Max Planck Society
Excitation and inhibition remain balanced, even when the brain undergoes reorganization
Every second, the brain's nerve cells exchange many billions of synaptic impulses. Two kinds of synapses ensure that this flow of data is regulated: Excitatory synapses relay information from one cell to the next, while inhibitory ...
Neuroscience
Sep 07, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
|
Control of fear in the brain decoded
When healthy people are faced with threatening situations, they react with a suitable behavioural response and do not descend into a state of either panic or indifference, as is the case, for example, with ...
Neuroscience
Sep 06, 2011 |
4.9 / 5 (8) |
0
|
Two brain halves, one perception
Our brain is divided into two hemispheres, which are linked through only a few connections. However, we do not seem to have a problem to create a coherent image of our environment – our perception is ...
Neuroscience
Sep 01, 2011 |
4.4 / 5 (7) |
8
|
Language-related gene responsible for branching of neurons
(Medical Xpress) -- Which genetic mutations enabled the evolution of language? The foxp2 gene plays an important role in language development. Simon E. Fisher at the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics in Nijmegen, ...
Genetics
Sep 01, 2011 |
5 / 5 (3) |
1
|
Voice cells for voice recognition
(Medical Xpress) -- The human voice is as characteristic as a face – a friend can often be identified by a message on an answering machine, even if he or she forgot to mention their name. The main region ...
Neuroscience
Aug 24, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
|
Boys reach sexual maturity younger and younger
(Medical Xpress) -- Boys are maturing physically earlier than ever before. The age of sexual maturity has been decreasing by about 2.5 months each decade at least since the middle of the 18th century. Joshua ...
Health
Aug 18, 2011 |
5 / 5 (6) |
16
|
Stress genes out of kilter
(Medical Xpress) -- Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Göttingen have investigated genetic variations of the corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) system, the biological ...
Medical research
Aug 09, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
The brain's connectome -- from branch to branch
The human brain is the most complex of all organs, containing billions of neurons with their corresponding projections, all woven together in a highly complex, three-dimensional web. To date, mapping this ...
Neuroscience
Jul 28, 2011 |
4.8 / 5 (18) |
3
|
Mitochondrial genome mutates when reprogrammed
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells) are truly talented multi-taskers. They can reproduce almost all cell types and thus offer great hope in the fight against diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. ...
Genetics
Jul 28, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
|
Fair play -- a question of self-image?
Why do people behave selfishly and accept that their behaviour may have negative consequences for others? Astrid Matthey and Tobias Regner from the Max Planck Institute of Economics in Jena investigated this ...
Psychology & Psychiatry
Jul 27, 2011 |
4 / 5 (3) |
0
|
Deeper insight in the activity of cortical cells
Visual and tactile objects in our surroundings are translated into a perception by complex interactions of neurons in the cortex. The principles underlying spatial and temporal organization of neuronal activity ...
Neuroscience
Jul 12, 2011 |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
|
How memory is read out in the brain: MB-V2 nerve cells enable the read-out of associative memories
What happens if you cannot recall your memory correctly? You are able to associate and store the name and face of a person, yet you might be unable to remember them when you meet that person. In this example, ...
Neuroscience
Jul 08, 2011 |
4.7 / 5 (7) |
8
|
Eat today, pay tomorrow: 
lean women think ahead
(Medical Xpress) -- Being overweight is accompanied by changes in brain structure and behaviour. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Integrated Research and ...
Neuroscience
Jun 27, 2011 |
5 / 5 (3) |
0
|
Tracking down motion perception
Neurobiologists have determined the number of circuits needed to see movements.
Neuroscience
Jun 22, 2011 |
not rated yet |
1
|
Insulin action in the brain can lead to obesity
Fat-rich food makes you fat. Behind this simple equation lie complex signalling pathways, through which the neurotransmitters in the brain control the body's energy balance. Scientists at the Cologne-based ...
Neuroscience
Jun 06, 2011 |
3.7 / 5 (3) |
12
|
