Researchers have shown why people with mental health disorders, including anorexia and panic disorders, experience physical signals differently. The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, found that the part of the brain which interprets physical signals from the body behaves differently in people with a range of mental health disorders, suggesting that it could be […]
Cloud computing expands brain sciences
People often think about human behavior in terms of what is happening in the present—reading a newspaper, driving a car, or catching a football. But other dimensions of behavior extend over weeks, months, and years. Examples include a child learning how to read; an athlete recovering from a concussion; or a person turning 50 and […]
Study examines brain scans of COVID-19 patients
In a Journal of Neuroimaging analysis of data obtained from 193 patients with COVID-19 who had brain and/or spine imaging and a lumbar puncture because of neurologic symptoms, investigators found that imaging results were related to the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in the cerebrospinal fluid. The results were called central nervous system hyperintense lesions and leptomeningeal […]
Human brain replays new memories at 20 times the speed during waking rest
Neural replay during waking rest may contribute to memory consolidation of action sequences in humans, according to a study published June 8 in the journal Cell Reports. Brain imaging results revealed fast, repeated reactivation of a neural network representing a behavioral sequence that people were learning—approximately 20 times the speed of the new memory—especially while […]
New algorithm could be an important step toward adaptive deep brain stimulation
By delivering small electrical pulses directly to the brain, deep brain stimulation (DBS) can ease tremors associated with Parkinson's disease or help relieve chronic pain. The technique works well for many patients, but researchers would like to make DBS devices that are a little smarter by adding the capability to sense activity in the brain […]
New data reveals higher incidence of severe stroke in COVID-positive people
Among people who have strokes and COVID-19, there is a higher incidence of severe stroke as well as stroke in younger people, according to new data from a multinational study group on COVID-19 and stroke, led by a team of Geisinger researchers. The COVID-19 Stroke Study Group's latest report, published in the journal Stroke, focused […]
UTokyo researchers study worms to understand the neuroplasticity of learning
As anyone who has ever procrastinated knows, remembering that you need to do something and acting on that knowledge are two different things. To understand how learning changes nerve cells and leads to different behaviors, researchers studied the much simpler nervous system of worms. "In this study, we can now translate neuronal activity to behavioral […]
Cocaine’s effect on the brain: Fruit fly research shows impact at the cellular level
New research from the Clemson University Center for Human Genetics has identified specific cell clusters in the brain of the common fruit fly affected by acute cocaine exposure, potentially laying the groundwork for the development of drugs to treat or prevent addiction in humans. While cocaine’s neurological effects are well known, the underlying genetic sensitivity […]
Scientists use anti-psychotics to treat flies displaying behavioral problems linked to schizophrenia-associated genes
Scientists have successfully treated flies displaying behavioral problems linked to newly discovered schizophrenia-associated genes in humans, using common anti-psychotics. Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition that is historically poorly understood and treated. It is relatively common, affecting one to two per cent of the population, and is known to be up to 80 […]
Here’s What Your Brain Looks Like During Sleep Paralysis
Sleep paralysis can be a frightening occurrence in which your brain wakes up but your body is still asleep. It’s a disconcerting feeling when your mind believes you are awake and you can see your dreams as if you are floating outside yourself (via Health). When you try to move, you can’t. And you can’t […]