Weekly Neuroscience Update

October 26, 2024Leave a comment

*Cerebral networks and reciprocal connectivity between the cerebellum and cerebrum, supporting social and emotional learning. Credit: Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2024).*

A recent publication in Nature Reviews Neuroscience sheds light on the often-overlooked role of the cerebellum in both motor and social-cognitive processes.

New research has shown that Alzheimer’s disease impacts the brain in two primary phases: an early, gradual phase that damages select cell types and a late phase marked by rapid, widespread damage as symptoms emerge.

Playing video games may boost your cognitive abilities and exercise can improve your mental health, but not the other way around, a large-scale study has found.

A large meta-analysis of over 600,000 people shows that experiencing loneliness significantly raises the risk of developing dementia by 31%. Researchers found that loneliness is a key factor in cognitive decline, contributing to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, regardless of age or sex.

Researchers have found that senescent cells—non-dividing “zombie” cells—accumulate in the skin as people age and may influence aging in other parts of the body.

A new study reveals that visual clutter alters how information flows between neurons in the brain’s primary visual cortex, but not the order in which it’s processed. Researchers found that the efficiency of information transfer changes depending on the location of clutter in the visual field.

An innovative study, published in Nature Communications, reveals the mechanism behind two seemingly contradictory effects of fear memories: the inability to forget yet the difficulty to recall.

After only one to three days of a whiplash injury, scientists can predict which patients will develop chronic pain based on the extent of cross “talk” between two regions of the brain, and the person’s anxiety level after the injury, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study.

Women who began an aerobic exercise program during chemotherapy for breast cancer reported improved cognitive function and quality of life compared to those who received standard care.

A new study reveals that setting reminders can eliminate some age-related declines in memory. The findings offer a significant breakthrough in addressing the cognitive challenges faced by older adults, particularly in the context of prospective memory, which is the ability to remember to perform an intended action at the right moment, like taking medication or attending appointments.

Concussion researchers have recognized a new concussion sign that could identify up to 33% of undiagnosed concussions.

In a study published in the journal Bilingualism: Language and Cognition, Concordia researchers use neuroimaging methods to examine brain resilience in regions of the brain linked to language and aging. They found that the hippocampus in bilinguals with Alzheimer’s disease was noticeably larger than those who were monolingual when matched for age, education, cognitive function and memory.

People in early middle age who have poor sleep quality, including having difficulty falling or staying asleep, have more signs of poor brain health in late middle age, according to a recent study.

New research shows that prolonged mental exertion weakens connectivity between the brain’s frontal and parietal lobes, impacting cognitive efficiency. However, the brain has built-in compensatory mechanisms that adjust neural connections to preserve function under fatigue.

Finally this week, cannabis use may lead to thinning of the cerebral cortex in adolescents, according to a recent study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

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

April 5, 2024April 5, 2024Leave a comment

To the left of the figure, the red-yellow color denotes the regions that degenerate earlier than the rest of the brain, and are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. These brain areas are higher-order regions that process and combine information coming from our different senses. To the right of the figure, each dot represents the brain data from one UK Biobank participant. The overall curve shows that, in these particularly fragile regions of the brain, there is accelerated degeneration with age. Credit: G. Douaud and J. Manuello.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigated the genetic and modifiable influences on fragile brain regions by looking at the brain scans of 40,000 UK Biobank participants aged over 45.

Scientists have shown for the first time that a type of thinking that has been described for over a century as a developmental milestone of adolescence may grow teenagers’ brains over time.

A team of neurologists, stem cell specialists and molecular biologists affiliated with several institutions in the U.S. and led by a group at Stanford University School of Medicine has found evidence that the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease may be fat buildup in brain cells. The study is published in the journal Nature.

New research highlights the critical role of unique gut bacteria in newborns, producing serotonin to educate immune cells and prevent allergic reactions early in life.

People continuously exposed to bright, artificial light at night may be at increased risk of developing conditions that affect blood flow to the brain and having a stroke, according to research published in Stroke.

Researchers reveal new findings on the complexity of age-related memory decline and neural dedifferentiation, challenging existing theories on cognitive aging.

A new study has found that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) exhibit strikingly similar cellular and molecular characteristics, despite affecting different brain regions and showing distinct clinical symptoms.

New research reveals how the human brain processes vital signals from the heart and lungs, offering new insights into the complex brain-body integration essential for health and cognition.

In a new study, AI processed text from health histories and neurologic examinations to locate lesions in the brain. The study, which looked specifically at the large language model called generative pre-trained transformer 4 (GPT-4), is published in the online issue of Neurology Clinical Practice.

New research shows that disturbed gut flora during the first years of life is associated with diagnoses such as autism and ADHD later in life.

Bilingualism may serve as a powerful tool against age-related cognitive decline, particularly in social cognition areas such as the theory of mind. A new study demonstrates that early bilingualism leads to beneficial structural changes in the brain, including increased gray matter volume and cortical thickness, which contribute to a stronger cognitive reserve.

In a study published in Nature Mental Health, scientists have found that individuals suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) may face a higher risk of brain aging.

A new analysis involving over 13,000 people has found changes to blood vessels in the brain that can increase the risk of stroke and dementia are common in people with a range of heart conditions, regardless of whether they have experienced a stroke.

A Canadian-led study has identified genes that may be partially responsible for the development of cerebral palsy.

Researchers have introduced a new, refined method for analyzing brain signals, enhancing our understanding of brain functionality. This research has the potential to improve treatments for neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, pain, epilepsy and depression.

A study reveals that Lewy body disease, a major neurodegenerative disorder, may start developing in individuals as early as middle age, well before symptoms manifest.

Researchers have shown that the brain chemical GABA regulates activity in the retina of the eye in autistic and non-autistic individuals differently. Autistic people have larger responses to single light flashes in the retina of the eye and this new study shows that increasing GABA activity can reduce this response.

Finally this week, a study by the University of Sheffield has cast doubt on the efficacy of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques in improving visual working memory.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

December 16, 2022Leave a comment

New research suggests that the brain of a bilingual person who knows two alphabets is different from that of a bilingual person who only knows one alphabet. The differences occur in a region called the visual word form area (VWFA).

A new study reports chronic infections of the upper gastrointestinal tract could be linked to Parkinson’s disease. Researchers say alpha synuclein, a Parkinson’s linked protein, is released during upper GI infections, inducing an immune response. Findings suggest frequent chronic infections could overwhelm the body’s ability to remove the protein, leading to the onset of Parkinson’s.

New research has found significant changes in fathers’ brains between the prenatal and the postpartum period. The main changes occurred in cortical areas associated with visual processing, attention, and empathy toward their baby.

A novel deep learning method that uses graph convolutional neural networks (gCNNs) can predict cognitive function based on the brain’s size and structure. The algorithm may provide insights into the relationship between brain morphology and different cognitive functions, as well as declines in cognitive function.

A study led by researchers at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute links psychological trauma in childhood with an increased risk of developing some kind of mental disorder years later.

Music can induce a range of emotions and help us to better understand different cultures. But what is it that makes us tune in to some songs more than others? Researchers say when we listen to a song, our brains predict what happens next, and that prediction dictates whether we like that song or not.

Finally this week, a new study published by University of Oxford researchers in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, shows that although many school-age adolescents are spending considerable time gaming, it is not having a negative impact on their well-being.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

June 1, 2019June 1, 2019Leave a comment

New neurons continue to be formed in the hippocampus into the tenth decade of life, even in people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. The image is credited to Orly Lazarov, et al.

Hippocampal neurogenesis continues to occur well into old age, and in those with Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found evidence of neurogenesis in people up to the age of 99. While neurogenesis continues to occur in those with Alzheimer’s disease, it is significantly reduced compared to those who have normal cognitive function.

Using non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation to target the left rostrolateral prefrontal cortex improves memory retrieval.

People who have bipolar disorder may be more likely to later develop Parkinson’s disease than people who do not have bipolar disorder, according to a new study.

Cells in the body are wired like computer chips to direct signals that instruct how they function, research suggests.

Chronic insomnia disorder, which affects approximately 10 percent of adults, has a direct negative impact on cognitive function of people aged 45 and over, independent of the effect of other health issues. This is the primary finding from an analysis of sleep data from the pan-Canadian cohort of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

Researchers have made an important advance in understanding the roles that gut bacteria play in human health.

People with mild cognitive impairment who had positive biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease in their cerebrospinal fluid performed worse on virtual reality navigation tasks. Virtual reality which incorporates navigational tasks could prove a helpful tool in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease for those at risk.

Optical illusions are helping researchers better understand attention and visual perception.

Finally, this week, while learning a second language has positive benefits for children, there is little evidence that bilingual children have more advanced executive function or improved attention over those who are monolingual.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

September 28, 2018September 28, 2018Leave a comment

Different gene variants ensure the diversity of neurons by chance. Image from University of Basel, Biozentrum.

A new mathematical model has shown how different gene variants enable random diversity in neurons.

Common genetic variants may underlie autism spectrum disorder and schizophrenia across human populations, according to a study appearing September 11th in the journal Cell Reports.

Researchers report learning rates are enhanced when conditioned stimuli is presented during resting phase of the cardiac cycle.

Cognitive neuroscientists have found out more about how the bilingual brains works, according to a new research paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

A new study reports environmentally induced epigenetic alterations have a greater impact on intelligence that previously believed.

Researchers have identified the variables that lead the brain to apply specific defensive strategies while under the threat of danger, and implicate a specific pair of neurons in this process.

Using AI technology, researchers provide new insight into how the human brain connects individual episodic memories to help solve problems.

A new study reports binge drinking affects gene expression in both males and females differently. In females who binge drink, genes linked to hormone signaling and immune function become altered, whereas in males, alterations occur to genes associated with nerve signaling.

Researchers report the brain controls speech production in a similar manner to how it controls the production of arm and hand movements.

Is pain treatment more helpful if it is provided by a person from our own social group, or is the help of a stranger more efficient? A study conducted by researchers from the Universities of Wuerzburg, Amsterdam and Zurich investigated this question and found that people experience a stronger pain relief if they are treated by a person that belongs to a different social group.

A new study unites cognitive science and information theory, reporting our brains are structured to make the best possible decisions given their limited resources.

Finally, this week, using EEG, researchers have identified smaller spikes in the P3 brain wave is associated with aggressive behavior in young children. The findings could help to diagnose toddlers with aggressive tendencies before their behaviors become ingrained, researchers say.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

February 6, 2015February 6, 2015Leave a comment

Brain scans of meditators and non-meditators. Areas of the brain affected by aging (in red) are fewer and less widespread in people who meditate, bottom row, than in people who don’t meditate. Negative correlations between local gray matter and age. Displayed are maximum intensity projections superimposed onto the SPM standard glass brain (sagittal, coronal, axial). Shown, in red, are significant negative age-related correlations within controls (top) and meditators (bottom). Significance profiles are corrected for multiple comparisons via controlling the family-wise error (FWE) rate at p ≤ 0.05. Note the less extended clusters in meditators compared to controls. Credit: Frontiers in Psychology.

New brain research findings suggest long-term meditation may lead to less age-related gray matter atrophy in the human brain.

A new study has revealed that many mental disorders share a common structure in the brain. Six conditions were examined and found to be connected by the loss of gray matter in three specific areas related to cognitive functions such as self-control.

A new paper argues that there is a widespread misunderstanding about the true nature of traumatic brain injury and how it causes chronic degenerative problems.

New research finds that there is not a single type of schizophrenia, as thought, but 8 different genetic diseases.

Scientists have discovered that babies of the age from 9 to 16 months remember the names of objects better if they had a short nap. And only after sleeping can they transfer learned names to similar new objects.

Cocaine addicted individuals may continue their habit despite unfavourable consequences like imprisonment or loss of relationships because their brain circuits responsible for predicting emotional loss are impaired, according to a study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.

Scientists have discovered how a ‘mini-brain’ in the spinal cord aids in balance.

UCLA neurophysicists have found that space-mapping neurons in the brain react differently to virtual reality than they do to real-world environments. Their findings could be significant for people who use virtual reality for gaming, military, commercial, scientific or other purposes.

New research has highlighted the structural improvements on the brain observed in bilingual people who immerse themselves in two languages.

Good sleep in young and middle-aged people helps boost memory up to 28 years later, a new review of the evidence finds.

For the first time, scientists have revealed a mechanism underlying the cellular degeneration of upper motor neurons, a small group of neurons in the brain recently shown to play a major role in ALS pathology.

Finally this week, we know that our existence depends on a bit of evolutionary genius aptly nicknamed “fight or flight.” But where in our brain does the alarm first go off, and what other parts of the brain are mobilized to express fear and remember to avoid danger in the future? New research sheds some light on this question.

Weekly Neuroscience Update

January 11, 2013January 11, 2013

In a small study of former NFL players, about one quarter were found to have “mild cognitive impairment,” or problems with thinking and memory, a rate slightly higher than expected in the general population.

Research at the University of Edinburgh tracked electrical signals in the part of the brain linked to spatial awareness. The study could help us understand how, if we know a room, we can go into it with our eyes shut and find our way around. This is closely related to the way we map out how to get from one place to another.

Scientists have long wondered how nerve cell activity in the brain’s hippocampus, the epicenter for learning and memory, is controlled — too much synaptic communication between neurons can trigger a seizure, and too little impairs information processing, promoting neurodegeneration. Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center say they now have an answer. In the January 10 issue of Neuron, they report that synapses that link two different groups of nerve cells in the hippocampus serve as a kind of “volume control,” keeping neuronal activity throughout that region at a steady, optimal level.

Seniors who have spoken two languages since childhood are faster than single-language speakers at switching from one task to another, according to a study published in the January 9 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. Compared to their monolingual peers, lifelong bilinguals also show different patterns of brain activity when making the switch, the study found.

Repression of a single protein in ordinary fibroblasts is sufficient to directly convert the cells – abundantly found in connective tissues – into functional neurons. The findings, which could have far-reaching implications for the development of new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, will be published online in advance of the January 17 issue of the journal Cell.