Summary: Researchers found that the same hippocampal neurons bats use for mapping physical space also encode social information when bats move together. Using wireless neural recordings and imaging, the team monitored groups of Egyptian fruit bats flying and interacting in a large flight room to reveal how place cells represent both location and social context. … Read more

When a tiny group of cells is missing, both males and females become slower to engage in fights. A very small cluster of estrogen-producing neurons in the mouse brain has specific and measurable effects on aggressive behavior in both males and females, according to new research from scientists at the University of California, San Francisco. … Read more

Summary: New research shows that the neurobiology of schizophrenia differs substantially between males and females. Using neurons made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), researchers identified sex-specific transcriptional and proteomic signatures linked to schizophrenia, highlighting altered pathways in glycosaminoglycan metabolism, neurotransmitter processing and GABAergic synapses. A notably large share of schizophrenia-associated genes display sex-specific expression, … Read more

Summary: Researchers have pinpointed a distinct population of brainstem neurons that drive the appetite-suppressing and weight-loss actions of semaglutide while appearing not to mediate its nausea-related side effects. In mice, direct activation of these neurons reproduced the drug’s effects on reduced food intake and fat loss, and selective loss of these cells blunted semaglutide’s benefits … Read more

Summary: Researchers at the University of Rhode Island are converting everyday clothing into smart textiles to monitor Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions, improving remote care and patient outcomes. Source: URI. URI Professor Kunal Mankodiya at the forefront of smart textiles and wearable health technology Developing the right medication and treatment plan for patients with … Read more

Summary: Researchers used hydroxy-α-sanshool, the active compound in Szechuan pepper, to reveal how the human brain detects and integrates different types of touch. Source: UCL UCL scientists have uncovered new details about how the human brain detects and perceives distinct forms of touch—such as fluttering vibrations versus steady pressure—by using hydroxy-α-sanshool, the compound that gives … Read more

Summary: Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods not only shapes food choices and increases risk of weight gain but can also alter the brain’s microstructure. A UCLA study found that the limited food quality, higher calorie intake from unhealthy sources, and environments that discourage physical activity common in deprived areas are associated with changes in brain regions … Read more

New research links SKA2 gene methylation to more severe PTSD symptoms and reduced cortical thickness in brain regions that regulate emotion and stress response. This study is among the first to identify a potential role for the spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 2 (SKA2) gene in the development and severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). … Read more

Researchers at UC San Francisco reveal how the brain controls the complex movements of speech A research team at UC San Francisco has identified the neural mechanisms underlying speech motor control — the precise, rapid coordination of tiny brain regions that govern the lips, jaw, tongue and larynx during speaking. Reported in the journal Nature, … Read more

Brain Cells That Control Appetite Identified: Tanycytes Sense Amino Acids and Signal Satiety Summary: Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered that tanycytes — specialized cells in the hypothalamus — detect amino acids from food and relay satiety signals directly to the brain. Foods rich in certain amino acids, such as chicken, lentils and … Read more