A new international study reveals a possible connection between GLP1 receptor agonists—used in drugs like Ozempic—and increased risk of depression and suicidal ideation, especially in people with low dopamine function.
Category: neuroscience – Page 2
Every day, people are constantly learning and forming new memories. When you pick up a new hobby, try a recipe a friend recommended or read the latest world news, your brain stores many of these memories for years or decades.
But how does your brain achieve this incredible feat?
In our newly published research in the journal Science, we have identified some of the “rules” the brain uses to learn.
Compared to other animal species, humans can plan and execute highly sophisticated motor tasks, including the ability to write complex characters using their hands. While many past studies have tried to better understand the neural underpinnings of handwriting and other complex human motor capabilities, these have not yet been fully elucidated.
Past studies showed that the motor cortex plays a crucial role in the human ability to translate intentions into actions. Yet the processes via which it enables the execution of precise and sequential movements, such as those associated with handwriting, are poorly understood.
Researchers at Zhejiang University in China recently carried out a study aimed at further exploring the role of the human motor cortex in the encoding of intricate handwriting, such as Chinese characters. Their findings, published in Nature Human Behavior, suggest that this encoding unfolds via a sequence of stable neural states.
A study by Baylor University and Dell Medical School reveals a surprising link between technology use and a reduced risk of dementia in older adults. As the first generation to grow up with digital technology enters an age where dementia risk becomes more relevant, researchers are asking an impor
Complex neural circuits likely arose independently in birds and mammals, suggesting that vertebrates evolved intelligence multiple times.
One of the co-founders of Elon Musk’s Neuralink Corp. is building a different kind of brain implant.
We characterized the 3’ end sequence of the lncMN3 transcript using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and we confirmed the existence of the annotated isoform (Appendix Fig. S1A).
The analysis of the expression profile of lncMN3 during mESCs in vitro differentiation to MNs indicated that while it is not expressed in mESCs, it starts to be present in embryoid bodies at day 5 (EB5), reaches its maximum in EBs at day 6 (EB6) and decreases in the mixed population containing MNs (DIV3) obtained after cells dissociation (Fig. 1B). The observed decrease in expression is probably caused by a dilution effect due to the experimental protocol used for MN differentiation (Wichterle and Peljto, 2008) rather than to a real down-regulation. In fact, the MN population obtained upon EBs dissociation accounts for 40% of the mixed neural cell population; moreover, in contrast to the mixed population which continues to divide, MNs are postmitotic cells and their amount is diluted as differentiation proceeds (Capauto et al, 2018).
Superfluous axons are removed from muscle fibers through temporal changes in mRNA translation.
Real-world social cognition requires processing and adapting to multiple dynamic information streams. Interpreting neural activity in such ecological conditions remains a key challenge for neuroscience. This study leverages advancements in de-noising techniques and multivariate modeling to extract interpretable EEG signals from pairs of participants (male-male, female-female, and male-female) engaged in spontaneous dyadic dance. Using multivariate temporal response functions (mTRFs), we investigated how music acoustics, self-generated kinematics, other-generated kinematics, and social coordination uniquely contributed to EEG activity. Electromyogram recordings from ocular, face, and neck muscles were also modeled to control for artifacts. The mTRFs effectively disentangled neural signals associated with four processes: (I) auditory tracking of music, (II) control of self-generated movements, (III) visual monitoring of partner movements, and (IV) visual tracking of social coordination. We show that the first three neural signals are driven by event-related potentials: the P50-N100-P200 triggered by acoustic events, the central lateralized movement-related cortical potentials triggered by movement initiation, and the occipital N170 triggered by movement observation. Notably, the (previously unknown) neural marker of social coordination encodes the spatiotemporal alignment between dancers, surpassing the encoding of self-or partner-related kinematics taken alone. This marker emerges when partners can see each other, exhibits a topographical distribution over occipital areas, and is specifically driven by movement observation rather than initiation. Using data-driven kinematic decomposition, we further show that vertical bounce movements best drive observers’ EEG activity. These findings highlight the potential of real-world neuroimaging, combined with multivariate modeling, to uncover the mechanisms underlying complex yet natural social behaviors.
Significance statement Real-world brain function involves integrating multiple information streams simultaneously. However, due to a shortfall of computational methods, laboratory-based neuroscience often examines neural processes in isolation. Using multivariate modeling of EEG data from pairs of participants freely dancing to music, we demonstrate that it is possible to tease apart physiologically established neural processes associated with music perception, motor control, and observation of a partner’s movement. Crucially, we identify a previously unknown neural marker of social coordination that encodes the spatiotemporal alignment between dancers, beyond self-or partner-related kinematics alone. These findings highlight the potential of computational neuroscience to uncover the biological mechanisms underlying real-world social and motor behaviors, advancing our understanding of how the brain supports dynamic and interactive activities.
Called the human connectome, the structural system of neural pathways in the brain or nervous system develops as people age.