Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research

Medical research

Brain state behind social interaction uncovered

The brain's emotion-processing center—the amygdala—is one of several brain regions involved in social behavior. But the exact role that this almond-shaped structure plays in the so-called 'social brain' remains mysterious. ...

Neuroscience

Building corticocerebellar neural circuits

In a comprehensive study, researchers from the Rijli group found that a single Hox transcription factor expressed in a group of neurons of the pontine nucleus—the cerebral cortex most important brainstem relay to the cerebellum—determines ...

Medical research

Preventing the onset of schizophrenia in a mouse model

Although predisposing processes occur earlier, schizophrenia emerges at young adulthood, suggesting it might involve a pathological transition during late brain development in predisposed individuals. Using a genetic mouse ...

Psychology & Psychiatry

Stressed, anxious? Ask the brain

Our actions are driven by "internal states" such as anxiety, stress or thirst—which will strongly affect and motivate our behaviors. Not much is known about how such states are represented by complex brain-wide circuits, ...

Genetics

New findings on autism-related disorder

In a study published today in Nature, Marc Bühler and his group at the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research (FMI) have taken a major step forward in elucidating the mechanisms underlying a disorder known ...

Neuroscience

High-speed locomotion neurons found in the brainstem

Think of taking a casual stroll on a sunny Sunday afternoon or running at full speed to catch a bus for work on Monday morning as two extremes. Both forms of locomotion entail a perfect interplay between arms and legs, yet ...

Neuroscience

Coupling of movement and vision

In a study published in Cell, Georg Keller and his group shed light on neural circuits in the cortex that underlie the integration of movement and visual feedback. They identified a mechanism in the visual cortex responsible ...

Neuroscience

Computations of visual motion in the brain

Botond Roska and his group at the FMI have elucidated how the retina and the visual cortex work together in visual motion perception. They found that cortical cells, which respond preferentially to backward image motion, ...

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