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an image of a slice of a rat brain is colored red on a black background. a lime green human organoid sits in the top left of the brain
Human Brain Organoids Transplanted Into Rats Respond to Visual Stimuli
The organoids could one day be used to treat brain injuries in humans. 
Human Brain Organoids Transplanted Into Rats Respond to Visual Stimuli
Human Brain Organoids Transplanted Into Rats Respond to Visual Stimuli

The organoids could one day be used to treat brain injuries in humans. 

The organoids could one day be used to treat brain injuries in humans. 

mouse brain

a human neuron illuminated in bright green on a black background.
Mitochondrial Metabolism Dictates Neurons’ Growth Rate
Katherine Irving | Jan 30, 2023 | 4 min read
Altering the rate of respiration in mitochondria changes how fast neurons grow, making mouse neurons grow more like human ones and vice versa, a study finds.
Microscopy image with blue and red neurons, where red indicates neurons involved in a memory engram
Asthma Drug Helps Mice Retrieve Memories “Lost” to Sleep Deprivation
Zunnash Khan | Jan 24, 2023 | 4 min read
A study finds roflumilast can reverse sleep deprivation–induced amnesia in mice, hinting at pathways to treating memory loss in people.
This is DishBrain, an in vitro system that combines human brain cells with artificial intelligence technology, which researchers at Australian biotech Cortical Labs recently trained to play the classic 1972 Atari video game Pong. Fluorescent markers show axons in green, neuron bodies in purple, dendrites in red, and all other cells in blue. Where multiple markers are present, colors are merged and typically appear as yellow or pink. Posted: October 12, 2022
Caught on Camera
The Scientist | Dec 12, 2022 | 4 min read
See some of the coolest images recently featured by The Scientist.
Rendering of a light blue NLRP3 inflammasome against a black background
Inflammation in Brain’s Immune Cells Triggers Depressive Behavior in Mice
Dan Robitzski | Nov 17, 2022 | 5 min read
In stressful conditions, specialized protein complexes in microglia induce neurotoxic activity in astrocytes that leads to the change in behavior.
A mouse brain showing activated neurons (white) in the brainstem 3 hours after LPS injection.
Research Pinpoints the Neurons Behind Feeling Sick
James M. Gaines | Sep 23, 2022 | 5 min read
Specific neurons in the brainstem control sickness behaviors not directly caused by a pathogen, such as tiredness and lack of appetite, a mouse study finds.
artistic representation of jumping gene
Jumping Genes Can Cause Movement Disorder: Study
Sophie Fessl, PhD | Sep 13, 2022 | 3 min read
Mice with overactive LINE-1 retrotransposons in their brains exhibit movement difficulties, suggesting the genetic elements may play a role in ataxia in humans. 
Illustration of a human and Neanderthal skull side by side.
Mutation Linked to Difference Between Human and Neanderthal Brains
Dan Robitzski | Sep 9, 2022 | 5 min read
A single amino acid substitution in a protein causes increased neuron production in the frontal lobes of humans compared to Neanderthals—a tiny difference that could have given our species a cognitive edge, researchers say.
microscope image series showing synthetic embryo development
Mouse Embryo: No Sperm, Egg, or Uterus Required
Christie Wilcox, PhD | Aug 2, 2022 | 3 min read
Using stem cells and a bioreactor, researchers generated living embryos that survived for more than a week and began to develop internal organs.
Image of brain cells showing pyramidal neurons in green, astrocytes in red, and microglia in blue
Replacing Microglia Treats Neurodegenerative Disease in Mice
Shawna Williams | Mar 17, 2022 | 2 min read
Researchers find a way to wipe out the brain’s immune cell corps and send in new and improved versions.
mice on wheel and ground
Exercise-Associated Protein Boosts Brain Function in Mice
Chloe Tenn | Dec 9, 2021 | 5 min read
A study that transfused plasma from active to inactive mice suggests the protein clusterin enhances cognition.
Image of nerve fibers shown in green and red
Neurons Simplify Visual Signals by Responding to Only One Retina
Anne N. Connor | Oct 1, 2021 | 2 min read
Mice have neurons that connect to both eyes but only propagate the signal from one or the other, simplifying the information sent to the cerebral cortex.
Photograph of a mouse covering his face with his paw.
Bless You: Mouse Model Reveals Molecular Pathway Behind Sneezing
Amanda Heidt | Oct 1, 2021 | 3 min read
Researchers have identified specific cells and neuropeptides involved in mediating the sneeze response in mice exposed to allergens or chemical irritants such as capsaicin.
Illustration showing how a mouse study identifies the brain regions and specific signaling factors that regulate the sneeze response.
Infographic: The Neural Pathway of Sneezing
Amanda Heidt | Oct 1, 2021 | 1 min read
A mouse study identifies the brain regions and specific signaling factors that regulate the sneeze response.
One white mouse with red eyes runs on a blue exercise wheel, while another mouse stands with front paws on the wheel
Serious Infections Linked to Autism: Study
Abby Olena, PhD | Sep 17, 2021 | 5 min read
In both a mouse model and the hospital records of more than 3 million children, researchers found a connection between strong immune activation in males and later symptoms of autism spectrum disorder.
A multicolored section of a fruit fly brain
Tumors Disrupt the Blood-Brain Barrier at a Distance
Abby Olena, PhD | Sep 9, 2021 | 4 min read
Shoring up the tissues that separate neurons and other brain cells from the circulatory system in fruit flies and mice can prolong life in the presence of a tumor.
Red blood vessels that decrease in diameter as they radiate outward are pictured on a pink and white surface
Antisense Oligonucleotides Cross Rodents’ Blood-Brain Barrier
Abby Olena, PhD | Aug 18, 2021 | 3 min read
RNA-DNA complexes that were modified with cholesterol made it into the brains of rats and mice, where they knocked down target genes.
Two oligodendrocyte progenitor cells are being generated from adult stem cells nestled on the surface of brain ventricle
Scientists Discover “Gorditas” and Other Novel Brain Cell Types
Amanda Heidt | Jun 10, 2021 | 5 min read
A pool of neural stem cells that ordinarily lies dormant in the brains of adult mice spawns two types of never-before-documented glial cells when artificially reactivated, potentially pointing to a novel mechanism of brain plasticity.
A microscopy image of a mouse brain that shows the lymphatic system in bright purple and pink
Brain’s Lymphatic System Tied to Alzheimer’s Symptoms in Mice
Amanda Heidt | May 4, 2021 | 5 min read
A dysfunctional lymphatic system, described as a clogging of the brain’s sink, may explain why immunotherapies fail in some Alzheimer’s patients.
Anesthesia Impairs Memory in Mice
Abby Olena, PhD | Apr 1, 2021 | 3 min read
A study that compared several anesthetic regimens in rodents showed that only one—inhaled isoflurane—wasn’t detrimental to the activity of neurons in the hippocampus.
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