Summary: A large twin study shows a substantial genetic contribution to adult dog ownership. Researchers suggest that genetic variation may have helped shape human capacity to domesticate dogs and could influence reported health associations with pet ownership. Source: Uppsala University Overview: A collaborative team of researchers from Sweden and the United Kingdom examined whether dog … Read more

Summary: A new study finds a mismatch between neuronal activity and blood flow in the brains of newborn mice, offering insight into how the developing brain supplies itself with energy. Source: Columbia University Researchers identify a developmental mismatch between neuronal firing and blood flow in newborn mouse brains, revealing how the maturing brain establishes its … Read more

Summary: Using state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscopy, researchers captured atomic-resolution snapshots that reveal how glutamate, the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter, triggers the opening of AMPA receptor channels. These channels control the flow of charged ions between neurons, underpinning learning, memory and many forms of synaptic signaling, and are implicated in disorders such as epilepsy. The study demonstrates … Read more

Neuroscience researchers have analyzed the protein assemblies that connect synaptic vesicles to the nerve terminal membrane before fusion, aiming to explain how synaptic transmission occurs so rapidly. Brain cell communication: Why it’s so fast Billions of neurons communicate continuously, forming an organic supercomputer that controls everything from breathing to complex thought. When this communication is … Read more

Summary: Lower doses of the common antibiotic Doxycycline reduces toxicity of alpha synuclein and may be used to help treat Parkinson’s disease, a new study reports. Source: NYU Langone Medical Center Focusing attention during decision-making New research from NYU Langone Medical Center reveals a surprising role for the thalamus in decision-making. Once considered primarily a … Read more

Summary: Researchers have developed a method to monitor, in real time, when circadian “clock” genes switch on and off in multiple tissues of freely moving mice and how those gene rhythms relate to behaviour. Source: Hokkaido University. Scientists have developed a technique to simultaneously record circadian “clock” gene activity and its behavioral effects in freely … Read more

For parents of young children, few milestones are as cherished as a baby’s first spoken word. Yet human communication relies heavily on nonverbal signals, and infants learn to exchange meaning without speech long before they can talk. A new study published in the journal Current Biology offers fresh insight into how infants develop nonverbal communication … Read more

Summary: Ketamine and exposure to 60-hertz flickering light show promise as a potentially new, non-invasive approach to restore youthful plasticity in the adult brain. Source: IST Austria Do you remember the scent of flowers in your grandmother’s garden or the melody your grandfather used to whistle? Some childhood memories and learned skills remain deeply ingrained … Read more

Summary: A major clinical trial has challenged a long-standing assumption in early stroke rehabilitation—that more intensive therapy immediately after a stroke necessarily improves recovery. The ESPRESSO (Enhancing Spontaneous Recovery after Stroke) trial found that 90 minutes per day of intensive hand and arm therapy delivered within two weeks of stroke did not lead to better … Read more

Summary: Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham mapped 16 transcriptionally distinct cell populations in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), clarifying the molecular diversity of neurons and supporting cells that underlie reward-related neural circuits. Source: University of Alabama Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have produced a comprehensive cellular atlas of … Read more