Neuroscience

Two RIKEN researchers have used a scheme for simplifying data to mimic how the brain of a fruit fly reduces the complexity of information about smells it perceives. This could also help enhance our understanding of how the human brain processes sensory data.

A study led by the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) has succeeded in describing, for the first time in detail, the structural evolution of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) regions across the clinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease in people with Down syndrome. The results, published in the journal Brain, reveal that volume and cortical thickness loss in these regions can begin 13 to 15 years before the onset of symptoms, marking a significant advance in early diagnosis and the design of preventive clinical trials.

As companies such as Elon Musk’s Neuralink begin human trials of high-risk brain implants, a new proposal calls for a major change in how the U.S. handles injuries caused by the devices.

Using advanced single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) and a widely used preclinical model for Alzheimer’s disease, researchers from Mass General Brigham and collaborators at SUNY Upstate Medical University have identified specific brain cell types that responded most to exercise.

Thanks to 7T fMRI, researchers from Paris Brain Institute and NeuroSpin, the CEA’s neuroimaging center, are exploring the neural substrate of visual imagery at very high resolution for the first time. Their results, published in Cortex, pave the way for a better understanding of this fascinating cognitive ability, which some of us entirely lack.

Social engagement is a vital component of psychological and physical well-being linked to better health and a longer life, yet many older adults struggle to maintain relationships that support these outcomes.

Mice can develop a sense of embodiment of an artificial limb, similar to humans who participate in the rubber-hand illusion experiment, according to a study published in PLOS Biology by Luc Estebanez from CNRS: Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, France, and colleagues.

Back pain affects more than 80 million people in Europe and is the most common cause of disability. If the pain persists for more than three months, it is referred to as chronic back pain, which not only reduces the quality of life of affected individuals, but also places a heavy financial burden on the health care system.

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s are a growing concern in the U.S., with over 7 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease today. By 2060, that number is expected to grow, affecting nearly 13 million people. These diseases are not only hard on individuals and families, but are costly, with more than $230 billion spent in the U.S. each year in caregiving alone. As the population ages, the need for new ways to detect and address the silent emergence of these diseases has never been more urgent.

A “fine-tuned” artificial intelligence (AI) tool shows promise for objective evaluation of patients with facial palsy, reports an experimental study in the June issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.