under conditions that mimic common hypertension, immune cells around and within the brain become abnormally activated, and that this activation leads to impaired brain function. Fluorescent staining reveals an extensive vascular network of the dura mater. These blood vessels contain her T cells, which are activated in mouse models of chronic hypertension, causing a condition that can lead to dementia-like symptoms. Credit: Iadecola Lab

Research Insights: Mouse models of hypertension

Researchers led by Costantino Iadecola, MD, director and director of the Feil Family Brain and Mind Institute in New York City, used a mouse model of hypertension to investigate interleukin-17 (IL-17). It was discovered that the levels of A chemical normally released in the body, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain to activate the immune system. Previously, Dr. Iadekola’s team showed that a high-salt diet increases IL-17 in the intestine, followed by cognitive impairment. These new findings further deepen the story by showing that IL-17 is acting within the brain itself. It is also worth noting that these experiments used a different mouse model called the DOCA salt model, which more closely mimics common hypertension in humans. “This is the most realistic model of hypertension that we have at this time,” Dr. Iadecola said. “DOCA mice simulate low-renin hypertension, a type of hypertension that is common in people, especially black Americans.”

Role of IL-17 and brain macrophages

Further research has shown that when IL-17 enters the brain, it activates immune cells known as macrophages, which are responsible for activating inflammation and fighting infections. A series of experiments showed that both mice with brain macrophage deletion of IL-17 receptors and mice with brain macrophage depletion showed no effect of hypertension on cognitive function, and therefore these macrophages were not associated with the observed cognitive function. It was confirmed that this is important for the reduction of Functioning despite other hypertension symptoms. Researchers were still looking for a source of IL-17 that acts on brain macrophages. Based on previous studies, the researchers’ initial hypothesis was that the gut releases IL-17, which travels to the brain through the bloodstream. Once there, a reaction is triggered that damages the ability of the brain’s blood vessels to respond appropriately to increased brain activity. However, blocking the ability of cerebral blood vessels to respond to IL-17 only partially reversed the cognitive impairment, suggesting that another source of IL-17 is acting on the brain. Uncovering IL-17 pathways and protective barriers One clue suggests that one layer of the brain’s protective layer, known as the dura mater, contains immune T cells that secrete IL-17 and may influence mouse behavior. taken from other recent studies. Using special mice whose cells glow fluorescent green when they make IL-17, the researchers found that high blood pressure increases IL-17 in the dura mater, which is then released into the tissues. Normally, a barrier exists within the brain’s protective covering called the meninges to prevent unwanted spillage into the brain. However, in mice with experimentally induced hypertension, this barrier appears to be disrupted, allowing IL-17 to enter the cerebrospinal fluid. Two additional experiments helped confirm this hypothesis. First, drugs were used to block the migration of her T cells from the lymph nodes to the meninges. Second, antibodies were used to block the activity of her T cells within the meninges. In both cases, the hypertensive mice recovered cognitive function, suggesting that targeting hyperactive T cells may be a new therapeutic approach worth exploring. “Taken together, our data suggest that hypertension causes two distinct effects,” Dr. Iadecola said. “One is that IL-17 has an effect on blood vessels, but this seems to be relatively minor. The more prominent central effect is that IL-17 releases IL-17, which has a direct effect on immune cells in the brain. It is caused by cells in the meninges. These immune cells, activated by signaling from the meninges, affect the brain in a way that ultimately causes cognitive impairment.”

Future Research Directions

Dr. Iadekola and his team are now trying to connect the dots between activation of immune cells in the meninges and cognitive decline. Previous works by the group The researchers suggested a link between a high-salt diet, which suppresses the production of the chemical nitric oxide in brain blood vessels, and the resulting accumulation of tau, a toxic protein that forms clumps within affected neurons. Alzheimer’s disease disease. The findings also indicate suppression of nitric oxide production in cerebral blood vessels, and whether this also leads to increased tau production is currently being investigated.

Reference: “Meningeal interleukin-17-producing T cells mediate cognitive impairment in a mouse model of salt-sensitive hypertension” Monica M. Santisteban, Samantha Schaeffer, Antoine Anfray, Giuseppe Faraco, David Brea, Gang Wang, Melissa J. Sobanko , Rose Sciortino, Gianfranco Rachumi, Ali Wiseman, Rybaik Park, Joseph Anraser, Costantino Iadecola, December 4, 2023, natural neuroscience.DOI: 10.1038/s41593-023-01497-z of NINDS’ Mind Your Risks® Campaign This paper highlights the relationship between high blood pressure and brain health (including risk of stroke and dementia), particularly in Black men aged 28 to 45, and provides recommendations to prevent and reduce the impact of high blood pressure on brain health. We offer strategies. This research was funded by NINDS (NS089323, NS095441, NS123507), the Leon Levy Fellowship in Neuroscience, and the Feil Family Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

AI technology capable of translating brain waves into text

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

AI can decode brainwave recordings and predict words someone is reading

Vertigo3d/Getty Images

A team of scientists has announced that a sensor-equipped helmet, combined with artificial intelligence, can translate a person’s thoughts into text.

In this study, participants read passages of text while wearing hats, and their brain electrical activity was recorded through the scalp. These electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings were converted to text using an AI model called DeWave.

Lin Ching Tian Researchers from Australia’s University of Technology Sydney (UTS) say the technology is non-invasive, relatively cheap and portable.

The system is far from perfect, with an accuracy of about 40%, but recent data currently under peer review shows an improvement in accuracy of more than 60%, Lin said.

In a study published in NeurIPS conference In New Orleans, Louisiana, the DeWave program does not use spoken language, but instead has participants read sentences aloud. However, in the researchers’ latest study, participants read the text silently.

Last year, the team he led was jerry tan Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin reported similar accuracy in converting thoughts into text, but used MRI scans to interpret brain activity. Using EEG is more practical because the subject does not have to remain still in the scanner.

UTS team member Charles Zhou said the DeWave model was trained by looking at many examples where brain signals matched a particular sentence.

“For example, when you think of saying ‘hello,’ your brain sends a specific signal,” Zhou says. “DeWave learns how these signals relate to the word ‘hello’ by looking at many examples of these signals for different words and sentences.”

Once DeWave had a good understanding of the brain signals, the team connected it to an open-source large-scale language model (LLM) similar to the AI that powers ChatGPT.

“This LLM is like a smart writer who can craft sentences. We tell these writers to pay attention to the signals from DeWave and use that as a guide to craft their sentences. ” says Zhou.

Finally, the team trained both DeWave and a language model together to further improve their ability to write sentences based on EEG data.

Researchers predict that further improvements to the system could revolutionize communication for people who have lost language due to stroke or other conditions, and could also have applications in robotics.

craig gin from the University of Sydney said he was impressed by Lin’s team’s work. “It’s great progress,” he says.

“People have long wanted to convert brainwaves to text, and the team’s model shows amazing accuracy. A few years ago, EEG-to-text conversion was complete and utter nonsense. .”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Miniature VR goggles revolutionizing brain research

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

This diagram shows a VR setup with an “overhead threat” projected into the top field of view.Credit: Dom Pinke/Northwestern University
For the first time, the goggles allow researchers to study responses to overhead threats. northwestern university
Researchers have developed a new virtual reality (VR) goggle for mice. These tiny goggles aren’t just cute, they offer a more immersive experience for lab mice. By more faithfully simulating natural environments, researchers can more accurately and precisely study the neural circuits underlying behavior. A leap forward in VR goggles The new goggles represent a breakthrough compared to current state-of-the-art systems that simply surround a mouse with a computer or projection screen. Current systems allow the mouse to see the laboratory environment peeking out from behind the screen, but the flat nature of the screen prevents it from conveying three-dimensional (3D) depth. Another drawback was that the researchers couldn’t easily attach a screen above the mice’s heads to simulate overhead threats, such as looming birds of prey. New VR goggles avoid all of these problems. And as VR grows in popularity, the goggles could also help researchers gain new insights into how the human brain adapts and responds to repeated VR exposure. . This area is currently poorly understood. The study was published in the journal Dec. 8. neuron. This is the first time researchers have used a VR system to simulate overhead threats. A view through new miniature VR goggles.Credit: Dom Pinke/Northwestern University “For the past 15 years, we’ve been using VR systems on mice,” said Daniel Dombeck of Northwestern University, lead author of the study. “Traditionally, labs have used large computers and projection screens to surround the animals. For humans, this is like watching TV in the living room. You can still see the couch and walls. You There are cues around it that let you know you’re not in the scene. Next, consider wearing VR goggles, like the Oculus Rift, that occupy your entire field of vision, except the projected scene. They can’t see anything, and each eye projects a different scene to create depth information, which the rats lacked.” Dombeck is a professor of neurobiology in Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. His laboratory is a leader in the development of his VR-based systems and high-resolution laser-based imaging systems for animal research. The value of VR Although researchers can observe animals in nature, it is extremely difficult to image patterns of brain activity in real time while animals interact with the real world. To overcome this challenge, the researchers integrated his VR into a laboratory setting. In these experimental settings, animals use a treadmill to move through a scene, such as a virtual maze, projected onto a screen around them. By keeping the mouse in place on a treadmill, rather than running it through a natural environment or a physical maze, neurobiologists can use tools to The brain can be observed and mapped. Ultimately, this will help researchers understand the general principles of how neural circuits activated during different behaviors encode information. “VR essentially recreates a real-life environment,” Dombeck says. “While we’ve had a lot of success with this VR system, the animals may not be as immersed as they would be in a real environment. Force the mouse to pay attention to the screen and ignore the surrounding lab.” That alone requires a lot of training.” Introduction to iMRSIV Recent advances in hardware miniaturization led Dombeck and his team to wonder if they could develop VR goggles that more closely replicate real-world environments. We created compact goggles using custom-designed lenses and a small organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display. The system, called Miniature Rodent Stereo Illumination VR (iMRSIV), consists of two lenses and two screens, one on each side of the head, that illuminate each eye individually for 3D vision. This provides each eye with a 180-degree field of view that fully immerses the mouse and excludes the surrounding environment. An artist’s interpretation of a cartoon of a mouse wearing VR goggles. Credit: @rita
Unlike VR goggles for humans, the iMRSIV (pronounced “immersive”) system does not wrap around the mouse’s head. Instead, the goggles are attached to experimental equipment and sit snugly right in front of the mouse’s face. Since the mouse runs in place on the treadmill, the goggles still cover the mouse’s field of view.
“We designed and built a custom holder for the goggles,” said John Issa, a postdoctoral fellow in Dombeck’s lab and co-first author of the study. “The entire optical display, the screen and lens, goes all the way around the mouse.” Enhance learning and engagement By mapping the brains of mice, Dombeck and his team found that the brains of mice wearing goggles activated in a manner very similar to that of freely moving animals. And in a side-by-side comparison, the researchers found that mice with goggles were able to immerse themselves in the scene much faster than mice with traditional VR systems. “We went through the same kind of training paradigm that we’ve done in the past, but the mice with the goggles learned faster,” Dombeck said. “After the first session they were already able to complete the task. They knew where to run and were looking for the right place to get the reward. We think they may not actually need as much training because they can interact with their environment in such a way.” Simulating overhead threats for the first time Next, the researchers used goggles to simulate overhead threats. This was not possible with the current system. Since the hardware for the imaging technology is already on top of the mouse, there is no place to attach a computer screen. But the skies above rats are often where animals are searching for important, sometimes life-or-death information. “The upper part of the visual field in mice is very sensitive to detecting predators from above, like in birds,” said co-first author Dom Pinke, a research specialist in Dombeck’s lab. . “It’s not a learned behavior. It’s an imprinted behavior. It’s hardwired into the mouse’s brain.” To create the looming threat, the researchers projected a dark, expanding disk onto the top of the goggles and above the mouse’s field of view. In experiments, mice ran faster and froze up when they noticed the disc. Both behaviors are common responses to overhead threats. Researchers were able to record neural activity to study these responses in detail. “In the future, we would like to investigate situations in which rats are predators rather than prey,” Issa said. “For example, we can observe brain activity while chasing a fly. This activity involves a lot of depth perception and distance estimation. Those are things we can start to capture. is.” Accessibility in neurobiological research Dombeck hopes the goggles will not only open the door to further research, but also to new researchers. He believes the goggles could make neurobiology research more accessible because they are relatively inexpensive and require less intensive laboratory preparation. “Traditional VR systems are very complex,” Dombeck says. “It’s expensive and it’s big. You need a large lab with plenty of space. Additionally, the long time it takes to train a mouse to perform a task limits the number of experiments you can perform. Although we are still working on improvements, our goggles are small, relatively inexpensive, and also very easy to use. This could make VR technology available to other labs. There is a gender.” References: “Full-field virtual reality goggles for mice” by Domonkos Pinke, John B. Issa, Gabriel A. Dara, Gergely Dobos, Daniel A. Dombeck, December 8, 2023. neuron.DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.11.019 This research “Full-field virtual reality goggles for mice” National Institutes of Health (Award Number R01-MH101297), the National Science Foundation (Award Number ECCS-1835389), the Hartwell Foundation, and the Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation. (function(d, s, id){
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Source: scitechdaily.com

“Unconscious Brain Activity and Epileptic Seizures: The Role of Sleep Brain Waves”

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

A new study has found that the slow brain waves typical of sleep occur in epilepsy patients when they are awake, helping to prevent the brain from becoming more excited. These waves reduce epileptic activity while negatively impacting memory, suggesting a potential new therapeutic approach for epilepsy.

UCL researchers have found that slow brain waves commonly seen during sleep occur in epilepsy patients while they are awake, preventing seizures but affecting memory, suggesting a new potential treatment for epilepsy. are doing.

A new study led by researchers at University College London (UCL) has found that slow waves, which normally occur only in the brain during sleep, also occur when epilepsy patients are awake, and show that slow waves, which are associated with epilepsy symptoms, can also occur in the brain during sleep. It was found that there is a possibility of preventing increased excitement.

Methodology and findings

The study was published today (November 30) in the journal nature communications The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) UCLH Biomedical Research Center also took part in conducting electroencephalogram (EEG) scans from electrodes in the brains of 25 patients with focal epilepsy (a type of epilepsy characterized by seizures originating from specific parts of the brain). was inspected. brain), they performed an associative memory task.

Electrodes were placed in the patient’s brain to localize abnormal activity and inform surgical treatment.

During the task, participants were presented with 27 pairs of images that remained on the screen for 6 seconds. The images are divided into nine groups of three, and each group contains photos of people, places, and objects. In each case, participants had to remember which images were grouped together. EEG data were recorded continuously throughout the task.

After reviewing EEG data, the researchers found that the brains of people with epilepsy produce slow waves lasting less than a second while they are awake and participating in tasks.

The occurrence of these “awakening” slow waves increased in response to increased brain excitability, reducing the influence of epileptic spikes on brain activity.

In particular, it reduces the “firing” of nerve cells, which the researchers say can prevent epileptic activity.

Implications and future research

Lead author Professor Matthew Walker (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) said: “Sleep is crucial for repairing, maintaining, and resetting brain activity. When we are awake, our brains gradually become more excitable, which recovers during sleep.

“Recent research has shown that a specific form of brain activity, namely slow waves during sleep, plays an important role in these restorative functions. We believe that these ‘sleep’ slow waves , we wanted to consider whether this could occur during wakefulness in response to the abnormal increase in brain activity associated with epilepsy.

“This study reveals for the first time ‘arousal’ slow waves, a potential protective mechanism used by the brain to counter epileptic activity. This mechanism takes advantage of brain defense activity that normally occurs during sleep, but can also occur during wakefulness in epileptic patients. ”

As part of the study, the team also wanted to test whether the occurrence of “awake” slow waves had a negative impact on cognitive function.

Researchers found that during memory tasks, “awake” slow waves reduced neuronal activity, thus affecting cognitive performance and increasing the time patients needed to complete the task.

The researchers reported that for every additional slow wave per second, reaction time increased by 0.56 seconds.

Professor Walker said: “This observation suggests that the cognitive impairments experienced by epilepsy patients, particularly memory impairments, may be due in part to short-term impairments caused by these slow waves. “

The research team hopes that future studies will increase such activity as a potential new treatment for epilepsy patients.

Lead author Dr Laurent Sheibany (UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology) said:

“Our study suggests that naturally occurring activity is utilized by the brain to offset pathological activity. However, slow waves of ‘wake’ may have no effect on memory performance. This comes at a cost because we know we give.

“From a purely neurobiological perspective, this study also supports the idea that sleep activity does not occur uniformly throughout the brain, but may occur in specific regions of the brain.”

Reference: “Awakening slow waves in focal human epilepsy affect network activity and cognition” November 29, 2023 nature communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42971-3

This research was funded by the Medical Research Council, Wellcome, UCLH Biomedical Research Center and the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Neuroscientists analyze brain scans of soccer fans to research passionate devotion

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Football is a great model of social belonging, promoting inclusivity, teamwork, community spirit, social change, and individual achievement. Still, collective factors may be the reason behind acts of violence and vandalism. In a new study, neuroscientists at the University of San Sebastian investigate the brain mechanisms underlying positive and negative social stimuli in soccer fans in positive and negative social scenarios.

Mendieta other. fMRI was used to measure the brain activity of fans of rival soccer teams during a match. This image shows the contrast between winning and losing in the “good fanatic’s brain.” Activities related to important victories are shown in warm colors. The blue scale represents activations associated with significant losses. This pattern is consistent with a mentalization network suggesting a pain rationalization process triggered by a losing scenario. Image credit: Mendieta other.

“Our study aims to uncover the behaviors and dynamics associated with extreme competitiveness, aggression, and social belonging within and between fans’ groups,” said the first author. Dr. Francisco Zamorano Mendietaa researcher at the University of San Sebastian.

Rivalries are deeply rooted in the history of sports, and fans can be very protective of their “home” team and favorite players.

These same fans run through a range of emotions as they watch their team succeed or fail during a game, cheering when they score or being furious at a bad call.

Soccer fans are known for their loyalty and enthusiasm for their team, especially in Europe and South America.

To gain insight into the brain mechanisms behind fan behavior, Dr. Zamorano and his colleagues recruited 43 healthy male volunteers for a functional MRI (fMRI) study.

Participants are fans of Chile’s two most popular soccer teams, which are considered arch-rivals.

They were divided into two groups: 22 supporters of one team and 21 supporters of the rival team.

They completed a survey to determine their Soccer Enthusiasm Score and underwent a psychological evaluation.

All participants received an edited version of the match containing 63 goals.

While participants watched a compilation of matches, their brain activity was measured using fMRI, a non-invasive imaging technique that detects changes in blood flow in the brain.

The fMRI results showed that fans’ brain activity changed depending on whether their team was successful or unsuccessful.

“When your team wins, the reward system in your brain is activated,” Dr. Zamorano says.

“Losing activates the mentalization network, putting fans into a reflective state, which may alleviate some of the pain of the loss.”

“We also observed that the brain hub connecting the limbic system and frontal cortex was disrupted, disrupting mechanisms that regulate cognitive control and increasing the likelihood of destructive or violent behavior. .”

The research team’s findings could shed light on social dynamics at all levels.

“People inherently crave social connection, whether it’s membership in a running club, participation in a book discussion group, or participation in a virtual forum,” Dr. Zamorano said.

“These social bonds are often formed around shared beliefs, values and interests, but there can also be elements of persuasive proselytism, or ‘groupthink’; That can lead to irrational beliefs and social discord.”

“The enthusiasm we see among some sports fans can serve as a convincing example of intense emotional investment, occasional aggressive behavior, and a decline in rationality.”

“Understanding the psychology of group identification and competition sheds light on decision-making processes and social dynamics, allowing us to more fully understand how societies operate.”

Authors present their work findings this month, Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Annual Meeting.

_____

Francisco Zamorano Mendieta other. Brain mechanisms underlying emotional responses in social pain. Football as a surrogate for studying fanaticism: an fMRI study. RSNA 2023

Source: www.sci.news

Unprecedented Level of Internal Structure Exposed by Groundbreaking Human Brain ‘Atlas’

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Global collaboration has led to the creation of the world’s most comprehensive primate brain atlas, consisting of 4.2 million cells. This atlas has provided insights into region-specific functions, associations with neurological diseases, and has guided future brain research and disease intervention. The project aims to explore the evolution of the human brain and discover new targets for disease treatment. The initiative, known as the “Brain Initiative Cell Census Network” project by the National Institutes of Health, has been working towards mapping the cell groups and understanding their functions for over 21 years. The recent breakthrough discovery has allowed scientists to gain a deeper understanding of the brain and the medical mysteries behind disorders such as autism and depression. The research team, led by scientists from Arizona State University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Washington, and the Brotman Beatty Institute, created the largest atlas of the primate brain to date. The atlas consists of profiles of over 4 million cells, providing valuable information on the evolution of human cognition and behavior, as well as the occurrence of neurological diseases. The data collected has been made publicly available for the scientific community and the general public. The research team utilized state-of-the-art single-cell techniques and analyzed gene expression and DNA regulatory regions to identify molecularly distinct brain cell types and their functional characteristics. They also investigated the genetic architecture of neurological disease risk at the cellular level. The atlas serves as a crucial resource for further research on the human brain and potential interventions for neurological diseases.

Source: scitechdaily.com

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AI technology capable of translating brain waves into text

Miniature VR goggles revolutionizing brain research

“Unconscious Brain Activity and Epileptic Seizures: The Role of Sleep Brain Waves”

Methodology and findings

Implications and future research

Neuroscientists analyze brain scans of soccer fans to research passionate devotion

Unprecedented Level of Internal Structure Exposed by Groundbreaking Human Brain ‘Atlas’