Researchers report that infantile spasms, a rare but serious seizure disorder in babies, appear to be the result of a molecular pathway gone awry. In their study of a mouse model of the disorder, the researchers discovered ...
Aug 3, 2021
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Neurons communicate through rapid electrical signals that regulate the release of neurotransmitters, the brain's chemical messengers. Once transmitted across a neuron, electrical signals cause the juncture with another neuron, ...
Jul 20, 2021
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From the bark of a puppy to the patter of rain against the window, our brains receive countless signals every second. Most of the time, we tune out inconsequential cues—the buzz of a fly, the soft rustle of leaves in the ...
Jul 6, 2021
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Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich researchers have shown how RNA-binding proteins modulate synaptic responses that mediate the transmission of nerve cell impulses.
Jun 29, 2021
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Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying brain plasticity (how the brain can learn, develop and reorganize itself) is crucial for explaining many illnesses and conditions. Neurocientists from the University ...
Mar 8, 2021
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the central nervous system, in which nerve cells are attacked by the patient's own immune system. In many cases, the disease develops into a progressive ...
Jan 26, 2021
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The neocortex is the part of the brain that humans use to process sensory impressions, store memories, give instructions to the muscles, and plan for the future. These computational processes are possible because each nerve ...
Jan 21, 2021
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Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections—the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger—are nurtured and reinforced, ...
Dec 24, 2020
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A common analogy used to describe the brain is that it consists of tiny interconnected computers. Each one of these computers, or neurons, process and relay activity from thousands of other neurons, forming complex networks ...
Dec 16, 2020
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Neurons are responsible for receiving information from the outside world and conveying this information to the rest of our body. To work correctly, they need to communicate, which they do via synapses—specialized structures ...
Dec 14, 2020
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