Neuroscience news covering brain research, cognition, neurological disease, imaging, and neural interface advances.
The obituary commemorates Susumu Tonegawa, a Nobel laureate in molecular biology and neuroscience who died at age 86. It summarizes his significant contributions to science and his legacy as a pioneer in understanding genetic mechanisms.
AI visionary Ray Kurzweil has joined neurotechnology startup Subsense as an advisor to develop a non-surgical brain-computer interface. The technology uses intra-nasal administration of charged nanoparticles controlled by a magnetic headset. Kurzweil aims to merge smartphones with the human brain to transcend biological limitations. The company has raised $27 million and is conducting pre-clinical experiments on mice.
Researchers have mapped neurons in the African elephantnose fish brain, revealing a complex mechanism for filtering electrical noise. This discovery provides new insights into how the species' specialized cerebellum-like structure processes signals, surpassing previous scientific models.
Scientists at Cambridge have created the first complete map of nerve cell connections in a male fruit fly brain. By comparing this with existing female data, they identified specific wiring differences driving distinct behaviors like aggression and courtship, potentially aiding understanding of human neurological conditions.
Researchers at The University of Surrey published a study in Molecular Psychiatry identifying associations between specific gut microbial communities and neurochemical pathways. The inferior occipital gyrus showed the broadest microbiome-related links, suggesting gut microbes influence brain cell communication.
CityUHK and CUHK researchers published findings in Neuron showing that the brain overcomes cognitive bottlenecks by recruiting task-specific neurons. Longitudinal imaging of mouse brains revealed that training allows the brain to progressively separate neural representations, reducing initial competition and improving parallel processing capacity.
China's National Medical Products Administration has approved several brain-technology products, including Tiankai Suishi's cognitive assessment device. Insurers have announced the first commercial policies covering the invasive surgery required for implantation, supporting domestic firms competing with Elon Musk's Neuralink amid rising neurological disorders.
The article argues that oxytocin facilitates a unique neurochemical bond between cats and humans, similar to dog-owner relationships. It cites research showing that petting and hearing purrs elevate oxytocin levels in owners while reducing cortisol, thereby fostering trust and stress relief.
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Science and TCG-CREST identify a specific brain circuit linking chemotherapy to cold allodynia. The study suggests that neural changes in the parabrachial-thalamus pathway persist after treatment, explaining chronic pain sensitivity in mice.
Marshall University researchers found that adolescent binge drinking disrupts astrocyte-synapse communication in the hippocampus of rat models. These structural and functional changes persisted after abstinence and were linked to altered fear-related behaviors in adulthood, highlighting astrocytes as key targets for future therapies.