Summary: Muffled sounds experienced in the womb prime the brain’s ability to interpret some sounds and may be key for auditory development.
Source: MIT
Inside the womb, fetuses can begin to hear some sounds around 20 weeks of gestation. However, the input they are exposed to is limited to low-frequency sounds because of the muffling effect of the amniotic fluid and surrounding tissues.
The Stem Cell Reports paper demonstrated the capability to grow and differentiate cortical neurons — known to be responsible for a majority of higher brain function — into fully mature and functional cells.
These neurons were then incorporated into a circuit functioning as a simulated system, where the researchers were able to induce long-term potentiation (LTP). LTP — which allows for memory formation — is a key phenomenon in the study of cognition, and one that has mostly evaded direct observation in human models.
A UCF researcher’s work to create a “brain-on-a-chip” aims to improve neurological disorder research by speeding up drug discovery and providing an alternative to animal testing.
James Hickman — professor of chemistry, biomolecular sciences and electrical engineering — recently published some of his latest findings in the journals Stem Cell Reports and Advanced Therapeutics.
These studies explain advancements in his research group’s efforts to develop the functional neural model otherwise known as a “brain-on-a-chip.” Such a model could revolutionize neurological research by replicating the pathologies of neurological disorders and rare autoimmune neuropathies, without the need for testing on human or animal subjects.
Most treatments for strokes aim to help reduce or repair damage to affected neurons. But a new study in mice has shown that a drug already in use to treat certain neurological disorders could help patients recover from strokes by getting undamaged neurons to pick up the slack.
An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood vessel blockage interrupts blood flow to the brain, causing neurons to die off. Survivors can suffer impaired fine motor control and speech, and other disabilities, for which long-term rehabilitation is often required.
Logically, many treatment options in development focus on minimizing or reversing damage to neurons, using things like stem cells, anti-inflammatory drugs, injectable hydrogels, or molecules that convert neighboring cells into neurons.
Summary: Increasing synchronization of neurons in the upstream brain region that transmits information leads to a significant improvement in the transmission of information and information processing in the downstream region.
Source: Bar-Ilan University.
In the early 20th century scientists began to record brain activity using electrodes attached to the scalp. To their surprise, they saw that brain activity is characterized by slow and rapid ascending and descending signals which were subsequently called “brain waves”.
𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣, 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙨. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙫𝙖𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘼𝙡𝙯𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙛 … See more.
The Neuro-Network.
𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐳𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞
𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 20 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙨𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣… See more.
For more than 20 years, scientists have known that people with hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, or obesity have a higher likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
The conditions can all affect the brain, damaging blood vessels and leading to strokes. But the connection between vascular disease in the brain and Alzheimer’s has remained unexplained despite the intense efforts of researchers.
According to complexity economist Brian Arthur and physicist Geoffrey West human social systems function optimally as complex adaptive systems – or quantum systems.
The newly developed field of quantum leadership maps the human, conscious equivalents onto the 12 systems that define complex adaptive systems or quantum organisations. These are: self-awareness; vision and value led; spontaneity; holism; field-independence; humility; ability to reframe; asking fundamental questions; celebration of diversity; positive use of adversity; compassion; a sense of vocation (purpose).
Quantum leadership is essentially a new management approach that integrates the most effective attributes of traditional leadership with recent advances in both quantum physics and neuroscience. It is a model that allows for greater responsiveness. It draws on our innate ability to recognise, adapt and respond to uncertainty and complexity.
For the first time TU Graz’s Institute of Theoretical Computer Science and Intel Labs demonstrated experimentally that a large neural network can process sequences such as sentences while consuming four to sixteen times less energy while running on neuromorphic hardware than non-neuromorphic hardware. The new research based on Intel Labs’ Loihi neuromorphic research chip that draws on insights from neuroscience to create chips that function similar to those in the biological brain.
The research was funded by The Human Brain Project (HBP), one of the largest research projects in the world with more than 500 scientists and engineers across Europe studying the human brain. The results of the research are published in Nature Machine Intelligence (“Memory for AI Applications in Spike-based Neuromorphic Hardware”).
The close-up shows an Intel Nahuku board, each of which contains eight to 32 Intel Loihi neuromorphic research chips. (Image: Tim Herman, Intel Corporation)
Cell-Based Dairy Bio-Products For Health & Nutrition — Dr. Aletta Schnitzler, Ph.D. — CSO — Turtletree Labs
Dr. Aletta Schnitzler, PhD. is the Chief Scientific Officer at TurtleTree Labs (https://turtletree.com/) where she leads the R&D teams and spearheads an innovation roadmap to bring nutritious cell-based dairy and meat alternatives to market.
TurtleTree is a biotech company dedicated to producing a new generation of nutrition—one that’s better for the planet, better for the animals, and better for people everywhere. Utilizing its proprietary, cell-based technology, the company is creating “better-for-you” milk ingredients sustainably and affordably, with benefits that extend beyond the dining table and into the heart of humanity.
Previous to joining TurtleTree, Dr. Schnitzler co-founded Merck KGaA’s Cultured Meat Innovation program and directed technology development to advance platforms enabling rapid development, validation and manufacture of cell-based meat products. Focus areas included formulating cost-effective cell culture media, understanding cell line requirements, and envisioning new process templates for biomass generation and structured products.
Additionally, Dr. Schnitzler was Head of Cell Therapy Bioprocess R&D at MilliporeSigma, honing expertise in media optimization and single-use bioreactor systems for use in a complex regulatory environment. She also held technical and marketing roles supporting small-scale chromatography devices and cell culture products for monoclonal antibody production.
