*Functional MRI before and after HBOT. Credit: The Shamir Medical Center*

Researchers have demonstrated that hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) improves the condition of PTSD sufferers who have not responded to psychotherapy or psychiatric medications.

Scientists have discovered for the first time a neural mechanism for memory integration that stretches across both time and personal experience. These findings, reported in Nature, demonstrate how memories stored in neural ensembles in the brain are constantly being updated and reorganized with salient information, and represent an important step in deciphering how our memories stay current with the most recently available information.

An international study has found frailty increases a person’s risk of dementia, but early intervention may be the key to prevention.

Neuroscientists have discovered brain cells that form multiple coordinate systems to tell us “where we are” in a sequence of behaviours. The findings help us understand the algorithms used by the brain to flexibly generate complex behaviors, such as planning and reasoning, and might be useful in understanding how such processes go wrong in psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia.

New research finds that even single bouts of intense exercise can improve cognitive performance in young adults, particularly in memory, attention, and executive functioning.

By scanning the brains of people while they watched movie clips, neuroscientists have created the most detailed functional map of the brain to date. The fMRI analysis, published in Neuron, shows how different brain networks light up when participants viewed short clips from a range of independent and Hollywood films, including Inception, The Social Network, and Home Alone.

Asthma is associated with memory difficulties in children, and early onset of asthma may exacerbate memory deficits, according to a new study.

Older adults with significant fluctuations in cholesterol levels are at increased risk for dementia and cognitive decline, even without medication changes. Researchers studied nearly 10,000 older adults, tracking their cholesterol levels and cognitive function over six years. High variability in total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol was associated with a 60% increase in dementia and 23% increase in cognitive decline.

Scientists have successfully reprogrammed astroglia, a type of brain support cell, into neurons that mimic specific interneurons critical for brain function.

Exercise has been shown to improve brain health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia over the long-term. But engaging in everyday physical activity has immediate benefits for brain health, according to a new study.

A team of researchers has identified a potential biomarker of Parkinson’s disease progression.

New research highlights neuroglia (or glia cells) as critical players in mental health, potentially influencing conditions like depression and schizophrenia. Glia cells, long considered “support cells” in the brain, have now been shown to communicate through unique calcium signaling, impacting neuronal function and stress responses. Studies suggest that compromised astrocyte function, a glial cell type, may relate to depressive symptoms and schizophrenia.

Using deep brain stimulation techniques, neuroscientists are looking for early signals in the brain to help stop seizures.

A study investigated how cannabis use influences metabolomic patterns linked to psychotic-like experiences in adolescents. Blood samples revealed that non-cannabis users showed inflammatory metabolic changes associated with hallucinations, while cannabis users exhibited shifts in energy-related metabolites tied to brain ketogenesis.

Finally this week, a new study links satellite data with brain imaging to reveal how environmental factors like light pollution, green spaces, and urban density affect the mental health and brain development of children.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

November 1, 2024Leave a comment

Scientists have identified how depression alters the brain’s response to positive and negative stimuli, particularly in the amygdala, a key emotional processing center. The study found that depression reduces neural activity linked to positive perceptions while increasing it for negative perceptions.

People with atrial fibrillation (AF) who have a stroke could benefit from blood thinning treatments, known as anticoagulants, at an earlier stage than is currently recommended, finds a new study.

Researchers from the University of Oxford have identified a key biochemical mechanism relevant to the development of Huntington’s disease. This discovery opens up the possibility of studying the disease before its clinical onset and eventually stopping its progression.

Childhood attention issues, coupled with genetic predispositions, increase the likelihood of experiencing psychotic-like symptoms in adolescence.

UCLA Health researchers have found that people who experienced discrimination had pro-inflammatory bacteria and gene activity in their gut microbiome that was different from those who did not experience discrimination. The researchers could also predict with 91% accuracy which study participants faced discrimination by only analyzing their gut microbiome using stool samples.

A new study links hundreds of brain proteins to differences in how brain regions communicate, revealing how microscale molecules can influence macroscale brain connectivity.

Lifetime cannabis use is associated with several changes in brain structure and function in later life, suggests an observational study, but these associations may not be causal, finds a genetic analysis of the same data, published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health. Meanwhile, new research shows that prenatal exposure to cannabis can negatively impact children’s thinking and behavioral skills, including impulse control, attention, and aggression.

A type of therapy that involves applying a magnetic field to both sides of the brain has been shown to be effective at rapidly treating depression in patients for whom standard treatments have been ineffective. The treatment—known as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)—involves placing an electromagnetic coil against the scalp to relay a high-frequency magnetic field to the brain.

Scientists have identified new cell clusters in the amygdala for anxiety treatment.

Just one or two sessions of physical activity at the weekend may be just as likely to lower the risk of cognitive decline, which can often precede dementia, as more frequent sessions, concludes research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

A new study finds a link between genetic markers and neuropathic pain.

Finally this week, ultrasound, once used almost exclusively to take images of the body, is quickly developing into a targeted therapy that can have a potentially life-changing impact on our brains, according to the authors of a new article.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

October 17, 2024Leave a comment

Researchers have demonstrated that the co-occurrence of depression and concussion was associated with significantly worse symptoms for both conditions.

A recent study has mapped how molecules in food interact with gut bacteria, revealing why people respond differently to the same diets. By examining 150 dietary compounds, researchers found that these molecules can reshape gut microbiomes in some individuals while having little effect in others. This breakthrough could enable personalized nutrition strategies to better manage health risks. The findings offer a deeper understanding of the gut microbiome’s role in health and disease.

Scientists have independently validated a new blood test platform that can simultaneously measure more than a hundred biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease.

A new computer simulation of how our brains develop and grow neurons has been built by scientists from the University of Surrey. Along with improving our understanding of how the brain works, researchers hope that the models will contribute to neurodegenerative disease research and, someday, stem cell research that helps regenerate brain tissue.

Brain endurance training (BET), a combined cognitive and exercise approach, has been shown to significantly improve cognitive and physical performance in older adults.

New research demonstrates that learning a second language enhances brain connectivity, particularly when started in childhood. Scientists found that bilingual individuals have more efficient communication between brain regions, notably between the cerebellum and left frontal cortex.

In a new study evaluating meditation for chronic lower back pain, researchers have discovered that men and women utilize different biological systems to relieve pain. While men relieve pain by releasing endogenous opioids, the body’s natural painkillers, women rely instead on other, non-opioid based pathways.

New research explores how traumatic brain injury may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

A study has identified mutations arising during brain development that may contribute to schizophrenia. Unlike inherited genes, these somatic mutations occur after conception and were found more frequently in schizophrenia patients’ brain tissue.

There is an imbalance in the gut flora of patients with epilepsy compared with healthy controls, according to a study published in the Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition.

Researchers have developed a breakthrough technology using magnetic fields to control specific brain circuits non-invasively, potentially transforming treatments for conditions like Parkinson’s and depression. This technique, termed “magnetogenetics,” delivers gene therapy to target neurons and uses magnetic fields to activate or inhibit them, allowing precise manipulation without invasive implants.

Bursts of exercise boost cognitive function according to new research.

A recent study reveals that specific brain cells respond not only to smells but also to images and written words related to those scents, providing deeper insight into human odour perception. Researchers found that neurons in the olfactory cortex and other brain regions, like the hippocampus and amygdala, distinguish between different smells and associate them with visual cues.

A collaborative study has identified genetic mutations that occur during brain development and may contribute to the development of schizophrenia.

A research team has published a randomized clinical trial demonstrating for the first time that a multidisciplinary approach integrating specific physiotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy is effective in improving the symptoms and physical aspects of the quality of life of patients with functional movement disorders.

Finally this week, scientists have discovered an unexpected link between genes involved in human brain evolution and developmental disorders.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

September 6, 2024Leave a comment

*Three modes of salience network expansion in depression. Credit: Nature (2024)*

By repeatedly scanning the brains of a small group of patients for a year and a half, researchers have identified a distinct pattern of neuronal interactions that appears to predispose some people to developing depression.

A new study reveals that higher levels of inequality—whether economic, environmental, or health-related—are associated with faster brain aging, particularly in countries with greater disparities.

Researchers have published a new clinical protocol examining the combination of aerobic exercise and cognitive rehabilitation to improve learning and memory in individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) who have mobility disability.

A new study reveals that the protein Tau – a key player implicated in several neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer’s disease – also plays a positive role in the brain.

Scientists have revealed new insights into the mechanisms behind cerebral small vessel disease, a condition that affects the smaller blood vessels in the brain and causes approximately half of all dementia cases.

Sports-related concussions may not be associated with long-term cognitive risks for non-professional athletes, a new study suggests.

Researchers have discovered that the Tau protein, often linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, also has a protective role in the brain. Tau helps combat oxidative stress by aiding in the formation of lipid droplets in glial cells, which sequester toxic lipids and protect neurons.

Scientists have developed an integrated optical sensor capable of detecting dopamine directly from an unprocessed blood sample.

A recent study has mapped genes linked to schizophrenia and uncovered a mechanism that disrupts synaptic plasticity in affected individuals. The researchers showed the role of three proteins in mediating the impairments of plasticity in schizophrenia. The findings may hold promise for the development of new treatments.

Finally this week, researchers have identified a protein called OSER1 that plays a key role in regulating longevity, offering new insights into why some people live longer than others.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

August 24, 2024Leave a comment

*Credit: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2024)*

Scientists have determined that more than 60% of people who contracted COVID-19 have neurological symptoms that impact their cognitive function and quality of life, even two and three years after COVID-19.

Lip-read words can be decoded from the brain’s auditory regions similarly to heard speech, according to a new report that looked at how vision supports verbal perception.

Exercising is healthy, but not always appealing. Now research may have found a “switch” that activates the desire to get moving, as it shows that during exercise the muscle activates proteins which encourage further activity. The paper is published in Science Advances.

Researchers have demonstrated that a simple blood test that reflects brain health can predict which people are most at risk of suffering a stroke.

Our brain interprets visual information by combining what we see with what we already know. A study published in the journal Neuron, reveals a mechanism for learning and storing this existing knowledge about the world.

A newly developed brain-computer interface translates brain signals into speech with up to 97% accuracy, making it the most precise system of its kind.

Researchers have discovered that spontaneous brain activity during early development drives neural wiring before sensory experiences shape the brain. This spontaneous activity in neurons strengthens connections, following Hebb’s rule, where “cells that fire together wire together.”

According to new research, cognitive impairments in psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are linked to brain network organization.

A recently published study has unveiled significant findings that could enhance brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies, marking a crucial step towards more intuitive neuroprosthetic control and advanced rehabilitation therapies.

Researchers have discovered that the hippocampus stores multiple copies of a single memory, each within different neuron groups that develop at different stages.

Scientists have developed a promising preventative therapeutic approach against Alzheimer’s disease, targeting the amyloid beta biomolecule that typically triggers nerve cell hyperactivity in the early stages of the brain disease.

A new study finds that COVID-19 proteins left in the brain may lower cortisol levels, leading to heightened inflammation and an exaggerated response to stressors.

Through a large-scale brain imaging study, an international research team has identified five patterns of age-related degeneration in older people experiencing mental decline. In their study, the team conducted the multi-year study of thousands of MRI scans using machine learning applications to find patterns in brain degeneration as people age.

A new machine learning model, AutMedAI, can predict autism in children under two with nearly 80% accuracy, offering a promising tool for early detection and intervention.

Researchers have discovered the neurons responsible for “item memory,” deepening our understanding of how the brain stores and retrieves the details of “what” happened and offering a new target for treating Alzheimer’s disease.

Contrary to previous research, a new study of female participants finds no link between migraine and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing serious mental health disorders including psychosis and depression in early adulthood, according to a study published today in JAMA Psychiatry.

Researchers have identified a link between brain overgrowth and the severity of social and communication symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder.

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) are far less likely than those without the condition to have the molecular hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research. The discovery suggests a new avenue of research through which to seek Alzheimer’s treatment.

Scientists have discovered a new method to regulate the receptors responsible for the sense of touch, potentially leading to more effective treatments for chronic pain.

Researchers have found that nondeceptive placebos—placebos given with the full knowledge that they are placebos—can effectively manage stress, even when administered remotely. In a two-week randomized controlled trial, participants experiencing prolonged stress were divided into two groups: one group received nondeceptive placebos, while the other served as a control.

Return to work two years after a breast cancer diagnosis is associated with higher cognitive speed performance before and after treatment, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Researchers have discovered a mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that enhances its ability to infect the central nervous system, potentially explaining neurological symptoms and long COVID. The mutation was found to allow the virus to better infiltrate the brain, with implications for future treatments targeting COVID-19’s effects on the brain.

Finally, this week, while everyone knows that a good night’s sleep restores energy, a new study finds it resets another vital function: memory.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

July 12, 2024July 13, 2024Leave a comment

*Distribution of cholesterol in the human brain. Credit: Maria Osetrova*

Scientists have found that 93% of the lipids in brain tissue are distributed differently in the white and gray matter, the subcortex, the visual and motor cortices, and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making, social behavior, and other functions.

Researchers have shown how glial cells are reprogrammed into neurons via epigenetic modifications.

Young adults who have higher levels of inflammation, which is associated with obesity, physical inactivity, chronic illness, stress and smoking, may experience reduced cognitive function in midlife, a new study has found.

A paper recently published in Nature Communications advances our understanding of how the brain responds to emotionally charged objects and scenes.

A new study finds that higher inflammation in young adulthood is associated with reduced cognitive function in midlife. Inflammation due to factors like obesity and smoking can impact memory and processing speed. This link, previously noted in older adults, now extends to early adulthood, suggesting long-term brain health effects. Reducing inflammation through lifestyle changes may help prevent cognitive decline.

Researchers have discovered why migraines are often one-sided, revealing that proteins released during aura are carried to pain-signaling nerves via cerebrospinal fluid.

A recent study has pinpointed brain regions associated with mood fluctuations and pleasure responses in bipolar disorder. The findings revealed that people with bipolar disorder show heightened activity in the ventral striatum during rewards, explaining extreme mood shifts.

In groundbreaking research, scientists have determined the structure of molecules within a human brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

A global research team has discovered a gene whose variants potentially cause neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) in hundreds of thousands of people across the world. The findings published in Nature, are an exciting first step towards the development of future treatments for the disorders which have devastating impacts on learning, behavior, speech, and movement.

A longitudinal study has found that high-intensity interval exercise improves brain function in older adults for up to five years.

A new research collaboration has harnessed a powerful machine learning model to predict concussion status in patients.

A new study shows that human biases in handedness and visual field processing have social and cognitive implications. Researchers found that people with a reversed bias (left hand, right visual) are more likely to have social difficulties and conditions like autism or ADHD.

A recent study sheds light on how the brain adapts hearing in different listening situations.

Finally this week, a study investigating the effect of sleep on brain performance has found a link between an individual’s preference for morning or evening activity and their brain function, suggesting that self-declared “night owls” generally tend to have higher cognitive scores.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

May 17, 2024May 17, 2024Leave a comment

Researchers at University of Cambridge and other institutes worldwide recently carried out a study that linked gene expression in healthy brains to the imaging, transcriptomics and genetics of autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia. Their paper, published in Nature Neuroscience, unveiled three distinct spatial patterns of cortical gene expression each with specific associations to autism and schizophrenia

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology suggests that physical activity may reduce cardiovascular disease risk by lowering stress-related brain activity.

A team of researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and Yale University incorporated generative artificial intelligence (AI) to create a foundational model for brain activity. The Brain Language Model (BrainLM) was developed to model the brain in silico and to determine how brain activities are related to human behavior and brain diseases.

Using MRI, engineers have found a way to detect light deep in the brain.

Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one or divorce, put a person at greater risk of developing dementia in later life, a recent study has found. But only if the stressful event happened in childhood or midlife.

Our brains process odours differently depending on the names assigned to them, according to new research.

People with neurological disease have a greater chance of death after contracting COVID-19, according to a new study. The research also confirms a higher risk of developing new neurological disorders after COVID infection.

Children who experience chronic lack of sleep from infancy may be at increased risk of developing psychosis in early adulthood, new research shows.

A team of brain specialists at the California Institute of Technology has developed a brain–computer interface approach to decode words “spoken” entirely in the brain by recording signals from individual neurons in real time.

A new study shows that the cerebellum is involved in processing emotions, with implications for ataxia care.

A research team has revealed the link between the frequency of sleep apnea events during the rapid-eye-movement stage and the severity of verbal memory impairment in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Verbal memory refers to the cognitive ability to retain and recall information presented through spoken words or written text and is particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.

Results from a recent neuroplasticity study show how singing rehabilitates speech production in post-stroke aphasia.

For the first time, researchers have succeeded in explaining the propagation of traveling waves of activity in the human brain using a computer simulation. Previous studies indicate that these waves are important for various cognitive functions such as memory.

A new publication in Scientific Reports unveils a promising non-opioid pain treatment.

Repeated blows to the heads of football players can damage the small blood vessels of the brain, according to research by scientists who believe this damage may contribute to brain dysfunction in some athletes years after play has ended.

New research has shed light in the complex interplay between cell proteins, and how they impact on neurons in neurodevelopmental disorders and Alzheimer’s disease.

Artificial intelligence (AI) computer programs that process MRI results show differences in how the brains of men and women are organized at a cellular level, a new study shows. These variations were spotted in white matter, tissue primarily located in the human brain’s innermost layer, which fosters communication between regions.

Finally, this week, climate change, and its effects on weather patterns and adverse weather events is likely to negatively affect the health of people with brain conditions.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

April 26, 2024Leave a comment

*Vertex-wise comparisons between ADHD (N = 60) and controls (N = 23), and between ADHD responders (N = 42) and non-responders (N = 18). Credit: Nature Mental Health (2024).*

New research has found that the effectiveness of ADHD medication may be associated with an individual’s neuroanatomy.

Although there are still some aspects pending confirmation for its use in the clinical setting, and its resolution needs to be improved slightly, a new study has shown that a method routinely used to carry out ophthalmological tests can also be used to monitor the neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson’s patients.

Scientists have uncovered a mechanism in the brain that allows cocaine and morphine to take over natural reward processing systems.

New research has identified a specific pattern of autoantibodies in the blood that precedes the clinical onset of multiple sclerosis (MS), potentially paving the way for early diagnosis and treatment. Their study found that 10% of MS patients displayed a unique set of autoantibodies against both human proteins and common pathogens like the Epstein-Barr Virus years before showing symptoms.

Researchers have identified a promising new approach to treating persistent neurological symptoms associated with Lyme disease.

A new study investigates why everyday actions like locking a door are often forgotten. The study revealed that while emotionally charged or unique events are initially memorable, even these can fade within 24 hours, particularly positive experiences. This research provides insight into the selective nature of memory and suggests that our brains prioritize and even forget information to manage cognitive load.

Managing a stroke patient’s blood sugar levels after they receive powerful clot-busting drugs might help them survive their health crisis, a new trial finds.

Researchers have created a thin film that combines an electrode grid and LEDs that can both track and produce a visual representation of the brain’s activity in real time during surgery. The device is designed to provide neurosurgeons with visual information about a patient’s brain to monitor brain states during surgical interventions to remove brain lesions including tumors and epileptic tissue.

A new study identifies a new metric for diagnosing autism.

New research has found a significant association between participating in low to moderate intensity exercise and reduced rates of depression. However, this was not strongly observed for high-intensity exercise. Physical activity was also significantly associated with reduced risk of severe mental health conditions, including a reduction in psychosis/schizophrenia by 27%.

An international collaborative research team has discovered a novel mechanism underlying memory involving rapid changes in a specific DNA structure.

People who take acid-reducing drugs may have a higher risk of migraine and other severe headache than people who do not take these medications, according to a study published in the online issue of Neurology Clinical Practice.

Finally this week, new research has highlighted the profound link between dietary choices and brain health.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

April 19, 2024Leave a comment

Eye movements associated with blinks and their consequences on luminance transients. (A) Distributions of blink-induced gaze displacements. Data represent the offsets in horizontal (top) and vertical eye position (bottom) between the times at which the eyelid starts moving and its return to normal opening. (B) Contributions of eye movements to the strength of the luminance modulations caused by blinks. Credit: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Scientists at the University of Rochester, in the U.S., have found that eye blinking does more than simply wet the eyes—it also helps to keep vision sharp by maintaining the strength of visual signals.

A new study investigates the brain’s mechanisms behind deep focus. The research employs fMRI to explore low-frequency fluctuations in brain networks during focused and less-focused states. The team discovered that certain brain networks synchronize and desynchronize, affecting an individual’s ability to maintain attention. This insight into the dynamic nature of brain activity could lead to better strategies for enhancing focus and attention in various cognitive tasks.

New research indicates that physical activity lowers cardiovascular disease risk in part by reducing stress-related signaling in the brain.

Researchers released new findings on how sex and gender influence cognitive abilities. The research found that while spatial cognition correlates more with biological factors such as sex at birth and hormones, verbal cognition is more influenced by sociocultural factors like gender identity.

Scientists have published a study in Neuron that identified two types of interneurons, the inhibitory neurons of the brain, as instructors of a key developmental process in the brain.

A new study involving jazz guitarists has explored the brain processes that enable creative flow. The research reveals that achieving flow requires a solid foundation of expertise, after which one must learn to relax conscious control to allow creativity to flourish.

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking approach using Diffusion MRI to explore the brain structures of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

A new study emphasizes the importance of brain rhythms in understanding cognition. The research explores how rhythmic electrical fields, generated by neurons, influence and align neighboring neurons, enhancing cognitive function.

The harder your brain works at your job, the less likely you may be to have memory and thinking problems later in life, according to a new study published in Neurology.

Researchers have shed light on how individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) process emotions differently due to abnormalities in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. By using stereotactic electroencephalography (sEEG), they were able to observe how these brain regions react to positive and negative stimuli, revealing a significant imbalance in emotional processing.

A new study offers new insight into the development of the human forebrain.

Researchers have linked a region in the brain to how humans redirect thoughts and attention when distracted. The connection is important because it offers insights into the cognitive and behavioral side effects of a technique being used to treat patients with Parkinson’s disease.

Finally this week, some people with tough-to-treat epilepsy might benefit if doctors target a brain region newly linked to the disorder, a new study suggests.