Biology lessons teach us that the brain is divided into separate areas, each of which processes a specific sense. But findings to be published in eLife show we can supercharge it to be more flexible.
Our neurons are derived from progenitor cells, which are specialized stem cells that have the ability to divide to give rise to neurons. Today, neuroscientists shed light on the mechanisms that allow progenitors to generate neurons.
It’s a case of life imitating art. Much as the sci-fi film “The Matrix” depicted a device capable of enhancing skill acquisition, researchers at HRL Laboratories, LLC, have discovered that low-current electrical brain stimulation can modulate the learning of complex real-world skills.
Scientists have turned skin cells into stem cells that can hunt down and destroy the deadly remains inevitably left behind when a glioblastoma is removed.
A dial-like structure found on brain cells called astrocytes means they are "actually incredibly flexible and potentially modifiable," says Keith Murai.
Physicians and biomedical engineers from Johns Hopkins report what they believe is the first successful effort to wiggle fingers individually and independently of each other using a mind-controlled artificial "arm" to control the movement.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have produced tiny brains made of human neurons and cells. These mini-brains could radically change how drugs are tested, replacing the many animals currently being used for neurological scientific research.
A study of stressed-out adults suggests that mindfulness meditation causes brain changes that can lower inflammation levels.
These students in Matamoros, Mexico, didn't have reliable Internet access, steady electricity, or much hope—until a radical new teaching method unlocked their potential.
Anxiety disorder is the most common mental illness, affecting at least one in five adults. In their latest study, scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich have shown that an enzyme called Dnmt3a is crucial in how the frontal cortex mediates stress-induced anxiety. Manipulation of this enzyme might represent a new therapeutic target.
DARPA wants to develop a tiny device that would translate the electrochemical language of the brain into the 1s and 0s of computers.
The brain's memory capacity is in the petabyte range, as much as entire Web, new research indicates. The new work answers a longstanding question as to how the brain is so energy efficient and could help engineers build computers that are incredibly powerful but also conserve energy.
Overlooked brain area has a 'motherlode' of autism genes. These genes are mutated Rbfox1 - which regulates cell proteins. When Rbfox1 genes 'go awry', it can increase the risk of autism. Scientists discovered a region of cells full packed with Rbfox1 genes. This finding provides fresh drug targets for new therapies.
In the next decade, people who have suffered a spinal cord injury or stroke could have their mobility improved or even restored through a radically new technology: implantable devices that can send signals between regions of the brain or nervous system that have been disconnected due to injury.
For the first time ever, scientists have identified clusters of genes in the brain that are believed to be linked to human intelligence.
