Frog metamorphosis reveals how spinal circuits adapt to new motor demands. Vijatovic et al. demonstrate that the shift from tail-to limb-based locomotion coincides with expansion and diversification of V1 inhibitory neurons. Cross-species comparisons identify a conserved blueprint of tail and limb locomotion, with Engrailed-1 a global regulator of movement frequency.
Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a nasal spray that appears to reverse brain aging by calming inflammation and restoring the brain’s energy systems. After just two doses, memory and cognitive function improved for months, raising hopes for future treatments targeting dementia and brain fog.
Researchers have identified a vitamin B12–based compound that appears capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier and selectively accumulating in glioblastoma tissue.
This is a ~1 hour talk and discussion, comprising part 1 of a conversation with a really interesting young neuroscientist, as well as friend, collaborator, and our Center member, Nicolas Rouleau (https://allencenter.tufts.edu/nicolas… goes over unconventional aspects of neuroscience touching on free will, cybernetics, consciousness, and a lot more. We start a discussion which is continued in part 2. For more information:
Sellar, E.P., Rouleau, N. (In Review). A cybernetic framework for synthetic biological intelligence in the era of neural tissue engineering. Preprint doi: 10.31234/osf.io/md2wf_v1.
Kansala, C., Cicek, E., Nkansah-Okoree, V., Golding, A., Murugan, N.J., Rouleau, N. (In Review). Superstitious conditioning forms the experience of free will under causal determinism. Preprint doi: 10.31234/osf.io/fk3yt_v2.
Roskies, A. \& Rouleau, N. (Forthcoming, In Press). Research on brain organoids should prioritize questions of agency, not consciousness. AJOB Neuroscience.
Scientists in Japan have created powerful new vitamin K-based compounds that may help the brain regenerate lost neurons — a breakthrough that could one day change how diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are treated. By combining vitamin K with components related to vitamin A, the researchers developed compounds that were about three times more effective at turning neural stem cells into neurons than natural vitamin K alone.
A major breakthrough in artificial intelligence may have arrived: scientists have created an artificial neuron capable of communicating with other neurons.
Inspired by the human brain, this technology could allow machines to process information in a far more biological and efficient way. Instead of traditional computing architectures, future systems could operate more like living neural networks.
In this video we explore how artificial neurons work, why this breakthrough matters, and how it could reshape AI, robotics, and neuroscience.