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This recent paper by researchers MacDonald and Tonegawa explores how the brain stores memories of events, including where and when they took place. Specifically, we dig deep into whether space and time components of memory are represented together or separately in the brain!
Read MoreEver had a stomachache that totally ruined your day? The gut is home to a whole collection of nerve and immune cells that make up what is known as the “enteric nervous system.” These nerve and immune cells are constantly in communication with our brain, and these messages can directly influence our thoughts! In this post, we learn more about the molecules that play a role in signaling the perception of pain in the gut!
Read MoreInteractions between the brain and the immune system have been in the news a lot recently with recent concerns about the impacts of COVID-19 on the nervous system. The brain has largely been considered an immune-privileged organ, meaning that immune cells from other parts of the body are not thought to be able to enter it. However, this initial assumption has been challenged by what is now a growing number of studies.
Read MoreIn 1943, the Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann discovered by self-experimentation that LSD had psychedelic (literally, “mind manifesting”) effects. In the following decades, research on psychedelic compounds such as LSD, MDMA, psilocybin, and ibogaine proliferated in the hands of psychiatrists, counterculture academics, and even the CIA. Numerous studies showed great promise, but research decreased sharply largely due to stringent restrictions on the use of psychedelic drugs. Now, psychedelic medicine is in its renaissance…
Read MoreAs humans age, we all experience changes to our bodies. Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to reverse those signs of aging? In this paper, we cover how scientists make use of the “molecular time keepers” in the neurons of our retina (in the back of our eyes!) to “turn back the clock” on old nerve cells!
Read MoreDid you know that octopuses are master multitaskers? Each of their arms has the ability to act independently of each other, even down to the individual suckers! In this article, we learn more about the nervous system cells responsible for this amazing ability of the octopus.
Read MoreTo allow us to do all the things we need to do in our daily lives, the neurons in our brain have to communicate with each other. To do this, neurons make connections, called synapses, with other neurons. It turns out that when a tumor starts growing in the brain, the cancer cells can actually hijack this normal machinery to make itself grow bigger, faster. Here, we explore how cells in the brain communicate with a cancerous tumor growing inside it.
Read MoreSuppose you have a ritual of eating cereal every morning for breakfast. Normally, you shake out the proper amount of cereal, grab a spoon, and dig in. But one morning, you find no cereal in the usual spot. Maybe the cereal box was left on the table? Or is it in the pantry? These examples depict two kinds of internal states, one in which the cereal is readily available and one in which food must be sought after. How does the brain represent these internal states?
Read MoreTo understand how the brain works, we first need a list of its parts and some rules for putting them together—in other words, we need a language for the brain. The way that neuroscientists are developing this language is not unlike how a tiny human learns to speak: we first assemble a vocabulary, then add meaning to build a dictionary, and finally develop grammar to link these components together. But mental processes do not come together in an orderly fashion like phrases in a sentence. Instead, brain processes unfold simultaneously as each part of the brain remains at least a little bit engaged at all times. In other words, the language of the brain need not be a linear sentence—it’s more like poetry.
Read MoreHow we feel has a big impact on how we respond to the same sensory information. For example, a plate of cookies could be enticing or uninteresting, depending on whether you’re hungry or full. But sometimes it can be quite difficult to define these “inner states",” especially in less expressive animals like flies. In a new study, scientists from Princeton use mathematical modeling to uncover the hidden internal states of singing flies.
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