Brain | Page 727 | Science Codex

MIT neuroscientists show ability to plant false memories

CAMBRIDGE, MA -- The phenomenon of false memory has been well-documented: In many court cases, defendants have been found guilty based on testimony from witnesses and victims who were sure of their recollections, but DNA evidence later overturned the conviction.

In a step toward understanding how these faulty memories arise, MIT neuroscientists have shown that they can plant false memories in the brains of mice. They also found that many of the neurological traces of these memories are identical in nature to those of authentic memories.

Bad night's sleep? The moon could be to blame

Many people complain about poor sleep around the full moon, and now a report appearing in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, on July 25 offers some of the first convincing scientific evidence to suggest that this really is true. The findings add to evidence that humans—despite the comforts of our civilized world—still respond to the geophysical rhythms of the moon, driven by a circalunar clock.

Adenosine therapy reduces seizures and progression of epilepsy

Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent seizures that present in many different ways. In some cases epileptic patients exhibit a progressive increase in both frequency and severity of seizures. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation have recently been implied as an underlying cause of several neurologic disorders, including epilepsy.

Bad sleep around full moon is no longer a myth

Many people complain about poor sleep around full moon. Scientists at the University of Basel in Switzerland now report evidence that lunar cycles and human sleep behavior are in fact connected. The results have been published in the journal «Current Biology».

Silky brain implants may help stop spread of epilepsy

Silk has walked straight off the runway and into the lab. According to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, silk implants placed in the brain of laboratory animals and designed to release a specific chemical, adenosine, may help stop the progression of epilepsy. The research was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), which are part of the National Institutes of Health.

NIH researchers discover how brain cells change their tune

Surprisingly, when the mitochondria were missing or moving away from boutons, the signal strength fluctuated. The results suggested that the presence of stationary power plants at synapses controls the stability of the nerve signal strength.

Bipolar disorder takes different path in patients who binge eat, study suggests

ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Bipolar disorder evolves differently in patients who also binge eat, a study by Mayo Clinic, the Lindner Center of HOPE and the University of Minnesota found. Binge eating and obesity often are present among bipolar patients, but the mood disorder appears to take a different path in those who binge eat than it does in obese bipolar patients who do not, the researchers discovered. The findings are published online in the Journal of Affective Disorders.

MULTIMEDIA ALERT: Video of Dr. Frye is available for download from the Mayo Clinic News Network.

Key target responsible for triggering detrimental effects in brain trauma identified

Researchers studying a type of cell found in the trillions in our brain have made an important discovery as to how it responds to brain injury and disease such as stroke. A University of Bristol team has identified proteins which trigger the processes that underlie how astrocyte cells respond to neurological trauma.

Novel nanometer scaffolds regulate the biological behaviors of neural stem cells

The surface characteristics of nanoscaffolds made by nanotechnology are more similar to the three-dimensional topological structure of the extracellular matrix and the effects on the biological behaviors of cells and tissue repair are more beneficial. Dr. Jihui Zhou and team from the Fifth Hospital Affiliated to Qiqihar Medical University prepared aligned and randomly oriented collagen nanofiber scaffolds using electronic spinning technology. The diameters and appearance of prepared scaffolds reached the standards of tissue-engineered nanometer scaffolds.

Gene transduction inhibits post-epileptic hippocampal synaptic reconstruction

Synaptic remodeling is one of the most common pathological changes after epileptic seizures. Ectopic synaptic reconstruction in the hippocampus is considered to be closely related with temporal lobe epilepsy. Mossy fiber sprouting may trigger synaptic connections or synaptic remodeling in hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells, which could lead to the formation of excitatory synaptic circuits, thereby increasing epileptic susceptibility. Exogenous neuropeptide Y has antiepileptic effects; however, the underlying mechanism and optimal administration method for neuropeptide Y are still unresolved.

A new idea of Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae in the treatment of senile dementia

A research team from the School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine reports that Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae can inhibit advanced glycation end product formation, reduce their levels in the frontal cortex, and improve learning and memory capabilities in ovariectomized rats. The Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae inhibitory effect on advanced glycation end product accumulation is associated with an antioxidative effect. These novel findings, published in the Neural Regeneration Research (Vol. 8, No.

Over 90 percent of dementia cases in China are undetected

An international team of researchers has found that over 90 percent of dementia cases in China go undetected, with a high level of undiagnosed dementia in rural areas. The team of public health experts led by Dr Ruoling Chen at King's College London argues that more mental health education targeting high-risk populations is now needed to improve diagnosis rates, and increase support for sufferers and their families.

Epilepsy in a dish: Stem cell research reveals clues to disease's origins and possible treatment

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — A new stem cell-based approach to studying epilepsy has yielded a surprising discovery about what causes one form of the disease, and may help in the search for better medicines to treat all kinds of seizure disorders.

The findings, reported by a team of scientists from the University of Michigan Medical School and colleagues, use a technique that could be called "epilepsy in a dish".

Brain research shows psychopathic criminals do not lack empathy, but fail to use it automatically

Criminal psychopathy can be both repulsive and fascinating, as illustrated by the vast number of books and movies inspired by this topic. Offenders diagnosed with psychopathy pose a significant threat to society, because they are more likely to harm other individuals and to do so again after being released. A brain imaging study in the Netherlands shows individuals with psychopathy have reduced empathy while witnessing the pains of others. When asked to empathize, however, they can activate their empathy.

Speaker's power to act on words influences listeners' brain response

A speaker's power to act on his words influences how a listener perceives the meaning of their message, according to research published July 24 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Ina Bornkessel-Schlesewsky from the University of Marburg, Germany, and colleagues from other institutions.