AI SummaryUbadah Sabbagh, a postdoctoral associate at MIT’s McGovern Institute, recently became an American citizen after applying for citizenship for over a decade. Sabbagh, a Syrian national, is passionate about the intersection of science and society, and believes in making scientific knowledge accessible to the public. He conducts research on the thalamus and aims to… Continue reading One scientist’s journey from the Middle East to MIT
Tag: Sensory and Motor Systems
Dissociable Cognitive Systems for Recognizing Places and Navigating through Them: Developmental and Neuropsychological Evidence
AI SummaryRecent research suggests that the human brain has separate systems for recognizing places and navigating through them. The study tested these abilities in children and adults with Williams syndrome and found that visually guided navigation develops later than scene categorization and is impaired in adults with Williams syndrome, while scene categorization remains intact. These… Continue reading Dissociable Cognitive Systems for Recognizing Places and Navigating through Them: Developmental and Neuropsychological Evidence
Deficiency of Cullin 3, a Protein Encoded by a Schizophrenia and Autism Risk Gene, Impairs Behaviors by Enhancing the Excitability of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) DA Neurons
AI SummaryCullin 3 (CUL3) has been associated with schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder, but its function in the dopamine (DA) system is not well understood. Researchers have found that CUL3 is critical for the function of DA neurons in male mice, and its deficiency results in hyperactivity, memory deficits, increased sensitivity to psychostimulants, and enhanced… Continue reading Deficiency of Cullin 3, a Protein Encoded by a Schizophrenia and Autism Risk Gene, Impairs Behaviors by Enhancing the Excitability of Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) DA Neurons
Unpacking auditory hallucinations
AI SummaryTamar Regev, a postdoctoral fellow, has discovered a new neural system related to auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia. Regev aims to understand how this system, along with speech and language processing systems, may be impacted in neuropsychiatric disorders in order to develop interventions. She is using EEG and fMRI techniques to examine brain… Continue reading Unpacking auditory hallucinations
Translation dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases: a focus on ALS
RNA translation is tightly controlled in eukaryotic cells to regulate gene expression and maintain proteome homeostasis. RNA binding proteins, translation factors, and cell signaling pathways all modulate the …
Nucleocytoplasmic mRNA redistribution accompanies RNA binding protein mislocalization in ALS motor neurons and is restored by VCP ATPase inhibition
Ziff et al. uncover widespread mRNA redistribution and mislocalization of RNA-binding proteins in ALS motor neurons. Their study highlights the potential of VCP ATPase inhibition in partially restoring mRNA and protein distribution, providing insights into ALS pathogenesis and a promising therapeutic target.
When computer vision works more like a brain, it sees more like people do
AI SummaryResearchers from MIT and IBM have trained an artificial neural network to process visual information in the same way the brain does, resulting in a computer vision model that is more robust and closely matches human perception. The model was trained using neural activity patterns from the primate brain’s inferior temporal cortex, improving its… Continue reading When computer vision works more like a brain, it sees more like people do
[In Context] From film to philanthropy
What is it like to be diagnosed with an incurable movement disorder as a young adult? When should you tell people about your illness? How does the diagnosis affect your mental state? Or your close relationships? Still: A Michael J Fox Movie provides an open and honest insight into these challenges, in the words of… Continue reading [In Context] From film to philanthropy
40 Hz vibrations reduce Alzheimer’s pathology, symptoms in mouse models
AI SummaryEvidence from a new study conducted by MIT scientists demonstrates that noninvasive tactile stimulation at a frequency of 40 Hz can improve brain health and motor function in mice models of Alzheimer’s disease, while also reducing levels of phosphorylated tau protein, preventing neuron death, and reducing neural DNA damage. The study suggests that tactile… Continue reading 40 Hz vibrations reduce Alzheimer’s pathology, symptoms in mouse models
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