Tag Archives: brain
How does your brain control interference from irrelevant information?
Given the continuous flux of visual information that competes for our attention in the everyday world, some form of attentional selection is needed to allow us to focus on what is relevant and ignore distracting information. This
A novel PET radiotracer for molecular imaging of the α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor
Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are a family of ligand-gated ion channels that mediate fast synaptic transmission in the brain. These receptors are homo- or hetero-pentameric combinations of the α and the β subunits which each subtypes
Incretin hormones and brain microglia team up to regulate brain homeostasis
The entire human body is made up of many complicated cells, processes, and interactions. As scientific discoveries are made, it becomes increasingly more evident how multidimensional and interconnected all of the biological systems and pathways of the
Astrocytic modulation of brain waves
The human brain contains two major cell populations: neurons and glia. While neurons can propagate electrical signals, known as action potentials, glial cells remain electrically unexcitable. For this reason, for many years, they were thought to merely
Confabulation: What is associated with its rise and fall? A study in brain injury
Confabulation is a relatively rare but debilitating memory disorder. It affects mainly (but not exclusively) brain injury survivors. Patients with confabulations have false memories, for example believing something happened to them which never in fact took place,
Insulin and brain glucose handling
It has long been known that the brain abundantly expresses insulin receptors in all its major areas, indicating that this vital hormone controlling general glucose metabolism is important for brain function. However, mechanisms of neuro-vascular coupling at
A quick, simple, effective screening test for concussion
Concussion is a real prospect in many physical contact sports and physically demanding sports. Immediately after a concussion the brain doesn’t act normally. Typical issues for a person with concussion are confusion, difficulty responding to emotional situations
Blood vessels regulate fetal brain growth
Millions of neurons are generated during fetal development from progenitor cells that reside inside the embryonic brain. These neural progenitor cell (NPC)s divide many times to generate new neurons in a process termed ‘neurogenesis’. At each cell
Old drugs learn new tricks: drug repurposing saves the world!
New way of drug discovery, “drug repurposing” has come into the spotlight. Drug repurposing—also known as drug reprofiling or drug repositioning—is essentially using “old” drugs to treat “new” diseases. With increases in knowledge about the molecular mechanisms
The human brain uses transitional probabilities of sound events for forming predictions about the acoustic environment
Predicting future events is essential in our ever-changing environment. For example, when we hear a siren sound while driving, we need to form predictions about the course of its loudness in order to decide whether to pull
Acute immune responses in the brain differ from responses in blood
Immune cells of the brain called microglia, appear to have been adapted to their vulnerable environment. They react less destructive to danger signals than their counterparts in the blood. Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central
Time is Brain. Rupture of a brain aneurysm and the patients journey to the neurosurgical center
In brain infarction or traumatic injuries of the brain an immediate admission to a neurosurgical / neurological center can be life saving. With brain hemorrhages caused by a ruptured aneurysm the situation is not as clear. First
Glucose – a bitter sweet for the brain
During ischemic stroke, insufficient supply of oxygen and glucose leads to severe damage of cerebral tissue. Since the most important energy substrate for the brain is glucose, high blood sugar levels could be a strategy to enhance
Cerebral small vessel disease burden is increased in lupus
The chronic inflammatory disease lupus can involve the brain, including increasing stroke risk for reasons which are not fully understood. Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a disease of the blood vessels in the brain that can
Disrupted fat breakdown in the brain makes mice dumb
Study led by the University of Bonn elucidated a previously unknown possible cause of dementia. A study led by the University of Bonn opens a new perspective with regard to the development of dementia. The scientists blocked
Conformal invariants for landmark curve based brain morphometry analysis
Abnormal structural changes measured on cortical surfaces are important biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In brain imaging research, landmark curves are usually delineated on cortical surfaces to represent significant sulcus and gyrus patterns. Landmark curves are widely
Crosstalk between gut, brain and metabolism in polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the most common endocrine disorder of women in childbearing age, is characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo-anovulation and polycystic ovaries in ultrasound. Obesity, a global epidemic, generally accompanies PCOS; but the link between these two
Cannabis reverses ageing processes in the brain
Researchers at the University of Bonn restore the memory performance of Methuselah mice to a juvenile stage. Memory performance decreases with increasing age. Cannabis can reverse these ageing processes in the brain. This was shown in mice
How fractalkine is regulated in human astrocytic brain cells
The brain is made up of four major types of brain cells. Neurons, oligodendrocytes, microglia and astrocytes. Neurons (nerve cells) are specialised cells that process and carry ‘messages’ through electrical signals. Oligodendrocytes are cells which are wrapped
