AI SummaryResearchers at The Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT have conducted a comprehensive study on how serotonin affects behavior in the nematode worm C. elegans, which has similarities to the human brain. The study provides insights into the role of serotonin receptors and their complex interactions in controlling behavior, which could enhance… Continue reading From molecular to whole-brain scale in a simple animal, study reveals serotonin’s effects
Tag: Neuroanatomy and Structure
3 Questions: Sara Prescott on the brain-body connection
AI SummarySara Prescott, a faculty member in the Department of Biology at MIT, is researching the interoceptive nervous system and its role in detecting and responding to stimuli in the body. Her focus is on the mammalian airway and how neural pathways affect respiratory function and overall health. The goal of her research is to… Continue reading 3 Questions: Sara Prescott on the brain-body connection
Scientists discover how mutations in a language gene produce speech deficits
AI SummaryMutations in the gene Foxp2 have been linked to speech disorders, specifically apraxia. Researchers from MIT and National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University conducted a study on mice and found that these mutations disrupt the formation of dendrites and neuronal synapses in the brain, affecting the ability to produce high-frequency sounds. The mutations prevent… Continue reading Scientists discover how mutations in a language gene produce speech deficits
Scientists discover anatomical changes in the brains of the newly sighted
AI SummaryRecent research from MIT Professor Pawan Sinha reveals that there is a longer window of brain plasticity for visual tasks than previously believed, as older children with congenital cataracts can learn visual skills such as recognizing faces and distinguishing objects from a background after their sight is restored through surgery. The researchers have also… Continue reading Scientists discover anatomical changes in the brains of the newly sighted
Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s
AI SummaryNeurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease affects different brain regions unequally, with one of the first regions to show damage being the mammillary body in the hypothalamus. MIT researchers have identified a subset of neurons in the mammillary body that are most susceptible to neurodegeneration and hyperactivity, which leads to memory impairments. The findings suggest that… Continue reading Neuroscientists identify cells especially vulnerable to Alzheimer’s
3 Questions: Mriganka Sur on the research origins of the first approved drug to treat Rett syndrome
AI SummaryThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first-ever treatment for Rett syndrome, a devastating developmental disorder caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. The approval of the drug Trofinetide, based on the natural protein IGF-1, offers hope to patients and their families. Researchers, including Mriganka Sur at MIT, discovered the potential of… Continue reading 3 Questions: Mriganka Sur on the research origins of the first approved drug to treat Rett syndrome
Studies of unusual brains reveal critical insights into brain organization, function
E.G. (a pseudonym) is an accomplished woman in her early 60s: She is a college graduate and has an advanced professional degree. She has a stellar vocabulary — in the 98th percentile, according to tests — and has mastered a foreign language (Russian) to the point that she sometimes dreams in it. She also has,… Continue reading Studies of unusual brains reveal critical insights into brain organization, function
Sparse, small, but diverse neural connections help make perception reliable, efficient
AI SummaryThe thalamus, a region in the brain, plays a crucial role in communication with the cerebral cortex, but little is known about how this process works due to the lack of observed connections between the two regions. However, a new study by researchers at MIT has discovered that while the connections between the thalamus… Continue reading Sparse, small, but diverse neural connections help make perception reliable, efficient
This is your brain. This is your brain on code
AI SummaryFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used to study the brain activity of programmers as they comprehend and process code. The research found that different parts of the brain are activated when programmers evaluate code involving loops or branches, words or math, and code or descriptions. The study also showed that dynamic analysis… Continue reading This is your brain. This is your brain on code
Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits
AI SummaryEarly-stage clinical studies have found that 40-hertz sensory stimulation was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse effects and produced neurological and behavioral benefits among participants with Alzheimer’s disease. The studies are preliminary and more extensive research is needed to determine the efficacy of 40-hertz sensory stimulation as a potential therapeutic for Alzheimer’s.A pair of early-stage… Continue reading Small studies of 40-hertz sensory stimulation confirm safety, suggest Alzheimer’s benefits