All articles tagged with #neural circuits
Researchers have developed iGluSnFR4, a highly sensitive protein sensor that can detect faint incoming glutamate signals between neurons in real time, enabling a deeper understanding of neural computation, brain communication, and potential insights into neurological disorders like Alzheimer's and autism.
Scientists found that human brain circuits produce ordered electrical patterns even before sensory experiences, suggesting that our brains are prewired with internal timing rules for understanding the world, as demonstrated through experiments on brain organoids and neonatal mouse slices.
The study provides a comprehensive transcriptomic and epigenomic atlas of mouse visual cortex development, revealing continuous cell-type diversification from embryonic to postnatal stages, with detailed trajectories for neuronal and glial cell types, enhancing understanding of cortical circuit formation.
Researchers discovered that nerve cells sensing limb motion in fruit flies are turned off during movement, allowing the brain to switch between stabilizing posture and enabling dynamic action. This neural circuit, involving interneurons, helps balance stability and movement, with potential implications for treating human motor disorders and injury recovery.
This study investigates how selective presynaptic inhibition modulates leg proprioception in behaving Drosophila, utilizing calcium imaging, connectomics, and computational modeling to understand neural mechanisms underlying sensorimotor control.
The study demonstrates that mice encode and utilize prior information across the entire brain during decision-making, with neural signals reflecting Bayesian priors that influence behavior, and these signals are distributed across cortical and subcortical regions, involving complex bidirectional information flow.
The study uncovers a novel amygdala–liver pathway that rapidly regulates blood glucose during stress independently of traditional hormonal systems, involving specific neurons in the medial amygdala projecting to the hypothalamus and liver, which are activated by stress and control hepatic glucose production. Repeated stress disrupts this circuit, linking chronic stress to metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes.
The study refines the understanding of the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (MPF), especially the dorsal peduncular cortex (DP), revealing its unique anatomy, cell types, and neural connectivity, including its role in autonomic and behavioral regulation through specific cortical, thalamic, hypothalamic, and brainstem pathways.
Scientists successfully transferred a nuptial gift-giving behavior from Drosophila subobscura to Drosophila melanogaster by manipulating a single gene, FruM, in insulin-producing brain cells, revealing how small genetic changes can repurpose existing neural circuits to create new social behaviors and offering insights into evolution and behavior modification.
Researchers in Japan successfully transferred a courtship behavior from one fruit fly species to another by activating a single gene in insulin-producing neurons, demonstrating that small genetic changes can lead to new behaviors and contribute to species differentiation.
A study reveals that evolution fine-tunes instinctive fear responses by adjusting the sensitivity of the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in the brain, leading forest mice to escape quickly and open-field mice to freeze, demonstrating how survival behaviors are adapted through modifications in existing neural pathways rather than new ones.
Recent studies reveal that bird and mammal intelligence evolved independently through different neural pathways, challenging traditional views and highlighting convergent evolution, which could inspire new AI development approaches.
New research reveals that fewer than 500 neurons in the brain are responsible for suppressing binge drinking, using advanced neurotechnologies to identify and manipulate these specific neural ensembles, which could lead to targeted therapies for alcohol addiction.
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine used zebrafish larvae to study how brainstem neurons guide gaze and maintain short-term memory. By mapping neuronal circuits, they developed a computational model that accurately predicted network activity, offering insights into visual-motor systems and potential treatments for eye movement disorders. The study highlights the zebrafish's simple neural anatomy as a valuable model for understanding complex brain functions.
Researchers at UC Davis have identified distinct neural circuits responsible for the anti-anxiety effects of psychedelics, separate from those causing hallucinations. Using the psychedelic DOI in mice, they found that anxiety reduction persists after hallucinatory effects fade. By mapping and reactivating specific neurons in the prefrontal cortex, they demonstrated potential for developing psychedelics-based treatments that alleviate anxiety without inducing hallucinations. This study highlights the complexity of psychedelic effects, involving both direct and downstream neural networks.