Summary: Researchers have discovered a way to control human body temperature, mimicking the hibernation process of animals like bears. By manipulating the brain’s temperature regulation system, they can induce a state of “thermoregulatory inversion” (TI) in rats, reducing heat production even in cold environments.This breakthrough could lead to controlled hypothermia...
Summary: New research reveals how smell and hearing interact in the brain during maternal behaviors like pup retrieval in mice. Signals from the basal amygdala (BA) merge with auditory inputs in the auditory cortex (AC), influencing responses to social sounds.Blocking smell signals disrupted maternal retrieval, highlighting the role of multisensory...
Summary: New research shows that not all brain cells age equally, with certain cells, such as those in the hypothalamus, experiencing more age-related genetic changes. These changes include reduced activity in neuronal circuitry genes and increased activity in immunity-related genes.The findings provide a detailed map of age-sensitive brain regions, offering...
Summary: Researchers have discovered that pupil size during non-REM sleep correlates with memory consolidation. When pupils contract, the brain focuses on consolidating new memories; when dilated, it processes older ones.This separation prevents “catastrophic forgetting,” allowing the brain to efficiently manage both new and existing knowledge. These findings could lead to...
Summary: New research reveals that certain cells inactivate one parent’s copy of a gene, leading to a bias in gene activity that may explain why some individuals with disease-causing mutations remain symptom-free. This selective gene inactivation, known as monoallelic expression, affects about 1 in 20 genes and varies between cell...
Summary: A new study reveals that the Mediterranean diet may enhance cognitive function by altering gut microbiota. Rats fed a Mediterranean-style diet showed distinct bacterial changes linked to better memory, cognitive flexibility, and working memory compared to those on a Western diet.Beneficial bacteria levels increased, while harmful ones decreased, improving...
Summary: Researchers have uncovered a new understanding of levodopa-induced dyskinesia, a common side effect in Parkinson’s patients, revealing that the motor cortex disconnects rather than directly causing these movements.The study shows that ketamine, an anesthetic, can disrupt abnormal brain activity during dyskinesia and promote long-lasting neuroplasticity, helping the motor cortex...
Summary: Children in multilingual households, including those with autism, demonstrate stronger executive functions, such as inhibition, flexibility, and perspective-taking, compared to monolingual peers. Speaking multiple languages also reduces repetitive behaviors and improves communication, key challenges in autism.The findings suggest that juggling two languages enhances cognitive control, with no evidence of...
Summary: While humans share over 95% of their genome with chimpanzees, our brains are far more complex due to differences in gene expression. Research shows that human brain cells, particularly glial cells, exhibit higher levels of upregulated genes, enhancing neural plasticity and development.Oligodendrocytes, a glial cell type, play a key...
Summary: Time perception varies depending on context, often slowing in emergencies or unfamiliar settings and speeding up during absorption or as we age. Time expansion experiences (Tees) occur when seconds stretch into minutes, frequently in accidents, sports, or moments of calm. These experiences, often tied to altered states of consciousness,...
