Tag

Motor System

All articles tagged with #motor system

The Synchronized Dance: How Heartbeats Impact Brain Activity
neuroscience2 years ago

The Synchronized Dance: How Heartbeats Impact Brain Activity

New research has found that the phases of a heartbeat have a significant impact on brain and motor system excitability. The study used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to observe changes in cortical and corticospinal excitability across the cardiac cycle and found heightened excitability during the systolic phase. This discovery could potentially revolutionize treatments for depression and stroke by aligning them with the cardiac cycle for enhanced effectiveness.

The Surprising Link Between Dopamine and Movement
neuroscience2 years ago

The Surprising Link Between Dopamine and Movement

Researchers have discovered a genetic subtype of dopamine neurons that fires during movement, challenging the belief that dopamine neurons primarily respond to rewards. This finding has implications for understanding Parkinson's disease, which is characterized by the loss of dopamine neurons and affects the motor system. The study identified three genetic subtypes of dopamine neurons in a mouse model, with one subtype not responding to rewards but only to movement. This new understanding of dopamine function could lead to new avenues for Parkinson's disease research.